Best Brian And John Kabateck Podcasts (2024)

1
California Restaurants on Verge of Going Under With Excessive Mandates, Higher Costs | Brian Back | John Kabateck 31:15

11d ago31:15

31:15

“I’ve sent an open letter to [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom. Not only have we seen the cost of almost everything go up exponentially in the last few years, but also faced new regulations and mandates. If I were to match our increased costs with menu pricing, we would be forced to charge about $40 for a cheeseburger. We can’t explain that to the cus…

1
California’s Dam Removal Damages: Local Farmers Fear Liability for Massive Salmon Deaths | Theodora Johnson 51:48

13d ago51:48

51:48

“It really has been the biggest dam removal experiment in modern history. People who were very much in favor of dam removal are now beside themselves because they had no idea this would be the outcome.” Siyamak sits down with Theodora Johnson, a sixth-generation rancher from Siskiyou County. The Klamath Dam removal project is the largest of its kin…

1
What Californians Can’t Afford to Miss in Prop 1 | Susan Shelley 44:48

17d ago44:48

44:48

“It’s being sold to the voters as treatment. But you’ve got $2 billion going into housing that can be for people who are still using hard drugs. If you have a building with, let’s say, 40 units, and 15 of the people in them are addicted to hard drugs, that is going to have an impact on the community, and the community has no say in that land use at…

1
Former Homeless Reveals What Homelessness is Like in Sacramento | Matt King 55:21

19d ago55:21

55:21

‘It’s almost like we’re living in an open-air mental health facility. There are people walking down the streets; you don’t know if they’re going to shoot you, stab you, punch you, spit on you... And we, as parents, are kind of teaching our kids and grandkids how to be numb to the situation.’ Siyamak sits down with Matthew King, former homeless and …

1
Are California Housing Mandates Ending Community Involvement and Character of Cities? | Amy Kalish | Lydia Kou 49:57

1M ago49:57

49:57

“The goal is to densify every town in the state. To densify it—so that‘d be walking around, not driving. In some places, it doesn’t work. But this whole policy has been applied as ’one size fits all' with no complaining.” Siyamak sits down with Amy Kalish, with Citizen Marin. She’s been studying what the housing mandates are for different cities in…

1
California Parents Are Afraid of Losing Their Kids | Erin Friday 45:09

1M ago45:09

45:09

“The school adopted my daughter’s new identity, which was a boy, changed her records to be male name, called her that in class. They told me I was unsafe. So they were safer for my daughter. This is a new movement that all parents are bad until proven good.” Host Siyamak Khorrami sits down with Erin Friday, executive committee member for Protect Ki…

1
Former Prison Guard Explains Why California Prisons Are Becoming Unsafe | Hector Bravo 51:43

1M ago51:43

51:43

“It is like working at a zoo, and they’ve opened up every single cage: to the bears, to the lions, to the panthers, to the giraffes, to the elephants. And you got the correctional officers like: “Oh my god, what have they done here?” Siyamak sits down with Hector Bravo, a former correctional officer and lieutenant with the California Department of …

1
Will California Lose Its Entrepreneurial Spirit as More Businesses Invest in Other States? | Marshall Toplansky 46:14

1M ago46:14

46:14

“Who is leaving? That’s probably the most worrying aspect of all of this. The people who are leaving are the most productive, what I call the seed corn of California—people who are going into family formation stage, 30- to 50-year-old people who are mid-career, people who make $200,000 a year and above. And so what we’re left with, which is kind of…

1
From US ‘Murder Capital’ to Zero Homicides: A California City’s Remarkable Rebirth | Paul Bains 27:40

1M ago27:40

27:40

“I remember that year; there was just so much shooting going on. Kids would sleep in bathtubs to avoid stray bullets.” Siyamak sits down with Pastor Paul Baines from East Palo Alto. He will share how his city managed to turn around from being the murder capital of the state and the country to achieving zero homicides. “Believe it or not, a lot of t…

1
How Los Angeles Mansion Tax Impacts Affordable Housing | Chris Tourtellotte 41:03

1M ago41:03

41:03

“You’re going to see housing supply dropped. Investors are no longer looking at the city of LA because it’s too risky. Why would you sell a property, if you would have to give all your profit to the city?” Siyamak sits down with Chris Tourtellotte, managing director of LaTerra, a large real estate development company based in California. He'll disc…

