The Drain

031 - California blue (a redistricting story)

Hello, Plug brethren and Drain cisterns.
Kempa had to take a few weeks out east for some family business, but we are BACK and ready to discuss the federal redistricting battles.
You may have heard that California is responding to Texas Republicans' redistricting push to ensure fascism in the US in 2026, with a little redistricting of their own.
What does that mean?
Well, Democrats in the Golden State are looking to gain about five seats, despite two-thirds of the state's proposed congressional districts shifting red on the new map. Four formerly Republican-leaning swing districts would soon tilt Democratic, and two others would move heavily left.
Essentially, Democrats in California could end up with as many as 48 of the state’s 52 congressional districts.
According to the Los Angeles Times, polls for this move by Governor Gavin Newsom and state Democrats are looking good:
“When voters were asked whether they agree with California’s redistricting maneuver, 46% said it was a good idea, while 36% said it was a bad idea. Slightly more, 48%, said they would vote in favor of the temporary gerrymandering efforts if it appeared on the statewide special election ballot in November. Nearly a third said they would vote no, while 20% said they were undecided.”
And according to a survey by Democratic pollster (and Newsom ally) David Binder, "57% of California voters backed the redistricting measure, while 35% opposed and 8% were undecided.”
ALREADY, millions of dollars are rolling into this fight. Jeremy White at Politico thinks this will be the most expensive ballot fight in CA history. Some stats:
$10 million are coming from Charles Munger against the measure (he's a GOP donor who bankrolled the 2010 independent redistricting law)
$1 million are in from SEIU in support, as well as $300,000 from businessman Andrew Hauptman
The YES campaignalready reported some $5.8 million on July 30
This looks like a winner, yes? Possibly. It even looks good for Governor Newsom's 2028 presidential hopes:
New poll: 75 percent of registered Democratic voters said they are “excited” about the prospect of Newsom running for president, compared with 67 percent who are enthusiastic about former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Between the two high-profile Californians, the governor leads Harris 25 percent to 19 percent among the state’s registered Democratic voters and Democratic-leaning independents, according to the latest POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab survey found. (Mayor Pete has 13; AOC, 10)
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We're back, baby :)

030 - Have It Your Way (with Josh Rosa of Better Ballot Sacramento)

It's all old hat at this point, but it bears repeating that Zohran Mamdani's historic nomination as Democratic candidate for New York City mayor is largely thanks to his groundbreaking policies for city welfare, as well as his commitment to social justice. Less examined, however, is the role of ranked choice voting in the success of his campaign. Today we sit down with Josh Rosa of Better Ballot Sacramento for a chat about what is ranked choice voting, and how it can change the electoral landscapes here in California.
Though ranked choice voting has been popular in Europe for quite some time quite recently, some municipalities across California have adopted it like San Francisco, Berkeley, Eureka, and Oakland... these places have seen better voter turnout, less money in politics (thanks to RCV's shorter campaign seasons), and a friendlier, more collegial election process.
Throughout the rest of California, however, most local elections are decided in the primary, with extremely low voter turnout — locking democracy behind party membership. When local races do go to a runoff, they required to essentially restart their entire electoral campaign. This effort easily doubles the amount of money that they need to raise and spend to follow through on the general election campaign.
Josh also takes us through the current state of ranked choice voting implementation throughout California, highlighting the work that Better Ballot Sacramento, Cal RCV, and Fair Vote are all doing to help implement ranked choice voting in the state of California. In Sacramento's case a large part of the city council members agree that ranked choice voting would be a huge improvement on the current state of affairs.
Note: this episode was recorded at New Helvetia, a worker owned brewery in Sacramento. Some background noise may be apparent.

029 - A new poll on California sovereignty, with Coyote Marin

Today we're talking with our friend Coyote Marin, Executive Director of the Independent California Institute, about the new poll they've put out with YouGov on California sentiment towards autonomous rule.
The highlights?
50% of Californians say they trust Sacramento more than Washington, D.C.—only 23% say the reverse.
71% say California would be better off with special autonomous status within the U.S.
44% would vote for a ballot measure for peaceful, legal secession—but 54% would vote against it.
72% of Californians want California police to arrest federal immigration officers who exceed their authority or act maliciously.
80% of Californians want to control borders with other states “like a country."
Coyote walks us through the polls, including some very interesting small steps that Californians could take toward stronger autonomy that state legislators could get behind, given voter sentiments.
We also touch on mainstream media responses to the poll, as well as the fact that the, uh, interesting folks trying to punch through a ballot measure declaring the Golden State's autonomy fell a good deal short on their latest efforts.
It's a good one. Especially if you're trying to learn how to best help California gain further freedom without, you know, turning our state into more of a war zone than it has already become.
Want to help ICI with their research?
Support them at: ic.institute/donate
Find them on Bluesky: @ic.institute
And follow their work at: https://independentcalifornian.substack.com/
As always, you can like, rate, and subscribe to The Drain on all of your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
And subscribe to our Patreon for premium Friday episodes of The Plug :)
Oh, and we're on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

