"Newsom Deserves An 'F'" - Katie Porter DEFENDS California's Homeless DISASTER During Debate

The discussion begins with a focus on the political landscape in California, specifically a debate involving Katie Porter, who is running for governor. The central challenge for Porter, a liberal Democrat, is to defend Governor Gavin Newsom's record, particularly on the issue of homelessness. Katie Porter, described as "made for TV," is asked about Newsom's performance on homelessness. She responds by explaining that the majority of homeless people in California are working, including families fleeing domestic violence, people living in overcrowded conditions, and those living in their cars on college campuses, rather than just individuals with mental illness or substance abuse problems. When pressed to give Newsom a grade on homelessness, Porter states that she is a "notoriously tough grader" but would give him a "B." She acknowledges that it's "not an easy problem to solve" and credits him for bringing attention to the issue eight years ago when he campaigned on housing. This response is met with skepticism, with one commentator remarking that if Newsom gets a "B" for his actions on homelessness, it's surprising. The conversation then shifts to the broader implications of this political maneuvering. It's suggested that Democrats, like Katie Porter, often "dive into the insanity" because there's "no accountability anyway." The state of homelessness in California is described as having "decayed so far," with people resorting to public defecation and drug use on the streets. The question is posed: how should a candidate like Porter respond? Should she honestly admit that Newsom could have done more, perhaps giving him a "D+" on homelessness, or continue to defend his record? The current approach is criticized because despite $26 billion being spent, homelessness has worsened. The importance of homelessness as an issue for reasonable Democrats in California is then explored. The state is divided into four regions: the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Orange County, San Diego, and the inland state. In Los Angeles, homelessness is a deep concern for people across the political spectrum because it's visible "in front of everybody's front yard." Despite this, Democrats tend to be reluctant to vote against their party on this issue. Current polling for the California gubernatorial race is briefly mentioned, with Steve Hilton (a Republican) at 20%, and Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer (Democrats) both at 15%. Katie Porter is reported to be at 10% and appears to be "fading a little bit." It's predicted that in the voting booth, two issues will have overwhelming support from all citizens: the economy and homelessness. Homelessness is a "giant issue" for voters in Los Angeles and Orange County, though less so in the Bay Area. A sarcastic remark is made about using the term "homelessness" instead of "unhoused" in California, highlighting a perceived disconnect in political discourse. The overall sentiment is that California politicians are "manufacturing this caring about what's going on" in the economy, but ultimately "do nothing." Newsom's record is questioned, with a challenge to identify his accomplishments beyond spending a "ton of money" and having "good hair." It's noted that $623 billion has been spent on homelessness initiatives, yet the problem has only "got worse." This is presented as indicative of the Democratic party's broader strategy, which is perceived as being solely focused on opposing Donald Trump rather than achieving results. The missed opportunity for Porter to criticize Newsom's record on homelessness is highlighted. It's argued that she could have taken a strong stance, regardless of party affiliation, and declared Newsom's performance "abysmal," even while disavowing Trump. The current system is seen as incentivizing the continuation of homelessness, with money circulating back into pockets rather than solving the problem. Further criticism is leveled at Porter's "B" grade for Newsom, especially given her self-proclaimed "tough grader" status. If Newsom, with a worsening homelessness situation, receives a "B," it's questioned what it would take to get a "C" or even an "A." The strategic reason behind Porter's mild criticism is then explained: she needs to defeat Xavier Becerra in the primary to be one of the top two candidates, not necessarily to defeat Newsom. Attacking Newsom too harshly would give momentum to Hilton, a Republican. It's revealed that Becerra gave Newsom an "A" on homelessness, which is considered even worse than Porter's "B." This is seen as potentially benefiting Porter among "reasonable Democrats" who are fed up with the status quo and might be willing to consider a Republican for one term. The argument is that both Porter and Becerra's grades push these 15% of reasonable Democrats towards Hilton. The concept of a "plus-minus" number is introduced as a way to objectively grade Newsom's performance. This number measures the change in a situation from the beginning to the end of a leader's tenure. It's asserted that Newsom's "plus-minus" number on homelessness is "horrible," with homelessness having "nearly doubled, if not up 60%" since he took office. This translates to a "negative 60%," which is unequivocally an "F." Data is presented showing an increase from 151,000 homeless people to 187,000 in 2024, a plus of 36,000 people, or 23% per capita. This is deemed an "F," especially considering the concentration of homelessness in specific cities. The analogy of investors giving $24 billion to fix a problem, only for the money to be wasted and the problem to worsen, is used to describe the taxpayers' situation with Newsom. The conversation then shifts to Gavin Newsom's potential as a mainstream Democratic candidate for president. It's stressed that voters should remember his "horrible job" in California if he runs. A comparison is drawn to Poland, where a European Parliament member highlighted its successes. Poland's statistics are presented: 3% GDP growth (compared to EU's 1.1%), 3% unemployment (half of EU's 5.9%), 170% GDP growth since 2004, and the lowest crime rate "in the world." Other unique aspects of Polish society are mentioned, including mandatory ID laws, restrictions on public drinking, Sunday trading limitations, strong restrictions on sex education for minors, no same-sex marriage or adoption, and laws against promoting totalitarian ideologies or blasphemy. Despite these seemingly "extreme" policies, Poland attracted 26-28 million foreign tourists last year due to its perceived safety and beauty. The segment concludes with a call for the Republican party to create a "one-liner" for "every single one of Newsom's failures" and "blast it, promote it everywhere, starting now." The goal is to repeatedly expose his lack of results so that people question his leadership. The importance of promoting both good accomplishments and the failures of opponents is emphasized. Finally, a promotion for PBD podcast merchandise is made. There are 200 signed hats available. Customers can order four hats from the selection on vtmerch.com and receive a fifth signed hat as part of a bundle for $200. The hats feature various designs, including "Value Tamement," "Future Looks Bright," "Faith Over Fear," and "PBD podcast." The promotion highlights the brand's mission to counter bitterness and negativity with unity and truth, and encourages customers to wear the merchandise to start conversations.