In an Average Year, the President’s Party Loses 28 Seats | Mark Halperin

CA Cities & Counties are Robbing Homeowners Blind | Jon Coupal

Guest: Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Guest Bio:  Jon Coupal is one of California's most prominent taxpayer advocates and an expert on public finance and election law. He serves as the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a grassroots citizens organization dedicated to protecting the landmark property tax limitations established under 1978's Proposition 13. A seasoned constitutional attorney, Coupal has spent decades defending taxpayer rights in both state and federal courts, and challenging tax hikes and regulatory loopholes engineered by municipal governments. He has been a pivotal structural force behind multiple successful statewide ballot measures, continuing a legacy of fiscal discipline, accountability, and constitutional guardrails against over-taxation. Show Summary "Nobody has ever been hired by a poor person," says Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association President Jon Coupal. In this episode of State of Gold, host Jon Slavet sits down with Coupal to unpack the heavy economic toll of California's record-setting tax rates and the growing grassroots effort to put power back in the hands of voters.Coupal breaks down the structural importance of the newly qualified Local Taxpayer Protection Act slated for California’s November ballot. He reveals how the California State Supreme Court has steadily degraded Proposition 13 over the decades, using judicial loopholes to let local municipalities sidestep the state's traditional two-thirds voter threshold for special taxes. He shares how the act seeks to halt "equity theft" by capping aggressive real estate transfer taxes—such as Los Angeles's controversial Measure ULA—and ensure that special interest tax hikes are subject to the original intent of the law. The discussion shifts to a strategic war-room map, where Coupal explains the power of their 200,000-member grassroots network and their success at defeating tax-expansion measures despite being outspent 10-to-1. Turning his focus to the Governor's race, he evaluates Steve Hilton’s proposal to eliminate income taxes for those earning under $100,000, pointing out how pervasive state agency fraud provides more than enough "juice in the squeeze" to offset the loss. From tracking the "Trojan Horse" mechanics of the Billionaire Tax to detailing why a CA zero-income-tax roadmap can prevent a middle-class exodus, this episode is a blueprint for how a "sick" state can recover. Chapters 00:00 – Drawing the Line: Confronting America’s Highest Tax Bracket 00:23 – Introducing the Local Taxpayer Protection Act 00:32 – Closing the Loopholes: Restoring the Guardrails of Proposition 13 01:15 – Defining Equity Theft: Capping Real Estate Transfer Taxes 01:50 – Complicit Courts: How the State Supreme Court Bypassed Plain Language 03:43 – War Room Strategy: Mobilizing a Coalition of Realtors and Landlords 04:54 – Defeating Proposition 5: Winning a Grassroots Campaign Outspent 10-to-1 07:07 – Lowest ROI: Why California Ranks Dead Last in Return on Investment 09:06 – Saved Revenue vs. Lost Revenue: Endorsing Steve Hilton’s Tax Cuts 10:56 – Reinvigorating the Economy: The Historic Proof of Property Tax Relief 11:12 – The Fraud Explosion: Funding Cuts Through Waste and Bot Scams 12:51 – Exploding the Billionaire Myth: How fine Print Creates an Everyone Tax 15:28 – Constitutional Infirmities: The FTB Enforcement and Ex Post Facto Traps 18:05 – November Rejections: Why the Electorate Isn't as Progressive as its Leaders 19:15 – Rapid Fire: Removing Collective Bargaining and a Sick State’s Recovery Connect with Jon Coupal * Twitter/X: https://x.com/joncoupal [https://x.com/joncoupal] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-coupal-68772ba [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-coupal-68772ba] * Website: https://www.hjta.org/ [https://www.hjta.org/] Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast Connect with State of Gold * X: https://x.com/realjonslavet [https://x.com/realjonslavet] * Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about [https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en] * Website: www.stateofgold.com [https://stateofgold.com/]

