The Politics & Realities of the Wildfires. Katy Grimes Talks to A&G

Summary

Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand Episode: The Politics & Realities of the Wildfires. Katy Grimes Talks to A&G
Release Date: January 14, 2025

In this compelling episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand, hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty engage in a heated discussion with Katie Grimes, the Editor-in-Chief of the California Globe. The conversation delves deep into the intertwined politics and realities of California's devastating wildfires, exploring systemic issues in governance, infrastructure, and public policy that have exacerbated the state's wildfire crisis.

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1. Introduction and Context

The episode opens with a critical exchange highlighting failures in California's emergency response infrastructure:

• Jack Armstrong (00:00): "Did they fail you?"
• Kristen Crowley (00:01): Emphasizes the responsibility to support firefighters despite systemic shortcomings, stating, "That's why I'm here. So let's get us what we need so our firefighters can do their jobs."

This sets the stage for a broader discussion on the state's preparedness and response mechanisms in the face of wildfires.

2. The Insurance Crisis in California

Katie Grimes initiates the conversation by addressing the dire state of California's insurance industry, particularly in relation to wildfire coverage:

• Katie Grimes (01:11): "The insurance crisis in California is devastating and it's hitting people, you know, north state, south state, everywhere."

Grimes explains that insurers are withdrawing from the market due to the skyrocketing costs associated with fire damages, leaving many residents uninsured or with canceled policies. Jack Armstrong adds depth to this by attributing the crisis to political decisions:

• Jack Armstrong (01:44): "What's wrong with it is politics purely. And this goes back to Proposition 103, which was put on the ballot to essentially cap the amount of premiums insurance companies could impose on the insured, rather than fixing the problem of why it costs so much to build and rebuild here in California."

The hosts critique Proposition 103 for its unrealistic approach, focusing on historical data instead of current building costs, thereby exacerbating the insurance instability.

3. Water Infrastructure Failures

The discussion shifts to the state's inadequate water storage solutions, a critical factor in wildfire management and prevention:

• Jack Armstrong (03:08): "Not only have we not built any water storage in years, the voters have passed over $32 billion in water bonds to do just that in 30 years."

Grimes highlights the irony of increased water runoff intended to protect certain fish populations, resulting in wasted resources:

• Katie Grimes (04:14): "The amount of water that flows from our snowpack melt and our rain has increased from 50% of the state's water to 80% of the state's water goes straight out to the Pacific Ocean to save some fish that aren't even indigenous."

This mismanagement underscores a lack of effective governance and prioritization of essential infrastructure.

4. Criticism of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Policies

A significant portion of the episode centers on Governor Gavin Newsom’s policies and their impact on California's wildfire situation:

• Joe Getty (04:28): Questions the fairness of attributing blame solely to state officials amidst the crisis.

• Katie Grimes (05:31): "Newsom created the California abortion sanctuary state. He legalized abortion up until birth authorized a trans sanctuary state, allowing children to receive hormone blockers, chemical castration without parental consent. He exacerbated the homeless crisis, spending tens of billions of dollars to get more bums and junkies."

Grimes accuses Newsom of prioritizing progressive agendas over pragmatic governance, such as:

• Katie Grimes (06:45): "He's adopted this absolutely, unbelievably radical, radical agenda of things that Californians and even those who didn't vote for him, they don't want. We want water to be in their fire hydrants. We want decent roads and good schools."

The hosts argue that these policies have diverted essential resources away from critical infrastructure and public safety.

5. Impact on Wildfires and Firefighters

The conversation underscores how political neglect has directly affected wildfire management:

• Jack Armstrong (02:31): Describes previous devastating fires like the Camp Fire in Paradise and the Calder Fire, highlighting the financial strain on insurers and the lack of preparedness.

• Joe Getty (11:40): Points out budget cuts to fire departments, attributing them to political decisions aimed at supporting other controversial initiatives.

Grimes reiterates the need for prioritizing firefighting resources:

• Katie Grimes (06:45): "We want to make sure that our Cal fire and the local firefighters have everything they need in terms of, you know, budget and equipment."

6. Political Shifts and Public Sentiment

The episode explores the emerging political landscape in California, suggesting a potential shift due to widespread dissatisfaction:

• Joe Getty (07:08): References Mark Halperin's observation of a growing conservative backlash against long-standing liberal governance in California.