1
Is California Still Leading the Nation? | Larry Elder 38:45

1M ago38:45

38:45

“In the last three years, we’ve had a net outflow of 1 million people. I don’t want to leave; I want to help turn the state around because I think sooner or later the voters are going to wake up, and I want to be here when that happens.” Siyamak sits down with Larry Elder, a radio and TV host, former gubernatorial candidate in California, former pr…

1
Famous Chef Explains Why It Is Hard to Operate A Restaurant in California | Andrew Gruel 51:49

2M ago51:49

51:49

“Opening a restaurant seems simple, right? You never anticipated that you would expect ... Every single restaurant owner I talked to, is in a PAGA lawsuit. None of them are less than six figures.” California is the hardest state to open a restaurant, according to a new study by Restaurant Furniture. Siyamak sits down with celebrity chef Andrew Grue…

1
Why California’s Budget Deficit Is Snowballing: Legislative Analyst | Gabriel Petek 39:57

2M ago39:57

39:57

Siyamak sits down with Gabriel Petek, California’s legislative analyst. He shares with us why California is facing such a huge budget deficit and how it may last a few more years. He also shares what it will take to solve this budget crisis. “A couple of years ago, we had a $100 billion surplus, and we heard about these big numbers. Now, we’re esti…

1
California DA Explains Which Policies Lead To Increased Crime | Morgan Gire 35:28

2M ago35:28

35:28

"As an elected District Attorney, I have people from my county being released from prison early and I don't know why." Siyamak sits down with Morgan Gire, District Attorney of Placer County, who has over 24 years of experience working in the criminal justice system. He'll discuss recent criminal justice reforms in California and share his opinion o…

1
California Lawmakers Spending $1.2 Billion on Office Renovation | Bill George 41:09

2M ago41:09

41:09

Siyamak sits down with Bill George, historian and filmmaker, who has been studying and documenting the history and culture of California. He'll discuss the changes he has observed in California’s state capital when it comes to homelessness, crime, and transparency in the legislative body. We'll also take a deep dive into California's history and lo…

1
Why Oakland Police Can’t Stop Criminals | LeRonne Armstrong 40:49

2M ago40:49

40:49

Siyamak sits down with LeRonne Armstrong, a former police chief who served for the Oakland Police Department for over 25 years. He explains how it’s difficult for the police to operate because of the rules and regulations they are facing from the city. This situation in Oakland is so dire that the governor is sending 120 California Highway Patrol o…

1
California EV Mandate: 14,000 Trucks With Limited Chargers At Ports: Matt Schrap 45:19

3M ago45:19

45:19

Siyamak sits down with Matt Schrap, CEO of Harbor Trucking Association, which represents trucking companies operating at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland. Today, he'll share his insights on what it takes for trucking companies to comply with the zero-emission mandates at the ports and how this might affect Californians. Join us as …

1
How Working From Home Is Crushing Downtown Los Angeles | Chris Cooper 35:39

3M ago35:39

35:39

Siyamak sits down with Chris Cooper, principal and regional managing director at Avison Young. He talks about what challenges downtown Los Angeles is facing today in the aftermath of the pandemic and the impact on the commercial real estate industry. “I’m a third-generation Angeleno. We have a wonderful community.“ Mr. Cooper said. ”There are compe…

1
Who's Leaving California? Is It Impacting California's Economy? | Jim Doti 41:48

3M ago41:48

41:48

Siyamak sits down with Jim Doti, president emeritus at Chapman University. Today he will talk about his latest findings on the California Exodus and provide some insights on the demographics of people who are leaving California, why they are leaving, and the outmigration’s impacts on California's job market and economy. "Over the last five years, w…

1
California Cities Are Forced to Build ‘Unaffordable’ Housing | John Cruikshank 45:15

3M ago45:15

45:15

Siyamak sits down with John Cruikshank, mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County. He will discuss the challenges facing California cities regarding the state housing mandate and the potential problems of government overreach when it comes to improving housing affordability. “Right now the policymakers up in Sacramento don’t trust the citi…

1
Secret Chinese Biolab With Viral Diseases in California Under Investigation | Steve Ispas | Kevin Kiley | Lear Zhou 31:13

