Folk-rock singer Bob Dylan released this hit record in 1964, originally about the protest movement of that day. It spoke of the changing times and admonished the “writers and critics who prophesize with your pen:”
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’
The lyric could be said about any measure of time, because the world continually stays in flux.
We recently saw the horrific fires around Los Angeles, California, and heard numerous rebukes toward the forest managers and their environmentalist-imposed restrictions. The fire chief took heat for not funding equipment readiness, the mayor of Palisades for being in Africa. Gov. Gavin Newsom got hit for not funding reservoirs, protecting the smelt fish (which some said caused a water shortage), and his progressive leaning which enabled the dominos to fall.
Californians want to place blame and many who watched feel the same. Sacramento’s Democratic politicians want the oil and gas companies to pay for their failure of land and water management. Democratic politicians from the areas burned have introduced disaster legislation, seeking to blame big oil for accelerating global warming which, they claim, caused this disaster.
These legislators are the same ones who would not allow insurance premiums to be based on risk assessment. Thus, insurance companies’ losses are catastrophic. After the last major California fires, insurers declined to sell home insurance in forested states. Many New Mexicans had to find a new carrier.
The Democrats’ goal is denial for political damage control. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can’t cover the cost and the undercapitalized insurance companies have no choice but to raise premiums for all homeowners. State Sen. Henry Stern has filed a bill allowing individuals who suffered losses to sue the big oil companies. Those expenses will be passed on to consumers, which means people living outside of California will help pay the cost of progressive stupidity. Yep, make those of us who can’t vote California’s Democrats out of office pay the bills.
Another disaster is the collision of a commuter jet and military helicopter in Washington, D.C. While blame is still undetermined, a class action lawsuit has surfaced, filed against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by approximately 1,000 job applicants who claim their employment applications asked their race and that they were rejected in favor of DEI hiring practices.
President Trump was elected in 2024 because most Americans grew tired of Democrat-imposed progressivism. Today, the Trump policy is common sense.
Social and political movements all have their time and season. During the 1920s, communism was popular in America, mostly among the elite, but that faded with reality.
Climate ideology has brought proper forest management to a standstill and targeted industries of production that utilize fossil fuels. The movement has given us EV mandates and the expense of charging stations in new construction, the added cost of electric powered vehicles and the renewable power accommodations that must be taxpayer subsidized to be built.
Groupthinkers and climate alarmists have been labeled as ignorant nuts and climate deniers are those who do not accept the inevitability of rising seas and looming extinction. Nuclear energy production fell out of favor 30 years back, out of fear. Yes, nuclear accidents happen as do fires started by lightning, but the reality of losses tells us nuclear power is relatively safe, especially when produced by modern modular units that have built-in safety features. Nuclear produces zero-emission power.
I listened to the rhetoric emitted from the Democrats when they convened to choose new leadership. They still believe Trump won because Americans are racist and misogynistic. What a sad excuse. The progressive-Democrat machine still doesn’t get it.
Democratic politicians are not the enemy. Progressivism is. Democrats have been common-sense politicians, but the party has been taken captive by divisive and unhealthy policies.
Common sense is again on the move in our nation and somewhat in our state. Bob Dylan told us the old order is rapidly fadin’ and the first one now will later be last for the times they are a-changin.’