Episode 23: Brothers Kabateck Unpack the Election as Only Political Opposites Can.

Can a Trump appointee really shake up the political landscape as Attorney General? Find out as we launch into a spirited discussion about some of his unexpected appointments and their potential ripple effects in the party. Join us, Brian and John Kabateck, as we bring humor and insight into California's evolving political scene, exploring whether the state is shifting towards a more balanced political hue amidst challenges like crime, homelessness, and economic woes. 

Unravel the complexities of election campaigns and policy-making as we dissect misconceptions around crime rates and their sway over political narratives. We explore how statistics often clash with public perception, influenced by savvy political maneuvering. Dive into the hurdles faced by politicians like Kamala Harris in making meaningful connections with diverse voter groups, and reflect on the Democratic Party’s ongoing struggle to resonate with working-class voters, even as unions show surprising support for Trump. We also ponder Trump's enigmatic ability to captivate an audience, a sharp contrast to the obstacles other political figures encounter.

Examine the intricate web of immigration and social policies as we question the Democrats' strategies in spotlighting key political issues like abortion rights. Can California's Republicans carve out a progressive identity on social issues? We contemplate this possibility while reflecting on historical events like Proposition 187 and their enduring impact on immigration policy. The conversation extends to economic implications, foreign policy under Trump, and the transformation of media, leaving you with much to consider about the future of California politics and beyond.

If you enjoy hearing what we have to say, albeit somewhat irreverent and rarely do we agree, please subscribe or follow and us and leave a comment. We would love to hear from you.
To learn more about John Kabateck's firm visit Kabateck Strategies
To learn more about Brian's firm visit KBK Law

Transcript

00:00 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Joe Biden was going to lose by a landslide. She lost by two percentage points. So for somebody who put a campaign together in 100 days, she didn't suck. Welcome back to Kabatalks. My name is Brian Kabteck. I'm here with my little brother, John Kabatek. I'm the funny one. He's the taller one, he has much better air than I do. We are talking about politics, politics in California, politics general. On different sides of the aisle. I am slightly left of center, John is a little further right than Attila the Hun. I'm former president of the Consumer Attorneys of California trial lawyers and former president of the LA County Bar, an all-around political guy who's been close friends with Kamala Harris for 13 to 14 years and I'm John Kabatek, brian's younger brother, a little taller than Brian, and we won't hold that Kamala Harris relationship against him. 

01:03 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
I am the president of Kabateck Strategies, a public affairs and coalitions building firm based in Sacramento. I also am the California State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business, representing small business owners, and we're just happy to be back to have a little more discussion, and this is-. 

01:18 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
I just want to go on the record right now, at the beginning of the out, that I've made an offer to Kamala to come work in my firm as an associate. I'm willing to pay her a little more than our starting salary. I can go all the way up to 150, $160,000 a year, plus a percentage of cases she works on and time she built. So right there, I'm a good person. 

01:36 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
You're a very good person, and I want to say for the record that we have not offered a local sales rep position to Mattetz. I promise you that he is not going to be taking that position anywhere in California, at least as far as I see things. 

01:49 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
So yeah, as far as you see things, but who knows? Things could change and we don't know when. Do you think I mean we could start there, because the news is just breaking. We're boosting this today. Matt Gaetz is out as Attorney General of the United States and Judge Judy is in. Is that correct? It is absolutely. 

02:05 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Judge Judy, the bailiff is going to be escorting the other one out, and we're pretty excited about that. 

02:11 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Where do you think? Because we had a lot to cover today, but let's just start with this. Do you think Trump rewards Matt Gaetz? However, you want to pronounce his name with something, or is he done? 

02:25 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
My general take on it is that something will become of it. I think it might be White House counsel. Maybe you have an inside scoop as to some people that you hear about in the legal field, but I think a White House counsel or even an ambassadorship is a possibility. I think that Trump Ambassadorship requires confirmation. Trump wants to save face. I think he realizes you know this is and Gates basically is pulling back. But he wants to save face and I think he also personally probably has some faith in him in some ways. But AG was not the way to go. 

