Thank you, Robert. Your rant has NOT fallen on deaf ears. We, your readers, need to flood our own zones with this newsletter, so others will know the truth of the matter.
I am an LA resident who has largely been spared any real damage other than poor air quality. In watching the news, I have seen the danger that friends and colleagues have been living with. I was somewhat aware of the damaging misinformation in our situation by watching the press conferences with our mayor and fire/police. I really haven't been out of the house. Today I will go to the grocery store and will see some of what Jill has shown in her vlog today. It is hard to hold in one's mind the horror that has engulfed many Angelenos over the last week. Prayers are needed for everyone who lives here, anywhere close to the hot spots that will be worrisome especially tomorrow, Tuesday, when the winds will return to dangerous levels in west LA, areas such as Brentwood, the Getty Museum, in Belair, and towards UCLA . The area to the west in Calabasas and Woodland Hills are still under red flag warnings or evacuation warnings. We will need continued prayers and help throughout the years-long rebuilding that will begin soon.
Thanks to everyone who has donated to people who have no homes or have been evacuated. God bless!
I lived in LA twice: 1944-1962 and then 1969-72. I know the area. I knew the neat and lack of humidity. You could walk through the neighborhoods and see along Mulholland Drive all of the incredibly dry foliage. We also know the Santa Ana winds. Like someone said this morning, these firestorms are the equivalent of a class 5 hurricane. I am incredibly saddened with each successive "news" report and truly pissed off that it's come down to politics.
I am thinking we need to come up with a rapid response mechanism to anticipate and head off malicious disinformation. Not just a website with corrective information as currently done, but a site which goes one step farther and actually makes predictions (in real time) about the types of nonsensical logic, conspiracy theories, and outright lies that will be spread by MAGA politicians through uncensored social media. People could vote (or even place bets) on which lies and vicious misinformation will most likely be forthcoming (with betting odds constantly updated as is done in horse racing). The process of anticipating, voting on, and debunking potential misinformation BEFORE it goes viral could become a national pastime that engages millions of people. Awards could be given, comedians, pundits, and other groups could be enlisted to help generate specific predictions. The material and could also be regularly included late night comedy shows. Essentially, we would pre-empt MAGA’s viciousness before it goes viral by creating a viral theater of our own.
This dyed-in-the Maize and Blue Wolverine is bursting with pride at the $50 million donated by the entire Detroit Lions team to support LA’s recovery efforts. Here in Michigan we recognize the critical importance of the Common Good to our collective American health and well being. Go Lions!
Stephen, I’m an Eagle fan, too. But let’s give the Lions full credit and wish them well also. It’s a sport. Be kind and remember Detroit Lions or Eagles, some body has to face the obnoxious Chiefs.
As a Lions fan I am very happy but as a believer in fact checking I don't see any reference to a $50 million donation except for on FB and Instagram. Would love to see the other sources confirming this donation.
Even if California were not a major contributor to our economy, our government should immediately do whatever is needed to help full recovery. This terrible tragedy is due to Mother Nature, not neglect by man. It is criminal and immoral to suggest that help should be withheld. Every state experiences natural disasters. Not to send whatever aid is needed to our fellow Americans is unconscionable. I am appalled.
I continue to be….what? amazed, disgusted, saddened, angry…..that so many people think this behavior is acceptable. What happened to “love your neighbor as you love yourself “? Are there religious leaders (of all faiths) standing up and saying this is wrong? Where are the public figures? Are they all so scared of the orange buffoon that they stay silent? Just effin unbelievable.
Hear, Hear, Jean! We're in this together! Where there should be a rallying cry for national unity, we instead see this nonsense. We should be about FIXING PROBLEMS, not FIXING BLAME! There will be plenty of time later to figure out what can be done better, but like the Jersey Shore, some answers won't be to everyone's liking, but must be pursued for the COMMON GOOD!
In a typically inverse or inside out 2025 view of the world, today's column is an exact reflection of what is wrong with this country, how far we have fallen and and how far we have to go.
Your column is factual and logical. There is apparently no place for facts and logic in the national rantalogue. Despite your fervor and obvious personal stake in these matters, your tone is professional. All of which makes you an outlier almost literally shouting into the wind.
