Panel Blasts Newsom’s $20 Million Free Diaper Plan as Taxpayer Waste and Potential Cronyism

A panel on The Big Money Show sharply criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to provide free diapers to newborns, describing it as a costly example of government overreach that could waste taxpayer dollars while failing to address underlying issues.

The plan would use $20 million in public funds to supply approximately 100,000 California babies with 400 diapers each. Panelists highlighted that the same quantity could be purchased far more cheaply at retail outlets. One calculation based on a Target visit put the cost at roughly 16 cents per diaper, or about $26 for 400 diapers, suggesting parents could obtain them more efficiently through stores or memberships like Costco.

Brian called the initiative “California cronyism” and a “fiscal disaster rife with government waste,” questioning why taxpayer money was being used to provide items parents could buy themselves. “$20 million of taxpayer money to get what parents could have gotten with a Costco membership,” he said.

Panelist Taylor argued that the core issue is people not wanting their money taken and redistributed in forms they may not prefer. “I think you’ve got to get back to this cost-cutting idea,” Taylor added, noting California’s tendency to create expensive programs. Taylor also pushed back against criticism that opposing the plan means not caring about children, stating, “Of course I do. I just want the parents to make their own decisions.”

Dagen warned of broader government incentives to perpetuate problems rather than solve them. Referencing past spending on homelessness and drug addiction, Dagen said politicians “don’t want to actually solve the problem that they spend the money on. They just want to continue it in perpetuity because then the grift ends.” Dagen jokingly suggested that under such policies, “these babies would never be potty trained” to keep the need for government diapers going into adulthood.

The panel also raised concerns about potential insider connections. Taylor noted that the co-CEO of Baby 2 Baby serves as a board member for Gavin Newsom’s wife’s nonprofit, describing it as a “circular deal.”

Jackie pointed to ongoing issues in California governance, referencing both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and argued that as long as voters continue supporting such leadership, the pattern of spending will persist despite public criticism from figures like Steve Hilton.

Taylor referenced studies indicating that children are potty trained about two years later today than 30 years ago, partly due to the availability of disposable diapers and related marketing, reinforcing the view that government involvement could extend dependency.

Brian concluded the segment with a quip linking the diaper proposal to other California challenges: “When you can’t make a train work, maybe you go to diapers and see if you can have better luck there.”

The discussion reflects wider skepticism about expansive government programs in California, framing the diaper initiative as symbolic of larger debates over fiscal responsibility, parental choice, and efficient use of public funds.