Calfornia Burning, Presidential Politics

Everyone knows about the wildfires in California. Life have been difficult for all, and maybe even for the President and all the Presidential Candidates who had to figure out what they should be doing and how many votes it might bring them .

President Bush toured the place and gave his usual speech.

"I made a pledge to the people of California on behalf of all Americans: We will help you put out the fires, get through the crisis, and rebuild your lives," he said in his weekly radio address.

Just ask the people of New Orleans how good that speech is.

FEMA showed that they had a better plan than was evident in disasters the past few years, but they also proved that they still do not understand the very basic fact that actually doing their work is more important than whatever image they project. With their fake news conference, they undid what ever good might have come from the actual help they delivered. I am sure that some news magazine (are you listening, 60 Minutes?) will do a follow up to see just what the actual results were.

I have not heard anything more than a few mumbling "best wishes" from the likes I Guiliani or Romney. Among the Democrats, well even John Edwards sounds a little like Bush.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the more than 300,000 families who have been forced to flee their homes to escape the wildfires spreading across southern California. Those affected by this tragedy should take comfort in the fact that their fellow Americans are standing with them and will do whatever it takes to fight the fires and rebuild the homes and businesses that were destroyed."

However, Green Party candidate Kent Mesplay was right in the middle and could probably tell the rest a bit about what really went on. After helping a friend pack a moving truck and get out of Del Mar, he found out on the next day that his own place was under discretionary evacuation. According to a note I received from Kent,

I found some important papers, said "goodbye" to my things and left to life with my mom in Mira Mesa...

By Wednesday evening, he was taking a 12 hour shift as Shelter Manager at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

I wonder what he is doing now with the fires still burning, since his "day job" is to monitor air quality and write up violators.