Social Thorns - Comfortable Conversations About Uncomfortable Topics

Today we review two local races taking place in the state. California 53rd District - Sara Jacobs (D) vs. Georgette Gomez (D) 78th State Assembly District - Chris Ward (D) vs. Sarah Davis What do these people represent and how genuinely interesting is this pool of Democrats? Is any one really any better than the other?

We discuss Prop 22 and the surrounding controversy. We review AB5 impacts and the message it sends and whether Prop 22 does enough to make voters happy. Is prop 22 good for California? What does a yes vote for prop 22 mean.

Who should be San Diego's Mayor? Barbara Bry or Todd Gloria? They are both democrats, but what distinguishes them? We also discuss Prop 23 and the ongoing battle between a labor union and the private dialysis enterprises.

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Patria Julnes, an academic of public administration, to discuss propositions on rent control and cyber privacy. Once again, the arguments for this bill don't reflect what these bills actually do - often using vague language to draw you in, in hopes you don't peek under the cover...

How do you feel about increasing punishments for violent felonies? Seems like a no-brainer right? Here we review Props 20 & 25, two crime bills that purport to bring criminal justice reform and make improvements to the bail system. The narrative of the bill doesn't paint the whole picture, as per usual.

Why does Prop 19 leverage everyone's desire to help wildfire victims in order to shelter the rich from higher taxes? Because of the mixed intentions of these propositions, we are forced to weigh many different values in order to make a decision on Proposition 19.

Some bills are much easier to support. Critics say this program needs to show more results - are they justified?

On Nov. 3rd, 2020, California Voters will get to choose whether or not to reinstate Affirmative Action into our public institutions after it was banned in 1996 by Prop 209. Despite what lawmakers might have you believe, this issue is not so clear. Join us as we discuss what Affirmative Action actually does(most people don't understand it), its implications for the state of California, and how the "Yes on Prop 16" messaging is misleading. Resources to begin your own...

Proposition 15 is a state ballot seeking to change the tax code for commercial properties within the state, with caveats. Before we decide on a vote, we dive just a bit deeper to uncover the other parts of the bill that aren't explicit. What are the potential impacts of Proposition 15?

In this episode we review a couple of incidents where race was assumed a factor and dig deeper for the problems that arise when people don't know how to communicate with each other. Don't allow yourself to get swept up by a single perspective. Join us as we peel back the onion - below is the footage we discuss Stanley's arrest: Viral footage - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av3NhU07Rsk The District Attorney Footage - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr-xHuthKB8 Kansas City Seat belt...

New York's Attorney General filed a lawsuit to dissolve the NRA. In this episode we discuss this case in depth. We explore what politics might be at play as well as the deeper messaging and psychology surrounding gun ownership in America.

We all have been forced to change our lifestyle because the Covid-19 pandemic. On this podcast we explore what if any innovations are emerging from this and what we can do to adapt to our "new normal".

Covid has continued to dominate our lives both figuratively and literally. The size and scope of the global affect can not be understated. We felt the need to continue this dialog.

The Covid-19 pandemic has effected everyone on the globe and challenged all of us to change our lifestyles dramatically in a short period of time. In this episode we explore our unique reactions to the "new normal" and challenge ourselves to look at our collective response. We are Social Thorns, leave us alone.