top of page

What turned California into a pyre? ‘We cannot continue to stand by as climate change devastates communities across this country - by Freddy Gray for the Spectator - 09.01.25

Writer's picture: Michael JulienMichael Julien

Such sentiments are still swallowed and regurgitated all over the media. At

the fag end of the Biden presidency, however, as LA County burns, it’s

not what a lot of Americans want to hear.


At least "ve people have died. More than 100,000 people have been told

to leave their homes and the cost of the damage is almost incalculable.

California, despite having the highest tax rate in the United States and

plenty of recent experience in putting out wilder's, seems staggeringly ill

equipped to deal with the crisis.


It didn’t help that LA mayor Karen Bass went on a diplomatic jolly to Ghana this week, then promptly ignored then promptly ignored the difficult questions as she landed home. Why, for instance, had she axed $20 million from her "re department’s budget?


Gavin Newsom, California’s Governor, is also under pressure as a result

of the "res. A political animal with presidential aspirations, he often poses

as a pragmatist rather than an idealist. But today he resembles a man who

makes wrong decisions instead of difficult ones. He has kept about 90 per

cent of California’s $50 billion climate budget, even as he slashed $150

million from the state’s anti re wildest programme.


California’s failure to maintain an adequate water supply, clear deadwood from its forest

doors and conduct controlled burns have all contributed to the ongoing

catastrophe. Worse still, for Democrats, the incoming President Donald

Trump long ago made this topic one of his hobby horses. He blames

‘Governor Newscum’, as he calls him, and insists that barmy

environmentalist diktats have superseded sane "re prevention strategies.


He is particularly exercised about an absurdly expensive Californian

scheme to protect a ‘tiny little "sh’ called the smelt even if it means

turning much of the state’s farmland into a giant pyre. Today, an army of

media fact-checkers have been deployed to dispute Trump’s assertions.

Because he’s right.


For Americans in all states, the burning of California is a "tting metaphor

for what happens when Democrats are allowed to impose their

ideological zealotry on voters while pretending to govern. The home of

Silicon Valley – one of the richest regions on Earth – is somehow close to

being a failed state. Its unemployment, illiteracy and homelessness levels

are shockingly high. Once again, the divine scriptwriters seem to have

favoured the Donald at the expense of many others.


In other news, the funeral of President Jimmy Carter was held today. RIP.

Last year, the funeral of another Democratic grandee provided perhaps

the most revealing political video of the election season, as Barack Obama,

Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi mingled awkwardly in the front

pews to honour Ethel Kennedy.


Today’s solemn service provided yet another historically uncomfortable moment, as Trump and Obama sat next to each other, exchanging whispers in the second row. The face of next to each other, exchanging whispers in the second row. The face of Kamala Harris, in the front, was a Californian weather system all of itself. And, of course, Biden nodded o%.


Goodnight sweetheart.


For this article in pdf, please click here:








21 views0 comments

Comentarios


bottom of page