02:59 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
So when we talk about softballs I'm a big baseball when we about softballs being thrown right over home plate and you say Trump wants to save face, yeah, and I don't know what you said after that because I completely blanked out at that point, because I don't know how Trump saves face, but that's a different story. I mean, there's so much to unpack here. Look, let's start. Let's start by talking about what you think about the election. I just want to get your quick thoughts about the election. Do you really think California is turning more purple or do you think it's fluky? 

03:32 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Yeah, I think voters are realizing certain elements of the state and certain elements of policy that are affecting their pocketbook and their backyard are turning the state's purple, affecting their pocketbook and their backyard are turning the states purple. I think we are going to always, brian, see social issues the way people have seen it over the years here, in pretty blue. I think even a lot of folks who confess to be Republicans are very moderate in that area. But look, I think crime, homelessness, we can talk about the economy, which we will. I think people feel in those areas they want more stability and they tend to be more conservative here, and so I think we are going to see more of a deep purple direction, and that's kind of my take on it. 

04:13 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
I think. First of all, I think crime is something the Republicans should get big credit for, because crime is not a problem. Crime statistics are down across the country but for some reason the Republicans, you guys, have done a great job of making people believe that crime is absolutely out of control. I mean, there are pockets, there's no question, you know, and it doesn't help when the news puts flash mobs running into the store. But you know, for the most part we know that crime statistics are down. 

04:43 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Well, but I think it also when it starts to hit a lot of us in our own backyards including, by the way, brian London Breed, former mayor of San Francisco, and Karen Bass, mayor of LA. You know we have seen them become crime victims and property crime victims themselves. So when people actually feel like whether they're Democrat, republican, grandma and neighbor and friend and coworker, but also, oh my gosh, my own mayor and even elected officials who have typically been more left of center are becoming the victim, it's a problem, okay. 

05:13 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Well, but the statistics are down, but fine, that's fine. I mean, look, I think one thing you can say about this cycle is you can't point to any one thing and say this is the reason why Trump won, or the Republicans did pretty well, I mean, I think the Republicans. No one was shocked with Senate. Congress is very close. I don't know what's ultimately going to happen. You guys may lose control of Congress if Trump keeps appointing people. 

05:40 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Well, you know, brian, we'll talk about Trump, but let me just ask you what the hell happened? What the hell happened? All I keep hearing from people left right center is you know, harris just did not connect. She didn't connect on issues that related. 

05:52 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
You can't put it on any one issue. Here's a true fact. 

05:56 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
And I agree. Here's a true fact. You agree with what she didn't connect. She didn't connect on issues that mattered and she didn't connect Absolutely. 

06:04 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Trump was very successful in getting a misogynistic vote. I mean there's and that's true too, just as true as she's saying that Kamala didn't connect. Look, people keep putting Kamala down. She didn't connect, she didn't connect. Let's face facts. The day after that elect, after the debate, after the Biden debate, joe Biden was going to lose by a landslide. She lost by two percentage points. So for somebody who put a campaign together in 100 days, she didn't suck. So, whether she connected or didn't connect, but how can you look at any one factor? Sure, she didn't connect with some people. She didn't connect with young Latino voters. For whatever reason, he connects and he does connect with a racist, misogynistic group of voters. There's no question about that. Dude, you can't put it on one issue. 

06:52 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
But, brian, that is not what won him the election, Him tapping into the racist racism of America. No, he didn't connect with. 

07:01 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
No, those were his voters already. You're right about that. 

07:03 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
He didn't connect with the urban communities, rural women, black voters, Latino voters, or if he did, I mean no, she did not connect with them. 

07:11 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Sure she did. She connected with the urban most urban most. Almost every urban city in the United States voted for her. 

07:19 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
She underperformed in the urban community. She only got I mean, 59% lower. 

07:26 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
You want to keep pointing to the fact that she quote unquote didn't connect, and you have to acknowledge that someone who put a campaign together in a hundred days didn't suck. 

07:35 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
I will give you that and I will say, in fairness, look, she only had a very short window to build a campaign. Somebody who's been involved, maybe not in presidentials, but at statewide level, you know, when a candidate has a shorter runway to be able to do that, it's hard. So, in fairness, she had a shorter runway to be able to define herself and I think what also happened is most Americans attached her to the previous administration. Well, absolutely Much better as an outsider. 

08:00 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
I agree with you. I also think that the Democratic Party look, the fact that I'm left of center doesn't mean that I'm a big fan of Bernie Sanders, but I do agree with Bernie Sanders that the Democratic Party in some respects not so much in California, but in some respects has lost its way and it's lost its touch with working votes. I mean, give me a break. The workers and unions wouldn't endorse Kamala because their membership wanted to support Trump, when we all know that when Trump surrounds himself with someone like Elon Musk, who is a union buster, he doesn't have an agenda to help unions, but he connected with them because the Democratic Party can't. 

08:42 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
At the end of the day, I just feel that, yeah, she had a very short window to be able to make her case and that's one thing I will give you. But, Brian, most people admit she didn't do a lot of media interviews. When she did, she talked in circles. People couldn't understand what she was talking about, what her platform was Love him or hate him. Look when Trump would make cases about things, he stood his ground on where he was on the issue. Trump is like I know, but you know, but didn't feel they knew her or felt like they could appreciate her. And I can say the same about Republicans, brian, who have run for office that people really didn't feel like they could relate to. 

09:19 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
As I go back to this, she had 100 days in the campaign. I'm not defending it, but when you say things like she, you know she does terrible interviews. Do you actually think Trump is a good public speaker? He's a lunatic. 

09:33 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
I believe he knows how to command an audience. I agree with you. I know what you're going to say. I know what you're going to say. 

09:40 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
He knows how to command his audience. I agree with that. 

09:42 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
I know what you're going to say You're going to talk about World War II, dictators and-. 

09:47 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
No, I'm not. I'm not. I pray that that doesn't happen. I know that there's a lot of people who are hurting late now the gay community, women, a lot of parents of gay children. People like that hurt a lot because they're very worried about what are they worried about Seriously? Yeah, you have to ask that question. Yeah, I do, I do. 

10:07 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Well, for one thing, what has he said he's going to do? What is going to be happening? 

10:11 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
That the Supreme Court is going to take away gay marriage to start with that they believe that transgender issues should be thrown out. Look at this Congress right now trying to come up with a bathroom rule. Jesus Christ, don't they have something better to do with their time than talk about where somebody can go to the bathroom in the Capitol? I mean, that's where you guys get caught up on shit and you know the younger generation isn't going to love it for long. They're going to start rebelling. But I will say this the far left woke hurt the Democrats a lot. 

10:42 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Well, we're hopping all over the place, but at the same time, I don't think that there's a lot of people who should be in the wrong because they believe that a male who has had transitional surgery should be on another sports team of females. 

10:55 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Let me quote the former president of the California State Senate, who once said you know why gay rights are going to prevail in California? Because young people don't give a shit. And most people don't give a shit. And most people don't give a shit about transgender people who are transitioning and stuff like that. 

11:11 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
They don't care, Young people don't care. I would argue that most people believe in this country that people should marry who they want to marry. Transgenderism is a whole different beast. A whole different beast in my opinion, In your opinion. 

11:25 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
That's fine. 

11:25
In a lot of people's opinion I'm saying is let me be very clear about this. I don't think most people, most young people under 30, 35, care one thing, but I do think the Democrats make a big mistake by pushing that issue and being super woke about it. Look, I will give you this. The best campaign ad I have seen in maybe a generation is the ad that apparently, if you lived in Pennsylvania, you saw every five minutes was the ad where they talked about Kamala and transgender rights and they finished with the tagline what was it? Something like she's for they, them, donald Trump is for you. That was one of the best political ads I have seen, probably in a generation. 

12:09 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Hey, I want to throw a bouquet in your direction. A couple of years ago, when things were being looked at this, you and I were out and about and you said hold me to it. The two issues that are going to be defining issues in 24 are abortion and immigration. I wanted your thoughts on that because I think those obviously in some ways were very defining and front and center and in some ways they didn't exactly materialize how some would hope. But how do you feel about that? Let's talk about I want to talk about either of those, but you called it. You called it in terms of those issues being out there on the center stage. 

12:43 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Well, tying it back to what you were asking me earlier about, why is it that people who are marginalized in their society, like gay people, feel threatened by the Trump administration? It's the exact right reason why he undermined abortion rights and taught some crazy terms about emotional rights. But I still think those are important issues. I do think that the Democrats did a terrible job of failing to get out in front of the fact that Trump killed the bipartisan abortion bill, which nobody denies. I've never heard, I haven't even heard, trump deny it. 

13:18
He's kind of proud of the fact that he did that as politics right, and I think that the Democrats could have run a series of ads specifically focused on that fact. You know that he killed it Now. Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference with low propensity, low IQ voters. They would have still said there's a problem. But it's one thing that you and I agree with is and in fact, everyone I talk to, even people that are much more far left than I am that we need a common sense immigration policy in this country. By the same token, decent people who voted Republican do not agree with the Republican stance on abortion rights. They don't and they see it as a misogynistic issue, but it didn't carry the day. 

14:01 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
I agree and I will tell you, I think the Republican Party fails miserably on those two issues of abortion and certainly the choice issue. I mean the choice issue and the gay issue. I just think those are two that most of the country is looking in a different light, but we mangle that one. 

14:16 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
I think California's Republican Party could and I've said this before on our little podcast. Here is I think the California Republican Party could do a much better job if it distanced itself with the National Republican Party and if it took on these social issues head on, because I think they could succeed here. I also think that there are plenty of Democrats not plenty, but I think there are some Democrats in the state capitol who are really Republicans. You know very moderate Republicans, but the only way they could get elected is their Democrats. 

14:48 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Yeah, it's obvious, immigration resonated with a lot of voters. 

14:51
You know you're talking about international relations, that really didn't rank up there with the economy and some other issues, but when it came to immigration, that struck a nerve, right, I mean, and you called that, and I think when it comes to that issue, in fairness, brian, look a lot of Trump's, you know former generals and deputies, basically including Dick Cheney, right, and Liz Cheney made it very clear like this guy on the world stage would really upend things and you know, I think there was a lot of that. I don't want to say fear mongering, but I think there's probably some truth to people feeling very concerned that that could happen. At the same time, you know, the immigration issue is a problem. I don't feel like Kamala ever really got out there and did anything to address it, nor did Biden. I mean, they danced around the issue. But you know we'll see what happens with this, this, this whole. You know this idea of martial law or this idea of, you know, the government being engaged, where are your thoughts on, kind of where things are headed on the issue? 

15:49 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Well, I mean, first of all, it comes full circle to what I was saying before, that the Democrats did a terrible job in certain areas, and this is one of the areas they did a terrible job in. But I think that everyone wants to see common sense immigration. I don't think there's any chance that this mass deportation that he's talking about is ever going to take place. Now the question is are his supporters you know, is I'm not talking about his supporters who have you know something crazy like education, but kind of the dummies out there that support him Are they going to go nuts when people are being rounded up in trucks and deported? Yeah, it's not going to happen Logistically. It's not going to go nuts when people are being rounded up in trucks and deported. 

16:28
Yeah, it's not going to happen. Logistically it's not going to happen, but I know that there are people that are afraid. There are people who are very concerned. I don't think it's what America stands for. I don't think that ripping you know, you've got somebody who's came to this country illegally 20 years ago and now is married to an American citizen and has American children, or American citizens getting ripped out of their family I don't think that's going to be a very good look. I would predict that the administration comes up with some reasonable excuse why they're not going to be able to do it, kind of like they did with the wall that never keep it fruition. What do you think is going to happen? 

17:02 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Well, look, having word for Governor Wilson, and I think the left did a very effective job of trying to excoriate him, as you know, racist and xenophobic. There were some people who I think were engaged around that issue where the messaging could have been better. 

17:17 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Let me interrupt you for one second Go ahead Just so you explain to people who don't understand Prop 187, talk about what it was. 

17:24 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Talk about what it was. 

17:24
So Prop 187 was a measure in 1994, overwhelmingly passed by voters at the time, which Governor Pete Wilson at the time strongly supported. 

17:33
He debated for a while what to do there but then realized what it would have done is it would have provided it would have really restricted the impact of immigration and it would have required basically, you know, kind of putting a stop gap on especially three areas Illegal immigration, related to correct our correctional facilities in our state which were exploding Health care and education. It was corrections health care, education and all Pete Wilson was saying at the time and what he was hoping that would happen here, is that the federal government would reimburse California for those people who were illegal coming into our state, who were basically bursting California's budget to the at the top. So it was, it was identified as racist, xenophobic. But frankly, a lot of people now are saying, look, pete Wilson was right. He was right, california could not continue to foot the bill, especially in those three areas. And unfortunately you know I mean the fortunate thing is it passed. Unfortunately, later the courts rendered it differently. 

18:35 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
You remember what I told you at the time? Tell me. I said the Republican Party has lost the Latino vote for a generation. And they did. I mean that generation may be up, but that was what was that. Was that almost 30 years ago? 

18:51 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Yeah, well, yeah, exactly 1994. 

18:54 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
I said you've lost the Latino vote in California for a generation, a vote that should be at least evenly split with a sensible Republican Party not the Trump Republican Party, but a sensible Republican. 

19:04 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Party. So this cycle, one in five Americans actually have found that. Like you know, immigration is an important issue in our country and it's something that needs to be addressed and I just think, at the end of the day, as it relates to international relations, even with what his generals and deputies and others wanted to say about him, most people looked to him as somebody who could have a better grasp of the country and of the world in terms of our foreign policy. I think she just danced around too much. People didn't understand. 

19:36 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
He's completely unqualified to deal with foreign policy. 

19:41 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
But a great job of keeping us out of war, so thank God for that. 

19:44 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Yeah, not a single war. Yeah, in his administration. That's right. I'm glad we agree on that, john. I think, though, that the problem is that immigration is not foreign policy. Foreign policy is very different than immigration. Most people agree that we need a common sense immigration policy in this country. The problem I worry about, and you should worry about and people should worry about, is how much of this immigration is focused on brown and black people I mean, you know, latinos and people coming from africa as opposed to how much of it is, is the legitimate problem that we have about. We can't, unfortunately, be there for everybody from every country. That has, you know, problems, and there's a lot of them. That concerns me, and I think it should concern people, because I think there's a lot of them. That concerns me, and I think it should concern people, because I think there is a number of people out there who have found themselves I'm trying to choose my words carefully here but who have found themselves in support of a strong immigration policy because they don't like people who are black. 

20:41 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Okay. 

20:42 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
You know, there's an interesting statistic, john, that I'll throw out here, and I'm not comparing. I'm not gonna compare Trump to Hitler or to the Third Reich, but in 19, early 1930s Germany, almost no Germans had ever met a Jew, because it was a mostly agrarian society and most of the Jewish people lived in vixens. I just don't know how many of these people that are pounding their fists about people from Venezuela or Mexico or wherever coming to this country, have ever actually spent any time with people who are pounding their fists about people from Venezuela or Mexico or wherever coming to this country, have ever actually spent any time with people who are from those countries. 

21:14 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Well, you know most Americans you'd have to ask, kind of where they felt this was an issue. I think many of them felt unsecure, you know, post 9-11. A lot of people feel like, look, we have to have a much more safe you know many more safeguards in our country to make sure we have people coming here the right way. Sure, there's a lot of people who are here that are naturalized, that also create terrible terroristic acts, brian. So I don't think that should be completely put on folks who come here into the country, but we need to have a better safeguard for people coming in so we know who they are, where they're coming from. 

21:45
And then on top of that, like with Pete Wilson, it's cost. I think people also realize like, look, why are my costs? Why do we face inflation? Why do we have issues? There's a lot of reasons associated with that. But I think folks frankly also realize, look, you know, we can't continue to foot the bill for people who are not making their way through this process fairly and legally. And the word, brian, the very word illegal immigration. 

22:07 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
There we go. I knew we'd get to that eventually with you guys. Republicans always love that they're illegal. They need to go to jail because they're illegal. 

22:19 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Illegal rapists, illegal burglars, such a small percentage. 

22:22 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
I mean such a small percentage. Most of these people come here are incredibly law-abiding, because they are illegal and they don't want to get caught. Most of them are decent people, working people. I don't disagree, there needs to be a common sense policy in place, but don't ignore the fact that the California's economy would start to collapse if every single one of these illegals were suddenly deported. They're needed, they're a necessary part. That's why we need a guest worker program. That's why we need common sense approach. But once you cross the Rubicon into they're illegal, they're a crime problem. Look what they're doing. Then it does become xenophobic, then it does become racist and you're not that person. 

23:05 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
No, you know. But let's, let me, let's switch to another topic. Let's switch to another topic Cause I know you're a big, big fan. Every morning, you wake up and open up your favorite publication, the Los Angeles times, and you get to see the newest appointees to the Trump administration. And all joking aside, brian, we could talk about some of the you obviously are appalled at, and. But let me ask you also, let me ask you also are there some in that mix so far that you've been above average impressed with? 

23:36 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Let me go on the record first of all by saying I cancel my search for the only times. It's a shadow of what it used to be. That's some embarrassment to Gerald, and I mean that sincerely, and I even made a little video that, if anyone reaches out, I love that video. 

23:48
I love that video. Bye, bye, they are disgusting. Aaron had a personal beef with the other time, so that's another story for. But anyways, I would say that, look, I will say this about his cabinet Nobody can surprise. There is no surprises there. This is exactly what he said he was going to do, and he's packed his cabinet, or his proposed cabinet at least, with people who have taken a knee and kissed the ring. There was no question about that, and I could put a nicer spin on it. I could say they're loyalists, they're loyal to him, they're loyal to his vision, but he's not going to make the mistake he made in his first administration by putting people in there who are professionals, diplomats, professional politicians, or he's put people in there that are loyal to him. 

24:33 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Professional wrestlers. Do I have a problem with Marco Rubio Wrestlers, brian, what Professional wrestlers, Professional wrestlers Right, I think. 

24:41 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Look, I'm the first one to say that, considering what goes on in a lot of our public schools, someone who's a professional wrestling executive makes perfect sense. I will say that I don't have a huge problem with Barco Rubio. Some of my friends and colleagues might disagree with me, but I think the guy has at least been a US senator. He understands the way things work. I don't have a problem with that. I think putting Kristi Noem in charge of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is an excellent idea. Oh no, that isn't the position she got. Now, that's very funny. That's very good, Thank you. I'm troubled by RFK in a lot of respects. Someone said to me well, you know, the left really likes him. I go, who in the left likes him? But I don't disagree with some of the things he says about processed foods and the diet in America and the obesity in America. It's just. I'm not sure how the FDA has anything to do with that, but okay, In other respects he's a dangerous guy Dangerous. 

25:41
RFK Jr is dangerous. Yeah, I just no. Just this is when you tell people you're jokey, so don't think OK, ok I know I am tongue in cheek. Yeah, I mean, look like I said, though I'm not, I'm not nothing surprised Matt gets surprised me. Yeah, that one I thought was a bridge too far. 

25:59 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Brian, you and I agree, I mean you know Kevin McCarthy I thought was a great speaker, had had worked both sides of the aisle, had worked both sides of the aisle. And I said to you at the time this is the problem with the Republican Party when we see people like this guy come in there and try and disrupt what I thought was going to be a good trajectory for the party. And I felt at the time that that really upended a lot and I actually wrongly predicted that that move of subverting or ejecting, getting Kevin out of that position of speaker was going to cost the Republicans dearly come November, come the election cycle. 

26:33 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Well, apparently you will. Not complaining, but I'm not happy about it. I will say, though, in your defense two years ago, you said Trump was going to win, and I couldn't believe it at the time, and even now it's hard. It's not so hard to believe, as it is just too stunning. 

26:53 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
I'll tell you another issue. Listen, another issue that I hear from a lot of small business owners. I've had some NFIB members call me. I've had others that are very concerned about this proposal with the tariffs. You know I think in fairness what we heard. You know Harris had basically claimed it as a sales tax on consumers. I hear that from small business owners saying, look, this happened during the first term. I don't know how much became of it, but there is concern. There's a lot of legitimate concern there. 

27:19 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
You know what I would say. What I would say about that is I mean, I've read the materials too, and I would say this is that there is something Trump-esque about rejecting what learned experts say, like, for example, on the climate right. Every reasonable scientist says climate change is a problem. I would say most of your smart constituents agree, especially if you live in a state like California. Climate change is a problem. Disregard the experts. Same thing with this tariff issue, which is these economists, most of whom are nonpolitical have come out and said this tariff could end up costing the average American family $4,000 or $5,000 extra a year. Yeah, and the Trump-esque way of dealing with it is disregard the experts. I don't understand, though, and I don't understand the reluctance to embrace people who are really smart and know what they're doing. 

28:24
Jerome Powell, the Fed chick, who he's talked about quote unquote firing, which he no more can fire than I can fire. Right, he's in there. I don't get it. I don't know. Do you think that? I have a couple of questions to ask you? One is do you believe that the California Party, republican Party, is going to move more towards Trump or away from it? That's questionable. Party is going to move more towards Trump or away from it? That's questionable. And question number two is do you believe that a couple of years of Trump, if he follows through on some of these things he says, is going to get some of the supporters I mean a real substantial number of the supporters to peel off? 

29:01 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
I think the Republican Party here will abide by what Trump wants. He has a machine, like it or not. That is pretty aggressive. You'd say the word bully or you may say the word henchman, but I'd say he has a very aggressive operation that is working each of the states to try and get them. And I'd say the CRP here is going to try and do what they can to find to curry favor and to abide. And so, yes, I do. To answer your first question, I absolutely believe that I don't think they're going to try and find any way to show a division, even as they attempt, attempt, attempt to try and court others to come into the party. I think they're going to lean in. I do. 

29:41 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
I think that would be a giant mistake, the one, but you know, no one's asked me to only tell from all the party which I have some degree of respect for I've represented. Yeah, and I think they're, you know, I think they have. Well, anyway, I think they would be much more successful in California if they became more moderate and distanced themselves from Trump. But you may be right. How about the second part of the question? 

30:00 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Was the second part that we're going to see more Republicans peel off of the party here in California. 

30:04 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
After a couple of years. Well, you can say California if you want, but nationally, do you think Republicans are going to if Trump falls through on a lot of this craziness? Do you think they're going to get and I'm not even saying Republicans, even just take the independents who voter phone, people who voter phone. Do you think after a couple of years, if he falls through on this stuff, people are going to be like holy crap? 

30:26 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
what the hell did. Oh no, I think. I think it's going to be. It's going to like like Star Wars Strike me down, Vader. You know, I think more people are going to. I think he's going to have an appeal for honoring his campaign pledges. I think we're going to find more people, even the declined estates, saying OK, this guy honored what he did. And, like I've told you from the start, I feel most of the country is duck dynasty. I know that is my phrase I've used before and I know we can point out certain states, Brian, where it's very different than that. But I think, if anything, if he follows, if he doesn't follow through on his pledges, I think we see a weakening of the party. I think if he continues to honor this and people see it depends on where the direction goes, you know to honor this and people see it depends on where the direction goes. 

31:16
If tighter borders results in more security and more certainty in our pocketbooks, great, I think people will find that it's just time will tell right, I think that's my take on it. Can we bring it to California a little bit, since we're talking about it Just real quick? I know we probably want to come back and have more conversation and we're going to have some other guests coming up, but I wanted to ask you what your thoughts were on the state elections and the ballot measures and anything. Let's talk about that for a minute. Adam Schiff. 

31:44 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
Yeah, well, big surprise, right, I think you know. Look, it looks like as of right now, the Dems lost two races that they were hoping to win in the assembly and one of the senate, right and air. I think the josh newman loss was terrible. I think that the unions who went against him should pay the price, and I hope. I don't think they will, but I hope the speaker and the pro tem take them to the woodshed and do something to them, but I doubt they will, because I think they have too much power and yield too much power. 

32:18
You know, I've got a personal issue with this whole thing, with the control of the unions, which is we have a shortage of court reporters, and I'm going to go get wonky here if I say but we have a shortage of court reporters in California, shortage of court reporters in courtrooms, and these days we have to pay for our own court reportership, the problem being no one wants to be a court reporter anymore. 

