Nobody cares whether you are the first female, black mayor of Los Angeles if you’re incapable of leading through a crisis.
For over a week, residents of Southern California have been fielding texts and calls from friends and family concerned about the fires ravaging Los Angeles County.
A friend from Alabama reached out to check if we were safe. After reassuring him that we were south of the fires, he asked how such sweeping tragedies could happen in Los Angeles. I told him California’s government—and Los Angeles County specifically—had become bloated, wasteful, and incapable of serving its citizens effectively. The fires, and the government’s inadequate response, were tragic but unsurprising to those paying attention. California had been hurtling toward such a disaster for years.
My friend replied with Ernest Hemingway’s famous line: “It happens gradually, then suddenly.”
There will be time to assign blame and accountability for the devastation in areas like Malibu, the Palisades, Woodland Hills, Altadena, and Pasadena. However, even at this early stage, some truths about California’s deeply entrenched progressive governance have come to light.
First, ideology is not leadership, and leadership is not interchangeable. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass quickly demonstrated her inability to handle the crisis. In California, where the Democratic Party controls every statewide office, political leaders are selected based on ideological conformity and immutable traits rather than competence. Government positions are often filled by far-left “firsts” committed to the progressive agenda, prioritizing identity and ideology over ability.
California’s emphasis on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies has proven ineffective under pressure. As Henry Kissinger observed, leaders rely on the intellectual capital they accumulate before reaching the top. In California’s one-party system, Democratic politicians often lack this capital because it’s not required for advancement.
Instead, public employee unions and their leaders power a political conveyor belt that promotes Democrats through the ranks. When they reach the top, they are unprepared to lead. Mayor Bass exemplified this when she appeared overwhelmed and unresponsive while answering reporters’ questions after returning from a trip to Ghana.
As Thucydides said, disasters expose the character of politicians. The fires have revealed Bass’s lack of leadership and preparedness.
This failure reflects a broader collapse of leadership and credibility across all levels of government. As my friend observed, it happened “gradually, then suddenly.” California’s focus has shifted from serving its citizens to advancing ideological goals, with minimal expectations for competence.
Los Angeles has spent billions attempting to address homelessness, yet the problem has only worsened. The city’s infrastructure is deteriorating, power blackouts are common, and water shortages persist. In such an environment, it’s entirely believable that more attention is given to painting fire hydrants in pride colors than ensuring they function properly during emergencies.
DEI’s influence is pervasive. Leaders like Bass occupy positions at every level of government, prioritizing ideological goals over competence. This phenomenon isn’t unique to Los Angeles—it’s systemic.
Bass’s lack of leadership should come as no surprise. She represents a system that rewards identity over merit and capability. Unfortunately, this system remains intact and continues to shape governance across California and beyond.
Patrick “Kit” Bobko is a former two-term City Council member and Mayor of Hermosa Beach, California. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, a proud Air Force veteran, and currently practices law in Southern California.
