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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCalifornia Wildfires 2025: set by Trump and his disaster capitalist buddies!?
It follows the disaster capitalism model outlined by Naomi Klein in The Shock Doctrine:
First we have State Farm dropping policies in CA last March:
Then, in March 2024, State Farm announced it was not going to renew 72,000 policies in California in certain zip codes deemed too risky to continue to insure. They cited 'ongoing financial pressures' caused by the previous factors, along with outdated state insurance regulations as reasons for the decision.
https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/state-farm-to-pull-out-of-72000-california-insurance-policies-482069.aspx
Then we have fires set during wind storms around the uninsured area:
https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/8-more-suspects-charged-with-arson-looting-crimes-in-connection-with-l-a-fires/
Then we have Trump saying he wont help the homeowners retain the properties:
https://www.dailynews.com/2025/01/23/trump-raises-possibility-of-withholding-disaster-aid-from-california/
So now his rich buddies can go buy up the properties for pennies on the dollar:
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/01/14/governor-newsom-issues-order-to-protect-fire-victims-from-predatory-real-estate-speculators/
Classic disaster capitalism model.
Plus, he blamed hydrants, but the same thing happened in 1962. https://www.lafire.com/famous_fires/1961-1106_BelAirFire/1961-1106_LAFD-Report_BelAirFire.htm.
Plenty of Republican leaders since then could have addressed the issue of loss o water pressure during large fires like theyve done in liberal SF. Its a cost issue. It takes more taxes and theyve cut them!
The original quote is "The time to buy is when there's blood in the streets, even if the blood is your own". It's attributed to Baron Nathan Rothschild, a British banker and member of the Rothschild family in the 19th century.
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California Wildfires 2025: set by Trump and his disaster capitalist buddies!? (Original Post)
FDRFTW
Friday
OP
As someone who lives here, this reads simply as an unrealistic conspiracy theory.
LauraInLA
Saturday
#3
Tickle
(3,335 posts)1. Trump was in California today
He looked like he was very much welcomed to me. He was at some round table listening to their concerns and talking about rebuilding.
FDRFTW
(59 posts)2. Sure, buying up the deals!
LauraInLA
(1,583 posts)3. As someone who lives here, this reads simply as an unrealistic conspiracy theory.
stopdiggin
(13,225 posts)4. the height of conspiracy nonsense
(in particular the headline)
( everyone is entitled to an opinion. this one is a reeeeeal stretch. )
FDRFTW
(59 posts)5. Of course it is! But we need our conspiracies too. In fact, after the fires in Lahaina,
Private equity has gone in and purchased property in a manner so opaque, no one knows who is buying the properties!
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/lahaina-hawaii-wildfires-victims-investors-b2393892.html