Daily Archives: June 10, 2023

As I write, our childrens schoolroom is festooned with rainbows. Christina Rossettis poem is on one shelf, Frederic Edwin Churchs painting on another. Hand-painted rainbows colored with enthusiasm if not with Churchs skill by our 5- and 3-year-olds hang on the walls.

Are we taking a cue from the president, professional sports, and all the nations most powerful corporations and doing our part to celebrate pride in our little homeschooling way? No. Our lessons follow the seasons, and because it is spring, we have a week or so of rainbow-themed learning. The kids love it, and rookie homeschoolers though we are we are having a blast too.

Should we toss out the lot poems, paintings, coloring pages, songs and live in a colorless world because a bunch of twisted adults use this month to mock God? Of course not.

There is much to agree with in Elise Temmes recent guide on How To Parent During Pride Month. I heartily concur with her five practical suggestions, and you can bet we read a lot of Genesis in our house teaching our brood about the true, covenantal meaning of the rainbow. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to warn parents away from adopting the approach, as detailed in Temmes introduction, of telling young children not to take joy in the rainbow flags they are likely to encounter this month. Our goal is to reclaim the rainbow, fully and heartily not relinquish its meaning to the secular hordes. I dont care if the Dodgers host Dylan Mulvaney in a nuns habit with a rainbow wimple no human has the power to make ugly what God has made good. That goes for all the colors of the Earth and sky.

C.S. Lewis was inspired to write his classic defense of objective value, The Abolition of Man, after encountering an elementary textbooks cynical claim that all value judgments are subjective. The textbook authors argued that because one person might call a waterfall sublime, and another might say its only pretty, there is no right answer its merely a matter of subjective feelings.

Lewis saw the danger of this philosophy, which rejects thousands of years of universal human wisdom, from St. Augustine to Aristotle to Genesis itself. Lewis summarizes the traditional doctrine of objective value as the belief that certain attitudes are really true, and others really false, to the kind of thing the universe is and the kind of things we are. He says that because our approvals and disapprovals are thus recognitions of objective value or responses to an objective order, therefore emotional states can be in harmony with reason or out of harmony with reason

What goes for waterfalls goes for rainbows. The correct, objective response to a rainbow the emotional state in harmony with reason is perfectly captured by that 4-year-olds joy: Look, Mommy! A rainbow flag! Dont train that truth out of her. We cannot divide our childrens world into the right kind of rainbow and the wrong kind of rainbow. We cannot let our subjective feelings take charge of when awe is due based on the perceived intent of the rainbow-bearer. You should never think twice about loving a rainbow.

Once you insert that subjective filter into your young childs brain even if you insert it with the best of intentions the crazed, grooming activists will have won. Our goal is not to raise inhuman conservative machines instead of inhuman leftist machines, but that is what will happen if we start raining on childhoods colorful imaginative parade.

The best defense is a strong offense. Or, as Lewis writes elsewhere in The Abolition of Man, The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts. The right defence against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments.

Do all you can to cultivate your childrens moral imagination while theyre still young (here is a great place to start). Keep them as far away as you can from the corrosive enemies of childhood wonder: the modern school and the modern screen. Support activists such as Matt Walsh and Chris Rufo, and do all you can to ban the impossible and harmful ideology of transgenderism. But do not weigh down your childs capacity for wonder with worldly cares of adult perversion. Otherwise, this wonder may never grow at all.

I understand why parents are worried about rainbows this month. We all know the double game the activists are playing taking great offense at being called groomers while simultaneously targeting their celebrations at the most child-friendly aesthetic imaginable (I see my young patients wear rainbows and princess dresses year-round; I dont know if Ive ever once run into a grown-up casually wearing a similar outfit at the office water cooler).

Like a stranger tossing candy from his windowless van, this months pride celebrations are colorfulbut dangerous. Use this opportunity, however, to teach your children to beware of strangers with candy not to question the joys of candy itself.

Parents might also be loath to indulge their childs natural, rightly ordered delight in rainbows by shelling out big bucks to companies that actively corrupt such innocent wonder. Thankfully, good alternatives are available. Influencers like Allie Beth Stuckey show us you dont have to support the creeps at Targetto get a rainbow shirt. Sola Gratia is another theologically faithful source ofrainbow merch. You can boycott sinister groomers without boycotting the beautiful sign of Gods covenant.