• Jack Armstrong (07:44): Acknowledges increasing frustration among Californians, including bipartisans who previously supported Newsom, anticipating changes in voting behaviors.

Grimes emphasizes the role of public employee unions in maintaining Democratic control, complicating efforts for political change:

• Katie Grimes (08:30): "The public employee unions, which are just ruthless. Yeah, it seems like too much of a heavy lift."

7. Impact on Ordinary Californians

The hosts and Grimes poignantly discuss the human toll of the wildfires, highlighting personal losses and homelessness:

• Katie Grimes (09:58): Appreciates media coverage on the plight of working-class individuals displaced by fires, describing their loss and uncertainty.

• Joe Getty (10:23): Shares emotional testimonies from affected individuals, illustrating the overwhelming challenges faced by those displaced.

Grimes and Getty underscore the disconnect between government policies and the real-life implications for residents:

• Katie Grimes (10:43): "Just to put a cap on this, has it been an extremely dry year in Southern California? Yes. Were those incredibly powerful winds freakish and rare? 100%. There are aspects of this fire that are not the fault of governance. On the other hand, there are aspects of it that are."

8. Conclusion

The episode concludes with a critical view of California's governance, urging for accountability and policy reform to prevent future disasters:

• Katie Grimes (12:11): "Has been an extremely dry year in Southern California? Yes... There are aspects of this fire that are not the fault of governance. On the other hand, there are aspects of it that are. And if this draws people's attention to the utterly incompetent doesn't even describe it. It's incompetent, dishonest, just kleptomain maniacal governance of California over the last quite a few years. If it draws attention to that. Good."

The hosts reaffirm the need for prioritizing essential services and infrastructure over politically motivated agendas:

• Joe Getty (12:17): "We're all better off. We're working together."

The episode effectively combines critical analysis with personal narratives to paint a comprehensive picture of the wildfires' root causes and the pervasive governance issues in California.

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Notable Quotes:

• Kristen Crowley (00:01): "That's why I'm here. So let's get us what we need so our firefighters can do their jobs."

• Katie Grimes (01:11): "The insurance crisis in California is devastating and it's hitting people, you know, north state, south state, everywhere."

• Jack Armstrong (01:44): "What's wrong with it is politics purely. And this goes back to Proposition 103..."

• Katie Grimes (06:45): "We want to make sure that our Cal fire and the local firefighters have everything they need in terms of, you know, budget and equipment."

• Jack Armstrong (07:44): "Even people who voted for Gavin Newsom are really, really pissed off right now and they want answers."

• Katie Grimes (12:11): "Has been an extremely dry year in Southern California? Yes... It's incompetent, dishonest, just kleptomain maniacal governance of California over the last quite a few years."

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This episode serves as a critical examination of the systemic failures contributing to California's wildfire crisis, urging listeners to reflect on the intersection of politics, policy-making, and public safety.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

Did they fail you?

[Kristen Crowley]

That is our job. And I tell you, that's why I'm here. So let's get us what we need so our firefighters can do their jobs.

[Jack Armstrong]

Did they fail you? Yes.

[Kristen Crowley]

When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there's going to be water. We don't control the water supply. Our firefighters are there to protect lives and property and to make sure that we're properly trained and equipped.

[Katie Grimes]

Does the buck stop with you?

[Gavin Newsom]

I mean, hey, look, you're governor of California. Inviting them will be the mayor of California. We're all in this together. We're all better off and we're all better off. We're all better off and we're working together to take care of people.

[Joe Getty]

So first clip happened on Friday. It's LA Fire Chief Kristen Crowley. They had to drag the answer out of her, but she finally did offer up yes, they, the city council and the mayor failed us. And then Gavin Newsom asked this morning or last night, does the buck stop with you? Bad answer politically.

[Katie Grimes]

Indeed. To discuss the politics and the realities of the fire and how they intertwine, please welcome to the show the editor in chief of the California Globe, Katie Grimes, who's been writing about California politics for ages and ages. Katie, how are you?

[Jack Armstrong]

I am well. Thanks for having me, Jack and Joe.