It is obscene and unheard of (remember "norms"?)for any elected politician to call for withholding aid from disaster victims and disaster areas while the disaster is ongoing. It takes incredibly chutzpah for a legislator from OHIO to opine on forestry practices in California. Not only were the MAGAs including Trump on the air and over the 'net within minutes of the start of the wildfires making wild, unsupportable, crazy claims, those claims are made and taken up by the truly unknowledgeable with incredible fervor that literally blocks the truth from emerging. It is amazing how the internet makes "instant experts" in arcane subjects the pontificators had never even heard of minutes before.
So what to do? As I have said before, the path back is long and arduous and must be multi pronged. In this particular case, I would respond to the nonsense and vitriol being spewed not with facts and logic but with questions: How are you, Trump and congressional Republicans, going to replace the GDP lost as a result of these fires? How are you going to replace the lost tax revenues that must already be in the many millions of dollars (btw, no need to fact check that; it's probably true, right?) How are you going to conduct your raids on immigrants when the population is scattered, discombobulated and searching for food, water and shelter? How are the good shipped into SoCal going to be distributed to the nation? How will you combat the unemployment that will inevitably arise from an event of this magnitude? How many businesses in your state or district have supply chains that depend on businesses centered in LA? How do you plan to keep them supplied?
The other guys don't have to be right. They don't need to be corrected. They don't need to learn manners and best practices. They need to be responsible for their actions and for the ways they do and do not wield power when it is in their hands.
Jeff, a most excellent comment and affirmation to Robert's facts and logic today. Not a rant, Robert. But 'national rantalogue' has now entered the lexosphere. Think that will be of value.
I love everything you so eloquently said, Jeff, but take issue with one thing. You say, "the path back is long and arduous." I don't think we can go back. I don't think any movement has ever been successful in going back to the way things were. (Not even the MAGA nuts, for they are recklessly careening forward into treacherous, perilous, unknown waters. ) We have to build a new structure, one that we want, out of values and compassion. What will that look like? will facts have a role in that? Doing the right thing is not actually a fact; it's a value, right? It arises out of our deep humanness, out of being raised well by good parents or others who modeled for us, of studying whatever parts of civics or religion that teach about doing what is right. I think we need to marshal our values and build a new structure that will support that.
100% correct Christina. I was thinking only in the limited sense of getting back to even or getting back to "being in the game." I agree, the only way to do that is to move forward with new ways of thinking and acting but based on bedrock values.
Phenomenal explanation and defense of LA’s and California’s incredibly important contributions to the US economy and the response that was mounted by the county and state to these historic and horrific fires. BRAVO and THANK YOU, Robert!
RH: "The economy of LA County ($790 billion) is greater than the GDP of 39 of the states in the US. For a sense of scale, the economy of LA County is greater than the combined economies of Alaska, Maine, Vermont, Delaware, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming ($710 billion)." These statistics show how undemocratic is the current structure of the senate and the electoral college. Some reform is needed or the citizens in LAC, Chicago, and NYC will be permanently underrepresented and unspoken for.
Swbv, I don't think we need to reform the electoral college: we need to eliminate it. I still haven't found a group that seems to me to have any hope of making progress doing that. The ones I've looked at are old, weak, feeble, and ineffective. If anyone knows of any group taking a 21st century approach to this problem, please tell me.
What is shocking but now the norm is how a former president and now a president elect inserts himself in the national narrative with name-calling a Governor during a epic disaster. Obviously there are bigger issues with the disinformation and propaganda of the crisis itself but this seemingly small tactic that corrodes public discourse is inexcusable and should be called out by public and private citizens alike.
I am still astonished at the disinformation that was spread here in NC literally within 48 hours of the hurricane with virtually no power and very limited Internet. Extended federal funds were delayed here only recently due to efforts to tie reductions in funding to Ukraine and other non disaster related spending to the bill. The bipartisan bill was almost pulled as a result by its R. author.
As an Angeleno for more than three decades, I was sickened to see the pattern of disinformation emerge so quickly because I know how much concerted effort it takes for the general public to follow credible sources and understand complex situations in real-time.