Lewis, its fair to say, would not have been a pride month enthusiast. In his apologetic work Mere Christianity, he calls pride the essential vice, theutmost evil. Yet in that same chapter, Lewis also teaches us one crucial way to protect against this anti-God state of mind humbling ourselves through contemplation of Gods creation. After all, A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.

So take a lesson from Lewis this month, and look up. Look up in wonder at Gods creation. And yes, that most certainly includes the rainbow.

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How To Protect Your Children's Innocent Awe Of The Rainbow - The Federalist

On Friday, inspirational and controversial film Flamin Hot debuts worldwide on Hulu and Disney Plus, purportedly telling how Flamin Hot Cheetos came to be as it recounts the rise of Hispanic family man Richard Montaez from janitor to marketing executive at Frito-Lay.

The fast-paced and charming story, from a script by longtime screenwriter Lewis Colick (October Sky) and Linda Yvette Chvez (Gentefied), comes via faith-film producer DeVon Franklin (The Star) and Latina first-time director Eva Longoria.

The movies biggest issue is that similar to past feel-good family flicks such as Cool Runnings and The Greatest Showman key aspects of Flamin Hot conflict with the factual record. Thats according to a lengthy Los Angeles Times investigative expos published in 2021.

In other ways, Flamin Hot reflects realities of faith often absent from major studio biopics. According to a recent Pew Research study, 64 percent of Latinos nationwide report affiliation with Christianity. The film creators close ties to the Latino community, including input from real-life Richard and Judy Montaez, resulted in the familys Christian beliefs showing up on-screen.

Faith being a throughline was very important to us, Franklin told me in an interview. From Richard to Judy to Eva and so many others, the people behind this wanted to portray the Latino community and Latino families with the dimension that you rarely see in film.

The faith focus is particularly notable in a film released by Searchlight Pictures, a unit of Disney. In recent years, the entertainment giant has faced financial challenges as many faith-driven families have felt betrayed by the companys descent into activism on social issues.

Franklin has spent years challenging Hollywoods trend of bypassing the faithful.

Hollywood needs to know there are millions of families out there that want content that can uplift and inspire them, and respects their beliefs, he said.

Filmed in New Mexico, this inspirational dramedy has a larger scope than a typical direct-to-streaming feature with 44 principal cast members, 875 extras in several scenes, and a narrative depicted over several decades.

Viewers are introduced to Richard as a boy in the 1960s, one of 10 siblings who grew up in a migrant labor camp in the small town of Guasti, near Ontario, California.

During his teen years, in an economically distressed community, Richard got involved in a street gang that sold drugs. Later, following his marriage to girlfriend Judy, the birth of their first child is depicted as a turning point, giving Montaez new drive to make a better life for his family.

Hiring managers are skeptical of the former gang member, until a Frito-Lay plant in Rancho Cucamonga gives him a chance as a janitor. The snack wars of the 1970s and 80s are in full swing during this era, with many of his coworkers affected by rounds of layoffs. Montaez puts in long hours and also seeks to enhance his skills.

A mentor played by Dennis Haysbert (24) trains the janitor to operate the plants high-tech manufacturing machines; the Times investigative report notes Montaez was promoted to machinist in 1977.

The L.A. Times report confirms that Montaez developed some snack foods during his tenure at Frito-Lay and introduced strategies to reach Hispanic consumers. But it debunks that Montaez formulated the Flamin Hot blend of spices or ever presented it to PepsiCo Chief Executive Officer Roger Enrico, events depicted in the movie.

It even quotes a Frito-Lay statement calling Montaezs version of events an urban legend. (After pushback on the Times report, Frito-Lays parent company PepsiCo walked back that phrase in a follow-up statement but did not fact-check any details in the investigative story.)

Franklin concedes the film goes beyond Montaezs account. He likes to have fun with how he tells the story, Franklin said of the films subject. At times, he gets carried away. The producer visited Frito-Lay headquarters in Plano, Texas, and met with key staff to get the full story. Revisions to the script integrated multiple points of view in key moments.