*Preview* 028 - Rogue benches in San Francisco

**This is a preview of our premium Friday show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.**
Welcome, to our lovely paid listeners, to an exploration of the rogue benches showing up all over San Francisco.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
Oh, and we're on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

027 - Large Gorgeous William and the Golden State

Today we're taking a look at how President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill is going to affect Californians struggling to get by. As Governor Newsom gears up for his 2028 presidential bid with a trip to genuflect to Jim Clyburn in South Carolina, those of us back home are steeling ourselves for the effects of this legislation.
You may have noticed that every Democrat and two members of the GOP opposed the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, and that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) heroically succeeded in changing its name.
But the bill still passed.
Here are some highlights from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, as reported in the Los Angeles Times:
The wealthiest families will see, on average, $12,000 in tax savings, while the poorest Californians will have to pay an added $1,600 a year, on average, due to reductions in Medicaid and food aid.
Caps for state and local tax deductions, known as SALT, will quadruple to $40,000 for five years, offering some benefits to residents of higher-taxed states like California.
Another $350 billion is being allocated for border and national security, which includes spending on the U.S.-Mexico border and 100,000 migrant detention beds.
ICE will receive funding to offer $10,000 signing bonuses to new employees, with the aim of hiring 10,000 officers and agents.
Immigrants will fund some of these projects by paying new or increased fees, including when they apply for asylum.
In total, the Department of Defense will receive roughly $1 billion in new funding for border security.
Another $25 billion is being set aside for the U.S. to develop its own Israel-type of Iron Dome missile defense system, called the “Golden Dome.”
One incentive that will soon disappear is the electric vehicle tax break of $7,500 for new vehicles and $4,000 for used ones.
Republicans are cutting back on Medicaid and food assistance programs for those below the poverty line.
Many adults receiving Medicaid and food stamps, including those up to age 65, will now have to fulfill an 80-hour-a-month work requirement.
Medicaid patients will also have a new $35 co-payment to contend with.
About 71 million Americans use Medicaid, and 40 million benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as food stamps.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that 11.8 million Americans will become uninsured by 2034, and 3 million more will not qualify for SNAP due to the changes.
It's bleak out there, folks.
Don't forget to like, rate, and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
And subscribe to our Patreon for premium Friday episodes of The Plug :)
Oh, and we're on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

*Preview* 026 - The Latino Vote on the leftist playbook

**This is a preview of our premium Friday show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.**
Today Palma and Kempa convene to discuss a Democratic establishment podcast that Kempa forced his poor cohost to listen to: The Latino Vote, whose panel--which includes a Californian who helped launch the Lincoln Project--is ringing the alarm about Zohran Mamdani's historic win in the New York City Democratic primary.
Air out your titties, settle in, and join us for a populist ride discussing the Democratic Party's Tea Party moment.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
Oh, and we're on Bluesky:@thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

025 - Do not come-dani: Islamophobia hits the California legislature, plus Zohran's win

Today, we're discussing a vile piece of Islamophobic legislation wending its way through the California legislature designed to muzzle the state's public school teachers who want to discuss the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
But FIRST, we get to spike the football on Zohran Mamdani’s historic win in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. The youth vote mobilized for this campaign, unfazed by the rampant anti-Muslim rhetoric oozing from the mainstream media and national Democratic leadership.
You may have heard House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand spouting their nonsense on why they haven't yet endorsed the race's Democratic nominee, who is a Muslim democratic socialist. It's no surprise.
Over the course of their careers, Jeffries has taken some $1,742,000 from the Israeli lobby. Gillibrand has taken nearly $1,000,000.
But they are fast learning that there is a seismic, generational shift in Democratic voter sentiment on Israel's war crimes. Take the 2024 Pew survey that found more Americans aged 18-29 supported Palestine at 33%, compared to Israel with 14%. For Democratic youth? It was 47% in support of Palestine and just 7% for Israel.
Don’t forget, Millennials now outnumber Boomers, and Gen Z--possibly more leftist than their Gen Y elders--is coming out in droves to do direct action and mutual aid, and even voting.
In a much more recent (June 11) Quinnipiac poll, just 12% of Democrats say their support lies with Israelis, while 60% back Palestinians. This issue is fast becoming partisan.
Here in our back yard, Democratic legislators are working hard to silence the youth outcry against Israel's genocide. They were forced to withdraw legislation that would silence discourse on the Israel-Palestine conflict in public schools in AB 1468, but they're back with AB 715, which has emerged as a new threat to civil rights under the guise of fighting antisemitism.
We also discuss the potential for Nancy Pelosi, who is 85 and broke her hip last December, declining to run for the House again. There are some interesting folks running against her, but they've got some issues. We talk Saikat Chakrabarti and Scott Wiener, who are both eyeing her seat.
Don't forget to like, rate, and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
And subscribe to our Patreon for premium Friday episodes of The Plug :)
Oh, and we're on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

