Sean Carroll

Others who are not very close to me, but did lose their houses. Many people were significantly, severely affected by these fires. And the response to the fires on the part of the local government was not great. I'm not going to defend it. I think that the California governments, both locally and the state, most of whom are completely run by Democrats, didn't do a great job of preparing for

Others who are not very close to me, but did lose their houses. Many people were significantly, severely affected by these fires. And the response to the fires on the part of the local government was not great. I'm not going to defend it. I think that the California governments, both locally and the state, most of whom are completely run by Democrats, didn't do a great job of preparing for

a fire that was quite this bad. Some of it is there are unpredictable natural disasters. Some of it is you weren't ready for it, right? So that there's plenty of blame to go around. But Donald Trump somehow got it into his head that it was simply because there was water to fight the fires and the California government didn't want to turn on the faucet.

a fire that was quite this bad. Some of it is there are unpredictable natural disasters. Some of it is you weren't ready for it, right? So that there's plenty of blame to go around. But Donald Trump somehow got it into his head that it was simply because there was water to fight the fires and the California government didn't want to turn on the faucet.

and let the water come down to Los Angeles to be used to fight the fires. This is entirely nonsense. There were times when the water ran out, but it was just because the capacity of the local firefighting infrastructure wasn't up to it because the fires were so bad. There were multiple fires, and they were very, very bad.

and let the water come down to Los Angeles to be used to fight the fires. This is entirely nonsense. There were times when the water ran out, but it was just because the capacity of the local firefighting infrastructure wasn't up to it because the fires were so bad. There were multiple fires, and they were very, very bad.

And so firefighters did run out of water, but it wasn't because, as Trump believed, there was plenty of water up in— Washington and Oregon and Northern California that could be sent down to Los Angeles, but the Democrats didn't choose to do it. That is entirely wrong. There's no water transport from Washington or Oregon to California.

And so firefighters did run out of water, but it wasn't because, as Trump believed, there was plenty of water up in— Washington and Oregon and Northern California that could be sent down to Los Angeles, but the Democrats didn't choose to do it. That is entirely wrong. There's no water transport from Washington or Oregon to California.

There is plenty of water transport from Northern California down to Los Angeles, but it was working fine. There was no problems with that. But he got it in his head. This is what happens. He's a very not smart person. And he got into his head that all you have to do is turn on the faucet. So he literally ordered the U.S.

There is plenty of water transport from Northern California down to Los Angeles, but it was working fine. There was no problems with that. But he got it in his head. This is what happens. He's a very not smart person. And he got into his head that all you have to do is turn on the faucet. So he literally ordered the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers to find some dams in central California and turn on the faucet. So they found two dams associated with reservoirs in the Central Valley. And open them. Just let them go. Now, they're not going to Los Angeles. These dams are not connected to an aqueduct or a pipeline that brings water. When you open the dams, the reservoirs just empty into the rivers.

Army Corps of Engineers to find some dams in central California and turn on the faucet. So they found two dams associated with reservoirs in the Central Valley. And open them. Just let them go. Now, they're not going to Los Angeles. These dams are not connected to an aqueduct or a pipeline that brings water. When you open the dams, the reservoirs just empty into the rivers.

And this is something that is part of a plan because the Central Valley is the home of an enormous amount of agriculture. And during the summer months when the drought is usually bad and the crops are most needy, you need that water. You don't need it in January or February in the farmlands of the Central Valley. So this did absolutely nothing. It's literally pouring water into the ocean.

And this is something that is part of a plan because the Central Valley is the home of an enormous amount of agriculture. And during the summer months when the drought is usually bad and the crops are most needy, you need that water. You don't need it in January or February in the farmlands of the Central Valley. So this did absolutely nothing. It's literally pouring water into the ocean.

And so it was all so that Donald Trump could, on his social media site, put up a little photograph of water pouring out and going, see, I opened the faucet and if I had been president— these fires in LA never would have happened, literally what he said. It's inexplicably dumb. It's also evil and incompetent, but just the dumbness is what really gets you. So what do we do?

And so it was all so that Donald Trump could, on his social media site, put up a little photograph of water pouring out and going, see, I opened the faucet and if I had been president— these fires in LA never would have happened, literally what he said. It's inexplicably dumb. It's also evil and incompetent, but just the dumbness is what really gets you. So what do we do?

I mean, half the country voted for this. Half the country who chose to vote voted for this. We all knew it was going to happen. Like I said, it's been a little bit faster and more dramatic than we expected. But yeah, we live in a democracy, and this is what people wanted. And we have to both live with it and fight against it at the same time.

I mean, half the country voted for this. Half the country who chose to vote voted for this. We all knew it was going to happen. Like I said, it's been a little bit faster and more dramatic than we expected. But yeah, we live in a democracy, and this is what people wanted. And we have to both live with it and fight against it at the same time.

So for the next few hours, we're going to live with it by thinking about other things. The rest of life goes on. The rest of the universe goes on. At other moments, we can resist and think about how to improve the political situation. But meanwhile, we can also think about bigger, more eternal questions. So that's what we're going to do for a little bit.

So for the next few hours, we're going to live with it by thinking about other things. The rest of life goes on. The rest of the universe goes on. At other moments, we can resist and think about how to improve the political situation. But meanwhile, we can also think about bigger, more eternal questions. So that's what we're going to do for a little bit.