As the clock winds down on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s time in the White House, the outgoing administration convened a last-minute briefing on the response to the catastrophic Los Angeles wildfires. With a staggering trail of destruction—over 12,000 structures destroyed, 24 lives lost, and $150 billion in damages—this eleventh-hour meeting felt less like genuine concern and more like a PR move to mask what critics see as a glaring failure in leadership.
The crisis highlights a troubling reality for California’s leadership, particularly Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Both are under fire for budget cuts that gutted the fire department and neglecting critical infrastructure like keeping reservoirs operational. These missteps have left residents grappling with preventable devastation. Perhaps if Newsom and Bass had spent more time ensuring basic readiness instead of chasing the latest progressive cause du jour, the state might not be in such dire straits.
Adding insult to injury, President Biden announced a one-time payment of $770 for Californians who’ve lost everything in the fires. While this paltry sum may cover a month’s worth of gas and groceries, it hardly scratches the surface of what’s needed for recovery. To make matters worse, the administration recently approved an additional $500 million in military aid to Ukraine. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reassured the public that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky considers the funds essential. Meanwhile, Californians struggling to rebuild from ashes might have a few thoughts on what’s “essential” closer to home.
Vice President Kamala Harris, in her typical fashion, weighed in with vague platitudes about finding patience during this “unprecedented crisis.” Her words, likely meant to comfort, came off as tone-deaf to residents left with nothing but frustration and despair. Adding to their woes, hundreds of Californians discovered their homeowners’ insurance policies had been canceled, leaving them with no safety net for rebuilding their lives.
State Farm, one of the state’s largest insurers, defended its decision to exit the market, blaming financial instability brought on by the increasing frequency of wildfires. While the logic may hold in corporate boardrooms, the impact on everyday Californians is nothing short of devastating. For residents, the wildfires—and the inadequate response—are a harsh reminder of how far leadership priorities have drifted from the people they claim to represent. As Biden and Harris prepare to leave office, their handling of this crisis leaves a legacy of unmet needs and unfulfilled promises.
Kamala to wildfire victims: "It's critically important that, to the extent you can find anything that gives you an ability to be patient in this extremely dangerous and unprecedented crisis, that you do." pic.twitter.com/zjV2KVxr8u
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 14, 2025
