An ounce of prevention is worth pound of cure. But now they're doing away with the prevention... to be able to afford the cure instead (which they are now likely guaranteed to need more of)?
I'm genuinely confused and trying to figure out the logic. Is this a california/usa political kind of thing?
This is a "US Federal Government" thing. The funding for this department is decided fairly short term, so it is a political thing dependent on the current government, especially how it feels about California, climate change, etc.
However idiotic it may be - people are far more willing to pay $$$$$ to have a broken leg treated than they are willing to pay $ for salt or sand to put on their icy sidewalk.
For example, Trump’s running on blaming the next guy for problems that he created as president.
Similarly, when Arnold was governor he bought a fleet of mobile hospitals that could have been used for covid.
They were scrapped by the democrats the second he was voted out, and that mistake has had zero political repercussions.
No politics on HN. Especially today. Also welcome to American politics…
Yes, because Newsom and Trump don’t get along.