CA Governor Primary Roundtable with Steve Maviglio & Jennifer Horn

Guests: Jennifer Horn: Conservative political commentator and host on AM590 The Answer Steve Maviglio: Democratic strategist and former press secretary to CA Governor Gray Davis Show Summary Days after California's high-stakes June 2nd jungle primary, the dust is still settling—and millions of ballots have yet to be certified. In the inaugural State of Gold post-election roundtable, host Jon Slavet sits down with top-tier political commentators Jennifer Horn and Steve Maviglio for an unfiltered, bipartisan autopsy of a wild election cycle. The panel dives straight into the frontrunners for Governor, breaking down how Xavier Becerra staged a "Lazarus-style" comeback from the dead to secure a presumptive general election matchup against frontrunning Republican Steve Hilton. Maviglio exposes how the sudden structural collapse of Eric Swalwell's congressional career upended the field, driving anxious progressive voters toward a calm establishment alternative. Meanwhile, Horn outlines the roadmap Hilton must use to target Becerra's thin record of legislative achievements and federal HHS baggage. The debate gets heated as the team investigates California's notoriously sluggish mail-in vote counts and the growing crisis of voter confidence. From analyzing intra-party squabbles inside gerrymander-tweaked congressional districts to tracking reality TV icon Spencer Pratt's viral, AI-driven mayoral campaign against an embattled Karen Bass in Los Angeles, this episode is a definitive breakdown of what happens when performance art meets real-world math on the California ballot. Chapters 00:00 – Launching the Post-Primary Roundtable 00:40 – The 56% Tally: Sizing up the Hilton vs. Becerra Presumptive Matchup 01:50 – Rising From the Dead: How Xavier Becerra Catapulted Past Tom Steyer 03:35 – The 35% Turnout: Disenfranchisement, Voter Integrity, and the Apathy Trap 05:42 – The Crisis of Confidence: Assessing State Election Law and Voter ID Policies 07:40 – Postmark Deadlines: The Strategic Debate Over Mail-in Ballots 09:17 – The Cliff Note Strategy: How Hilton Can Define Becerra’s Baggage 11:27 – Running Against Trump: The Predictable Democratic Line of Attack 12:28 – Referendums on Scarcity: Why the Prop 50 Precedent Matters 13:41 – Pushing Chips in the Middle: Strategists Place Bets on the November Governor 15:05 – Running Through the Tape: Evaluating Chad Bianco’s Next Political Move 17:03 – California 22: David Valadao and the Top-Two Primary Manipulation 18:49 – District 6 Suburbs: Kevin Kiley's Thorn in Governor Newsom's Side 20:06 – The LA Mayoral Shocker: Spencer Pratt's High-Tech Rise Against Karen Bass 21:11 – Reframing the News: Understanding Pratt's Reality TV Media Gift 24:08 – Changing the Script: How Satire and AI are Reshaping Modern Campaigns Connect with Jennifer Horn * Twitter/X: https://x.com/JenniferHorn?lang=en [https://x.com/JenniferHorn?lang=en] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferHornRadio/ [https://www.facebook.com/JenniferHornRadio/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferhornradio/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/jenniferhornradio/?hl=en] Connect with Steve Maviglio * Twitter/X: https://x.com/stevenmaviglio [https://x.com/stevenmaviglio] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-m-54a17b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-m-54a17b/] Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast Connect with State of Gold * X: https://x.com/realjonslavet [https://x.com/realjonslavet] * Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about [https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en] * Website: www.stateofgold.com [https://stateofgold.com/]

