Los Angeles is a city of dreams… but what happens when those dreams become unaffordable?

In this episode, we sit down with LA City Councilmember & mayoral candidate Nithya Raman to talk about the REAL issues facing the city—from skyrocketing housing costs and homelessness to traffic, bureaucracy, and whether LA is… kinda broke.

We get into:

• Why housing is the root of everything
• The truth about homelessness spending
• The politics behind “waiting your turn”
• Why LA might need a total system reset
• And yes… how we might fix the 405 (we’re skeptical too)

It’s honest, it’s a little chaotic, and it’s exactly the kind of conversation LA needs right now.

No official sponsor today—but if you’re currently paying LA rent, congrats, you’re already sponsoring like 3 landlords, a property management company, and probably someone’s third Tesla

Timeline:

00:00 – Intro & welcome back

01:50 – Why LA is magical… but unsustainable

04:23 – Can we FIX the 405??

05:22 – What an urban planner actually does (The Sims but real life)

07:12 – Running for mayor after endorsing Karen Bass

09:32 – The “wait your turn” culture in politics

10:25 – Why local elections matter more than you think

17:36 – “Dream differently” for LA’s future

18:00 – Do rich people actually leave when policies change?

19:07 – “Gentle density” explained

20:31 – Reacting to Karen Bass’ housing plan

24:14 – Homeowners vs affordability (the real tension)

25:31 – Housing and homelessness are directly linked

28:52 – Is LA… broke?

31:05 – LAPD budget & political influence

33:28 – Why she decided to run

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Host Heather Gardner sits down with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed — physician, public health expert, and U.S. Senate candidate from Michigan — to talk about why healthcare shouldn't bankrupt you, what one day of war could actually pay for, and why there hasn't been a Democratic doctor in the Senate since 1969.

They also discuss Medicare for All, the corporate capture of both parties, why Democrats keep losing the plot, and what it means to be "fantastically better, not just less bad." No corporate PAC money. No talking points. Just someone who actually knows how the system works — and how to fix it.

See Star Spangled Banter on tour: https://beacons.ai/heathergtv

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