Gavin Newsom's Free Diaper Disaster

36 snips

May 11, 2026

Guest

Reem Ibrahim

Guest

Robby Soave

Reem Ibrahim, a reporter with sharp cultural takes, and Robby Soave, a skeptical senior editor, dissect Gavin Newsom's free-diaper plan and its nonprofit ties. They debate costs, cronyism, and what the fiasco says about California governance. They also spar over AOC's critique of billionaires, U.S. actions in Iran, rising ticket prices and consolidation, and high-stakes redistricting fights.

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INSIGHT

Government Freebies Often Cost More Than Markets

Government distribution of 'free' goods often costs far more than private-market alternatives.
The panel used Gavin Newsom's $6M diaper pilot and planned expansion to illustrate high per-unit costs and likely inefficiency versus buying at Costco or Amazon.

INSIGHT

Billionaires Include Both Market Creators And Rent Seekers

Billionaires are a mixed category; many earn wealth through voluntary exchanges while others gain it via rent-seeking or state favors.
Panelists contrasted Bezos/Taylor Swift/Oprah success stories with oligarchs and rent-seeking examples tied to government contracts.

INSIGHT

Voluntary Exchange Versus Coercive Taxation

The moral distinction between private wealth and taxation is that private exchange is voluntary whereas taxes are coercive.
Reem Ibrahim emphasized consumers freely choose businesses, while governments forcibly extract funds through taxation.

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This week, editors Peter Suderman and Katherine Mangu-Ward are joined by Senior Editor Robby Soave and reporter Reem Ibrahim to discuss California Gov. Gavin Newsom's "free diapers" initiative and the political controversy surrounding its nonprofit structure. The panel examines whether the program is a useful benefit for new mothers or another example of government turning a simple problem into an expensive, politically connected spending project. They also consider what the backlash reveals about California governance more broadly, from high-speed rail to homelessness spending to a troubled 911 program, and whether frustration with the state's Democratic establishment is creating an opening for Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt.

Next, the panel turns to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D–N.Y.) claim that billionaires cannot ethically earn their wealth and her argument that the American Revolution was a revolt against the billionaire class. They also discuss President Donald Trump's ongoing conflict with Iran, whether the war has weakened his negotiating power ahead of a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and what the fallout could mean for U.S. credibility abroad. The editors then examine escalating fights over redistricting in Virginia and Florida. Finally, a listener asks whether rising ticket prices and corporate consolidation are evidence that government should play a larger role in regulating mergers and competition.

0:00—Newsom's "free diaper" program

13:04—Pratt's mayoral campaign

17:30—AOC attacks billionaires

28:40—Has America lost in Iran?

38:51—Listener question on ticket prices

46:00—Redistricting battles escalate nationwide

53:23—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in the podcast:

"California Spent $450 Million on a Failed 911 System. Now, the State Is Restarting the Project," by Meagan O'Rourke

"Contra AOC, You Don't Have To Be a Billionaire To Be a Leech," by Christian Britschgi

"A Pointless War: How Iran Hawks Finally Got Their Way," by Matthew Petti

"How Much Has the Iran War Actually Cost? A Lot More Than $25 Billion," by Eric Boehm

"How Mortal Kombat Went From National Panic to Nostalgic Camp," by Peter Suderman

The post Gavin Newsom's Free Diaper Disaster appeared first on Reason.com.