Meet the Man Who Drew the California Prop50 Maps | Paul Mitchell

Guest: Paul Mitchell, Democratic Political Strategist Guest Bio:  Paul Mitchell is one of the nation's premier experts on nonpartisan redistricting, political demography, and voter data analytics. He has directed decennial line-drawing for more than 100 cities, school boards, and community college districts, and served as a data consultant for independent commissions in New York and New Mexico. Long recognized as a staunch advocate for independent, nonpartisan commission criteria, Mitchell frequently collaborates with civic organizations like Common Cause and the ACLU to protect communities of interest from partisan overreach. He stepped into intense statewide debate as the lead cartographer behind California's Proposition 50 congressional maps. Show Summary Can a partisan gerrymander ever be justified—even if it's meant to correct a wrong? In this episode of State of Gold, host Jon Slavet sits down with political data expert Paul Mitchell, the architect behind California’s highly controversial Proposition 50 gerrymander. Mitchell pulls back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes dynamics that birthed the measure, revealing his initial opposition to bypassing California's Independent Redistricting Commission. He details how he urged Democratic congressional leadership and the Governor's office to use the maps as a political "bluff" to deter Texas from aggressively redrawing its own lines. Mitchell defends the analytical integrity of his final map, explaining how he preserved key commission criteria and limited city splits while delivering the targeted five-seat shift demanded to balance the national scales. The conversation pivots to a mathematical dive into proportional representation, with Mitchell unpacking why geographical sorting makes drawing "perfectly balanced" rural and urban districts a technical impossibility. Finally, he offers a provocative reality check on how a looming, AI-driven automation wave could transform the landscape for American workers, framing wealth taxes not just as an ideology, but as a future survival mechanism for the state's economy. Chapters 00:00 – Prop 50: Did Two Wrongs Make a Right? 00:58 – The Anti-Gerrymander Cartographer: Mitchell’s Nonpartisan Roots 02:00 – The Texas Counter-Bluff: Advising a Partisan Stand-Off 03:00 – Maintaining Map Integrity Under Partisan Constraints 04:15 – Bludgeoning the Minority Party: The Disenfranchisement of Voters 05:14 – Latte Voters and Rural Reality: The Challenge of Underpopulated Districts 07:16 – Bypassing the Commission: The Incremental Push from Washington 07:51 – Long-Term Meditation: When Democrats Started Strategic Line Drawing 08:35 – Preserving Communities of Interest vs. "Bacon Strip" Public Maps 10:11 – The Proportionality Math Problem: Self-Segregation of Electorates 12:00 – High Taxes, Worse Outcomes: Sacramento’s Lack of Economic Leadership 12:48 – Low-Information Landslides: Why Voters Backed the Anti-Trump Narrative 14:55 – Low-Information Electorates and the Realities of the Campaign Trail 15:41 – The Billionaire Network: Evaluating Elite Mobility in California 16:00 – AI, Automation, and the Pitchfork Economy: Shifting Jobs on the Chopping Block 18:26 – Crude Mechanisms vs. Mileage Taxes: The Problem with Asset Liquidation 20:07 – The Societal Compact: Reinventing Government Infrastructure Through Private Gains 21:23 – Congressional Pass: Healthcare Deficits and Abdicating Responsibility Connect with Paul Mitchell * Twitter/X: https://x.com/paulmitche11 [https://x.com/paulmitche11] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmitche11/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmitche11/] Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast Connect with State of Gold * X: https://x.com/realjonslavet [https://x.com/realjonslavet] * Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about [https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en] * Website: www.stateofgold.com [https://stateofgold.com/]

In an Average Year, the President’s Party Loses 28 Seats | Mark Halperin

Guest: Mark Halperin - Editor-in-Chief - 2WAY Interactive Inc. Guest Bio:  Mark Halperin is one of the nation's most experienced political analysts, authors, and commentators. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestsellers Game Change and Double Down, which provided definitive, behind-the-scenes accounts of the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. Over a career spanning decades, Halperin has served as the political director for ABC News, a senior political analyst for Time magazine, and a frequent contributor across major news networks. Currently offering national political reporting and analysis through his independent platforms, Halperin is widely recognized for his data-driven insights into campaign strategy, presidential polling, and the shifting dynamics of both state and federal elections. Show Summary “In a normal state, you'd say organize and get hot at the end. There is no organization in California—it's just get hot at the end". In this episode of State of Gold, host Jon Slavet sits down with legendary political journalist Mark Halperin for a masterclass in campaign math, media scrutiny, and national electoral trends. Halperin opens by revising his previous predictions for the 2026 California Governor's race, and outlining a path where either San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan or Xavier Becerra will ultimately take the mansion. The discussion dives into the sudden "open secret" implosion of Eric Swalwell, drawing historical parallels to presidential campaigns of the past to explain why certain scandals only ignite under a high-stakes media microscope. Zooming out to the federal level, Halperin drops a sobering forecast for the upcoming midterms, predicting a massive "blue wave" that could see Democrats flip over 30 seats in the House and capture a Senate majority. Finally, the conversation shifts to the 2028 presidential landscape, offering insider scouting reports on Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, J.D. Vance, and Josh Shapiro. From the family "veto power" on Newsom's ambitions to why a well-run Super PAC is a candidate's greatest weapon, this episode provides an unmatched look at the mechanics of modern political warfare. Chapters 00:00 – Shifting Trajectories: Why Mahan and Becerra are Leading the Field 01:12 – Selling Oatmeal: Can Matt Mahan Make Moderation Sexy? 02:15 – Breaking Becerra: Vacuum and Vulnerabilities in the Debates 03:07 – The Primary Math: Can Republicans Avoid a Top-Two Shutout? 04:34 – Open Secrets: Why the Swalwell Skeletons Exploded Late 06:35 – Defining the Perfect California Republican: The Legacy of Dick Reardon 08:45 – The Midterm Forecast: Affordability, the Iran War, and a Looming Blue Wave 11:12 – The Texas Drought: Can James Talarico Unseat a Republican Statewide? 12:26 – The Gauntlet of 2028: Family Vetos and Gavin Newsom's Presidential Ambitions 15:34 – Bestsellers and Email Lists: Sizing Up Newsom's National Appeal 18:24 – The 2028 Dem Board: Harris, Shapiro, Buttigieg, and Rahm Emanuel 21:33 – Super PAC Strategy: The Hidden Mechanics of a Winning Campaign 23:00 – The Post-Trump Era: J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio, and the Republican Mantle 24:12 – Game Change Lessons: Normality, Charm, and Mission Chinese Connect with Mark Halperin * Twitter: https://x.com/MarkHalperin?lang=en [https://x.com/MarkHalperin?lang=en] * Twitter (show): https://x.com/NextUpHalperin [https://x.com/NextUpHalperin] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin/ [https://www.instagram.com/markevanhalperin/]  * Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin/ [https://www.instagram.com/nextuphalperin/] * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpHalperin [https://www.youtube.com/@NextUpHalperin] * Website: 2waytvapp.com [http://2waytvapp.com] Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast Connect with State of Gold * X: https://x.com/realjonslavet [https://x.com/realjonslavet] * Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about [https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en] * Website: www.stateofgold.com [https://stateofgold.com/]