I am troubled by what I can and can't do about this new reality of flooding the zone with propaganda except to keep a cheat sheet of facts and injustices (thank you for these in this newsletter RH) that need to be communicated to our elected officials and to speak up in our daily lives.
Aside from the lies and finger pointing, the devastation is basic to the people. I think of the individuals/families living pay check to.paycheck or maybe havr $100,000 in an IRA who lost everything. What happens to the mortage? Does the bank still expect payment on a non existing house? Or the car, etc. Where does a paycheck come from if the business/resturant/local government office is gone? How do you find shelter? Maybe family? But what if all family is also in the same place? It's breaking my heart. I have sent what I can to help, but it will never be enough.
I hate how don-old and his maga cult spread lies about who is responsible for the fires. Dry conditions with 80 mph winds will turn a small spark into a huge blaze. Mexico and Canada have sent people over to help. One would think the incoming president would be of some encouragement. My heart goes out to everyone in California. Take care, Robert and thank you for the list of where to donate.
Robert Hubbell, please do not apologize for what you mischaracterize as a “rant”. That was one damn fine briefing on California / LosAngelos facts to set the record straight. Bravo! This was a good use of your substack today. I’m archiving your article to reference later when I run into misinformers.
Dear MLRGRMI - a few weeks ago someone gave you instructions for blocking a troll on HCR’s comment feed. Would you kindly repeat the instructions? Thank you, I keep running in to that same troll elsewhere.
Here in NC, where embarrassingly our electoral votes have always gone for trump, we learned with Helene that regardless of whether a state is perceived to be ‘red’ or not when tragedy strikes the perception is weakness. And trump has tutored MAGA that weakness is opportunity. To make that opportunity palatable to people with a sense of decency there needs to be a reason to judge, to blame. MAGA looks to stand atop of vulnerabilities, it’s their fuel. NC can understand (to a point…flood vs fire) and we weep with you about what has happened, is happening and the insult to come from the GOP.
I am struck by how true what you write about MAGA looking at any weakness as opportunity, seems. How they look to vulnerabilities as something to stand atop. Horribly, I think we can expect them to create more weakness and vulnerability to stand atop, and not expect them to help anyone in a weak or vulnerable place--although our nation has always before always helped those in need. MAGA will not.
One congressman from Ohio does not the federal government make. The federal government to date has been more than generously supportive of LA's recovery efforts. Extraordinarily supportive. Mayor Bass and Chair Barger of the LA County Board of Supervisors were supremely confident of the incoming administration's continued fulsome support of LA's recovery in their press briefing today even though at least one reporter tried to bait them into criticizing the lack of attention from Trump's team. They said they are already in talks with the highest levels of the team. Anger is a normal response to what's happened but we should all take a deep breath. We will build back better. Odds are with the full support of the federal government.
Do what it takes to douse the flames of stupidity however we can. I am forwarding Robert's "rant" to many weak-in-the-knees liberals who are happy to find fault with any authority. None of us are immune from the "someone must have screwed up," and bright, educated men and women like, I assume, many of the friends of the Hubbell Community members, are susceptible to the temptation that we are smarter and more informed than any stinkin' mayor or governor. The theory that all politicians are incompetent crooks is innately tempting among the "smart" crowd on either the left or the right (and there is abundant evidence to support it), but let's realize that the idea that government officials (whether elected or not) are self-interested, arrogant, and stupid con artists is standard Republican rhetoric even before Illinois boy and Governor of California Ronald Reagan ascended to the Presidency. Even before Trump attacked the rule of law.
Yes, call out the dope from Ohio, and Robert did a great job of that, but
when we attack all government, we are doing the work of Trump, Musk, and others, who want not only to do away with democracy, but fundamentally destroy any government good work and communal activity that doesn't line their pockets.
Good points, as always. I do think the Musk nuts want to destroy government good work, and you're right, we have to hold up what is good and support more of that.
Thank you as always. I’m on the east coast, your column is the first thing I read everyday. As usual, I learned a lot today. Thank you (and Jill) for all you do!