3M ago31:13

31:13

In this special episode, we discuss an unlicensed Chinese biolab in California that was illegally researching viral diseases. Siyamak sits down with investigative reporters Steve Ispas and Lear Zhou from The Epoch Times. He also talked to Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.), who, along with his colleagues in Congress, has been investigating this case. “The…

1
Is Theft Causing the End of Retail Stores in California? | Juan Alanis 41:10

3M ago41:10

41:10

Siyamak sits down with Juan Alanis, an assemblymember from Modesto County and former law enforcement officer. He discusses the issue of rising retail theft in California and his insights from serving on the Assembly Committee on retail theft. He also talks about the impacts on businesses, law enforcement, and local communities. “We’re talking about…

1
Tax Expert Explains How High Taxes Drive Jobs Out of California | Joe Vinatieri 42:37

4M ago42:37

42:37

Siyamak sits down with Joe Vinatieri, Mayor of Whittier, California and a tax expert. He'll talk about why people are leaving California and the impact of high taxes on the state. “McDonald’s started here, Carl’s Jr. started here, Taco Bell started here, In-N-Out started here. There was just a great entrepreneurial spirit,“ said Mr. Vinatieri. ”Whe…

1
50,000 Migrants Dropped Off With No Plan. Can San Diego Handle It? | Jim Desmond 27:38

4M ago27:38

27:38

Siyamak Khorrami sits down with Jim Desmond, San Diego County Supervisor. He'll talk about how the recent surge of migrants in San Diego is causing a big problem for the county and how he's worried that homelessness could get worse as a result. "We're not as bad off as San Francisco or LA but if we keep going down this path, we're going to have the…

1
LA Corruption: Where Did It Come From, and Can It Be Fixed? | Alex Villanueva 49:23

4M ago49:23

49:23

Siyamak sits down with Alex Villanueva, former sheriff of Los Angeles County. He'll give us a deeper look into how corruption works in Los Angeles, and what should be done to stop it. "It's billions of dollars that get poured into the pockets of the nonprofit world in the state of California. And what is the return on the investment? A bigger homel…

1
Former LA Sheriff Captain Concerned About Department Officers Losing Deputies Due to Stress | Michael Bornman | Cece Woods 52:29

4M ago52:29

52:29

Siyamak sits down with Michael Bornman, a retired captain from the LA County Sheriff's Department who had served for over 30 years. He shares his perspective on the issues the Department is currently facing. We also talked with Cece Woods, who has been reporting on the LA Sheriff's Department for many years. She provides her insight based on conver…

1
State-Mandated Housing Coming to Your Town | Christine Epperly 47:02

7M ago47:02

47:02

Siyamak sits down with Christine Epperly, a licensed civil engineer and building designer with over 30 years in business. She discovered a state-run plan called the "15 Minute City" that is changing the landscape of California. "What's happening in California is we're building these high-density communities in the middle of the towns and suburbs. I…

1
Episode 21: 2024 Elections - A Political Dissection with Dan Schnur 35:25

8M ago35:25

35:25

Brothers John and Brian Kabateck choose their sides as they explore the shifting dynamics of the Republican and Democrat Parties with esteemed guest, Dan Schnur, a respected professor and veteran political strategist. From the astonishing influence Donald Trump continues to wield within the GOP, even in the face of a criminal indictment, to the con…

1
Why California Electricity Costs Have More Than Doubled | Susan Shelley 44:33

8M ago44:33

44:33

Siyamak sits down with Susan Shelley, columnist with Southern California News Group. She discusses California's renewable energy policies and their impact on the cost of living. "We are in California, bearing this tremendous burden financially to model good climate behavior. And it does not affect the global climate because it's too small. It’s 1 p…

1
Why California's Insurance Crisis Is Putting Homeowners' Lives at Risk in Wildfires | Sam DiGiovanna 44:33

8M ago44:33

44:33

"It's like apocalypse when you're on these wildfires and everything is burning. Homeowners in sandals, shorts, and a T-shirt on their roof, watering the roof down. A lot of people cannot get fire insurance because it's getting so expensive in California." Siyamak sits down with Sam DiGiovanna, fire chief for Verdugo Fire Academy. He discusses his p…