The Candidate for City Attorney Who Will Clear LA's Streets | John McKinney

Guest: John McKinney - Candidate for LA City Attorney Guest Bio:  John McKinney is a seasoned prosecutor who has dedicated nearly three decades to the criminal justice system inside the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, where he specialized in prosecuting violent crimes and major gang offenses. A native of New Jersey who overcame adversity in his youth, McKinney rose to become one of the most prominent trial lawyers in the LA legal community, known for prosecuting high-profile murder cases. Running as a pragmatist for Los Angeles City Attorney, his platform centers on restoring public safety, enforcing misdemeanor laws, tackling the homelessness crisis through structured transitional environments, and serving as a strict legal defender for the municipal corporation of Los Angeles. Show Summary "California has, by and large, chosen to leave dangerous people on the street," says veteran prosecutor John McKinney. In this episode of State of Gold, Jon Slavet sits down with McKinney for a sobering look at public safety and the humanitarian breakdown in the nation's second-largest city. McKinney links the current state of disorder in Los Angeles to the legacy of 2011's "prison realignment" policies, which pushed overcrowding down to the local counties and led to inmates being pushed out onto the streets. Drawing on his thirty years of frontline experience, McKinney offers a rare, nuanced perspective on federal immigration enforcement, local sanctuary policies, and the hidden pressures applied by the LA County Board of Supervisors. The conversation pivots to McKinney’s vision for the City Attorney's office as general counsel, rather than a "public interest law firm" as proposed by opponents on his left. He outlines a clear strategy of "compassionate accountability" to address the homeless industrial complex, detailing a shift away from high-priced permanent housing toward immediate, scalable city-owned transitional spaces. From tracking Spencer Pratt’s high-tech mayoral campaign to enforcing laws that keep business open and streets safe, this is an exploration of real-world leadership in modern Los Angeles. Chapters 00:00 – The Core of Safety: Tracing Modern LA problems to 2010s Realignment 01:45 – Leaving People on the Street: The Failure of State Corrections 02:43 – Debunking the Crime Link: Legal Immigration Status vs. Local Crime 04:34 – The Budget Levers: Board Politics and Sanctuary State Dynamics 05:58 – General Counsel or Public Interest Firm? Delineating the LA City Attorney Role 07:28 – The Practical Metrics of Success: CVS Openings, Human Bodies, and RVs 09:00 – Compassionate Accountability: Ditching Hotel Voucher Strategies for $5,000 Emergency Beds 10:45 – Partnering with Law Enforcement: Aggressive Prosecution of Misdemeanors 12:31 – Defeating Career Politicians: The Angry Consensus of the Ordinary Voter 14:18 – Critiques of the Progressive Left: Leaving the City of Los Angeles Without a Defender 15:04 – Sucking the Air Out of the Room: Spencer Pratt’s Viral AI Mayoral Insurgency 17:30 – Rapid Fire: Uncivilized Encampments and Rooting for the Home Teams Connect with John McKinney  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmckinney_/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmckinney_/] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/John-McKinney-100063804919502/ [https://www.facebook.com/p/John-McKinney-100063804919502/] * Twitter: https://x.com/johnmckinney_?lang=en [https://x.com/johnmckinney_?lang=en] * Website: https://mckinney4la.com/about/ [https://mckinney4la.com/about/] Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast Connect with State of Gold * X: https://x.com/realjonslavet [https://x.com/realjonslavet] * Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about [https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en] * Website: www.stateofgold.com [https://stateofgold.com/]