SACRAMENTO — Okay, I admit it. I’m biased. I hate it when opportunistic politicians take advantage of other people’s misfortune to score political points.

I’m particularly biased. The next president shoots his mouth out Blame the governor for the fire hydrants running dry, ignoring the facts.

That’s not to say Democrat Gavin Newsom is a perfect governor. But his California water policy was no longer relevant to the Pacific Palisades. Fire hydrants dry up in firestorm More so than when Republican Donald Trump turned on the sprinklers at his golf course.

Like the Los Angeles Times, news reporters should not allow personal bias to seep into their stories. Owner Patrick Soon-Shiong reminded us.. Reporters have long tried not to do so, and most have succeeded. But I’m not a reporter. I am a columnist who analyzes and gives opinions. And yes, I’m biased, but it’s about the issues, not the politics.

It has always been my view that liberals, moderates, and conservatives each have good ideas and bad ideas. Neither party has a monopoly on truth and justice, except when it comes to Trump.

I wanted to give Mr. Trump the benefit of the doubt and see if he really intended to be — as he promised — a president for all Americans. But the man cannot help himself.

When Trump It was Newsom’s fault that the fire hydrant ran dry. When Pacific Palisades burned, it wasn’t just Trumpism that people should ignore.

As thousands of people fled for their lives and hundreds of homes were reduced to ashes, the president-elect remained silent amidst a barrage of vindictiveness and insensitivity, exposing his own ignorance.

Yes, I have a bias against such disrespectful people, especially when that person downplays the facts or worse, is a pathological liar.

Now, let’s take a look back at President Trump’s actions.

While many fire hydrants are drying up, Firefighters battled blaze in Pacific Palisadesthe president-elect instinctively took to social media to denounce his left-coast political opponents, Democrats whom he tastelessly mocks as “new scum” governors.

“Governor Gavin Newscome will allow millions of gallons of water from excess rain and snowmelt from the north to flow daily into many areas of California, including areas currently on fire. , refused to sign the Water Restoration Declaration that was put before him, in a virtually apocalyptic manner,” President Trump claimed.

“He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called smelt, but he didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid.

“I call on this incompetent governor to allow beautiful, clean fresh water to flow into California. He is responsible for this. And on top of that, there is no water in the fire hydrants or on the fire planes. A veritable disaster. is.”

To put it politely, it’s a real drive.

First, what was this so-called Water Supply Restoration Declaration?

“No such document exists,” Newsom communications director Izzy Gurdon responded. “That’s pure fiction.”

Trump was likely referring to policy differences with Newsom. Water Export from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta To the farmlands of the San Joaquin Valley. During his first presidency, Trump wanted to drain more fresh water from the Delta to irrigate the valley. But both governors, Jerry Brown and Newsom, took a more centrist approach. Aiming for a balance between farms and fish.

Second, it is not the extinction of the small smelt, a favorite Republican target, that is so worrying to many conservationists. it is rapid decline in symbolic salmon It previously provided world-class recreational fishing in the delta and supported a healthy commercial fishery on its shores. salmon fishing season closed These days I use it to save leftover fish.

Third, despite President Trump’s applause, tons of fresh Delta water is being pumped south to fill fire hydrants and firefighting aircraft tanks. Hundreds of millions of gallons of water flow through the California Aqueduct every day. Southland’s major reservoirs are at historically high levels. Much of Los Angeles’ water doesn’t even come from the Delta River anyway. It flows from Owens Valley and Colorado River.

Fourth, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said the fire hydrants ran out because there were simply too many fires to put out the fires. The storage tank is depleted.

“We pushed the system to its limits,” said Janice Quinones, DWP CEO and chief engineer. “We saw demand four times higher than normal for 15 straight hours.”

Yes, I am biased against politicians who make things up.

But we have to listen to President Trump because he might follow through on what he’s yelling.

For example, during his presidential campaign, Trump vowed: Newsom denies federal funding for wildfire response Unless the governor diverts more water to farms.

Apparently it wasn’t just a threat.

President Trump initially refused to approve federal wildfire aid in 2018, but officials were reminded that Orange County, the recipient area, is home to many Trump voters. Politico reported. And in 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied requests for assistance during multiple wildfires in California. Until Republicans appeal Trump..

So what happens when Trump actually becomes president again and takes the helm instead of just paying lip service?

Will he try to annex Greenland? Capture the Panama Canal? When asked by a reporter if he would promise not to use “military or economic coercion” to achieve these goals, he quickly answered “no.”

Will he continue to refer to Canada as the “51st province”?

yes. I am prejudiced against such immature and dangerous political leaders.