Political Breakdown

House Republicans have laid out a blueprint for the first federal budget under President Trump’s second administration. It calls for massive tax cuts, lifting the debt ceiling and deep cuts to programs like Medicaid. Scott and Marisa talk with New York Times congressional correspondent Catie Edmondson about the politics of cutting programs for low-income Americans to pay for tax cuts for the richest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Kamala Harris considers her political future, including a possible run for governor of California, allies of President Trump are also weighing a bid for the Golden State's top job. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss the campaign from Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and possibly Trump's national security envoy Richard Grenell. Plus, are we seeing an inflection point on the Bay Area's response to homelessness? Decisions in San José and Fremont suggest local governments are taking more aggressive measures to remove encampments in public spaces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Kamala Harris considers her political future, including a possible run for governor of California, allies of President Trump are also weighing a bid for the Golden State's top job. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss the campaign from Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and possibly Trump's national security envoy Richard Grenell. Plus, are we seeing an inflection point on the Bay Area's response to homelessness? Decisions in San José and Fremont suggest local to governments are taking more aggressive measures to remove encampments in public spaces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump’s moves to consolidate power have some observers comparing the U.S. to Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has enacted an authoritarian playbook. Marisa and Scott talk with Vox senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp, who's covered Orbán's rise. Later, they're joined by California's Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, who was the U.S. ambassador to Hungary when Orbán returned to power in 2010.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Communications Commission, led by President Trump's appointee Brendan Carr, is investigating San Francisco radio station KCBS for its coverage of a recent immigration enforcement action in San Jose. Plus, Carr is calling for an investigation into NPR and PBS for allegedly airing commercials and suggested the public broadcasters could be stripped of their federal funding. Scott and Marisa are joined by Ben Mullin, media reporter for The New York Times, to talk about the chilling effect the FCC's legal actions could have in newsrooms.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After years of attacking President Donald Trump, Governor Gavin Newsom heads to Washington D.C. with compliments, gratitude and a request for Los Angeles wildfire recovery money.Plus, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced he won't run for governor, saying he's got his hands full taking on Trump. Scott and Marisa talk with Dustin Gardiner, co-author of Politico's California Playbook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since President Trump’s inauguration, Elon Musk has moved at breakneck speed to seize power, cut government spending and install loyalists in government. Journalist Zoë Schiffer wrote a book on Musk's track record transforming Twitter, Extremely Hardcore: Inside Elon Musk’s Twitter, and says he's following a similar playbook on the federal government.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Within the United States, San Francisco-based OpenAI, which released ChatGPT in 2022, is at the leading edge of AI technology. Until very recently the U.S. was seen as the clear global leader in artificial intelligence. But last week's release of a low cost, high performance AI model called DeepSeek by a Chinese startup sent the U.S. stock market reeling. Scott talks with OpenAI's Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane to discuss AI’s potential, its future and competition from China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom had called on the state legislature to add millions of dollars to the state budget for lawsuits against President Trump. But this week, that plan hit a snag in Sacramento. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss why Assembly Democrats decided to delay votes on this funding.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump made demonizing transgender people a core tenet of his political pitch, and his administration has wasted no time enacting a series of executive actions to strip trans people of their rights. Marisa and Scott talk to Imani Rupert-Gordon, the president of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, about how advocates are fighting back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices