The State Of Things

We take a critical look at the Supreme Court's decision allowing the Trump administration to continue sweeping  immigration raids  in Southern California.  And we examine the status of the national redistricting war and California's Proposition 50.

Transcript

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 0:00

i'm Bill former city editor and columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and with me is our producer director, Nancy Buki.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 0:11

has Nancy been demoted from executive producer already?

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 0:16

Yeah. We had a, you know, Sherry office politics.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 0:20

I know office politics.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 0:22

You know how that goes.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 0:23

Well then let me tell you who I am because I am annoyed that I was not allowed to vote on the demotion, but I'm coming to you from saying goodbye to the end of summer. Now what a summer. It has been sizzling in so many ways and on so many levels. Who was it who said quote? Summertime and the living is easy. End quote, ha. Listen, I'm gonna go drown my sorrows in a pumpkin spice Frappuccino. Oh, by, wait. By the way, a belated happy birthday, California. The Golden State turned a scrappy 175 years old this week. Over to you, bill.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 1:23

Well, I'll drink to that.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 1:25

Yay, team.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 1:26

The killing of, Charlie Kirk. Well-known, famous, political especially of young people, and spokesman for the far right, was a really a crushing blow to democracy in a, in a time when, you know, we, we seemed to be battered all over the place. I mean, how many of these killings do we have to. Note consi, some right wing people, conservatives, have all fallen by, the same method by gunfire. And, nobody's safe it seems like. And, nobody's willing to do anything about this climate of fear that's, enveloped our country. And it's a fear that's stimulated the knowledge that anyone walking down the street with a gun you know, could get you. It's a deadly, deadly weapon. the killing is terrible. But, you know, there's so much else that, that's going on that bothers us, I think, and one of them. the talking about fear. The fear felt by dark skinned Latinos, Spanish speaking Latinos work in car washes or who look for work at Home Depot, parking lots, who are gardeners and carpenters, construction workers of all kinds. The fear that they must feel when they leave the house and know. When they get to that parking lot at Home Depot, they may be arrested and thrust into, immigration limbo, never to be heard again, or a long time before they're heard again. That's frightening too. So put it all together to, we live in a climate of fear and it's bad thing.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 3:28

Bill, I have never ever felt like this in my entire life. I don't think that, there are very few people around who have seen more ugliness. And we're seeing right now in our society, the divisiveness, the alienation, the brutality. Just you can start counting the public officials who have been shot and killed or shot and badly wounded. And it, it just is an incredible amount of people. Why would anybody even want to get involved in so ugly a profession? So risky a, a profession right now, I have to tell you, I'm almost happy that I'm not in the classroom right now. I am not sure I would last. I don't know that I would wanna send my students out into the political and governmental world as it exists today.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 4:39

I was talking to a guy who, works for us, who works around the house, and, also, is a exercise, coach for me. And, we were talking about this. He was born in the Philippines. Served Ken years in the Filipino army, came over to this country, an American citizen, his wife and kids. and we were talking about this and talking about and the danger that immigrants feel. And he wondered, you know, what can be done about it?

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 5:12

Yeah.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 5:13

What can be done about it? I said, well, Not a damn thing actually, because, Trump controls the government and he controls that important part of the government, the Supreme Court. I.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 5:29

assume so and then wanna assume. So I keep wondering when or if. The Supreme Court is ever going to realize that it's their job to protect the tenants of democracy in America. It is not their job to strike them down. I don't see, I cannot see why or how. I mean, I know why or how in the lowdown, but this is the Supreme Court of the United States and it is helping. To rip apart our Constitution. That's not why the Supreme Court, it was established. That's not why six of those six conservative justices who were appointed to the Supreme Court were appointed. No, not at all. They're not a break. I see the only possible break, other than that. That is outside of our control period, but the only possible break on Trump at this point in time would be if the Democrats took at least one house of Congress and there's a long time yet to come for that election 2026.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 6:55

Yes. And, how that turns out, it's gonna depend, a lot on this, political campaign that we're now in the middle of for an on November 4th a ballot proposition on the California ballot. It's called Proposition 50

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 7:13

and that's only in California. Remember,

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 7:15

It's

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 7:16

this is not a national election.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 7:17

It's, it's only in California. To our UK listeners and listener in, India, who I found, it's only in California, but what it would do, it would it would redistrict. Legislative districts and congressional districts, that would make it easier for Democrats to win now, it also pits two political forces against each other. president Trump and Governor Gavin Newsom. on the yes side of, yes, on 50, making these districts, easier to, draw, in favor

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 8:09

They're, they're drawn. They're drawn. It's making the districts that have been drawn mid cycle five years after the census. First, it made the redrawing necessary. This is to adopt districts which already have been tweaked to give the Democrats a better chance of winning five more districts in response to what Texas did tweaking their, congressional districts to give the Republicans a better chance at winning five more districts. I mean, this is, this is a done deal. The only difference between what California is attempting to do and what Texas is in the process of doing is this, voters in California get to decide because that plan is on the ballot, because they get to approve or disapprove a mid cycle reapportionment. Means that the voters actually have a say on whether or not the districts that were drawn by the legislature will be installed. And that's the important thing. In Texas, there is absolutely no voter input to what's going on to restructure districts, congressional districts.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 9:39

You know, somebody who, expressed this so clearly and so powerfully, in her dissent, to this, Supreme Court decision was, justice Sotomayor. And she, and she said that.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 9:53

Which Supreme Court decision are we talking about?

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 9:56

The Supreme Court of the United States of America. We're not talking about the California

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 10:01

No, I know, but there have been several.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 10:03

about Justice Meyer. She's on the Supreme Court of the United States.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 10:09

You're talking about a Supreme Court decision. Which one man, they're coming three, four times a day now.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 10:17

Well, the Supreme Court decision that, cleared the way for, ICE, officers to detain, people on the street, based on their skin color and, on their, language skills and where

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 10:30

Okay.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 10:31

Justice said this, she said, we should not live in a country. Where the government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish and appears to work in a low paid job, we should not allow the government to seize these people. this is not America. The seizure of any Latino speaking Spanish person a car wash in Los Angeles, is. Not permitted by the Constitution. I thought that was pretty clear. And and that kind of lays it all out. I, I think.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 11:13

Well, it's sort of interesting. I think that, the court, it is six three surprise, surprise decision has said that, you can, can use race as one of the si significant factors by which ICE agents can. Pick up anybody from the street where previously they said you cannot use race in college. Admissions. I mean, if Donald Trump is Taco Trump always chickens out, reverses himself, I think we're gonna be able to start calling the Supreme Court Saco. They're ruling one way when it suits them and it suits Donald Trump, they're ruling another way when it doesn't suit Donald Trump, that worries me a whole lot.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 12:10

Well it does and it should. we're pretty well stuck with this, Supreme Court.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 12:18

Hell yeah.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 12:18

it'll be in there for, as long as Trump's in there and beyond. Right.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 12:24

Oh yeah, they'll be, it's a lifetime appointment. They'll be there as long as they want to be there. Or when God decides, whoops, goodbye. Unless, of course, and I'm not even sure about this really, I'm not sure how firm this is. They do something really terrible. Whatever that may be. Conflict of interest, ethics, whatever. We haven't seen that happen in a long time. It's happened, but not very often.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 12:53

You mentioned race. goes beyond race. what the Supreme Court did was give the immigration officers, the right to stop and detain anyone working at a car wash, speaking Spanish. having a brown skin, if you have a dark you can be stopped and if you can be stopped. That's what's scary about this. If you're stopped, they will ask you for your identification or they may not. They may move into the, lot at the Home Depot as they have done on occasion and just put everybody in the Rental truck.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 13:41

I don't know. There can't be a rental truck big enough to have to have a Cal KA capital K rental trucks, which is not impossible these days.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 13:51

So there you are caught up with, the 20 or 30 or 40 other people who happened to be waiting for work in that parking lot. in this truck. Taken away. And do you know where you're going?

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 14:05

Nope. Nor does her family.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 14:08

your, a good point. Nor does your family. that's why I was talking about the fear that, that large, large segment of our population, people, that they live under. So when. Dad goes off to work in the morning, there's no guarantee that he'll come home that night and there's

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 14:34

Yeah,

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 14:36

of how you can find out when dad doesn't show up, how you can find out where he is gone or what's been going on. That's frightening living. How would you like to live under that

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 14:49

it's more than frighten. You're right. I mean, it is more than frightening. I mean, that's, people get disappeared. In authoritarian states when under the thumb of a dictator. That's, that is one of the ways in which we can identify authoritarianism. It's not, it's not only fear, it's reality, and that's what makes me so nervous and so upset about what I see happening in this country. What used to be a democracy.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 15:26

that's why the possibility of Trump ignoring the Constitution,

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 15:33

Possibility of the reality.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 15:35

ignoring the Constitution and going for a third term.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 15:40

Well. Oh, and, and you think that's possible? You think that, that, that there is a credible chance that that will happen?

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 15:49

Yes, I do i've felt that for a long time and, recent developments have, have convinced me, even more,

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 15:59

How? How?

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 16:00

I think the idea of, of the immigration police, the ICE and the border patrol and else is working with them, idea of them, prowling the streets, night and day, and putting people detention, arresting them, putting them in detention, Is something well, we've had it, but to a limited degree. You know, the quota, that's been set for the immigration, people is 3000 a day.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 16:37

Which the, DHS is now denying was ever a quota, although Steven Miller announced it was a quota back in May. I think

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 16:47

why don't we call it a goal?

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 16:51

maybe that's what they're avoiding the truth with. That's not a bad point. Not a bad point at all. You know, I, I can't help. But wonder how many of those masked ice people were among the 1500 or so, January 6th Participants that Trump pardoned, I mean, they're re recruiting everywhere. It wouldn't surprise me at all if, if we took the masks off, we might recognize some of them from storming the capitol.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 17:27

they're certainly operating without any kind of, or sanction. their leadership is encouraging them. Trump, of course, is encouraging him by his every word. so. I guess what I'm saying is that, you know, you have a country where, like Southern California where we are right now, living in this atmosphere of fear

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 17:53

Mm-hmm.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 17:55

I mean, where you think about your everyday life. You'd be afraid to send your kid to school.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 18:01

That it does, that's the way it is. Listen, I have a, a friend who's has a friend with whom she's been a friend since grade school, which is a long time ago. And this weekend my friend took her friend. To the airport to go back to El Salvador because that woman was self deporting. She realized it was gonna be really tough. She didn't want it. She's gone. That's how she got rid of her fear. Because the risk is if you get pulled away by ice, you may never sit in your home again. You may go to someplace you have absolutely no ties to, and she decided that, it didn't make sense for her to stay here. And she went home.,

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 18:57

We can move this into, The political, arena.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 19:02

Sure.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 19:03

What should critics of Trump immigration policy say? I mean, what should the Democrats be doing at this really horrible moment in American life?

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 19:15

Oh wow. All right. Let me think around that. And you're talking about immigration. You're not talking about the redrawing of the constitutional district. We really should have had some, they're, they're entwined in them in a. A weird sort of way in order to, to correct some of these awful moves that this administration is, is making, is to elect more Democrats, for the Democrats to take over at least one house. that's one way you at least get to let people know how appalling it is. What, the Republicans and what the Trump administration in particular is doing. blocking some of these crazy things. I think the only thing the Democrats can do, and I think this is a large part of why Gavin Newsom has suddenly become a significant national figure and is looked upon as a decent possibility of being the Democratic nominee for president. You gotta scream and yell and be in the Republicans. Faces. You can't just say, let's just be cool. This too shall pass and then we'll take it over. No, like there is no argument that Americans do seem to want strength strong. People, strong men even, to lead them to make policy. Democrats have got to, first of all, they've gotta somehow

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 20:51

Okay.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 20:52

the adjective woke, WOKE, from being hug around their. As there as it is now, it's a very negative description and they have got to be able, able to to good to do to Republicans. What the Republicans are very able to do to everybody, which is to stand up and raise hell.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 21:20

I think they're doing that in a way. I mean, I,

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 21:23

go.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 21:24

yeah, I think there's a, a generational thing going on with the Democrats. you know,

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 21:30

yeah.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 21:31

I think when you listen to, you know, Congressman Garcia from Long Beach. For instance. And, you, you see, you see a willingness to just go out there and, say your peace and be strong about it and, and attack the Republicans. you

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 21:49

He can, his district allows that even withdrawn lines apparently is pretty safe.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 21:56

so and so, he's taking advantage of that. I think that he and, some of his generational colleagues are also really hitting the Republicans and Trump on the Epstein scandal.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 22:12

What does that mean for immigration?

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 22:15

Well, the idea is that you just go out there and kick ass and you hit their weak points. And Epstein is certainly one of their weak points. And you hit'em on immigration, you hit'em on the fear that, we talked about that all these families are living under. That's another point that you make.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 22:36

That's the major point if you think about it. That's what's driving me so crazy about this obsession with the Epstein files. I mean, I am tired of turning on. Any cable network except for maybe Fox most of the time. And finding the Epstein files. Always. Not today though. At not, I would assume after Charlie Kirk's assassination, but the top story, what's with the Epstein files today? sure. People today, Poland, shut down drones, Russian drones. Gaza is still a horrible tragedy. The Ukraine war still goes on ice is now able to go back and drag people out by simple racial profiling. And it's Epstein. I mean, and, and nobody can support what he did, but I think there are other issues that we've gotta pay more attention to than we're paying. The ugliness of the Epstein scandal. This is crazy. I mean, it's Is this another shiny object?

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 23:56

no, it's not another shiny object. I think what the Epstein scandal to is the way that, the women. girls and the women were treated by, this, clique.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:10

saying don't pay attention to it. I'm simply saying I don't think it's a matter of national security at this point in time.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:18

No,

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:18

Remember, most of this happened 20 years ago. I'm not saying that anybody should get off free. That shouldn't.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:26

well, then

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:26

I'm simply saying, I think our values are skewed. That's, I guess what I'm saying.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:32

I think that they, and, and all the fat cats around them, should be called out and, and

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:39

I do too,

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:39

you're dealing with an offense it's a widespread offense. It's something that people worry about.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:47

Epstein.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 24:48

And those responsible, those involved with the whole Epstein story should be called on it. And then finally just as a political point. It's a weak point for the Republicans. It's a weak point for Trump. If I were a Democratic strategist, I'd say that's a weak point. You just keep hammering away at it.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 25:14

Well, I'm,

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 25:14

that. Nothing wrong with that.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 25:17

well, it it, what's wrong with it is if, if it just blurs out every other critical issue, and that's what I see happening.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 25:27

I don't see it at all. I mean, the immigration story is, is, is, is pretty out front on, on television and in those few remaining antique institutions known as newspapers. And, certainly, redistricting story, while, you know, is, the out there It's

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 25:50

It consumed the California Republican.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 25:53

of debate. Yeah. So I don't think, I don't think these things are being overlooked and I'd certainly hate for the. Epstein crew off free.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 26:08

Oh, hell yeah, I agree with that, but I just say, look at the priorities story. 1, 2, 3, 4, and I just cannot. Make myself believe positively about the fact that it's Epstein, Epstein, Epstein, and then all the rest of the world. That's my problem.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 26:31

Let's say you were an editor. The day, the Epstein, birthday card, they'll call it that beautifully drawn birthday card came out, and that

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 26:41

Allegedly. Allegedly. My dad

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 26:44

And at the same time, the Supreme Court, backed down and, the Supreme Court gave the go ahead to stop all these, immigrants. Two stories.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 26:56

depends on where you are.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 26:57

one, which one would you put up on top of your, whatever you're publishing.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 27:02

If I were in LA and I would probably go with the immigration. If it were a newspaper, they'd both go on the front page as far as I'm concerned.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 27:11

about that.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 27:12

And, most likely if on television it would go, Bing, bing, immigration, Epstein.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 27:21

Yeah.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 27:21

But that's not the way it goes.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 27:24

That's actually probably what happened I didn't track of it that day, but that's, I think generally that's what happened. I mean, editor had to put in, Epstein editor had to do immigration, and then somebody mentioned, the redistricting, and they put that on the page too.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 27:43

There's one point I wanna make, which you really haven't discussed about, redistricting, which I know you don't like to talk about because we've been mostly talking about Epstein and immigration, which deserves our attention. Immigration. That is, and it's, the fact that I see a possibility in the redistricting that the one break. That on Trump that I see possible. Right now, the Dem is taking over. At least one house may be at risk. This may blow up in the Democrats face because Republican states are saying We're gonna redistrict. And they have more wiggle room than Democrats do because Democrats being good government types have, in some cases, established as, as California and New York have the independent citizens District. Commissions states, like Republican states, mainly the blue, the blue states sort of did the Democratic small D thing. Red states left it with the legislature and the legislature could do a whole hell of a lot more. Then, the Democratic states can, I mean, this is the reality of it. Now, I don't think they ever thought about that. As I said, the Republicans in California are using the redistricting, campaign as a means to motivate and energize and unify the Republican party in this state. And I can't help but believe that's happening elsewhere too.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 29:32

To, make sure that the, Trump base. Doesn't fall asleep.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 29:37

Yeah,

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 29:38

Good.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 29:38

well, the Democrats damn well better make sure that their base doesn't fall asleep. That was one of the, the problems for them in the 2024 presidential election. And I think what we're gonna see happening in this period where it's certainly been proven again by what happened today, that we are nasty people, that we are revengeful people, that this is gonna wind up, the redistricting campaign is gonna wind up as a, as a battle newsom. Versus Trump, the Dems are gonna go at it saying, you don't want, what do you, where do you wanna be? You wanna be with Donald Trump and all this awful stuff that he's doing. Or do you wanna be with Gavin Newsom who wants to save democracy? And the Republicans will say, do you want that loud up in Sacramento? And that dumb legislature, which hasn't done anything to get even more power. It is it, the issue itself is going to be lost in the nastiness and the anger and the polarization. I am extremely nervous about the direction in which not only this state, but this country, and particularly this country, quite frankly.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 31:02

At least, it'll be race that'll be easy to understand. Newsom, Newsom versus Trump. That's what it's all about.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 31:13

That's what it's gonna be all about.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 31:15

Right.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 31:16

You know, who wants to you talk? Who wants to hear about redistricting? Let's watch the two principles. Get bloodied. Oh, where are we as as a society bill? Where are we these days?

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 31:32

Okay, Sherry, we'll find out next week.

squadcaster-3453_2_09-10-2025_150344 31:35

Okay. Hello everybody. Cheers.

host-4ha0_2_09-10-2025_150344 31:40

Cheers.