January Alarms

Jon Reisman

January has brought an array of alarms in California, Maine, and North America

Fire alarms in California

The California wildfires are both a natural and human-enhanced disaster. Governor Gavin Newsom’s inferno was made worse by decades of water policies prioritizing endangered snail darters and green liturgy over reservoirs and aqueducts. Controlled burns and fuel load management are apparently not consistent with a conviction that the cause of wildfires is anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change.

Budget cuts led to an unprepared and overwhelmed Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). Mayor Karen Bass ignored warnings of an unprepared LAFD, and Santa Anna winds, to go to Ghana in West Africa to promote … well, I am not exactly sure. It was probably to promote herself, but I do not think it has worked out as she planned.

Gavin, Karen, and the LAFD may have failed to protect multiple thousands of acres, structures, and livelihoods, but it is at least a DEI success. The Fire Chief explicitly made DEI her top priority. The top four LAFD officers are all lesbians, earning multiple six-figure salaries. I bet LAFD has outstanding DEI metrics and is prepared for any diversity challenge.

Budget alarms in Maine

Governor Mills welcomed the Legislature with a missive vaguely detailing a massive expected revenue shortfall in both the general and highway budgets. One most troubling aspect is the possible return of unpaid hospital Mainecare debt, which the last Democratic (Baldacci) administration had bequeathed to their following Republican (LePage) administration to clean up. The Hospital/Mainecare debt was a violation of the constitutional requirement for a balanced budget.

The budget alarm is a consequence of four years of partisan majority budgets under Governor Mills and the Democrats. Those Democrat budgets vastly increased overall spending. On top of that, there have been unexpected increases in Mainecare. Majority Democrats and Governor Mills are not going to vote to cut spending, so an increase in taxes and fees is in the cards. Republicans will not support it, so another partisan majority budget and adjournment, followed immediately by a special session is likely. 

Some of the revenue shortfall is likely a consequence of a weakening economy, and a tax increase, will not improve it. I expect that many likely Blaine House hopefuls will be heard from as the budget battle plays out.

Governor Mills did advocate for more spending for a cabinet-level energy department charged with lowering the price of energy. My immediate response: if she wants to lower the price of energy, all she has to do is tell the climate alarmists to suck eggs. Lower energy prices would be the best balm our economy could get.

 

Transition alarms in North America

A departing Biden is doing all he can to impede Trump, protect the green/climate liturgy, and destroy freedom and prosperity while an incoming Trump blusters (opens negotiations) about Greenland, Canada, Panama, Mexico (both land and sea), tariffs, and taxes. 

Trump’s bluster needs to be carefully parsed to separate the signal from the noise. I do not think Canada is going to be our 51st State, but a closer economic/energy relationship would make sense. As an Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative member, my power is already Canadian- carbon free and bargain priced (about 6 cents/kwh) nuclear power from Point Lepreau. Most of Trump's energy interest is in Alberta/Western Canada, but he has already done both Canadians and Americans a service by ushering in the departure of Justin Trudeau.

Removing the Chinese Communist Party from Panama Canal management and control is an overdue application of the Monroe Doctrine and the Precautionary Principle.

We may have a Mexican standoff over renaming the Gulf, but Remain in Mexico and border integrity are going to return.

The Greenland gambit makes a lot of sense if you look at a Polar map and recognize that polar ice is melting (climate crisis, opportunity, or both). Greenland’s strategic importance is obvious.

Jon Reisman is an economist and policy analyst who retired from the University of Maine at Machias after 38 years. He resides on Cathance Lake in Cooper, where he is a Selectman and a Statler and Waldorf intern. Mr. Reisman’s views are his own, and he welcomes comments as letters to the editor here or to him directly via email at [email protected].

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