Richard had this idea of helping save the factory by marketing this spicy product to his community, said Franklin.He started as a janitor and ended his career 40 years later as one of the most celebrated executives within the company. That is historic and its also indisputable.

Amid these events, the faith journey of Montaez is portrayed as complex and dynamic. His father has a harsh view of God that initially pushes the boy away.

At the beginning of the film, Richard doesnt see the value in prayer or belief in God, said Franklin. Ultimately, when he finally surrenders to God and he prays for the first time, things start to happen.

The producer is no stranger to thoughtful faith movies. At Sony, he developed hit films Heaven is for Real and Miracles from Heaven. More recently, Franklin produced Breakthrough, about a boys inexplicable recovery from drowning. And he played the role of a skeptical reporter in this springs Jesus Revolution, which earned over $52 million at the box office.

Franklin acknowledges that many faith films are not at the quality that they should be, but points to productions of Kingdom Story Company and Franklin Entertainment as helping turn the tide.

For him, Flamin Hot serves as an analogy to that struggle. We hear Richard tell Frito-Lay execs, Listen, if you bring my people in, I guarantee you its going to work. Its similar to how I meet with studio heads and preach the gospel of this underserved faith audience.

This lighthearted drama brings to the screen an authentic portrayal of a Latino family that nonetheless plays it loose with the origin of Flamin Hot Cheetos (and Montaezs role). Most viewers will take away themes about vision, love for others, and a persevering work ethic.

We would not know the Flamin Hot brand today if it was not for Richard Montaez, said Franklin. His vision was to save the jobs of his co-workers at that factory motivated by a heart of service to be his brothers keeper.

Rated PG-13 for some strong language and brief drug references, Flamin Hot is streaming worldwide on Hulu and Disney Plus on Friday.

This article has been updated since publication.

Josh Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy for several media outlets including The Stream. His articles have appeared in Christianity Today, Religion & Politics, Faithfully Magazine, Religion News Service, and Providence Magazine. A graduate of the University of Colorado, he previously worked on staff at The Heritage Foundation and Focus on the Family. Josh and his wife live in the Washington, D.C. area with their two children.

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Feel-Good Flick 'Flamin' Hot' Elevates Family And Faith - The Federalist

Republicans on the House Oversight and Administration Committees held a joint hearing on Wednesday highlighting foreign interference in Washington, D.C.s elections.

Our nations capital should be a beacon of democracy and a national model for excellence in election administration. This isnt about who wins or loses elections, but rather ensuring voters have confidence in our elections, said House Admin Chair and Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis.

In his opening remarks, Steil emphasized numerous problems threatening the integrity of D.C. elections, including the districts allowance of voters to cast a ballot without an ID and ballot harvesting. Among the most notable issues raised, however, is the citys recent decision permitting non-citizens to vote in local elections.

Passed by the D.C. Council late last year, D.C. Bill 24.300 expands the definition of qualified elector for municipal elections to include otherwise eligible non-citizen residents. This means that non-citizens residing in the nations capital for 30 days, including foreign diplomats from countries such as China and Russia, could vote in mayoral, city council, and other local elections. According to The Washington Post, there are an estimated 50,000 non-citizens residing in D.C.

In February, House Republicans utilized their constitutional authority to pass a measure blocking the laws implementation. Despite 42 House Democrats joining their Republican colleagues in supporting the bills passage (260-173), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer refused to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote.

While Democrats would like to believe otherwise, D.C. has experienced a myriad of election-based administrative failures in recent years. An audit of the citys 2020 election found that 11 percent of all ballots mailed to voters ahead of the November contest were returned as undeliverable (48,018 out of 421,791), a rate more than eight times higher than the national average, according to NPR. This came over a year after the D.C. elections board opted to mail a ballot to every single voter on the citys voter rolls.

Similar numbers were also reported following the federal districts 2022 primaries and general elections. According to the D.C. elections board, 65,398 of the 402,323 ballots mailed to voters ahead of the June primary and nearly 90,000 of the 508,543 ballots mailed ahead of the general election were returned as undeliverable.

