The NYT reports (not paywalled) about a major attack that DJT has launched to damage California's economy:
Trump Officials Release Water in California
That Experts Say Will Serve Little Use
Local officials and experts said the water the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began sending downstream on Friday could have been helpful to farmers later this year. President Trump, in an apparent reference to the move, called it a “victory”Trump administration officials began releasing significant amounts of water from two dams in California’s Central Valley on Friday in a move that seemed intended to make a political point as President Trump continued to falsely blame the Los Angeles wildfires on water policies in the Democratic-run state.
The releases, as ordered, have sent water toward low-lying land in the Central Valley, and none of it will reach Southern California, water experts said. Nonetheless, President Trump said on Friday that the same action would have prevented the Los Angeles wildfires on the other side of mountain ranges over which that water has no way of traveling.
“Photo of beautiful water flow that I just opened in California,” President Trump posted on Friday on social media in an apparent reference to the dam releases. “Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! I only wish they listened to me six years ago — There would have been no fire!”
Experts expressed dismay on Friday that releasing so much water now served little use for farmers, who typically have higher irrigation needs in the spring and summer months when agricultural fields are abundant.
“I’ve never seen them do this, other than in a major flood,” said Robert Thayer, a supervisor in Kings County, which is downstream of the Tulare County dams.Water supplies from Northern California played no part in the ability of firefighters to combat the flames in Los Angeles County. Hydrants in Pacific Palisades went dry because the municipal water system was not designed to fight so many fires simultaneously. A reservoir that fed the neighborhood was empty because of maintenance issues, not because of a lack of supply to Southern California.
In my opinion, this crosses a major red line. This is an unwarranted attack on California and its economy. DJT is intentionally wasting precious water, knowing that it will do no good now. He clearly hopes that this will cause serious harm later in the year when a lot of water will be needed for irrigation.
This action is pure authoritarian revenge against a state that voted against DJT, MAGA and their plans for turning America into a morally rotted, callous, authoritarian kleptocracy.
Q: Is there another plausible way to see this other than authoritarian revenge, if so, what is it?
