A recent survey shows that Californians want autonomy—what does this mean?

In this episode, Greg talks with Coyote Marin, co-founder and executive director of the Independent California Institute, a nonprofit think tank focused on educating Californians about their relationship with the federal government. Unlike advocacy groups, Coyote’s organization doesn’t push a single path forward—it lays out facts, options, and tradeoffs so Californians can decide for themselves.

We explore new survey data showing strong support for California gaining special autonomous status within the U.S.—and a surprising amount of openness to peaceful secession. They discuss why autonomy polls higher than full independence, what it means to be a “donor state,” and how Californians might rethink the federal government as a costly (and morally compromised) middleman between taxpayers and the services they depend on.

This is a conversation about sovereignty, pragmatism, and possibility—not about destroying America, but about building a California that works better for Californians.

Highlights:

• The difference between autonomy and independence
• How California compares as a “donor state”
• Why opinions on independence are stable—but hardening
• The federal government as a “money laundering machine” for state tax dollars
• The hidden history of U.S. secessions, from 1776 to the Philippines