How Awful Policies Fueled the L.A. Fires
The Reason Roundtable
Impact of Public Policy on California Wildfires and Insurance
This chapter explores how public policy affects the insurance market in California, especially concerning wildfires. It examines the implications of premium caps and expanded coverage, alongside historical events like major wildfires and the Northridge earthquake that have influenced the current situation.
In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman reflect on the failed policy decisions that have exacerbated the L.A. wildfire crisis, as well as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's announcement that the company is ditching third-party fact checking on Facebook.
01:54—L.A. wildfires and failed policy
28:06—Weekly listener question
37:36—Zuckerberg announces the company nixes third-party fact checking
47:06—This week's cultural recommendations
Mentioned in this podcast:
"California's Fire Catastrophe Is Largely a Result of Bad Government Policies," by J.D. Tuccille
"Looting Is Bad. So Are Curfews," by Jack Nicastro
"What's Wrong With a Private Firefighter?" by Liz Wolfe
"Los Angeles Zoning Laws Pushed People and Homes Toward Fire-Prone Areas," by Jack Nicastro
"Fires Incinerated the Facade of California Governing Competence," by Matt Welch
"Hell Out West," by Liz Wolfe
"A Failed State," by Liz Wolfe
"Burning Los Angeles," by Nick Gillespie
"California Regulations Prevent Insurers From Accurately Pricing Wildfire Risk, so Now They're Fleeing the State," by Ronald Bailey
"Why is the bureaucracy and red tape there in the first place?" by Nick Gillespie
"Zuck Finds His Spine," by Liz Wolfe
"Mark Zuckerberg Was Right To Fire Facebook's Rogue Fact-Checkers," by Robby Soave
"Facebook's New Free Speech Policy Shows Business Getting Back to Business," by J.D. Tuccille
"An Urgent Meeting of the Fact-Check Legion of Doom," by Robby Soave
"Let's Stop Talking about Free Speech and Start Defending It," by Nick Gillespie
"Why Facebook 'Welcomes' Regulation, by Todd Krainin," Nick Gillespie, and Jim Epstein
"Mark Zuckerberg: 'I Believe We Need a More Active Role for Governments and Regulators,'" by Nick Gillespie
"TikTok Took a Beating at the Supreme Court," by Robby Soave
"Trump Dodged My Question About the Federal Debt," by Nick Gillespie
"Parents, Not the Government, Should Make IVF Decisions," by Ronald Bailey
"Breeder Reactionaries: The 'feminist' war on reproductive technologies," by Wendy McElroy
"The Brutalist Is Great American Cinema," by Peter Suderman
Event:
Reason Speakeasy: Bryan Caplan and David Bier, January 21, 2025
Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.
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Audio production by Ian Keyser
Assistant production by Hunt Beaty
Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve
- Video Editor: Ian Keyser
- Producer: Hunt Beaty
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