California Spent $24 Billion on Homelessness. Where Did the Money Go? | The Brief | PragerU
California spent nearly $24 billion on homelessness and housing-affordability programs over five years. So why is homelessness still such a major problem—and what really happened when someone proposed taxpayer-funded “sexual relief clinics” at a Los Angeles City Council meeting?
In this episode of The Brief: Insights From The Inside, Shabbos Kestenbaum interviews Tanya Tsikanovsky, a first-generation American, community activist, and West Hollywood City Council candidate, about California's homelessness crisis, government spending, the cost of living, and the debate over local housing policies. They examine the viral public comment about sexual-relief clinics—a citizen's suggestion, not an adopted city proposal—along with the state's homelessness spending, budget challenges, and the controversy surrounding West Hollywood's Fountain Avenue bike-lane project.
Tanya also shares her family's experience leaving the Soviet Union, reflects on the American Dream, and discusses debates over gender identity, sexual orientation, and LGBTQ+ spaces. What can California's challenges teach us about how government decisions affect everyday residents?
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23 Oct 2026
Why Is Gen Z So Depressed? A Former FDA Psychiatrist Explains | The Brief | PragerU
Why is Gen Z struggling with anxiety and depression—and are Americans relying too heavily on psychiatric medications to address the mental-health crisis?
In this episode of The Brief: Insights From The Inside, Shabbos Kestenbaum sits down with Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a board-certified psychiatrist, former FDA medical officer, and founder of TaperClinic, to examine antidepressants, psychiatric overprescribing, and why so many young Americans are struggling with their mental health. Dr. Witt-Doerring challenges the way depression is diagnosed and treated, discusses the potential side effects of SSRIs, and explains why sleep, exercise, diet, relationships, and social connection deserve greater attention alongside medical treatment.
The conversation also explores Gen Z loneliness, declining friendships among young men, social media, and the growing looksmaxxing trend. Shabbos opens up about his own experience with anxiety, depression, and psychiatric medication as the two discuss a fundamental question: Are we addressing the underlying causes of mental-health struggles—or simply treating the symptoms?
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17 Oct 2026
The Ketamine Clue in the Cornell Seven Case and Female Mental Health in America
Can someone under the influence of ketamine truly consent — even if they voluntarily took the drug?
What do the Lindsay Clancy case, the Great Wolf Lodge murders, and Nick Reiner have in common — and could drugs and mental illness hold part of the answer?
In this episode of The Brief: Insights From The Inside, Shabbos Kestenbaum sits down with UCLA clinical psychologist and addiction researcher Dr. Suzette Glasner to examine the role of drugs, psychiatric medications, and mental illness in several high-profile criminal cases. From the Cornell Seven sexual assault allegations to the Lindsay Clancy case, Dr. Glasner explains how ketamine affects memory and consent, the differences between postpartum depression and psychosis, and the warning signs of serious psychiatric crises. They also discuss the recent Great Wolf Lodge tragedy in Pennsylvania and whether better mental-health screening and treatment could help prevent such incidents.
The conversation also explores Nick Reiner's alleged killing of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, and the relationship between substance abuse, psychiatric medications, and mental illness. Dr. Glasner explains why treating addiction and mental-health conditions together is critical, before turning to the growing mental-health concerns facing teenage girls in America, including depression, anxiety, social media, and suicidal thoughts.
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14 ratings
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