Description
This week on Political Breakdown, KQED's Lesley McClurg and Guy Marzorati break down Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to backfill Medi-Cal after President Trump's H.R. 1 bill made deep cuts to the program. Newsom’s potential fix, a tax plan that could raise premiums by $100 a year for privately insured Californians, has formed the backdrop of a political battleground in Sacramento.
KFF chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner joins to make sense of the shifting landscape for scientific research. They discuss the Trump administration's move to give political appointees more power over federal science and health grants, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 's escalating fight with medical journals — including his threats to prosecute them.
And, turning to the big question: What happens to research funding when it no longer aligns with the president's policy priorities?
🎙 Host: Lesley McClurg
🎧 Guests: Guy Marzorati and Julie Rovner
📌 Show: Political Breakdown
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About Political Breakdown:
Join host Marisa Lagos as she unpacks the day in politics with a California perspective. Featuring interviews with reporters and other insiders involved in the craft of politics—including elected officials, candidates, pollsters, campaign managers, fundraisers, and other political players—Political Breakdown pulls back the curtain to offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics works today.