Forgotten (in the U.S., certainly not worldwide) over the fact, that the President-elect is a rightwing extremist autocrat, habitual lier and sexual predator, is another important and lethal characteristic of the felon: he is a militant climate change denier.
His election will push the planet closer to the brink. And U.S. enterprises obediently fall in line. The donations for the inaugural fund make the headlines but far more destructive are activities like financial institutions leaving the global climate coalition and the Net-Zero Banking Alliance to kiss the ring of the leader. More on this here
Another excellent newsletter. Somehow these 'facts' need to get in front of people. The 'usual' methods haven't worked, although CNN etc should have you on as a guest. The CA elected officials (city, state, fed) could unite in this messaging. The recovery will take years! CA should direct more funds to their state now. What can I do? I am posting a link to this newsletter on social media.
The MAGA lies are meant to divide us. We must not let them succeed in that. When I was a kid, and had no life, I would leaf through the volumes of the encyclopedia that my parents bought for me. I remember that under the photo of Elon Muskrat’s hero, Adolf Hitler, it said, “His motto was ‘Divide and conquer.’ He was defeated by nations that learned to unite and conquer.”
Thank you, Robert. Your rant has NOT fallen on deaf ears. We, your readers, need to flood our own zones with this newsletter, so others will know the truth of the matter.
Very grateful for Jill's videos.
I am an LA resident who has largely been spared any real damage other than poor air quality. In watching the news, I have seen the danger that friends and colleagues have been living with. I was somewhat aware of the damaging misinformation in our situation by watching the press conferences with our mayor and fire/police. I really haven't been out of the house. Today I will go to the grocery store and will see some of what Jill has shown in her vlog today. It is hard to hold in one's mind the horror that has engulfed many Angelenos over the last week. Prayers are needed for everyone who lives here, anywhere close to the hot spots that will be worrisome especially tomorrow, Tuesday, when the winds will return to dangerous levels in west LA, areas such as Brentwood, the Getty Museum, in Belair, and towards UCLA . The area to the west in Calabasas and Woodland Hills are still under red flag warnings or evacuation warnings. We will need continued prayers and help throughout the years-long rebuilding that will begin soon.
Thanks to everyone who has donated to people who have no homes or have been evacuated. God bless!
Kathleen, I feel you're in the thick of it even though you are on the periphery. Prayers for you, too.
Thank you, Lynell!
I lived in LA twice: 1944-1962 and then 1969-72. I know the area. I knew the neat and lack of humidity. You could walk through the neighborhoods and see along Mulholland Drive all of the incredibly dry foliage. We also know the Santa Ana winds. Like someone said this morning, these firestorms are the equivalent of a class 5 hurricane. I am incredibly saddened with each successive "news" report and truly pissed off that it's come down to politics.
I am thinking we need to come up with a rapid response mechanism to anticipate and head off malicious disinformation. Not just a website with corrective information as currently done, but a site which goes one step farther and actually makes predictions (in real time) about the types of nonsensical logic, conspiracy theories, and outright lies that will be spread by MAGA politicians through uncensored social media. People could vote (or even place bets) on which lies and vicious misinformation will most likely be forthcoming (with betting odds constantly updated as is done in horse racing). The process of anticipating, voting on, and debunking potential misinformation BEFORE it goes viral could become a national pastime that engages millions of people. Awards could be given, comedians, pundits, and other groups could be enlisted to help generate specific predictions. The material and could also be regularly included late night comedy shows. Essentially, we would pre-empt MAGA’s viciousness before it goes viral by creating a viral theater of our own.
Great idea about rapid response on social media. I just ran across this in Simon Rosenberg’s substack post.
https://www.axios.com/2025/01/13/dnc-social-media-trump-kamalahq
Thank you, Lynell - That's a good reminder to share this newsletter with my neighborhood progressive group!
This dyed-in-the Maize and Blue Wolverine is bursting with pride at the $50 million donated by the entire Detroit Lions team to support LA’s recovery efforts. Here in Michigan we recognize the critical importance of the Common Good to our collective American health and well being. Go Lions!
Thank you!!!
Appreciate the donation but as an Eagle fan we will meet to see who goes to the Super Bowl.
