House Speaker Mike Johnson has caused some controversy by suggesting that any wildfire aid given to California MUST come with conditions. But should this be controversial … or common sense? Glenn reviews 3 reasons that the Californian government shouldn’t receive a DIME from U.S. taxpayers without major restrictions. If the REAL “science deniers” like Governor Gavin Newsom can’t admit that their own policies helped fuel this disaster, Glenn argues that we can’t trust them with our money. California was warned days before the fires that conditions could cause a blaze. And there are fires in the state EVERY year. So, why wasn’t California prepared?
If you would like to help the PEOPLE - not the government - of California, you can donate at https://MercuryOne.org
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: But let me go into first, what is happening in California. The fires are still burning.
And, you know, good for them. Good for them.
Meanwhile, we have Newsom, talking about his marshal plan to rebuild Los Angeles, and let's go to cut three there, please.
VOICE: Over the course of the next several years in Los Angeles, will be hosts to the World Cup, and then the Super Bowl. And then the Olympics.
With this rebuilding effort, needing to take place, is LA going to be ready for all those global events?
VOICE: All that opportunity, that pride and spirit, that comes from not just hosting those three iconic games, but also the opportunity I think to rebuild at the same time. And that's why we're already organizing a marshal plan.
We're already looking at a team, looking to reimagine LA 2.0. And we're making sure everyone is included, not just folks on the coast.
People here, that were ravaged by this disaster.
VOICE: You just said, you're organizing a marshal plan for the rebuilding of California. What is that marshal plan? Tell us about this marshal plan.
VOICE: We're starting to lay out.
We're still fighting these fires. We're already talking to city leaders. We're already talking to civic leaders. We're already talking to business leaders. Nonprofits.
We're talking to labor leaders.
We're starting to organize, how we can put together a collection of individuals on philanthropy on recovery.
How we can organize the region. How we can make sure that we are seeking federal assistance, for the Olympics more broadly.
But also federal assistance for the recovery efforts, and how we can galvanize the community.
GLENN: Okay.
So I'm glad he's talking about the future. This brings us to Mike Johnson.
Something that I haven't talked about. Haven't had a chance to talk about yet. He wants to put some restrictions. His aid proposal for California. Is that he's trying to put conditions on the aid sent to California. And people are saying, that's insane! You don't do that. Where is your compassion?
I want to talk to you about how compassion is sometimes difficult.
Compassion. True compassion is sometimes the hardest thing to muster.
Because you want to give, until you can't give anymore.
You want to help.
You want to be there. But you have an alcoholic. In California.
California is the political system is an alcoholic.
And it is destroying the entire state. And you don't say when an alcoholic is suddenly, you know, in the hospital, or, you know, really, really down, and, you know, out on the streets. You know what, I'm going to give you all the need to get back into your house. Because the alcoholic will spend that, and just end up in the same place, if not worse. Sometimes, you have to have tough love. You know this with your family. Any kind of aid, that goes to California, I think it is only responsible to aid the people, as quickly as possible. Aid the homeowners, as quickly as possible. Help them make sure that they have a place to go. Make sure that they -- like the government wasn't doing in North Carolina. Making sure that they have hotel rooms for as long as they need them, within reason. Now, within reason, many of these people are wildly wealthy. Some are very poor. There needs to be some understanding that the wildly wealthy. You know, we're not going to put you up at the Beverly Hills Hotel. That's just the way it is. Sorry.
But we're going to help the people. But when it comes to the state, if they cannot admit that this is not climate change, that this happened because of their policies. If they cannot admit that, they shouldn't get a dime.
I'm a taxpayer. I want to help California. Just like I want to help all the other states, when they have a problem, that they cannot handle. That is too big for their state.
But they took all of their resources. And honestly, you could make the case. I'm not. But you could make the case, this was intentional sabotage. Pragmatism now, I want to tell you about the three-fold problem in California, as I see it.
There are three things that are happening in California.
One, the Santa Anna winds, low humidity, and uncleared brush always causes fires. Always.
They are known to cause fires. They have been known throughout history.
Do you know why the great redwoods and the sequoias have grown for a thousand years? Do you know how those trees got so big? They're in California. How is that possible? How have they not been wiped out by fire?
We have to protect the sequoias. To an the sap in sequoias is fire retardant. That's why they can grow for a thousand years. God gave them.
God knew, there would be fires in California. Those trees have fire retardant as part of their life's blood. That's why they haven't burned down over and over and over again.
Normal trees don't have that. That's why fires burn all the time. And if you don't have regular maintenance on your forests and on your property, you are going to have a brush fire. And a brush fire turns into a forest fire.
And if you add 75 to 100-mile-an-hour winds. You could burn down the entire state!
Except, it seems for the sequoias and the redwoods. What this government of California has done, has stopped people in the name of the good of the forest and the good of the land, is to deny science. They have been denying science, for decades! They have been playing God for over a century!
They want to tell you, that a woman can be a man, and a man can be a woman, and a man can have a baby!
That's not true! That's denying science!
To say, that we can prevent the forest fires is a lie. That is as arrogant as saying, we can change the weather!
Now, don't think our government and governments all over the world, aren't trying to change the weather.
But let me ask you honestly. How do you think that's going to work out in the end?
How do you think cloud seating and putting gases and different things up into the atmosphere, or giant shades in space, to block the sun.