32:38
And we have floated the idea over and over again of electronic reporting of most proceedings which, in case you haven't noticed, digital recording is pretty sincerely good these days. Right, the unions have stopped this, the unions have prevented electronic recording of proceedings. So what we have today is a problem here that needs to be addressed. But bringing it back to what you're talking about, I think the state I mean I think most of the propositions went down the way they should have gone down and most of them have operated the way they should have gone down and most of them have operated the way they shouldn't operate. I think the California there wasn't huge surprises in California and I think if the Republicans are going to go and chill the champagne and open up some tins of caviar. 

33:30 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
The celebration is a little premature, premature, but you know, I think people have realized in some areas that things have gotten kind of rock bottom to where even you know, the democrats and the declined estates looked at this and said, maybe I will say, make some decisions here that are not typically ones that I've made in the past, but I, I think we were very pleased with it. I'm actually just personally surprised that you must have been torn this past election season, being such close personal friends with Adam Schiff and knowing him and you know he's known our family over the years and you guys are close but that, reconciling that with the fact that you have seats about five rows behind home plate at Dodger Stadium Three rows, three rows, sorry, sorry, I stand corrected. 

34:11
So the lawyer blue didn't get to you, huh. 

34:17 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
I will say this, though, about the election, because I know we've gone for a while again why kind of wrap this up? I'll give. My last thought on this is and, by the way, I just want to say I disagree with your evaluation of California. I think California will ultimately, because of Trump, become more blue, less red, but time will tell. I will say this I voted you know, I've been very fortunate in my professional life. 

34:44
I voted against my own economic self-interest, not against my own social self-interest or my own views, but against my own economic self-interest, and I did that knowing that. I think a lot of people who voted for Trump voted for him against their own self-interest. The only issue is they didn't know it, and I think time's going to tell. And I think when people go around going the economy's terrible, the economy's terrible, the economy's terrible, I don't fault people for thinking that the economy's wonderful, it's very solid. The problem is inflation's very difficult and the problem is working class. People are not making enough money to live and to support, and, unfortunately for the Democratic Party, they've lost that. Like Bernie Sanders, they've lost their way. But if they think that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are going to be the savior for the working class people. It's going to be a hefty hangover when they wake up from that. Those are my final thoughts you can have. 

35:47 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
The last one she had a very short window to ramp up, you know, and she had never really been in presidential politics before vice presidential, but she had a short window to do this, you know. 

35:57
But I think, on top of that, at the end of the day she really felt that at the end of the campaign there was just not a connection that was made with the average voter, I think, the working class voters, as you mentioned. I do believe personally that in a lot of areas, while she might have dominated particular areas, such as women, Black voters, Latinos her numbers dipped compared to the years, compared to the cycle with Joe Biden Well, Trump climbed and so for some reason or another, Brian, there was just a connection that was made with more of the average voters who were struggling. That she just, either by virtue of no time to do it but I think also no ability to really understand or message it it happened. I think. At the end, what I would say is we're just hoping for the best and praying for the best, that what is going to happen in the next four years are positive things, are bipartisan things, and I think that that is the one thing we can hope for. 

36:53 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
So hope is not a plan. All right, this has been our little podcast, Kabtalks. Brian Kabateck, the older, more senior member of the Kabateck family not the most respected, though that's certainly my little brother, john. He's very well respected, very well respected in Sacramento and his work and what he does, and I love you, John. I'm sorry we don't see eye to eye together but, as Hannah Beth Jackson, a former state senator, once said, what are Thanksgivings like in your family? And John's response to her was in a public hearing, by the way they involved vodka, vodka, vodka, vodka. 

37:29 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
And as this is right before Thanksgiving, may air after that. Let's all enjoy a little glass of that. 

37:37 - Brian Kabateck (Host)
And nastrovia, right, Brian, let's become friends with the Russian side of vodka Nope, we're not becoming friends with the Russians, and the Armenian word for cheers is genats, love you. 

37:51 - John Kabateck (Co-host)
Thanks for listening to Kabatalks. If you liked what you heard, give us a positive review, a thumbs up, a high five, whatever.