In an effort to rectify such issues and bring integrity to D.C. elections, Steil and House Republicans are proposing the American Confidence in Elections (ACE) Act. Introduced last year, the measure, according to a bill summary, prohibit[s] non-citizen voting, allows states to use REAL ID as proof of citizenship, and directs [the] bipartisan [Election Assistance Commission] standards board to establish a federal forum that will help states develop best [election] practices.

The legislation also includes specific provisions regarding D.C. elections, such as voter ID requirements for in-person and absentee voting, an expansion of poll observer access, and requirements for annual voter roll maintenance. Prohibitions on non-citizen voting, ballot harvesting, and mailing ballots except upon a voters request would also be enacted under the law.

If Democrats want to work together to encourage more people to vote, they can start by supporting the ACE Act to strengthen voter confidence right here in our nations capital, Steil said.

Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood

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House Republicans Highlight Foreign Interference In DC Elections - The Federalist

President Joe Bidens declining mental acuity has become a national security issue and has seemingly emboldened Red Chinas willingness to engage in increasingly aggressive behavior.

On Saturday, a U.S. destroyer was abruptly cut off by a Chinese naval vessel during a transit through the Taiwan Strait. According to Fox News, the USS Chung-Hoon which was conducting a freedom of navigation exercise with the Royal Canadian Navy was forced to slow down to 10 knots to avoid a collision with the Chinese vessel. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the Chinese ship came within 150 yards of the U.S. destroyer and that Chinas actions violated the maritime Rules of the Road of safe passage in international waters.

The U.S. military flies, sails, and operates safely and responsibly anywhere international law allows, U.S. military officials said. Paul Mountford, the commander of the Canadian frigate, claimed the Chinese vessels maneuver was announced over the radio before it was attempted, clearly indicat[ing] this was intentional. Predictably, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) defended the aggressive move by calling it lawful, safe and professional.

This weekends incident marks the latest in a growing list of Chinese maneuvers that appear designed to interfere with U.S. military operations. Two weeks ago, a Chinese fighter jet came within 400 feet of a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft while the latter was conducting a patrol of the South China Sea. The unexpected fly-by signifies an alarming increase in the number of risky aerial intercepts and confrontations at sea by [Peoples Liberation Army] aircraft and vessels, according to the Pentagon.

The list of aggressive actions taken by the CCP in recent months isnt the only one thats getting longer. Within the past few days, Biden has advertised several moments of ailing mental and physical health.

On Thursday, the president tripped over a sandbag while handing out diplomas at the Air Force Academys 2023 graduation ceremony. When exiting Marine One later that same day, Biden hit his head on the helicopters door frame, later telling reporters he got sandbagged, in reference to his graduation fall.

In addition to falling numerous times, Biden has failed to recall basic facts while speaking at public events. For example, when asked by a child during a White House event in late April about the last country he visited, Biden completely blanked on the question until another kid had to remind him it was Ireland where he had been only two weeks prior. Bidens also had moments where hes gotten lost on stage, forgotten the name of his defense secretary, confused President Donald Trump with President George W. Bush, and forgot what office he was running for, just to name a few.

While legacy media have worked overtime to run interference for Biden by accusing Republicans of seizing on these moments to question his fitness to serve, the presidents penchant for exhibiting physical and cognitive weakness poses a major problem. Every public display of Bidens fragility is another indication to Xi Jinping and the CCP that America lacks the effective leadership necessary to confront Chinas growing ambitions.

And why wouldnt it? Bidens domestic policies have crippled Americas national security and economic stability, while opening the door for antagonistic powers such as China and Russia to move towards a multipolar world order devoid of U.S. hegemony. Moreover, the CCP already tested Bidens resolve when it sent a spy balloon into U.S. airspace earlier this year. Instead of shooting it down immediately, Biden waited for it to drift across the entire continental United States after it had gathered intelligence from several sensitive American military sites before taking action.

Absent a strong American leader to challenge the CCP, its not out of the question to think China will take advantage of the Biden presidency as an opportunity to take additional aggressive actions throughout the Indo-Pacific in order to further its regional (and ultimately global) objectives.

Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood

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Biden's Declining Mental Acuity Invites Red China's Aggression - The Federalist

If it wasnt already clear, the anti-Trump rights resistance to economic and cultural populism embraced by the MAGA movement is predicated almost entirely upon an aesthetic revulsion toward a people whom they consider inferior and inconvenient.

