Guest:

Lance Christensen, Vice President of the California Policy Center

Guest Bio:

Lance Christensen is a policy expert and former candidate for California Superintendent of Public Instruction. He currently serves with the California Policy Center, advocating for education reform, school choice, and smarter government. With a bold voice on California’s economic and energy challenges, Lance is a leading thinker on how to restore prosperity and common sense across the state.

Show Summary

Is California’s K-12 system beyond repair — or just in need of bold reform? In this energetic conversation, Lance Christensen joins Jon to unpack the deep-rooted challenges in public education, from low literacy rates to union influence, and why many teachers still don’t know about their right to opt out of unions. They also dive into California’s failing energy policy, sky-high living costs, and the long-term economic damage of misguided climate mandates.

Lance shares what he’d do on day one if he were Governor, and why real change requires more local accountability, not just new policies. Whether you’re a parent, policymaker, or frustrated Californian — this one’s for you.

Chapters

00:00 – Why Education Affects Everyone

01:29 – California's Failing K-12 System

02:15 – The Federal Tax Credit No One’s Using

03:41 – The Power of Teachers Unions & Janus Decision

05:25 – The Impact of DEI in Schools

07:45 – The Economic Fallout of Policy Failures

09:15 – Why California Sends Jobs to Other States

10:37 – What’s Driving Sky-High Energy Prices

12:42 – We Need an “All of the Above” Energy Plan

13:37 – Wildfires Are Undermining Climate Goals

15:24 – First Moves as Governor: Expand the Legislature?

17:06 – California Leader Lance Most Admires

17:50 – Why California Is Still Worth Fighting For

Connect with Lance Christiansen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lancechristensen
X: https://x.com/Lance4CASuper
Website:lancechristensen.com/

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast

Connect with State of Gold

X: https://x.com/realjonslavet
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en
Website: www.stateofgold.com