Stephen, I’m an Eagle fan, too. But let’s give the Lions full credit and wish them well also. It’s a sport. Be kind and remember Detroit Lions or Eagles, some body has to face the obnoxious Chiefs.
I am giving them credit for the donation but still want the Eagles hopefully to beat them on the road to the Super Bowl
As a Lions fan I am very happy but as a believer in fact checking I don't see any reference to a $50 million donation except for on FB and Instagram. Would love to see the other sources confirming this donation.
so here's one I found: https://aic5.com/the-entire-detroit-lions-team-donated-50-million-to-support-recovery-efforts-after-the-los-angeles-wildfire-causing-tom-brady-to-utter-seven-words-of-praise-for-this-noble-act-god/
I know also that Tom Brady made reference to the donation on the air the other day too
hahaha! indeed we will see :)
Thank you!
Even if California were not a major contributor to our economy, our government should immediately do whatever is needed to help full recovery. This terrible tragedy is due to Mother Nature, not neglect by man. It is criminal and immoral to suggest that help should be withheld. Every state experiences natural disasters. Not to send whatever aid is needed to our fellow Americans is unconscionable. I am appalled.
I continue to be….what? amazed, disgusted, saddened, angry…..that so many people think this behavior is acceptable. What happened to “love your neighbor as you love yourself “? Are there religious leaders (of all faiths) standing up and saying this is wrong? Where are the public figures? Are they all so scared of the orange buffoon that they stay silent? Just effin unbelievable.
Hear, Hear, Jean! We're in this together! Where there should be a rallying cry for national unity, we instead see this nonsense. We should be about FIXING PROBLEMS, not FIXING BLAME! There will be plenty of time later to figure out what can be done better, but like the Jersey Shore, some answers won't be to everyone's liking, but must be pursued for the COMMON GOOD!
Robert, I'm glad you and your family are safe.
In a typically inverse or inside out 2025 view of the world, today's column is an exact reflection of what is wrong with this country, how far we have fallen and and how far we have to go.
Your column is factual and logical. There is apparently no place for facts and logic in the national rantalogue. Despite your fervor and obvious personal stake in these matters, your tone is professional. All of which makes you an outlier almost literally shouting into the wind.
It is obscene and unheard of (remember "norms"?)for any elected politician to call for withholding aid from disaster victims and disaster areas while the disaster is ongoing. It takes incredibly chutzpah for a legislator from OHIO to opine on forestry practices in California. Not only were the MAGAs including Trump on the air and over the 'net within minutes of the start of the wildfires making wild, unsupportable, crazy claims, those claims are made and taken up by the truly unknowledgeable with incredible fervor that literally blocks the truth from emerging. It is amazing how the internet makes "instant experts" in arcane subjects the pontificators had never even heard of minutes before.
So what to do? As I have said before, the path back is long and arduous and must be multi pronged. In this particular case, I would respond to the nonsense and vitriol being spewed not with facts and logic but with questions: How are you, Trump and congressional Republicans, going to replace the GDP lost as a result of these fires? How are you going to replace the lost tax revenues that must already be in the many millions of dollars (btw, no need to fact check that; it's probably true, right?) How are you going to conduct your raids on immigrants when the population is scattered, discombobulated and searching for food, water and shelter? How are the good shipped into SoCal going to be distributed to the nation? How will you combat the unemployment that will inevitably arise from an event of this magnitude? How many businesses in your state or district have supply chains that depend on businesses centered in LA? How do you plan to keep them supplied?
The other guys don't have to be right. They don't need to be corrected. They don't need to learn manners and best practices. They need to be responsible for their actions and for the ways they do and do not wield power when it is in their hands.
Jeff, a most excellent comment and affirmation to Robert's facts and logic today. Not a rant, Robert. But 'national rantalogue' has now entered the lexosphere. Think that will be of value.
Well said, Jeff Bernfeld, and thank you for your great suggestions on how to redirect the conversation. Very helpful.