A few days ago, a short video of a pair of late-middle-aged white Americans dancing alongside a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump with moonshine went viral on Twitter after being shared by an account named Republicans against Trump.

Live shot from Magadonia, the caption reads.

In a large, unkempt outdoor space, trucks, American flags, and piles of yard waste are in clear sight. The couple bobs and jives to a recording of I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow from the Coen Brothers O Brother, Where Art Thou? What looks to be a medical mobility device appears partially on screen as the woman in her daytime pajamas works her way across the videos threshold, and the pairs dog is preoccupied with something it seems to have found on the ground.

The couple is energetic; theyre undeniably excited. We dont know why, but theyre clearly having a good time. The generally clean cutout of Donald Trump stands in stark contrast to the couples rugged appearance and the thick puddles of mud on the ground.

Its apparent that Republicans against Trump which call themselves pro-democracy conservative[] Republicans fighting Trump & Trumpism and use their platform to repeat the same braindead, reheated talking points about democracy and decency in an attempt to restore Bush-era establishment norms shared this video solely for the sake of belittling their countrymen for enthusiastically supporting the 45th president.

But why? Under Donald Trump, Americans were happier, richer, and safer abroad. Under Trump, the U.S. attained full employment, conservative judges flooded the judicial branch, and the country attained energy independence. These are just a few of the Trump administrations successes; no conservative, let alone any Republican, can deny them in good faith.

So why do the ostensible establishment Republicans appear to genuinely despise those who continue to celebrate Trump?

In a 2010 essay for The American Spectator titled The Ruling Class, the late Angelo Codevilla argued that entrenched political interests are so insulated and detached from the rest of the country, the people they purport to serve, that they develop a sense of holier-than-thou resentment.

Republican and Democratic office holders and their retinues show a similar presumption to dominate and fewer differences in tastes, habits, opinions, and sources of income among one another than between both and the rest of the country, Codevilla said. They think, look, and act as a class. This paradigm obviously extends beyond the political and applies to business, finance, and culture as well.

And this is where Trump thrives because, beyond the policy, he is a cultural figure who, despite being part of Americas elite circles, sided with the people and agreed with them that they were being screwed by tyrants in benefactors clothing.

Sure, they hate Trump, but they really hate you. They hate you so much theyll ridicule the clothes on your back, the teeth in your mouth, and the way you pronounce your words; but dont you dare disrespect the Democrats or disregard the norms that led us to a state of cultural freefall and decay.

Campaigning on a message of hope and change in the wake of the Great Recession and the Iraq War, among other things, Barack Obama was able to turn an extraordinarily pessimistic cultural and political environment into one of hopeful optimism. He failed to capitalize upon this and subsequently became an incredibly divisive and toxic individual who turned Americans against one another for his own political gain while the nation continued to circle the drain. But he was initially able to amass immense loyalty because he inspired hope.

Trump entered the political arena with nothing to gain and everything to lose and was verifiably able to change the country for the better. In doing so, in temporarily reversing the decay, he gave millions of Americans hope. He still does.

The Republican and Democrat parties, Big Business, entertainment conglomerates, et al. convinced the American people the countrys best days were behind them. Trump convinced them to step into the arena and keep fighting.

But when cynical elitists see common people expressing a love of country grounded in something other than a love of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, they recoil in disgust because they know their grip on power is not absolute.

Samuel Mangold-Lenett is a staff editor at The Federalist. His writing has been featured in the Daily Wire, Townhall, The American Spectator, and other outlets. He is a 2022 Claremont Institute Publius Fellow. Follow him on Twitter @smlenett.

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Elitists Hate Trump Because He Gives The Wrong People Hope - The Federalist

Former FBI Director James Comey, who played a key role in the Russia collusion hoax, hasnt given up on his dream of keeping President Donald Trump from the Oval Office.

For nearly 10 minutes on Sunday, Comey and former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki fantasized on MSNBC about the bureaucracy-led campaign to fell their common archenemy, Trump.

Can you envision a scenario where Trump managed to win back the White House, and justice is delayed? Psaki asked.

