I don't know if the utility company paid off the ex-governor directly or indirectly, but likely one of his kids will be on the board of directors or get some other ceremonial $250K/year lifetime job appointment. Good work if you can get it.
The government here is a collection of unelected bureaucrats who collectively knuckle under the voter's choice. The big company's elites are nearly indistinguishable from these unelected employee government elites, and it doesn't matter who wins the election.
Re-allocating funds away from ever increasing government departments is impossible. That cannot happen because these department directors intend to hire the assistant's nephew, and if they were to recommend their own downsizing, they'd be immediately extricated from the community of largess.
Our pensioners too receive a pittance of the spending power they thought they were promised, except for the ones who retired recently. They figured out how to cook the books on the pension allocations and cranked their allotment significantly. it will only be good for a little while though, when the world reserve of US currency hits the mainland, inflation will be many many percents.
Last year a co-worker's sister had to run for her life, but relatively few stories like that make it around. People are paying attention this time of year, when the winds switch everyone knows the drill. Except just after they start. In the first couple hours, things can go sideways.
Thanks for the comments. I'd love to see government choose to spend money on things that benefit the people more directly, I'd love to see big business lose its ability to coerce elected officials via the departmental directors, but as it stands, the fire fighters get huge checks and operate what appear to be controlled burns (on the federal government's nickel) while PG&E isn't hit with a multi billion dollar invoice. First round of golf is on me. :)
RE: California Fires - 13 original images, Nov 8 2018