*Preview* The Plug 024 - Asm. Carl DeMaio's anti-trans diatribe interrupted by Democratic birthdays

**This is a preview of our premium Friday show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.**
It's Pride Month, so of course when the California legislature puts forward a resolution recognizing LGBT humanity, the Republicans need to trot some mouth-breather out to go on an anti-trans rant.
You may have seen it on Asm. Carl DeMaio's (R-San Diego) Twitter. When he took the podium to denigrate a resolution that dared acknowledge that trans girls like to play sports, Assembly Democrats repeatedly interrupted DeMaio to make some, uh, pressing announcements.
It's a fun, quick episode of the Plug this week, which begins with a little discussion on a strange conservative man in Richmond, VA, named Meade Skelton, who wants nothing more in life than to find love with a woman willing to sleep in a separate bedroom.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
Oh, and we're on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

The Drain 023 - Billionaire, crypto, and Zionist funding for California Democrats

Today we're discussing a little story from Politico's California Playbook, which noted that California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter recently received a maximum personal contribution of $39,200 from billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple.
Why does that matter?
First, it signifies that Porter has perhaps made amends with California's crypto elites, whose Fairshake PAC poured $10 million into sinking her 2024 US Senate campaign.
It also signals that former Vice President Kamala Harris may not be interested in a run for governor. Larsen, you may recall, plowed $10 million into Harris's failed 2024 presidential bid. If he's betting on another gubernatorial candidate before Kamala enters the race, perhaps he knows something that the rest of us don't.
We also take a moment to dive into larger campaign financing for California Democrats, examining who in the governor's race is taking money from billionaires, landlords, developers, and AI interests.
Meanwhile in New York City, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has secured the Democratic nomination to become the Big Apple's next mayor, despite the Israel lobby pouring ungodly amounts of money into smearing the young candidate, a Muslim who has openly spoken out against Israel's war crimes.
We recorded this one before Mamdani's historic primary result, but Max presciently thought it might be a good exercise to take a look at all the AIPAC dollars streaming into California politicians' coffers. It appears a lot of Democrats are just begging to be primaried.
Finally, we take a look at Governor Gavin Newsom's little spats with both mainstream and far-right media outlets. It appears he's mad at the Los Angeles Times for running a story on his relationship with single-use water bottles (which no one would have read, had his comms team not lost their minds over it). And then, of course, Rupert Murdoch's New York Post is taking shots from 3,000 miles away.
Don't forget to like, rate, and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
And subscribe to our Patreon for premium Friday episodes of The Plug :)
Oh, and we're on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

*Preview* The Plug 022 - Mr. 1950 Seduces the Sandwich Caller Live on Air

**This is a preview of our premium Friday show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.**
Today we're running a very special reading series on the incredible story featuring the dean of a California charter school who runs his own alpha-male lifestyle coaching business and says, on his YouTube channel, that women must submit to men. Folks, meet Mr. 1950 (a.k.a. Ken Powell).
You might want to check out his YouTube channel, but Mr. 1950 has deleted a lot of his clips since the Sacramento Bee published its story on him. Here are a few of the deleted titles, for your pleasure:
“Is Spending Money to Impress Women a Loser’s Game?”
“If She Really Wants You She’ll Share You” ▪
“Does SIZE Really Matter? This Woman’s Response SHOCKED The Internet” ▪
“Stop Simpin’ & Start Pimpin | How To Attract Women Without Even Trying” ▪
“REAL Men Would Never Allow This To Happen: Why Men Should Always Have A Plan For Women” ▪
“Jamal Woolard Explains How Black Women Are ‘GOLD DIGGERS’ & Why Women OverSeas Are Better” ▪
“He Clapped Her Cheeks and Disappeared — NBA Drama Unfolds”
We hope you enjoy this episode, because we sure did.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
Oh, and we're on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social