I could. I dont want to, but I could. I mean, its this crazy world that Donald Trump has dragged this country into, but he could be wearing an ankle bracelet while accepting the nomination at the Republican Convention, Comey said. It would be rejected if you put it in a script for a show, but you could have a president who is potentially incarcerated when hes elected president.

Comey, who proudly and loudly supported Biden for president in 2020, spent the rest of his time on air fearmongering about the damage a second Trump term could wreak on the nation.

Think about what four years of a retribution presidency might look like, Comey said. He could order the investigation and prosecution of individuals who he sees as enemies, are on the enemies list, because the president constitutionally does oversee the executive branch entirely. Which includes the Department of Justice, prosecutors, and investigators.

President Trump could say I dont care what the Supreme Court says or these district judges say, Im telling the Marshal Service dont enforce the court order, he added.

Grandstanding about the potential abuse of power by Trump is rich when considering how the FBI under Comey abused its authority to launch a seriously flawedinvestigation into alleged collusion, of which there was no actual evidence, between Trump and Russia.

Despite its long history of corruption, Comey claims the FBI is competent, honest, and independent. That claim isnt just false. Its completely tone-deaf to a majority of Americans who say that the FBI is corrupt and must be punished or dismantled.

Comeys predictions that a second Trump term will be riddled with malfeasance are also ironic given the fact that his preferred political candidatedid the exact thing he claims to fear weaponizing the federal government against Americans for partisan purposes for the last two and a half years.

Biden not only threatenedto use his executive authority to disrespect the Supreme Courts Dobbs v. Jackson decision last summer, but his Department of Justice explicitly warned U.S. Marshals against arresting the pro-abortion mobs violating federal law by protesting outside the homes of Republican-nominated justices.

Trump, Comey claims, comes for the rule of law, the system of justice, and the agencies with a flame thrower.

He will come and try to criticize and attack your family, your witnesses. There are no limits to what he will try to do to obstruct an effort to hold him accountable, Comey complained.

Yet, once again, the dystopic regime Comey claims will come with Trump is already in full effect under our current president, who has weaponized his administration to pervert the rule of law, threaten democracy, and obstruct justice to protect his son and his corrupt business dealings. Comey, similarly, obstructed justice when he refused to give his testimony about the Crossfire Hurricane investigation to Special Counsel John Durham.

Our constitution really does give a rogue president, which is what this would be, tremendous power to destroy. And so thats why Im trying to warn people. Given the way he said he intends to operate if hes reelected, this will be something we could never have imagined. Again, it seems like science fiction in a way, but its what another four years of Donald Trump really promises, Comey asserted.

It should come as no surprise that, even after all of the Biden administrations unconstitutional actions, Comey reaffirmed his allegiance to a regime committed to following through with the political persecution it started in 2016.

It has to be Joe Biden, Comey said of the 2024 election. And Im glad hes willing to serve. It has to be somebody committed to the rule of law, committed to the values of this country.

The current president, Comey asserted, abides by the law and our Constitution, which is why theres no one else but Joe Biden.

I want the American people to stare at the threat that were facing and understand that they cannot take the next election off, he said.

If history tells us anything, the FBI, which has meddled in several presidential elections, certainly wont take off in 2024 unless it is forced to by Congress.

Jordan Boyd is a staff writer at The Federalist and co-producer of The Federalist Radio Hour. Her work has also been featured in The Daily Wire, Fox News, and RealClearPolitics. Jordan graduated from Baylor University where she majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow her on Twitter @jordanboydtx.

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Comey Complains Trump Could Weaponize Govt. Just Like He Did - The Federalist

Two of Californias largest insurance providers have ceased offering new coverage to property owners in the nations most populous state. Politicians, the press, and corporate spokesmen eager to protect their Wall Street environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores are blaming climate change, but the true culprit is incompetent governance.

Allstate joined State Farm last week to discontinue applications for new property coverage in California, which has been ravaged by wildfires that have consumed entire communities. Last month, State Farm, which insures more property in California than any other company, declared a halt to new policies, citing historic increases in construction costs combined with rapidly growing catastrophe exposure. Allstate, Californias fourth-largest property and casualty insurance provider, quietly did the same, according to the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday.

