No Agenda Episode 1875: California Vote Count Delays and AI Economy Risks Under Scrutiny

In episode 1875 of the No Agenda Show, hosts Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak dissect a chaotic news week, focusing on California's extended mail-in ballot counting and the potential risks of an overheated AI economy. The episode, titled 'Sonic Thump,' aired June 7, 2026, and is available at noagendashow.net.

California's 37-day mail-in counting window and Senate Bill 75, which rolls back signature verification under Governor Gavin Newsom, drew sharp criticism. The hosts noted that these delays could undermine public confidence in elections, especially with Xavier Becerra emerging as a front-runner in the gubernatorial race and Steve Hilton expressing frustration over the Los Angeles mayoral count. The Watson v. Republican National Committee case, pending before the Supreme Court, could further shape voting procedures.

The episode's deepest thread examines the AI bubble. Curry highlighted Google raising $80 billion partly to cover RSU cash-outs, Microsoft engineers 'token maxing' for promotions, and Cisco president Jeetu Patel pitching $200-per-week per-employee token costs across 90,000 workers. The hosts mocked 'Jevons Paradox,' an 1865 economic principle now invoked by venture capitalists to justify runaway AI spending. They flagged a Stanford study, 'Algorithmic Monocultures in Hiring,' showing resume scores persist for 330 days across employers, signaling potential systemic risks in AI-driven hiring.

Other topics included President Trump's contentious interview with NBC's Kristen Welker, where he called the press 'crooked' before walking off set. Curry countered MSNBC analyst Ari Fleischer's framing, noting historical precedent for personal attorneys running Justice departments. The episode also covered NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic jet, an Ebola facility controversy at Kenya's Lokichogio airbase, and an mpox smuggling case involving NIH researchers Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe. A New World Screwworm outbreak roughly 100 miles southwest of San Antonio raised agricultural concerns.

The hosts' skeptical, irreverent approach underscores how media narratives shape public perception. By deconstructing these stories, the episode highlights the importance of critical thinking in an era of information overload, where election integrity and economic bubbles demand scrutiny.