{"id":29367,"date":"2020-09-24T17:45:45","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T21:45:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=29367"},"modified":"2020-09-24T17:45:45","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T21:45:45","slug":"while-california-experiences-all-time-record-wildfire-destruction-where-in-the-world-is-sen-kamala-harris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=29367","title":{"rendered":"While California experiences all-time record wildfire destruction, where in the world is Sen. Kamala Harris?!?!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Dereliction of Duty: Kamala Harris Missing in Action as Wildfires Burn Her State<\/h1>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"subheading\">Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), who last week surveyed wildfire damage in her state of California, has primarily focused on climate change in the wake of the devastation across her state.<\/h3>\n<p>by HANNAH BLEAU<br \/>\nBreitbart.com<\/p>\n<p>Notably, few of the measures she sponsored or co-sponsored \u2014 if any at all \u2014 have had a meaningful impact on the Californians facing the wildfires dominating the west, some of which were magnified by arsonists \u2014 another fact the senator has largely left unaddressed. Instead, she has continued to direct the bulk of her attention to climate change, alongside her radical left-wing colleagues, many of whom are also using the devastation to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2020\/09\/10\/democrats-blame-wildfires-on-global-warming-please-dont-tell-me-the-green-new-deal-is-radical\/\">push<\/a>\u00a0for a Green New Deal:<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"Twitter Tweet\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/index.html?creatorScreenName=BreitbartNews&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1306278100343418880&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Fpolitics%2F2020%2F09%2F22%2Fdereliction-of-duty-kamala-harris-missing-in-action-as-wildfires-burn-her-state%2F&amp;siteScreenName=BreitbartNews&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1306278100343418880\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, Harris surveyed the damage in Fresno County alongside Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who praised the Democrat presidential nominee, because she \u201cgets it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you don\u2019t believe in science, come to California and observe it with your own eyes,\u201d Newsom said. \u201cYou cannot be in denial about this reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris called the wildfires and devastation \u201cutterly predictable,\u201d although she was not referring to the reality of wildfire season, which has existed for centuries, nor the environmental policies that have, critics say, enhanced the devastation \u2014 such as pursuing \u201cfire suppression\u201d rather than prescribed burns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSadly, these wildfires and the devastation they cause are utterly predictable,\u201d Harris said. \u201cThis is not a partisan issue. This is just a fact. We have to do better as a country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have to understand that California, like so many other parts of our country, has experienced extreme weather conditions,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt is incumbent on us, in terms of the leadership of our nation, to take seriously these new changes in our climate, and to do what we can to mitigate against the damage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following Harris\u2019s visit \u2014 which\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2020\/09\/15\/california-fires-bring-kamala-harris-back-home-for-first-visit-as-vp-candidate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">was<\/a>\u00a0her first public stop in the Golden State as Biden\u2019s running mate \u2014 a California family\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2020\/09\/17\/california-family-says-kamala-harris-gavin-newsom-used-their-burnt-home-photo-op\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">accused<\/a>\u00a0Harris of using their burnt home for a photo op. One of the family members said Harris had not reached out to assist the family:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wef-measure\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"fb-post fb_iframe_widget\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pixeldust17\/posts\/10221774420862106\" data-width=\"620\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"\" title=\"fb:post Facebook Social Plugin\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/v6.0\/plugins\/post.php?app_id=1243316582352556&amp;channel=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticxx.facebook.com%2Fx%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter%2F%3Fversion%3D46%23cb%3Dff1984ca906f98%26domain%3Dwww.breitbart.com%26origin%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.breitbart.com%252Ff2c4de84a0def%26relation%3Dparent.parent&amp;container_width=640&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpixeldust17%2Fposts%2F10221774420862106&amp;locale=en_US&amp;sdk=joey&amp;width=620\" name=\"f2b0457fd2f4628\" width=\"620px\" height=\"1000px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-testid=\"fb:post Facebook Social Plugin\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>However, a brief look at Harris\u2019s recent history as a lawmaker shows that she has done very little to address wildfire season in her state in an impactful way.<\/p>\n<p>Most recently, Harris\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harris.senate.gov\/news\/press-releases\/harris-ocasio-cortez-introduce-landmark-legislation-to-empower-frontline-communities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">sponsored<\/a>\u00a0the Climate Equity Act alongside radical Green New Deal champion Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). According to a press release, the legislation is meant to \u201censure that the United States government centers communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis in policy related to climate and the environment.