The pause began last year but appeared to receive only a passing mention in industry publications, the Chronicle reported. That Allstate and State Farm are ceasing coverage on the West Coast signals that insurance woes in the state may be more severe than the public is aware of.

The two insurance giants cover more than 13 percent of Californias property and casualty market share. Allstate told the Chronicle the firm paused new policies so we can continue to protect current customers.

Residents in fire-prone areas have already struggled to guarantee home insurance from companies wary of the potential wildfires that set the state ablaze every year. High-end insurers AIG and Chubb pulled back coverage in California last year, citing fire risk.

The depressed market has forced more homeowners to take advantage of the state-backed FAIR Plan, an insurer of last resort that usually costs more and covers only fire damage. FAIR Plan policies began to cover 3 percent of the market in 2021, up from just 1.6 percent in 2018.

Meanwhile, headlines covering the California insurance industry blame the property owners predicament on the existential climate crisis.

Climate change is already making parts of America uninsurable, Vox titled its coverage.

Climate change is making California more expensive. Home insurance is the latest bellwether, the Los Angeles Times headlined an editorial.

Climate-fueled insurance crisis hits California, read another headline in Politico.

But its not climate change powering the destruction of the insurance market. Its poor public policy.

Californias annual devastation is preventable with proper land management. More than 100 years of fire suppression, however, has left forests in the American West overgrown, presenting nearby residents with massive tinderboxes ready to flare up into massive conflagrations that send smoke as far as Europe.

Accordingto ProPublica, Academics believe that between 4.4 million and 11.8 million acres burned each year in prehistoric California. Between 1982 and 1998, however, state bureaucrats only burned an average of 30,000 acres a year. That number fell to 13,000 acres from 1999 to 2017.

Meanwhile, environmental prohibitions on roads and salvage logging in forested areas inhibit efforts to combat wildfires by hampering firefighters access to burning areas.

[READ: California Wildfire Devastation Was Entirely Preventable Through Proper Land Management]

Both state and federal officials are now years behind in California forest management, sending insurers fleeing. Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom even cut the states budget for wildfire prevention and resource management by more than 40 percent.

Myriad public policies are making it harder for insurance companies to operate economically in the fire-prone state. Not only are California blazes becoming harder to control from the buildup of fuels, but state law handicaps how insurers establish premiums.

A ballot measure passed in 1988 has led insurance companies to calculate rates based on the prior 20 years instead of forward-looking projections.

Unable to account fully for wildfire risk, insurers instead have canceled or declined to renew policies in wildfire-prone areas, E&E News reported. In 2019, after two consecutive years of massive wildfires in California, the number of insurer cancellations or nonrenewals shot up to 235,000 from 165,000 in 2018, state figures show.

State law also de facto caps how high companies can lift insurance premiums. When insurers try to lift rates beyond 7 percent, companies risk triggering a costly process wherein the increases are challenged. In the end, the companies lose out due to inflation cutting the real rate increase to 1 or 2 percent.

Four years ago, the California insurance commissioner amplified risk by temporarily barring insurers from dropping customers in areas hit by wildfires four years ago. The insurance commissioner also issued a directive for companies to increase discounts last year.

Even California labor law will make it more difficult to sustain a healthy insurance industry, let alone healthy land. The Associated Press reported last week that regulations passed by the state legislature in 2016 will spike overtime pay for goat herders and threatens to put them out of business.

Targeted grazing, wherein livestock devours vegetation and thus clears out wildfire fuel, is a primary instrument of land management. Goats are able to reach steep terrain that is otherwise difficult to access, allowing goat herders to deploy an eco-friendly alternative to chemical herbicides for clearing.

But the new state labor regulations will treat goat herders under the same category as other farm workers.

That would mean goatherders would be entitled to ever higher pay up to $14,000 a month, the AP reported. Goat-herding companies say they cant afford to pay herders that much. They would have to drastically raise their rates, which would make it unaffordable to provide goat grazing services.

Fewer goats mean fewer animals to clear out overgrown vegetation, leading to even larger fires, more destruction, and higher insurance costs.

Media, lawmakers, and corporate America can blame the so-called climate crisis all they want, but its clear the real offenders in Californias insurance disaster are those mismanaging the state.

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Bad Governance Jeopardizes California Home Insurance - The Federalist