California’s Shifting Landscape: The Rise of a ‘Disinformation’ Advocate at NPR and Additional Insights

The Likely Red Shift for Californians

The results of the LA fires could lead to “thousands of Californians who lost their homes relocating . . . to a red state,” while “those who choose to stay will start pushing to remove some of the ineffective elected officials,” forecasts Merrill Matthews at The Hill.

Neither Governor Gavin Newsom nor Mayor Karen Bass “will take responsibility for the disaster,” but “Californians have already taken steps to remove several inept progressive officials through recalls or votes.”

“While most replacements have been Democrats, often presenting themselves as moderates, this may change in light of the recent wildfire devastation and the government’s poor response.”

“There is a strong possibility that many Californians may find themselves in a red state in the future.”

Left Perspective: NPR’s Disinformation Tactics

New National Public Radio CEO Ryan Merkley has been involved in several notable initiatives aimed at tackling ‘disinformation’ through stringent content moderation, asserts Racket News’ Matt Taibbi.

Merkley previously led the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder, which “advocated for the use of public and private authority to rectify ongoing and historical misinformation, including ‘misrepresentation of Indigenous genocide’ and ‘various forms of gender injustice.’ ”

Additionally, “Aspen Digital, where Merkley served as Senior Technology Fellow, organized a ‘hack and leak roundtable’ in preparation for the Burisma story as early as June 2020, months ahead of its revelation in the New York Post.”

Focus on Albany: Hochul’s Voter Incentive Strategy

Governor Hochul’s “Money In Your Pockets” initiative indicates “Albany’s declining focus on boosting the state economy — and an increasing desire to redistribute its output,” complains Ken Girardin of the Empire Center.

Her proposal for “one-time $500 ‘rebate’ checks for households earning up to $300,000” and “$300 for individuals” aims to touch 90% of taxpayers after she devised “a reason to send checks to most state households.”

The newly introduced Cap and Invest tax on fossil-fuel businesses could impose a cost of approximately “$3 to $5 billion in the initial years” before it potentially “rises to between $5 and $12 billion by 2030.”

It is projected that this could “raise gasoline prices by 62 cents per gallon and nearly double the price of natural gas.”

But don’t fret: Part of the billions collected might be redistributed as “credits on customer utility bills — or additional rebate checks from state government.”

Vatican News: Francis Weakens the Papacy

President Biden departs from “a weakened” America at a time of “escalated global tension,” and Pope Francis (to whom Biden recently awarded the Medal of Freedom) “has undermined the moral authority of the papacy,” and in “similar manners,” warns The Wall Street Journal’s William McGurn.

Biden frequently opposed Israeli actions after October 7, portraying Benjamin Netanyahu as “the primary barrier to peace.”

Pope Francis has echoed this sentiment by criticizing Netanyahu and Israel’s response. While “the Vatican isn’t meant to endorse wars, under Pope Francis it seems to have abandoned the principles of just-war theory, which acknowledges significant truths guiding moral judgment.”

This pope often displays “leniency towards dictators and terrorists,” while criticizing the West’s self-defense efforts.

“This leaves the world in a worse position,” as a result of Rome’s moral shortcomings.

Libertarian View: California’s Disaster in Fire Insurance

As of late 2024, California revised its regulations, “allowing insurers more liberty to increase premiums” in response to wildfire hazards, observes Christian Britschgi from Reason.

However, the LA fires are “prompting politicians to revert to their previous, ineffective practices,” leading nearly all significant carriers to consider exiting the state due to legally imposed premiums that were insufficient to cover the associated risks.

“Consumer advocates, historically resistant to any changes” in California’s outdated regulations, “are likely to challenge” this new approach legally. If they succeed, “insurers will be forced to retain policies in regions recently devastated by the LA fires, without the ability to impose higher premiums to mitigate their risk.”

“The insurance crisis that California appeared to be overcoming is again escalating.”

— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board