Flotsam and Jetsam - Democrats Fiddle as LA Burns

Drone view of Pacific Palisades

Fires in the hills of Los Angeles are nothing new. I saw repeated fires in the Santa Monica Mountains from my parents house in Rancho Park as a teenager. However, today's fires are in a league beyond those. Instead of burning the lightly inhabited chaparral covered hills, these fires, driven by the not uncommon Santa Ana wind, are rampaging through the relatively wealthy communities of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and more, and the ability to fight the fires is being significantly hampered by lack of water, even though money was allocated (and never spent) for more water storage. Meanwhile LA's Fire Chief, Christine Crowley is best known as being a lesbian LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ activist more interested in making sure the department has enough women and minorities than in fighting fires. Libs of TikTok@libsoftiktok, "There’s no water coming out of the fire hydrants because the city didn’t fill the reservoirs but at least the fire chief is a woman and gay!" Freep,  ‘You Can Taste the Fires in the Back of Your Throat’,  "In the future, there will be a demarcation: before and after this disaster. No one knows what comes next for L.A., writes Peter Savodnik." Sundance at CTH, Horrific Pacific Palisades Wildfire Destroys Hundreds of Homes, Fire Jumps PCH Toward Malibu – State of Emergency Declared. Jon Gabriel@exjon, "Just 11 months ago, LA had the most rainfall in the past 25 years, and several extra feet of snowpack in the Sierras. Since CA is too busy destroying dams to build new reservoirs, the majority of that precipitation drained into the ocean. Newsom's Democrats own this." Ace, Wildfires Devastate Huge Swaths of Los Angeles While Mayor Karen Bass Parties in Africa. "Mayor Karen Bass has been on an mission-critical taxpayer-funded junket to Ghana while her city burns." Insty, GREAT MOMENTS IN DEMOCRATIC ORATORY:

Mayor Karen Bass stands in a stunned silence for nearly 2 minutes as a reporter asks her if she regrets cutting Los Angeles' Fire Department budget by nearly $20 million and being absent as her citizens' homes burned down.pic.twitter.com/64A1hlTv2m

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 8, 2025

Greg Price@greg_price11 "Mayor Karen Bass literally just read the words "URL" off her script during the press conference instead of the emergency website for the victims of the fire. I think we have a new winner for most incompetent politician in America." Leslie Eastman at LI, Palisades Fire Incinerates Future Career of Mayor Karen Bass, Gavin Newsom’s Presidential Aspirations "California literally turned into a red state overnight." Don't count on it. A CNN flashback to July 31, 2020, Joe Biden narrows down his VP list, with Karen Bass emerging as one of several key contenders. He might have done worse. 'Bonchie' at RedState, wants you to WATCH: Joe Biden's Remarks About L.A. Wildfires Are As Inappropriate and Tone-Deaf As You'd Imagine RNC Research@RNCResearch, "Biden uses a California wildfire briefing to announce he's a great-grandfather — making it all about himself, as usual. Disgraceful." Vicky Taft at PJM, What Started L.A.'s Firestorm? Hint: It's Not 'Climate Change.' Cernovich@Cernovich, "California does almost no wild brush clearing and let druggies camp out and start fires. Then when a big fire like in Pacific Palisades (shitlib central) happens, the narrative is climate change. It’s time to vote Republican! Matt Van Swol@matt_vanswol, "#BREAKING: FEMA is NOT ANSWERING the phone calls of #WNC victims begging to extend their motel stays. Mike McGraw, a retired veteran said, "I only have one option, to live in my truck until I can find some other place to live." It's 16° and snowing outside."

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, Biden: 'Who the Hell Knows' If I Could Have Served Another Term? USAToday, In exclusive sit-down, Biden reveals his biggest regret and the compliment Trump gave him. "Interviews like this one have been rare in Biden's tenure. He has held fewer news conferences and individual sessions with reporters than any president since at least Ronald Reagan." OTP interpretation, Delusional Joe Biden Says He Would Have Won, Unsure If He’d Live Out Another Term. Driscoll at Insty, WHY IS SCOTT JENNINGS THE ONLY VOICE OF REASON AT CNN? Western Lensman@WesternLensman "@ScottJenningsKY takes Democrats to the woodshed for the coverup of Biden’s cognitive state: “One of the biggest cover ups in modern American political history." "Democrat politicians lied, Democrat pundits lied. A lot of people who cover the White House looked the other way or believed absolute crap they were being fed by the white House press secretary.. . . " At Althouse, Biden tried to make it clear to Trump that there was no need for him "go back and try to settle scores." "From Joe Biden's interview with Susan Page of USA Today: . . . So Biden failed to extract anything from Trump, and Trump was poker faced." The comments are delightful. ET, Biden Confirms He’s Considering Preemptive Pardons. WaT, Biden weighs preemptive pardons for Cheney, Fauci, other Trump foes. Pop Times reports Two Federal Death Row Inmates Reject Biden’s Clemency While Another Demands Release, hoping appeals come through to exonerate them. Ace asks Whither Fascism? "I was vigorously, incessantly told that Trump was New Orange-Flavored Hitler and that he was a fascist who would end democracy. At least I heard that all through the election. Since then, I've seen Biden smiling at the once-Hitlerian Trump and his whore wife making Do-Me eyes at him. So what gives? Please don't tell me they were lying this whole time!" 

