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In Los Angeles Right now, it’s not just acrid smoke in the air.
There is fear, anxiety and pain. When will these fires be controlled? What happens if the wind picks up? What if my neighborhood is next?
For those who have been evacuated: when can I return? Why don’t they let me bring my pet? Or my medicine?
MAPS SHOW EXTENSION OF WILDFIRES DEVASTATION AND DESTROYED HOMES
Worst of all, those who have lost their homes or, in a small but tragically increasing number of cases, their loved ones, are in utter despair. And a sense that the people in charge aren’t responding with the urgency, energy (or, frankly, empathy) we expect.
And that brings us to the other emotion that is so palpable in Los Angeles today: rage.
Anger at a governor who, when confronted by the shocking revelations of dry fire hydrants and empty reservoirs, waved his arms and said, “ask the locals.”
Rage against the ‘local person’… Mayor Karen Bass – who, when confronted about her failure to prepare for this disaster, her failure to even be in the cityHe just froze on camera. A strange, pathetic two-minute silence instead of the strong leadership we need.
But these short-term failures in preparedness and response pale into relative insignificance compared to the long-term failures that have brought us to this point.
LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES: RETURNING SANTA ANA WINDS THREAT TO EXPAND DEADLY FIRES
In March, my new book, ‘Califailure – Reversing the ruin of America’s worst governed state’ will catalog the terrible combination of incompetence and ideological extremism that has left California at the top of every list you’d like to be on, and at the bottom of every list you’d like to be at the top of, since the highest poverty rate in the nation to the worst business climate; higher housing costs and lower homeownership. Crime and homelessness are out of control. All paid for with the highest taxes in the United States.
Now, with the Los Angeles catastrophe, everyone can see how bad things have gone.
Every aspect of the wildfire crisis was caused or made much worse by Democratic policies and politicians.
Of course they try to blame it on “climate change.” But other places with similar climates and geographies don’t seem to suffer in the same way.
In California, environmental extremism halted efforts to manage what is known as “fuel loading” in our forests and chaparral. Reducing overgrown forests and removing brush and undergrowth, blocked by wrong democrat policies.
Money that should have been spent on fire prevention was diverted towards ideological obsessions that do nothing to reduce the risk of wildfires, such as electric vehicles.
We keep hearing about “drought”, but in reality it is mainly caused by man. We have all the water we need: we just don’t collect it, store it and get it to the right places.
And behind it all, the insane rules and regulations, the crazy nanny state, the endless armies of bureaucrats and meddlers that make it impossible to get anything done, to build the housing and infrastructure we need.
NEWSOM DEFENDS FIRE RESPONSE WITH FACT-CHECKING SITE THAT LINKS TO DEM PARTY FUNDRAISING PLATFORM
Their “green” bureaucracy has even slowed down or blocked vital work like burying or insulating power lines that cause forest fires! How is that good for the environment?
It’s time to stop all this nonsense. It’s time for common sense policies and competent government.
That’s what I’m focusing on. My California political organization, Golden Together, has brought together business leaders, faith community leaders, and fire prevention and suppression experts to develop positive, practical ideas about how to help people right now and make sure we do the right thing. to help recover. and rebuild quickly.
Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills is mobilizing churches and houses of worship to help displaced families and support our brave (and exhausted) first responders.
We need to eliminate ridiculous rules that hinder relief and recovery efforts; for example, absurd ‘climate’ regulations that make it impossible to bring in emergency generators from out of state to supply power where supply has been interrupted.
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Let’s get rid of the bureaucracy that ties you in bureaucratic knots. Governor Gavin Newsom He says he wants to “speed up” the granting of permits to rebuild homes. Excellent! Except: what exactly do you mean by “accelerated”? Could it take more than 120 days? For permission to rebuild exactly the house that was there before? Everything is very confusing right now. But it should be instant!
After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, then-Gov. Pete Wilson, a Republican, broke the rules and launched cleanup and construction contracts that helped rebuild the Santa Monica Freeway in 66 days.
I spoke with Governor Wilson. We have included their suggestions in our policy recommendations, along with many practical ideas from homebuilders and business owners.
I have asked technology leaders in Silicon Valley develop a plan for a new ‘Fire Force’ that will use artificial intelligence, drones and autonomous firefighting vehicles to detect and extinguish potentially dangerous wildfires before they start.
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All this and more can be found in our policy document: Rescue, Reform, Reconstruction.
It’s time for a change in California and this is the first step.
