CA red tape blocks fire rebuilding: In the immediate aftermath of the Pacific Palisades fire that consumed hundreds of homes in Malibu, California, Democrat politicians led by Gov. Gavin Newsom promised to ensure that rebuilding would happen quickly and that crippling regulations would be set aside. Nine months later, of the 720 structures destroyed, the vast majority of which were people's houses, the state has granted just two rebuilding permits. The reason has everything to do with the state's overly onerous building regulations, the very regulations Newsom promised would not impact efforts to rebuild. Democrat politicians love to talk about solutions but never seem to do anything except hinder actual progress.