How do you think that's going to work out in the end?
Well, or will it end the same way our arrogance always ends?
There are things that we can do.
To mitigate natural occurrences.
For instance, if you were -- let's say, you got on December 2nd.
Can we get that weather warning up from the National Weather Service. It's January second, next Tuesday through Thursday. January 7th through the ninth.
A chance of moderate, to strong Santa Anna winds.
This is for -- is from the National Weather Service. Ready, set, go.
Readyforwildfire.org. Impacts. Extreme fire growth behavior possible, if a fire starts and power outages. Use extra caution with potential fire sources.
Now, this was added the week before the fires!
Now, that's the National Weather Service, giving a warning to the people of California. You can bet, that government agency, let other government agencies know, at the same time.
Continually didn't go up to your house.
It went out to everybody's house.
It went to the firehouses. It went to the governor's house. It went to the mayor's house. They knew in advance!
So let me ask you, in a nonprogressive state, what would somebody like Ron DeSantis do? What do we do for hurricanes? Hurricanes are like fires in California. You know you're going to have them, every single year. Am I wrong?
Okay. If you have them and you get a warning, one is potentially coming, that could be record-setting. What do you do? Well, I'll tell you what a nonprogressive state like Florida, with a governor who is -- is embracing reality. What he does, is he prepositions all of the utility trucks. Prepositions all of the lifesaving trucks. He makes sure that we have plenty of chainsaws. He makes sure that the -- the state is ready and literally waiting. So what should Gavin Newsom have done? When he got that warning, 100-year warning of a fire. He should have said, make sure all the reservoirs are full. Make sure that we have all of the fire trucks. Positioned. Put them in the high-risk areas. Just let them sit there. Have the firemen sit there in really dangerous areas. Make sure that if you see a fire or smoke, that thing is out right away. You can't get up these hills with fire equipment quickly. If you've ever been to California. It's honestly, like navigating the Appalachia. It's like going to North Carolina. Why? Were so many people trapped? Because it's impossible to navigate those hills and those mountains quickly! The same thing in California. Did they do that? No. Do they make sure that they had things in advance? No!
What is the one given if you're living in California? What is the one thing that you know is going to happen in California, besides political insanity. You know there's a chance of an earthquake? So what do you do? You build your building stronger, right? You know there's a chance of a mudslide. So what do you do? You make sure that you -- you have your foundations deep. But then you also, when you buy it, know, I'm gasping here. My house could slide down the side of this mountain. You're charged extra for insurance. But the one thing you know is going to happen every year, is fire. Why wouldn't California be the number one fire ready and resistant area in the United States? I'll tell you with why, in 60 seconds. Let me tell you about JASE Medical.
It's kind of been a terrifying past several months. At least when it comes to summer blockbuster level disasters from wildfires to hurricanes, sea to shining sea.
We've witnessed the danger that nature and mismanagement can bring. How many times last year and this year, so far have people been stranded without access to medications that they might need?
That doesn't have to be your family, or you. Because you know about it. And hopefully, you have the JASE case, by now.
It is a simple, reliable, emergency room supply. Of lifesaving medications to put control in your hands.
There's no way to prepare for literally every single thing that could go on.
But there's lots of ways to prepare for everything that you know could go wrong. The JASE case is a must have for that! This isn't about fear. It's about responsibility.
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(music)
Okay. So I think there are three things happening in California, and this is why we're having this conversation today. And we're having to make tough decisions.
One, fires are natural, especially in California. They're going to happen due to global warming or not. When you have out of control homeless problems, your risk of fire increases. Why?
Because people who take meth, one of the side effects is, you like to see things burn. Also, you have homeless people, who start fires, maybe to stay warm.
Maybe just to eat.
But when you have huge homeless problems, your risk of fire goes up. You also have the Santa Anna winds. And the natural history of California.
They were unprepared. That's number two. Number one is, it's going to happen.
Any moron could see this happen. This wasn't 9/11 where, wow! We never thought planes could fly into the buildings. This is a wildfire in California!
It happens every year, just like the sun comes up every morning. Two, they were not prepared. They knew it was going to happen. They were not prepared.
Okay. Next thing: Their incompetence is borderline criminal. What they've done, not just in their incompetence, but by shifting funds away from fires. Away from preparedness. For something you knew that was going to happen, to I don't know.
To give more job opportunities for equal opportunity for lesbian lizard cults. By doing that and taking money away from the state, I'm sorry.
That's not just incompetence. That's borderline criminal. And, three, you have people who are now just joining in! What a surprise!
It looks as though, you have foreigners, here illegally, on our streets! Setting fires!
Who could have seen that one coming?
That's what's happening, in California it's natural!
It happens every year. They didn't prepare. They went the opposite direction. You have people joining in to help.
Now, I believe this fire started naturally. And then it's been helped by forces that I don't understand yet.
I don't know if this was a plot. Or just, you know, lone wolves, setting fires.
But also, nature helped by Santa Anna winds. Which he with understand.
And the incompetence.
Why would we give California a dime, without restrictions?
I'm not talking about the people, who are suffering right now, and have no money, and no place to go.
I'm talking about rebuilding in California.
Every dollar should have restrictions on it, to the government of California. Because I'm not paying for this twice. I'm not doing it!
They need to learn their lesson. Not the people.
The people in government.