Da Fetched, Hollywood Actor Jon Cryer on Why Kamala Lost Election: Americans ‘Hate Black Women’. At Hat Hair, Dave Strom is Watching a Hoax Perpetrated in Real Time. Laura Powell@LauraPowellEsq, "Don Lemon spews profanities at a senator’s husband, calling him “racist,” for not shaking Kamala Harris’s hand. The man was holding a cane in the hand Harris attempted to shake. Do people still fall for this race-baiting nonsense?" "The outrage spread across X, and it was even written about in the Pravda Media, including the Old Grey Lady herself, in The New York Times. . . . It's not even ambiguous. While the left took video clips that obscured the cane, there are plenty of photographs and even some video clips in which the cane is very clearly visible." Bonchie @bonchieredstate "This is a Democrat House member smearing an old man for not shaking Kamala Harris' hand *because he was holding a cane*...suggesting that he wants a return to slavery. There is no bottom for these people."

At Fox, Biden admin working to effectively ban cigarettes in 11th hour proposal a 'gift' to cartels, expert says "Lowering nicotine levels in cigarettes would be a 'a gift with a bow and balloons to organized crime cartels,' former ATF official says." At OTP, Mortgage Rates Hit Highest Level Since July, Crushing Application Demand. 

Pop Times, Democrat Sen. John Fetterman Co-Sponsors GOP-Led Laken Riley Act to Detain Illegal Immigrants Who Commit Crimes. Twitchy, More Like 'Debbie Dingus': Rep. Debbie Dingell Tries to Justify Her 'No' Vote on Laken Riley Act, objectively pro-murder. Althouse, "I am very sorry. I didn’t mean to. But I really don’t know. I don’t know what happened, but I’m very sorry for that woman." "Said Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, quoted in "Man Charged in Subway Burning Says He Was Drunk and Remembers Nothing/Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, confronted with video of the immolation of Debrina Kawam, told detectives he was blackout drunk at the time. He pleaded not guilty to murder on Tuesday" (NYT)." "Zapeta-Calil was in the country illegally and housed in a shelter. He'd been deported in 2018."

Da Fetched, Frail Nancy Pelosi Snapped Using a Walker in House Chamber. Only the good die young. But her (husband's) stock picks are still good as gold, Da Caller, Nancy Pelosi’s Stock Portfolio Explodes In Value, Beats Market By Nearly 200%. OTP, Matt Gaetz Says He Can Win Florida Governorship Despite Sex Scandals.

ET, Trump Wants Quick Action on His Agenda—Can Congress Deliver? Congress quick? Bob Spencer at PJM, Okay, Trump Is Serious About Acquiring Greenland, and the Game Is Heating Up. Driscoll at Insty,  HOW IT STARTED: Rep. Swalwell Hails Inflation Reduction Act Bill of 2022. "—The Dublin CA Independent, August 17th, 2022. How it’s going: Rep. Eric Swalwell@RepSwalwell, "I don’t care if Donald Trump wants to buy Greenland. I just want to know what he’s going to do to lower the cost of groceries." Mike Miller at RedState, WATCH: TDS-Riddled CBS, ABC and NBC Absurdly Blame Trump for Canadian PM Trudeau's Resignation. He should claim credit. Da Wire, Canadian Politicians Are Not Happy With Trump Claiming They Will Be 51st State. Global Guido, Trump Team Comparing Starmer’s Chagos Sellout to Panama Canal and Greenland as Last Ditch Talks Take Place in London. Althouse, Was the Louisiana Purchase bonkers? At NYPo, Forget Biden’s shameful drilling ban — energy will be Trump’s superpower. Reuters, Hamas stands by demand for end to Gaza war under hostage deal, as Trump deadline nears.

