. . . wait until you hear about its tire regs.
Page A8From§Eachthe milkman edition — 31 August 2026
California blocks Newsom’s wildfire bill, lawmakers revisit high-speed rail
California’s legislature halts Governor Newsom’s proposal to prevent insurers from suing utility companies over wildfire damages—an effort to shield corporate interests after repeated disasters. In the same breath, the lawmakers revisit the high-speed rail project, a vision that’s been derailed more times than a commuter train in rush hour. The receipts show a pattern: when faced with crises, the state’s response is to shuffle priorities, push big-ticket projects, and punt on accountability. Wildfires devastate communities, insurance fights drag on, and the public pays while utilities slip out of reach. The high-speed rail dream returns as a distraction, promising progress while the fires keep burning. The money moves, but the smoke stays. The bills get blocked, the trains get discussed, and the public waits for a solution that doesn’t arrive by rail or by road. The headlines are a loop: crisis, proposal, block, revisit, repeat.
“California’s lawmakers block Newsom’s effort to shield utilities from lawsuits after wildfires, then dust off the high-speed rail idea. Same players, same budget, same old smoke. The only thing moving faster than the trains is the blame.”
“California’s legislative process is robust. Blocking the bill just ensures more careful review—besides, high-speed rail is visionary, even if, well, the previous attempts didn’t exactly pan out. Did I say visionary? I meant, uh, under development. Wildfires are unpredictable, but our solutions are consistent.”
The receipts
Newsom’s office pushed for the change as part of a wider effort to protect California’s wildfire liability fund and prevent utilities from potentially being driven into bankruptcy.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.