[Katie Grimes]

Oh, it's always a pleasure. So I want to use as a springboard your last couple of columns for the Globe. First of all, what you published last week, which touches on a couple of things, I just if you can give the nickel version for people of the insurance crisis in California, how many people weren't insured or just gotten dropped, and why? That is because I heard an utterly, utterly misleading description of it from professional liar Kristen Welker on Meet the Press Sunday. But go ahead, Katie, what's the real situation, insurance wise?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, the insurance crisis in California is devastating and it's hitting people, you know, north state, south state, everywhere. I don't think we have any numbers at the moment of how many people say in Pacific Palisades had their fire insurance canceled, or even homeowners in many cases, with insurance companies fleeing the state along with half of California, it seems. But it is absolutely devastating because you think back to the campfire up here in Paradise, California, near Sacramento. And you know, that was unbelievably devastating, but it was also unbelievably costly for insurers. And then the Calder fire a couple years later. And then the, and we're just.

[Katie Grimes]

Katie, I'm sorry to Interrupt. We're just looking for broad strokes, just a very quick description of what's wrong with insurance in California.

[Jack Armstrong]

What's wrong with it is politics purely. And this goes back to Proposition 103, which was put on the ballot to essentially cap the amount of premiums insurance companies could impose on the insured, rather than fixing the problem of why it costs so much to build and rebuild here in California. And so.

[Katie Grimes]

Right. And in order them to only look at historical data as opposed to current data for building costs. And the rest of it is utterly unrealistic.

[Jack Armstrong]

It is entirely unrealistic. And boy, we're going to see what, what a disaster, a financial disaster this is going to be. Following the fire.

[Katie Grimes]

And then I know you wrote about water as well and the fact that California has built no water storage in generations even as the population's doubled. It's just terrible governance.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes, absolutely. Not only have we not built any water storage in years, the voters have passed over $32 billion in water bonds to do just that in 30 years. And the last one was proposition one in 2014, which would it set aside $2.7 billion so that we could build the sites reservo, the Temperance Flat Reservoir. None of which has been done. And in the meantime, the amount of water that flows from our snowpack melt and our rain has increased from 50% of the state's water to 80% of the state's water goes straight out to the Pacific Ocean to save some fish that aren't even indigenous.

[Katie Grimes]

Well, yeah.

[Joe Getty]

How fair is it to lay blame at the foot of either the Mayor of Los Angeles, the Governor of California, City Council, Council of la, or, you know, government officials in this soon to be biggest disaster in California history?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, I think Gavin Newsom's responses show you exactly how fair it is. He's running as fast as he can from responsibility and yet this is what he signed up for. When you, when you sign up to be governor of California, you do sign up for the good, bad and the ugly. And he's not handling this very well. It is fair to point fingers at him because so many of his policies have led us to this place. Even policies he supported long before he became governor. Leftism in California has gotten us here.

[Katie Grimes]

Yeah, I know your recent column, which is terrific. The anti American agendas of California's Democrats catching up. You point out that Southern California is on fire, but here are Newsom's priorities and what he has been focused on. Newsom created the California abortion sanctuary state. He legalized abortion up until birth authorized a trans sanctuary state, allowing children to receive hormone blockers, chemical castration without parental consent. He exacerbated the homeless crisis, spending tens of billions of dollars to get more bums and junkies. He said he's embraced illegal immigrants, even providing health insurance. He's also on board for the bottomless pit of the high speed rail project. And it reminds me of a conversation we had Friday. Instead of doing the blocking and tackling of governing, they have all these pie in the sky progressive just agendas that they're pursuing instead.

[Joe Getty]

And you didn't mention the most recent Trump proofing California against the evil dictator is about to go in. Go ahead, Katie.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I devoted an entire article to that one. Yeah. And I think this shows, I mean, as ridiculous as this list sounds when we lay it all out together, it does show you he's doing everything but governing. And I assume governing is not always very sexy. It doesn't always get great headlines. And yet, you know, he and his PR team could certainly have written good headlines for all the hard work he was doing behind the scenes. But that's not what's happened. He's adopted this absolutely, unbelievably radical, radical agenda of things that Californians and even those who didn't vote for him, they don't want. They want water to be in their fire hydrants. We want decent roads and good schools. And we want to make sure that our Cal fire and the local firefighters have everything they need in terms of, you know, budget and equipment.

[Joe Getty]

You've been following politics in California for a long time. I was reading Mark Halperin's newsletter today and he said, hell hath no fury. Like a homeless celebrity, a Los Angeles conservative is a liberal actor who blames news and bass and decades of liberal governments governance for their houses burning down. Do you think this is like perhaps a sea change politically for LA or maybe the state?