\u201d It defines frontline communities as \u201cthose that have experienced systemic socioeconomic disparities, environmental racism, and other forms of injustice, including low-income communities, indigenous peoples, and communities of color.\u201d It specifically requires future legislation to \u201creceive an equity score that is both quantitative and qualitative to estimate the impact on frontline communities\u201d and would also:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Establish an independent Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Accountability with a Board of Advisors made up of members and allies of frontline communities to represent the views of frontline communities in rulemaking at the beginning of the rulemaking process.<\/li>\n<li>Establish a new position of Director for Climate and Environmental Justice at all relevant agencies to ensure compliance and coordination.<\/li>\n<li>Require that representatives of frontline communities are at the table during the drafting and review of relevant rules and regulations, providing insights and comments on how to minimize negative impacts and maximize benefits to frontline communities and ensure those insights and comments are addressed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Nothing in the legislation addresses issues directly related to forest management \u2014 a key factor in addressing wildfires in the modern era, some experts\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/environment\/2020\/01\/10\/experts-say-california-wildfires-not-caused-by-climate-change\/\">say<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Regarding the legislation, Harris stated:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"wordsection1\">COVID-19 has laid bare the realities of systemic racial, health, economic, and environmental injustices that persist in our country. The environment we live in cannot be disentangled from the rest of our lives, and it is more important than ever that we work toward a more just and equitable future. That is why, as we combat the climate crisis and build a clean economy; we must put justice and equity first. I\u2019m proud to partner with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez on this comprehensive proposal to empower communities that have been neglected by policymakers for far too long.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In July, she\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harris.senate.gov\/news\/press-releases\/harris-booker-duckworth-introduce-comprehensive-legislation-to-help-achieve-environmental-justice-for-all#:~:text=Specifically%2C%20the%20Environmental%20Justice%20for,Sandoval.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">introduced<\/a>\u00a0the Environmental Justice for All Act, which\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harris.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/EJ%20for%20All%20Act%20-%201%20pager.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">focuses<\/a>\u00a0primarily on \u201cenvironmental justice\u201d and \u201csystemic racism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A release detailing the measure stated:<\/p>\n<p>All people have the right to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment. But for too many, these rights are still unrealized. That injustice, and the cumulative injustices of housing, economic, education, and health care injustice, and others, mean that millions in America have been ignored by our government for generations.<\/p>\n<p>The release added that the measure \u201cestablishes programs to ensure more equitable access to parks and the outdoors \u2026 funds programs to study potentially harmful products marketed towards women and girls of color,\u201d and \u201crequires early and meaningful involvement in actions impacting communities, including Tribes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other measures Harris has sponsored or cosponsored in the last three years\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/member\/kamala-harris\/H001075?q=%7B%22subject%22%3A%22Environmental+Protection%22%7D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">include<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/115th-congress\/senate-resolution\/232\/cosponsors?s=1&amp;r=55&amp;overview=closed&amp;searchResultViewType=expanded\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.Res.232<\/a>: A resolution supporting the inclusion and meaningful engagement of Latinos in environmental protection and conservation efforts.<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/115th-congress\/senate-resolution\/573?s=1&amp;r=53\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.Res.573<\/a>: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that climate change is real and that the National Science Foundation should engage on the communication of sound climate change science to the public.<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/115th-congress\/senate-resolution\/708?s=1&amp;r=51\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.Res.708<\/a>: A resolution expressing the need for bold climate action in response to the release of the United Nations report entitled \u201cGlobal Warming of 1.5 C, an IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty\u201d and the Fourth National Climate Assessment report entitled \u201cVolume II: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States\u201d by the United States Global Change Research Program.<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/115th-congress\/senate-bill\/767?s=1&amp;r=49\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.767<\/a>: Clean Air, Healthy Kids Act<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/116th-congress\/senate-resolution\/59?s=1&amp;r=36\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.Res.59<\/a>: A resolution recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/member\/kamala-harris\/H001075?q=%7B%22subject%22%3A%22Environmental+Protection%22%7D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.Res.593<\/a>: A resolution to recognize the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and the leadership of its founder, Senator Gaylord Nelson.<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/116th-congress\/senate-resolution\/593?s=1&amp;r=32\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.Con.Res.22<\/a>: A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that there is a climate emergency which demands a massive-scale mobilization to halt, reverse, and address its consequences and causes.