XPost: alt.hbo, rec.arts.tv   
   From: atropos@mac.com   
      
   On Jan 17, 2025 at 12:50:57 PM PST, "Rhino"    
   wrote:   
      
   > On 2025-01-17 1:41 PM, BTR1701 wrote:   
   >>  On Jan 17, 2025 at 1:30:45 AM PST, "Ubiquitous"  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> Comedian and HBO host Bill Maher laid into Governor Gavin Newsom during a   
   >>> recent TMZ interview, arguing that if California leadership could cut   
   through   
   >>> oppressive regulations and red tape, they should have done so before the   
   >>> southern part of the state had burned to the ground.   
   >>>   
   >>> Maher argued that it wasn't really a Left or Right issue, but one of   
   >>> accountability, telling TMZ hosts Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere   
   that   
   >>> he'd had previous run-ins with California's extensive building regulations   
   >>> when he had tried to install a shed and some solar panels on his own   
   >>> property.   
   >>>   
   >>> "I always think there's a middle of the road, actual practical solution to   
   >>> everything and for this I would say, was California's uber progressive   
   >>> politics the cause of this fire? Of course not. Did it impede them to some   
   >>> degree? Absolutely. That's the margin of error that I'm saying we can't   
   abide   
   >>> by anymore," Maher explained.   
   >>>   
   >>> The comedian, who had previously detailed his own difficulties with the   
   >>> state's excessive red tape on his own show-- HBO's REAL TIME-- said that he   
   >>> was in favor of holding all government officials accountable.   
   >>>   
   >>> "Now, as far as the red tape, I see that they're all-- Newsom, Bass--   
   they're   
   >>> all saying, we're going to cut red tape, as if they're doing us a favor,"   
   >>> Maher continued. "My question is, well, if you can do it now, why didn't   
   you   
   >>> always do it? Obviously, it can be done. It's not a favor to us to cut the   
   >>> red tape. Why do we live in this state, in this red tape nightmare the   
   other   
   >>> times of the year when we're not on fire?"   
   >>   
   >>  This is always the question. Whenever something catastrophic happens, they   
   >>  always give us a 'break' on all the bullshit they heap on us during times   
   of   
   >>  tranquility, which begs the question as to why all this crap was necessary   
   >> in   
   >>  the first place.   
   >>   
   >>  My garage door broke. You'd think all you would have to do is call a garage   
   >>  door company, buy a new one, and have them come install it. And that's they   
   >>  way it would happen in 49 out of the 50 states. But here in California, I   
   >> had   
   >>  to have the city come and inspect it, then the county had to sign off on   
   it,   
   >>  then I had to get a permit from the *state* to replace my garage door.   
   There   
   >>  is no conceivable reason why the State of California had to be involved in   
   >> any   
   >>  way, shape, or form in me replacing a broken garage door.   
   >>   
   >>  If I had to go through all that bullshit just to fix a door, imagine what   
   >>  these people on the West Side will be facing trying to rebuild their entire   
   >>  homes.   
   >>   
   >>  The Democrats here are rushing to try to clear away all this red tape   
   >> because   
   >>  they're terrified that once tens of thousands of people run full tilt in   
   the   
   >>  wall of impenetrable bureaucracy that exists here, it will, at long last,   
   be   
   >>  the tipping point that motivates them to all start voting Republican.   
   >>   
   >>>  Toward that end, the Democrat governor signed an executive order on   
   Tuesday   
   >>>  "barring opportunist and predatory investors from making unsolicited   
   >>>  undervalue offers to families impacted by the firestorms to buy their   
   land,   
   >>>  taking advantage by offering fast cash for destroyed property."   
   >>   
   >>  Why does Newsom think he has the authority to do this? This is literally   
   >>  writing new law. Only the state legislature has the authority to amend or   
   >> add   
   >>  to the California Property Code.   
   >>   
   >>  And what's the legal definition of "undervalue"? A piece of property's   
   value   
   >>  is whatever the market says it is. If people can't sell their burned out   
   >> lots   
   >>  for what they were worth pre-fire because no one is willing to pay that   
   >> price,   
   >>  then someone offering a lower price isn't making an "undervalue" offer.   
   >>   
   > Your libertarian inclinations are clear from this paragraph ;-) You   
   > believe in the Market. But Newsom and his crew don't. They think it is   
   > government's job to set the value of everything and they'll do that on   
   > whatever arbitrary basis they think they can get away. You can bet he's   
   > going to base "undervalue" on something like what similar properties in   
   > the same area sold for before the fire, completely ignoring the fact   
   > that the value of the property is considerably less now throughout that   
   > area.   
      
   How government works:   
      
   --It breaks your legs   
      
   --It sells you a wheelchair   
      
   --It taxes the wheelchair   
      
   --It regulates your use of the wheelchair   
      
   Then it assures you that without the government, you wouldn't be getting   
   around so well.   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)