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The Bully Pulpit has merged with the Let’s Find Common Ground podcast. As the tone of public discourse becomes increasingly angry and divisive, Let’s Find Common Ground offers a healing path to reaching agreement and moving forward. At the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, we bring together top Republicans and Democrats to transcend partisan divisions and explore solutions to our most pressing national and global challenges. Join veteran strategists Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy along with other Center staff and major voices for fun conversations that advance civil dialogue and practical politics. The conversations go behind the curtain with elected officials, campaign staff, journalists, academics, pundits, and political operatives. Every exchange is guided by standards central to the Center’s mission: Respect each other and respect the truth. Opponents are adversaries, not enemies. And if you lose, don’t burn down the stadium.

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  2. California at 175 Conference: "First in Taxes, First in Results?"

California at 175 Conference: "First in Taxes, First in Results?"

Mar 20, 2026

Former Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin moderates a conversation with political experts David Crane, Bob Hertzberg, and Richard Leib on how California's tax structure compares nationally. They discuss whether the state's high revenue levels translate into effective public and private outcomes, and what reforms could better align fiscal policy with performance. CPF Managing Director Kamy Akhavan gives closing remarks. This conversation is part of CPF's "California at 175: Stuck or Moving Forward?" conference in partnership with the USC Open Dialogue Project and USC Casden Institute.
 
Featuring:
-David Crane: Co-Founder and President, Govern for California
-Bob Hertzberg: Former Speaker, California State Assembly; Former Majority Leader, California State Senate
-Richard Leib: Chair, Board of UC Regents; President and CEO, Dunleer Strategies
-Ron Galperin: Former Controller, City of Los Angeles; Former Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
-Kamy Akhavan: Managing Director, USC Center for the Political Future