1
Why San Francisco Parents Are Outraged Over Math | Rex Ridgeway 45:05

8M ago45:05

45:05

Siyamak sits down with Rex Ridgeway, president of the PTA at Lincoln High School in San Francisco. He explains how San Francisco's inclusion policies are actually hurting the overall performance of students and why parents are leaving the public school system. "Kids in San Francisco can't get to calculus. They moved Algebra 1 out from the 8th grade…

1
"Carjacking is a serious felony, but selling a child for sex is not. I would ask them as a parent, why would you not support a bill to make human trafficking of minors [a serious felony]? ... This is a ... 32:22

9M ago32:22

32:22

"Carjacking is a serious felony, but selling a child for sex is not. I would ask them as a parent, why would you not support a bill to make human trafficking of minors [a serious felony]? ... This is a place where good public safety bills go to die from both Democrats and Republicans." Siyamak sits down with California state Sen. Shannon Grove, aut…

1
Why LAPD Lost 1,000 Officers | Marlon Marrache 41:39

9M ago41:39

41:39

"We were called agents of racial genocide. That really hits bad, that is so, so not true. So when you start hearing those types of words that are describing what you do every single day, it doesn't sit well." Siyamak sits down with Marlon Marrache, a retired LAPD officer to discuss the impact that legacy media has on people's perception of policing…

1
Episode 20: Survival of the California Republican Party with Jessica Patterson 36:14

9M ago36:14

36:14

I'll bet you're thinking the fireworks are going to fly between your hosts, Brian and John in this episode. But the opposite is true. Brian gives some very thoughtful insight into why he believes the Republican Party has challenges in the state and even the country. John, of course disagrees and Chairwoman Patterson does a wonderful job of position…

1
Parents in California Are About to Lose Their Kids Under New Law | Erin Friday 47:58

9M ago47:58

47:58

"I trusted the doctors, I trusted the teachers. That part was so painful to understand. Parents are bullied. Doctors tell them: "Would you rather have a dead daughter or alive son?" Siyamak sits down with Erin Friday, a lawyer and parent advocate. Today she will discuss California laws on gender transformation, and how she dealt with this personall…

1
Retired Officer Exposes How Environmental Policies Hurt The Environment | John Baker 40:34

9M ago40:34

40:34

"In the name of green energy, we're sacrificing wildlife species. Because of the power mandates, we're unable to enforce the take of that. I don't think they have thought what that cost is to us as Californians and to the environment as a whole." Siyamak sits down with John Baker, retired Assistant Chief with California Fish and Wildlife Department…

1
California Reparations Moves Forward. What’s Next? | Tony Hall 39:11

9M ago39:11

39:11

“I’ve never seen a more insidious, inane, exploitive, and cruel plan put forth to the American public. You’re asking non-slave owners to pay people who were never slaves $5 million per black guy in San Francisco. The average household is going to have to pay $600,000.” Siyamak sits down with Tony Hall, a former supervisor with San Francisco County.…

1
Why Santa Monica Is at the Verge of Losing Its Iconic Appeal | John Alley 38:53

10M ago38:53

38:53

“Residents are seeing homeless in the alleys, [there’s] dumpster fires, they’re cooking drugs, cooking meth … Individuals are defecating, shooting up heroin … It’s a matter of will from the city.” Siyamak sits down with John Alley, real estate owner and co founder of The Santa Monica Coalition. Today, Mr. Alley explains why this coalition exists an…

1
Why California Retailers Are Forced to Lock Up Items | John Kabateck 31:53

10M ago31:53

31:53

“I’ve never believed in my wildest dreams that we would see it get this bad. These aren’t just people stealing property, it’s now getting very serious and escalating to violence.” Siyamak sits down with John Kabateck, state director of the NFIB, which represents many small businesses in California. He tells us how businesses are impacted by crime, …

1
Former Resident: Why San Francisco Is on the Brink of Losing Its Unique Culture | Jennifer Sey 36:20

10M ago36:20

36:20

“The city has always been known for its progressive politics. But I liked that. I lived there until 2021—over 30 years. It’s become a place of such aggressive conformity. And if you don’t uphold whatever the most far-left narrative is, if you dare to ask any questions, you will be smeared and vilified, and pushed out of your job.” Siyamak sits down…

