James Poplar: A true leader takes responsibility for their actions

On this day, my thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by the devastating wildfires in Southern California. These tragic events now serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of failed leadership and mismanagement by officials who have the gall to call themselves "public servants." Having spent 20 years of my Navy career in Southern California, my heart is broken seeing the once verdant neighborhoods look more like the lunar landscape.

Although the media was focused mainly on the losses of celebrities, many middle-class families whose parents staked their claim in the City of Angels years ago when housing was affordable have lost everything due to the apparent gross ineptitude and negligence of leadership. Generations of toil literally vanished in a flash.

More than likely, homes will never be replaced, as many insurance underwriters canceled homeowners' insurance policies because they were aware of the lack of basic municipal preventative measures — most consciously ignored by state and local governments to prevent or alleviate such predictable disasters.

As citizens, we expect our tax dollars to be directed toward critical services like maintenance, prevention, and mitigation to help reduce the impact of natural disasters. Sadly, this calamity highlights the urgent need for better preparedness and foresight in Southern California and across the nation, as Hurricane Helene dramatically taught us.

Months after Helene devastated basic infrastructure, residents who lost it all were still living in tents in America's heartland without the benefit of heat or electricity. This is unsatisfactory for a nation that prides itself on taking care of its own in a timely manner.

If anything, these recent disasters have illustrated that those public servants seeking to represent us must be thoroughly vetted for their educational background, professional experience, ability to think critically, make sound decisions, and exercise basic common sense. We must demand accountability and hold our leaders responsible for the decisions that affect our safety, environment, and future. To do otherwise is simply unconscionable.

The nation can no longer afford leaders who make ill-informed decisions that harm the lives of millions of Americans. In the case of Los Angeles, at first blush, several were selected for positions of responsibility based on qualities other than their ability to make sound and rational decisions.

I have yet to see one leader on the scene step forward and say, "This was my fault; I will ensure this does not happen again." My military background tells me that a true leader takes full responsibility for their actions, vice finger-pointing or tap dancing around the issue.

This year, we will hold local and state elections for those who, through their actions or perhaps inaction, may determine whether we live or die in the face of such human-caused or natural tragedies. Choose wisely, because as Hurricane Helene and this latest tragedy have taught us, someday your life or those of your loved ones may depend on it.