The Politics of California’s Firestorm

Dry conditions and the Santa Anna winds are a constant in Southern California. So are the politicians who thrive on increasing the tax base with more development and the power that onerous taxation brings. The more homes built means the Kingdom grows along with the ambitions of the powerbrokers. It’s an old and invariable story about how power corrupts.

Wildfires are a natural occurrence. Add humans to this mix and soon the non-natural act of arson is an absolute. Developers and their owned politicians also brought in the arsonists. Splash in a dash the latest real estate crisis where lenders loaned billions to those who were unable to repay. Arson is a convenient way to get out from under a mortgage as long as the arsonist evades discovery. Dry conditions, high winds, hard financial times and arsonists will always produce the conditions for the perfect firestorm.

If there is a moral to this story avoid building or buying your home where there are fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes. If you don’t mind the risk of building or buying in these areas please don’t hold your hand out for money from the rest of us. Please avoid spreading that kind of insurance risk with the folks who live in places where these kinds of disasters are very rare.