I love everything you so eloquently said, Jeff, but take issue with one thing. You say, "the path back is long and arduous." I don't think we can go back. I don't think any movement has ever been successful in going back to the way things were. (Not even the MAGA nuts, for they are recklessly careening forward into treacherous, perilous, unknown waters. ) We have to build a new structure, one that we want, out of values and compassion. What will that look like? will facts have a role in that? Doing the right thing is not actually a fact; it's a value, right? It arises out of our deep humanness, out of being raised well by good parents or others who modeled for us, of studying whatever parts of civics or religion that teach about doing what is right. I think we need to marshal our values and build a new structure that will support that.
100% correct Christina. I was thinking only in the limited sense of getting back to even or getting back to "being in the game." I agree, the only way to do that is to move forward with new ways of thinking and acting but based on bedrock values.
Phenomenal explanation and defense of LA’s and California’s incredibly important contributions to the US economy and the response that was mounted by the county and state to these historic and horrific fires. BRAVO and THANK YOU, Robert!
I am awed by the bravery, stamina, grit, and selflessness of those fighting the fires in LA.
RH: "The economy of LA County ($790 billion) is greater than the GDP of 39 of the states in the US. For a sense of scale, the economy of LA County is greater than the combined economies of Alaska, Maine, Vermont, Delaware, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming ($710 billion)." These statistics show how undemocratic is the current structure of the senate and the electoral college. Some reform is needed or the citizens in LAC, Chicago, and NYC will be permanently underrepresented and unspoken for.
Swbv, I don't think we need to reform the electoral college: we need to eliminate it. I still haven't found a group that seems to me to have any hope of making progress doing that. The ones I've looked at are old, weak, feeble, and ineffective. If anyone knows of any group taking a 21st century approach to this problem, please tell me.
What is shocking but now the norm is how a former president and now a president elect inserts himself in the national narrative with name-calling a Governor during a epic disaster. Obviously there are bigger issues with the disinformation and propaganda of the crisis itself but this seemingly small tactic that corrodes public discourse is inexcusable and should be called out by public and private citizens alike.
I am still astonished at the disinformation that was spread here in NC literally within 48 hours of the hurricane with virtually no power and very limited Internet. Extended federal funds were delayed here only recently due to efforts to tie reductions in funding to Ukraine and other non disaster related spending to the bill. The bipartisan bill was almost pulled as a result by its R. author.
As an Angeleno for more than three decades, I was sickened to see the pattern of disinformation emerge so quickly because I know how much concerted effort it takes for the general public to follow credible sources and understand complex situations in real-time.
I am troubled by what I can and can't do about this new reality of flooding the zone with propaganda except to keep a cheat sheet of facts and injustices (thank you for these in this newsletter RH) that need to be communicated to our elected officials and to speak up in our daily lives.
Our (broken) hearts are with you California.
Aside from the lies and finger pointing, the devastation is basic to the people. I think of the individuals/families living pay check to.paycheck or maybe havr $100,000 in an IRA who lost everything. What happens to the mortage? Does the bank still expect payment on a non existing house? Or the car, etc. Where does a paycheck come from if the business/resturant/local government office is gone? How do you find shelter? Maybe family? But what if all family is also in the same place? It's breaking my heart. I have sent what I can to help, but it will never be enough.
I hate how don-old and his maga cult spread lies about who is responsible for the fires. Dry conditions with 80 mph winds will turn a small spark into a huge blaze. Mexico and Canada have sent people over to help. One would think the incoming president would be of some encouragement. My heart goes out to everyone in California. Take care, Robert and thank you for the list of where to donate.
Robert Hubbell, please do not apologize for what you mischaracterize as a “rant”. That was one damn fine briefing on California / LosAngelos facts to set the record straight. Bravo! This was a good use of your substack today. I’m archiving your article to reference later when I run into misinformers.
Dear MLRGRMI - a few weeks ago someone gave you instructions for blocking a troll on HCR’s comment feed. Would you kindly repeat the instructions? Thank you, I keep running in to that same troll elsewhere.
Here in NC, where embarrassingly our electoral votes have always gone for trump, we learned with Helene that regardless of whether a state is perceived to be ‘red’ or not when tragedy strikes the perception is weakness. And trump has tutored MAGA that weakness is opportunity. To make that opportunity palatable to people with a sense of decency there needs to be a reason to judge, to blame. MAGA looks to stand atop of vulnerabilities, it’s their fuel. NC can understand (to a point…flood vs fire) and we weep with you about what has happened, is happening and the insult to come from the GOP.
