The Drain

The Drain 003 - UC students under attack (Part 1/2)

Palma and Kempa are joined by Kat to discuss the serious dangers facing students--particularly international students--in the University of California system.
The UC had already been harassing students who supported Palestine liberation during the Biden administration: loading them onto buses, putting bags over their heads, and sending riot police to violently break up their camps. Kat takes us through this history a bit before landing in the present day.
Now, with the Trump administration hunting down international students (who are here legally, with visas and/or green cards) and sending them to black sites with no habeas corpus and no charges against them, we explore whether UC students can trust university leadership to protect them at all.
California's universities were never going to treat students who believe in Palestinian liberation with any respect. But we note a larger, alarming pattern of major schools bending to the Trump administration's will (See: Columbia in NYC), and ask ourselves just who UC administrators are working for? Now that the Trump administration has demanded the names and countries of origin of all protesting students, will the schools comply?
Stay tuned for part 2 of this discussion on Friday.
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Questions? Comments? Chisme? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
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Oh, and follow us on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

The Drain 002 - A #Resistance in entropy

Today we're discussing an article by the Sacramento Bee's Jenavieve Hatch, in which she explores why there is no #Resistance in 2025 like there was after Donald Trump's first presidential win in 2017. Where are the pussy hats? The clever signs? The teeming masses in Capital Mall?
It's a fun story (and not just because Kempa is quoted in it), and it ties in with our last discussion on Governor Gavin Newsom.
Speaking of Newsom, Paul Mitchell of Political Data Inc. recently polled 1,000 Californians on their thoughts surrounding the governor's humiliating interview with Charle Kirk. The results? People hated it.
We parse through some of the findings.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Chisme? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
And subscribe to our Patreon for premium Friday episodes of The Plug.

The Drain 001 - Kirk cucks Newsom

That's right, folks. We sat through Gavin Newsom's abhorrent podcast so you don't have to.
Today we're examining California Governor Gavin Newsom's new podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," and his first episode titled, "And, This is Charlie Kirk."
You probably saw the viral clips in which Kirk forces Newsom to turn his back on trans athletes. But, oh, listener, there is so, so much more to this show.
Join us here in the Golden State's capital as we discuss.
Questions? Comments? Chisme? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
And subscribe to our Patreon for premium Friday episodes of The Plug.

The Drain 000 - Introductions with Kempa and Sweet Palma

Greetings, babies, and welcome to the first ever episode of The Drain.
This is a podcast covering California news and culture. Hosted by journalist Dave Kempa (founding editor of VOICES: River City) and Max (a.k.a. Sweet Palma, producer of the violently famous Seeking Derangements), we discuss the liberal California hegemony through a leftist lens, just steps from the state Capitol.
Free episodes (The Drain) every Tuesday. Premium episodes (The Plug) every Friday.
Tips/Pitches/Chisme to thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
Find us wherever podcasts are available.
Thank you. We love you so.