<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/116th-congress\/senate-joint-resolution\/9?s=1&amp;r=30\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.J.Res.9<\/a>: A joint resolution calling on the United States and Congress to take immediate action to address the challenge of climate change.<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/116th-congress\/senate-bill\/477?s=1&amp;r=28\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.477<\/a>: Climate Change Education Act<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/116th-congress\/senate-bill\/868?s=1&amp;r=24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.868<\/a>: Women and Climate Change Act of 2019<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/116th-congress\/senate-bill\/1487?s=1&amp;r=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">S.1487<\/a>: Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While she\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.govtrack.us\/congress\/bills\/116\/hr4924\/summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">cosponsored<\/a>\u00a0the Smoke Planning and Research Act of 2019, it \u201crequires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to research and mitigate the impacts of smoke emissions from wildland fires,\u201d according to a summary of the bill. She also introduced the Wildfire Defense Act last year, which would\u00a0invest $1 billion per year to:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Establish guidelines for communities to conceptualize new Community\u00a0<span class=\"s2\">Wildfire<\/span>\u00a0Defense Plans (CWDP) that are developed in coordination with community members, first responders, and relevant state agencies. CWDPs will focus on implementing strategies and activities relating to:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul2\">\n<li class=\"li1\">Improving evacuations and access for first responders<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">Addressing vulnerable populations, including the elderly, those with disabilities, and the homeless<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">Hardening critical infrastructure and homes<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">Applying defensible space to create a buffer between communities and the forest<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">Deploying distributed energy resources like microgrids with battery storage<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">Educating community member<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWe cannot stop the threat of wildfires entirely, but we can do much more to prepare our communities for worst-case scenarios while working to address the structural issues that have caused these fires to burn more quickly and more intensely than ever before,\u201d a release\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harris.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/HARRIS%20-%20Wildfire%20Defense%20Act%20-%201%20pager.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">stated<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, Harris has appeared to focus her attention on sounding the alarm on climate change and environmental justice rather than proposing direct action to mitigate the wildfires in her state. The senator\u2019s office did not respond to Breitbart News\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>In recent days, Harris has continued to focus on climate change as Joe Biden (D) labeled President Trump a\u00a0\u201cclimate arsonist\u201d:<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" class=\"\" title=\"Twitter Tweet\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/index.html?creatorScreenName=BreitbartNews&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1306399974276526081&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Fpolitics%2F2020%2F09%2F22%2Fdereliction-of-duty-kamala-harris-missing-in-action-as-wildfires-burn-her-state%2F&amp;siteScreenName=BreitbartNews&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1306399974276526081\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>At least four individuals, including one who attended anti-police protests in Seattle, have been\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2020\/09\/12\/four-arrested-for-arson-on-the-west-coast-one-a-regular-attendee-of-anti-cop-rallies-in-seattle\/\">arrested<\/a>\u00a0for arson in the west.<\/p>\n<p>President Trump\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2018\/11\/16\/donald-trump-defends-demand-for-forest-management-in-response-to-california-wildfires\/\">spoke<\/a>\u00a0on the issue in 2018, stating plainly that the state needs forest management.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou need forest management. It has to be,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI\u2019m not saying that in a negative way, a positive \u2014 I\u2019m just saying the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As Breitbart News\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2020\/08\/31\/newsom-takes-trumps-advice-agrees-to-1-billion-forest-management-plan-to-prevent-wildfires\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reported<\/a>, the United States Forest Service and Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom \u201chave reached agreement on a $1 billion plan to clear vegetation that fuels fires on one million acres annually by 2025, with a plan on how to do that in place in 2021.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the National Interagency Fire Center, California is currently\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nifc.gov\/fireInfo\/nfn.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external noreferrer\">reporting<\/a>\u00a022 large fires.<\/p>\n<p>___<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2020\/09\/22\/dereliction-of-duty-kamala-harris-missing-in-action-as-wildfires-burn-her-state\/\">https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2020\/09\/22\/dereliction-of-duty-kamala-harris-missing-in-action-as-wildfires-burn-her-state\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dereliction of Duty: Kamala Harris Missing in Action as Wildfires Burn Her State<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29367\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}