[Jack Armstrong]

It could be. And Mark Halpern's absolutely right. And I think the reason we're getting so much attention focused on California as opposed to say, North Carolina right now, which people are still living in tents, is because of Hollywood and the celebrities and people being, you know, they have a platform from which they can speak and they are describing what's going on. And as I said, I think even people who voted for Gavin Newsom are really, really pissed off right now and they want answers. They want to know why this happened. And that will lead to some changes in voting, I hope.

[Katie Grimes]

Well, and I'm sure Gavinist people would say, look, we can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can pursue these grand progressive schemes and be good governors, but they can't if the walking is, you know, having a bullet train squander hundreds of billions of dollars that'll never exist and the chewing gum is making sure that there's enough water storage for 40 million people. No, you can't, you haven't. You've proven it over and over again. And to the rest of the country listening, you're like, well, why doesn't, why don't you vote Democrats out of office? It's because all of the public employee unions are so powerful and the trialers that they all show up, every single one of them and vote Democrat every single time because they're getting their back scratched, slash paid.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, exactly. It's a huge problem we have in California in that and I think this last election showed us there's a lot more independent slash right of center voters, as we saw, who voted for Trump, over 6 million. But yeah, when you, when you fight that with the public employee unions, which are just ruthless. Yeah, it seems like too much of a heavy lift.

[Katie Grimes]

Yeah. The regular folks really just, they can't accumulate enough mass to take it back. Katie Grimes is the editor in chief of the California globe. Californiaglobe.com, you ought to bookmark it, check it all the time if you're of a conservative bent, really in any state in the union, or you'd just like to have your eyes open to the truth. Californiaglobe.com Katie, great to talk to you. Thanks.

[Jack Armstrong]

Thanks very much.

[Joe Getty]

So the Brentwood neighborhood, which you probably recognize that name if you follow Celebrity News, has the fires bearing down on it with it's going to be a couple of really, really windy days.

[Katie Grimes]

That neighborhood, that was where OJ Was framed for a crime.

[Joe Getty]

That's right. And that neighborhood is also home to former Senator Kamala Harris, maybe you've heard of her. LeBron James, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, Dr. Dre, among others. And those are some names that can get a lot of attention. Like Katie just said, there people are still living in tents in North Carolina because of the biggest disaster they'd ever had in that part of the country. But not enough celebrities to get attention for that.

[Katie Grimes]

I actually appreciated 60 Minutes last night going heavily at all the thousands or, you know, highlighting the many thousands of working class folks, just regular people in various sections of the greater Los Angeles metro area that are now homeless and hopeless and all of their baby pictures are gone. They don't know where they're going to go and what they're going to do. I mean, obviously baby pictures is one example, but it's just heartbreaking the number.

[Joe Getty]

Of people I've seen on TV saying literally the only thing I has of what is have is what you see me wearing. I can't imagine the to do list you have when you're in that situation.

[Katie Grimes]

Where do you start?

[Joe Getty]

Oh my God. Would that be overwhelming?

[Katie Grimes]

And as I said before, just to put a cap on this, has it been an extremely dry year in Southern California? Yes. Were those incredibly powerful winds freakish and rare? 100%. There are aspects of this fire that are not the fault of governance. On the other hand, there are aspects of it that are. And if this draws people's attention to the utterly incompetent doesn't even describe it. It's incompetent, dishonest, just kleptomain maniacal governance of California over the last quite a few years. If it draws attention to that. Good. Whether it directly applies to how a particular fire started or not. Karen Bass is an avowed communist. She cut the fire budget, according to her chief, to a damaging level to support drug addicts and illegal immigrants and proudly did so.

[Joe Getty]

Did you see over the weekend where she was at least hinting that people are criticizing her because she's black?

[Katie Grimes]

Oh yeah. A couple of celebrities are out saying that. Yeah. Go ahead. Hey, put the. Put the final nail in the coffin of your fake accusations of racism. Do it now. That was perfect.

[Joe Getty]

And the state level, when you start talking about not having enough money for this or that. Come on. You don't get to say that. As long as there's a bullet train project. You gotta end that before you can ever say a word about not having enough money for this or that.

[Katie Grimes]

Amen.

[Joe Getty]

Oh my God. We got more on the ways to here.

[Gavin Newsom]

We're all better off. We're all better off. We're all better off. And we're working together.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

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