Atlas Shrugged and the California Wildfires

It will be 3 months since the California wildfires. After looking at the chaos, and this recent news report, I couldn’t help but think about Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand’s seminal novel. I reviewed the book here.

Looking at the wholesale destruction of people’s homes, livelihoods, and lives, one can’t help but think that California lives up, (or down) to be worst managed state. Gavin Newsom, a man who reminds me of the Wall Street character Gordon Gekko, sleazy, smarmy, and full of himself. Instead of ensuring proper forestry management for a desert region that has always been known for wildfires, he focused on silly leftist boutique issues. Millions of dollars were diverted for fire protection to homelessness, and outlawing gas powered vehicles!!

Next the mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass, decided to take a vacation to Ghana despite being told the Santa Ana winds would increase wildfires. Having to return home with her tail between her legs, and an obnoxious smirk on her face, she has been useless in dealing with these destructive fires.

Looking at these leadership failures in California it is crucial that everyone take seriously the kinds of individuals being elected into office. It’s not enough to base the competency of a politician on their skin color, or what political party they are a member of. It should be about the ideas politicians hold, their governing style, and when disaster strikes (either natural, or man-made), how will they handle it.

There is a massive crisis of leadership in California. When a state places the protection of a sardine like fish at the expense of proper water retention, is it any wonder whole towns have been wiped off the map. It wasn’t just Hollywood celebrities who lost their homes. I read a lot of articles about ordinary citizens whose wealth was in their now burned down homes. These individuals have been left with nothing.

Did they understand the consequences of electing 2 of the most ineffectual leaders to manage a state with the 5th largest economy on the planet!! None of the leadership takes anything seriously. Its all about the issue of the moment that isn’t tied to the realities of life. Will this be a wake up call? Will lessons be learned where individuals can’t get a permit to rebuild without going through entrenched red tape? I’m not holding my breath, and neither should you.

Bookish Babe