1
Economist Explains Why California Exodus Matters | Jim Doti 34:57

11M ago34:57

34:57

“It’s easy to ignore it when the numbers are small. But not only are the numbers getting bigger, but this cumulative effect is becoming more significant as well.” Siyamak sits down with Jim Doti, an economist and former president of Chapman University. He talks about the growing trend of people leaving California and what impacts it has on the stat…

1
Why is California Losing Hollywood? | David Graves 41:10

11M ago41:10

41:10

“We’re not leading the way—we’re starting the way. And we’re letting other states lead the way. I consider Louisiana and Georgia to be our main competitors.” Siyamak sits down with David Graves, Political Director with IATSE Local 728, which is a union from Hollywood. Today he will talk about what is happening to the film industry, and why they are…

1
Landlords Are Losing Their Homes — Here’s Why | Chris Moore 41:15

12M ago41:15

41:15

“During the eviction moratorium, to ask a tenant to pay rent could be viewed as harassment to the tenant.” Siyamak sits down with Chris Moore, board member of the Bay Rental Housing Association. He shares with us his first-hand experience being a landlord in California and why he thinks the eviction moratorium is hurting the tenants.…

1
Ex-Lawmaker Issues Dire Warning on New California Laws | Melissa Melendez 33:49

12M ago33:49

33:49

“And now they’re boxed into a corner, because now they can’t quite get out of it. Because if they do, if they change how they’re dealing with these issues, they have to admit that they were wrong.” Siyamak sits down with Melissa Melendez, former California State Senator. Today she will talk about what has changed in California’s legislature over th…

1
California Looking to Penalize Social Media Companies for Harm to Children | Nick Janicki 29:24

12M ago29:24

29:24

“Most of us when we use these platforms, we don’t really think we could be the product. It was consciously designed that way. The end funnel isn’t funneling you just something to buy, but funneling you to an ideology.” Siyamak sits down with Nick Janicki, media relations director with Gan Jing World. Today he will talk about what’s behind the algor…

1
Former Calif. Homeless Man Explains What It’s Like to Live on the Streets | Lang Martinez 30:38

12M ago30:38

30:38

“You think prison is bad—no … prison’s got structure … the streets. There’s what they call ‘rules of engagement.’ And if you don’t abide by the rules of engagement, you die.” Siyamak sits down with Lang Martinez, a former homeless man and gang member, and now an advocate in Los Angeles. He joins us on the show to share what he saw on the street, an…

1
Former Inmate Shows How Rehabilitation Is Possible | Alfred Lopez 34:21

12M ago34:21

34:21

“Prisons are a breeding ground, to become institutionalized and to learn, basically, how to do more crime and become worse.” Siyamak sits down with former California inmate, Alfred Lopez. Incarcerated at 18, Lopez spent almost 30 years in prison. Today he will talk about what he saw in the prison system, and why it is so costly to incarcerate inmat…

1
Larry Elder Explains His Presidential Candidacy | Larry Elder 45:19

12M ago45:19

45:19

“I’ve been doing TV and radio for 40 years, mostly criticizing politicians. I know how brutal it is, I know how your enemies will dissect things that you’ve said and put the worst spin on it, or will even make things up … But I think I bring a couple things to the table the others don’t.” Siyamak sits down with Larry Elder, EpochTV host and politic…

1
Energy Expert Explains How CA Penalizing Big Oil Will Cause Gas Prices to Increase | Mike Umbro 27:34

1y ago27:34

27:34

“Gavin Newsom … has really pushed this notion that the big oil operators are gouging the consumers. People don’t know why things are happening, they’re just told they need to be angry.” Siyamak Khorrami sits down with Mike Umbro, an energy entrepreneur from California. Today he will explain why California’s gas prices will likely keep increasing de…

1
Former Teacher Explains How She Got Fired For Her Belief | Jessica Tapia 40:20

1y ago40:20

40:20

“I was fired for what I believe, not what I did. This was absolutely not something I could have ever imagined … 13 allegations made against me.” Siyamak sits down with Jessica Tapia, a former high school PE teacher from California. Her story went viral on Instagram after she got fired by the school district. What really happened to Jessica, and wha…

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