Victory Girls note Pocahontas Proclaims Pete Hegseth Unfit! Too Christian. From the Free Bacon, Source Behind Hegseth Claims Is Disgruntled Former Employee. Da Caller, Gabbard’s Team Accuses Senate Democrats Of ‘Playing Politics’ By Blocking Confirmation Meetings. From WaEx, Trump promises new head of National Archives. The current archivist tried to shiv him in the documents case. Steve Deal at Responsible Statecraft thinks Yes, US generals should be fired. "We need a 'Marshall moment' to reform the military’s leadership selection system — before it's too late." Certainly true. From Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog, Tom Homan: We’re Deporting Venezuelan Illegal Aliens. Venezuela: We Don’t Want Them Back. Homan: Tough. OTP, Mass. Governor Changes Tune On Trump’s Deportation Plans. TNP, Economist Accidentally Proves MAGA Right About Migrants In Mass Deportation Warning.

Kaelen Deese at WaEx, Appellate court won’t halt Trump’s New York sentencing. Ace, Denied by NY Appellate Court, Trump Files Emergency Appeal to SCOTUS to Stop Merchan's Political Rush to Judgment, "It won't work, but he has to file it:" Fox, Trump files emergency petition to Supreme Court to prevent sentencing in NY v. Trump. Capt. Ed, BREAKING: Trump Takes Merchan-Bragg Case to SCOTUS. Althouse finds NYT fears, "If the Supreme Court grants a stay of Mr. Trump’s sentencing, it might effectively scuttle the proceeding for good." 

At NewsMax, DOJ Only Releasing Part of Special Counsel's Trump Report for Now "The Justice Department said Wednesday that it will release special counsel Jack Smith's findings on President-elect Donald Trump's involvement concerning the results of the 2020 presidential election but will keep under wraps for now the rest of the record focused on the classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago estate." Shoveling as much shit as they can on the way out. At Da Fetched, Jan 6 Committee Colluded with Fani Willis to Target Trump, Newly Released Docs Show. I'm shocked, shocked. Matt Margolis at PJM, Guess Who Is Already Talking About Impeaching Trump Again, Adam Schift. I've already used up my daily quota of shocks.

Harold Hutchinson at Da Caller sees Scott Jennings Sends CNN Panel Into Tizzy When He Says Americans Have ‘Moved On’ From J6. John Richardson at Da Fed, The Legacy Of Jan. 6 Should Be Massive Reform Of The FBI And DOJ. Da Blaze, Exclusive: General Mark Milley, Pentagon approved directed-energy weapons for use on June 2020 DC rioters, source says.

At the Freep, Facebook’s Fact-Checkers Changed the Way I See Tech—and Speech—Forever. From OTP, Facebook Conducts ‘Hateful Conduct’ Policy Rewrite After Anti-Censorship Pledge. At Reason, a Column: The Fall of the Censorship Wall at Facebook. Stephen Kruiser at PJM thinks Mark Zuckerberg Has a Bad Case of Musk Envy. Dave Strom takes issue with Hat Hair colleague, Contra Beege: Take the Win, I agree almost entirely with Beege's cri de coere of yesterday. She is entirely correct when she argues that Zuckerberg has a lot to answer for and that we shouldn't trust that he has seen the light rather than just responding to the zeitgeist. But contra Beege I don't care. At least not much." Dave Strom again, Vibe Shift: Comedians Now Admitting That They Were Pressured to Stay In Line. Ace,  Comedians Begin to Admit They Were Pressured Into Pushing the Leftwing Propaganda Line, "Update: Bill Maher knocks SNL for refusing to make jokes about Doug "Slugger" Emhoff." NewsMax, European Censorship Spells Danger to Our Bill of Rights.

Ace, $1 Billion Defamation Trial Against CNN and Noted Twitter Addict Jake Tapper Begins. "Florida jury. The media is seething. How dare these upstart peasants presume to judge us?!?!" At Da Fetched, a Panicked Mika Brzezinski Quickly Corrects Guest Who Falsely Refers to Trump as a ‘Rapist’.

From the College Fix, Rutgers likely operated ‘hostile environment’ for Jewish students, federal investigation finds. Insty, THE ENEMY WITHIN: Jews Fight Back@JewsFightBack, "NYU IS A JOKE  Dr. Linda Luu canceled her class to attend an anti-Israel rally and told her students to "join me at the picket line." Instead of teaching, she joined a mob trying to block access to the library during finals. NYU is letting professors push propaganda and violate Title VI with impunity. If NYU doesn’t fire her immediately, they should lose every dime of federal funding and their accreditation. They think they’re untouchable—let’s prove them wrong."   The Instawife, I got an email from my trade organization asking for public comments on the new draft of “ethical principles” from the American Psychological Association (APA). I scrolled down to check out the Social Justice Principal and read the following. . .  Long, but read it anyway.