I am struck by how true what you write about MAGA looking at any weakness as opportunity, seems. How they look to vulnerabilities as something to stand atop. Horribly, I think we can expect them to create more weakness and vulnerability to stand atop, and not expect them to help anyone in a weak or vulnerable place--although our nation has always before always helped those in need. MAGA will not.
We know the saying, “Don’t kick a person when (s)he’s down. That’s simple ethics.
MAGA evidently thinks the opposite: they kick people who are down because that’s when they are weak.
One congressman from Ohio does not the federal government make. The federal government to date has been more than generously supportive of LA's recovery efforts. Extraordinarily supportive. Mayor Bass and Chair Barger of the LA County Board of Supervisors were supremely confident of the incoming administration's continued fulsome support of LA's recovery in their press briefing today even though at least one reporter tried to bait them into criticizing the lack of attention from Trump's team. They said they are already in talks with the highest levels of the team. Anger is a normal response to what's happened but we should all take a deep breath. We will build back better. Odds are with the full support of the federal government.
True. The Trump administration gains more from claiming they have helped the most and not helping has no political benefit
Stephen, why would Trump want political benefit?
To continue to fool people.
"... at least one reporter tried to bait them..." All it takes is one to start a firestorm of disinformation and division.
So we push back.
Do what it takes to douse the flames of stupidity however we can. I am forwarding Robert's "rant" to many weak-in-the-knees liberals who are happy to find fault with any authority. None of us are immune from the "someone must have screwed up," and bright, educated men and women like, I assume, many of the friends of the Hubbell Community members, are susceptible to the temptation that we are smarter and more informed than any stinkin' mayor or governor. The theory that all politicians are incompetent crooks is innately tempting among the "smart" crowd on either the left or the right (and there is abundant evidence to support it), but let's realize that the idea that government officials (whether elected or not) are self-interested, arrogant, and stupid con artists is standard Republican rhetoric even before Illinois boy and Governor of California Ronald Reagan ascended to the Presidency. Even before Trump attacked the rule of law.
Yes, call out the dope from Ohio, and Robert did a great job of that, but
when we attack all government, we are doing the work of Trump, Musk, and others, who want not only to do away with democracy, but fundamentally destroy any government good work and communal activity that doesn't line their pockets.
Good points, as always. I do think the Musk nuts want to destroy government good work, and you're right, we have to hold up what is good and support more of that.
Thank you as always. I’m on the east coast, your column is the first thing I read everyday. As usual, I learned a lot today. Thank you (and Jill) for all you do!
Forgotten (in the U.S., certainly not worldwide) over the fact, that the President-elect is a rightwing extremist autocrat, habitual lier and sexual predator, is another important and lethal characteristic of the felon: he is a militant climate change denier.
His election will push the planet closer to the brink. And U.S. enterprises obediently fall in line. The donations for the inaugural fund make the headlines but far more destructive are activities like financial institutions leaving the global climate coalition and the Net-Zero Banking Alliance to kiss the ring of the leader. More on this here
https://www.esgdive.com/news/bank-of-america-citigroup-morgan-stanley-exit-nzba/736455/
Will the LA fire be a wake-up call for them? For the felon it won't. For him it will be 'Drill, baby, drill' even if it means 'Burn, baby, burn.'
Another excellent newsletter. Somehow these 'facts' need to get in front of people. The 'usual' methods haven't worked, although CNN etc should have you on as a guest. The CA elected officials (city, state, fed) could unite in this messaging. The recovery will take years! CA should direct more funds to their state now. What can I do? I am posting a link to this newsletter on social media.
The MAGA lies are meant to divide us. We must not let them succeed in that. When I was a kid, and had no life, I would leaf through the volumes of the encyclopedia that my parents bought for me. I remember that under the photo of Elon Muskrat’s hero, Adolf Hitler, it said, “His motto was ‘Divide and conquer.’ He was defeated by nations that learned to unite and conquer.”