Have mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom failed their constituents?

There is a lot going on in this great conflagration in California. First, let’s take a look at Gov Newsom. He has said that the issue of the fire hydrants being dry is for the locals to investigate. I can see his reasoning there, hydrants are property of the local municipality. The overarching issue here is the fact that he refuses to put the storm water, snow melt, etc. into reservoirs. If that water was readily available, preemptive response at the state level could have been possible. Secondly, he is absolutely wonderful when it comes to dodging questions and giving non-answers. He refuses to take accountability for letting his radical left policies and ideals that gave way for the Santa Ana winds to create a “perfect storm”. He is more focused on DEI policies and smelt than protecting his constituents.

Shifting now to Mayor Bass. The NWS issued a red flag warning before these fires broke out. Mayor Bass decided that her pre planned trip to Ghana was still acceptable. Leaving her Deputy Mayor in charge, oh wait he’s on admin leave and currently under investigation for calling in a bomb threat. She left her city at a time when it needed leadership most. Only after the fires broke out, she got back on a plane and started the 17 hour trek back to LA. The damage was already done. She can be “lockstep” with everyone in city management, but that doesn’t change the fact that she has no clue to manage this emergency. $17.6M in budget cuts to the fire department (this is not to be confused with the allotment of the General Fund which only pays salaries, benefits, and paid parental leave). That money could have been reallocated to fire prevention programs or the purchase of aerial firefighting equipment. But no, she slashed their funding and crippled their ability to preemptively and effectively fight these conflagrations.

Lastly, some of you are going to say “all i see are the rich people losing one of their 17 mansions.” Look; LA might be more affluent than most of the country, but they are not the sole demographic. There are middle class families that have lost EVERYTHING. There are families that are impoverished that have lost EVERYTHING. From their houses, schools, grocery stores, faith centers, priceless objects that hold extreme sentimental value. If it was your city on fire would you still be mocking the people that lost everything? And we’re not even covering all of the small businesses that lost everything here.

Ultimately, IMO, Gov Newsom and Mayor Bass have failed their constituents and by their own hands have constructed their own downfall.