Matters of Policy & Politics

The election results are in and California’s governor has survived an attempt to recall him from office. Hoover senior fellow Lee Ohanian (the co-author of "Why Company Headquarters Are Leaving California in Unprecedented Numbers") and distinguished policy fellow Bill Whalen, both contributors to Hoover’s California on Your Mind web channel, sit down with Hoover senior writer Jonathan Movroydis to discuss how Gavin Newsom managed to keep his job – and the policy implications for the Golden State and the nation moving forward.

A new study shows companies are leaving California at double the rate of the past three years due to taxes, over-regulation, and a high cost of living. Hoover senior fellow Lee Ohanian (the co-author of that report) and distinguished policy fellow Bill Whalen, both contributors to Hoover’s “California on Your Mind” web channel, sit down with Hoover senior writer Jonathan Movroydis to discuss the plight of California’s business climate and the Golden State’s gubernatorial recall election. 

An admission at a recent press conference that his staff pre-determines the order of reporters’ questions points to an odd facet of the Biden presidency: behind-the-scenes choreography on public display. Debra Saunders, a Washington-based columnist, past Trump White House correspondent, and Hoover media fellow, discusses the current presidency’s media relationship – and, harkening back to her days covering California policy and politics, Gavin Newsom’s recall prospects and why San Francisco-style justice may enable Sirhan Sirhan’s release.

Donald Trump’s gone (from office) but not forgotten as many of the elements that contributed to his political ascent – immigration, overseas entanglements, cultural divide – are as potent as ever. Victor Davis Hanson, the Hoover Institution’s Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow, discusses Trump’s presence in the political landscape and the prospects of “Trumpism” beliefs moving forward.

Taliban forces take control of Kabul and the visuals coming out of Afghanistan – Americans hastily evacuated, US-friendly Afghans desperate to join the exodus – evoke memories of Saigon in 1975. Joe Felter, a Hoover research fellow and counterinsurgency advisor in Afghanistan during his Army service, explains what went wrong in that nation and the impact on US foreign policy.  

As California’s gubernatorial recall election approaches, will Democrats rally behind their embattled governor or will Republicans continue to enjoy an advantage in voter enthusiasm, as polling suggests? Hoover senior fellow Lee Ohanian and distinguished policy fellow Bill Whalen, both contributors to Hoover’s “California on Your Mind” web channel, sit down with Hoover senior writer Jonathan Movroydis to discuss how California Gov. Gavin Newsom might try to rouse the Democratic faithful.  

A new COVID variant raises complicated health-policy questions: should masking be mandated and proof of vaccination required to enter indoor spaces? What about the pace and imagination of research? Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University professor of medicine and epidemiological researcher, separates fact from fiction related to the COVID “Delta” variant.  

With polls showing Californians almost evenly divided on whether to recall Gavin Newsom, just how concerned should California’s governor be? Hoover senior fellow Lee Ohanian and distinguished policy fellow Bill Whalen, both contributors to Hoover’s “California on Your Mind” web channel, sit down with Hoover senior writer Jonathan Movroydis to discuss the upcoming recall candidates’ debate, plus the role of special-interest money in the special election. 

The U.S. Navy’s latest budget request, coupled with Chinese naval expansion, raises questions concerning America’s ability to project strength and respond to crises across the Pacific Rim. Admiral Gary Roughead, former Chief of Naval Operations and the Hoover Institution’s Robert and Marion Oster Distinguished Military Fellow, discusses America’s naval readiness, including doubts about a “fighting culture,” plus whether the military’s upper echelon has become too politicized.  

With only a week remaining for candidates to enter the race, California’s Sept. 14 recall election continues to take shape. Hoover senior fellow Lee Ohanian and distinguished policy fellow Bill Whalen, both contributors to Hoover’s “California on Your Mind” web channel, sit down with Hoover senior writer Jonathan Movroydis to discuss the latest in the Golden State, including the gubernatorial challengers’ struggles in earning media attention.