Foreign desk: Darkness in Venezuela

The recent election protest in Venezuela ended as expected, with Nicolás Maduro staying in power, as highlighted by Robert Ampuero at The Free Press. Despite this, María Corina Machado, a prominent figure in the Venezuelan opposition, was released by the same police force that previously detained her during a protest. However, Edmundo González Urrutia, the supposed winner of the election and Machado’s supporter, did not fulfill his bold promise to return to the country. Maduro’s ability to retain power underscores his heavy reliance on support from Cuba. The world’s reaction to the deepening crisis in Venezuela remains uncertain, with the new Trump administration possibly leaning towards a pragmatic approach with the regime. Ultimately, the remaining hope lies within the Venezuelan people themselves rather than external powers.

Conservative: Newsom’s Awful at Governing

Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, has been heavily criticized for his governance skills, with National Review’s Jim Geraghty describing him as inept in handling his responsibilities for a prolonged period. During the pandemic, Newsom faced backlash for attending a lavish dinner and being indoors without a mask at an NFL game while large gatherings were restricted, and indoor masking was required in his state. California’s rankings in various sectors such as opportunity, affordability, employment, energy infrastructure, and air and water quality paint a bleak picture. The significant outmigration from California, as indicated by U-Haul data, further exacerbates the state’s challenges. The recent catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles may have dashed any hopes of Newsom’s potential presidential aspirations, raising questions on the support he receives from California Democrats.

Eye on Cali: The Price of Wrong Priorities

Allysia Finley, writing for The Wall Street Journal, reflects on Gavin Newsom’s initiatives to ‘Trump-proof’ California but questions whether the state needs to focus on being ‘fire-proof’ instead. The wildfires in Los Angeles have shed light on the failures of progressive policies in the state, such as prioritizing the protection of plants over fire safety upgrades or having inflated contracts with firefighter unions that detract resources from fire prevention efforts. The state’s approach to crime and homelessness also comes under scrutiny, as these issues may have contributed to past fires. Will the ongoing fires compel Newsom and his administration to reassess their strategies and address the underlying challenges, or will they continue to be entrenched in their flawed priorities? The situation in California seems to reflect a surreal scenario akin to a fictional realm, as Finley aptly puts it as ‘La La Land.’

From the right: Fetterman Wins Over Trump

Prez-elect Donald Trump praised Sen. John Fetterman as an “impressive” and “commonsense person” who “loves our country,” after a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, reports the Washington Examiner’s Salena Zito. “Trump said his impression of Fetterman early on was that he was very liberal,” but that “started to change as he has watched the Pennsylvania senator navigate his support for Israel since Oct. 7, 2023,” and now Fetterman is working with Republicans on measures like the Laken Riley Act. Fetterman explained he would “meet with and have a conversation with anyone if it helps” deliver results “for Pennsylvania and the nation,” reminding critics he’s “the senator for all Pennsylvanians — not just Democrats.”

Ex-NYPD: Behind Gotham’s Soaring Disorder

The “crucial element missing . . . as disorder grips the Big Apple,” ex-NYPD Det. Michael Alcazar argues at Unherd, is that “law-breakers don’t respect law enforcement — and for good reason: they know that, thanks to misguided criminal-justice ‘reform,’ they can re-offend over and over with utter impunity.” NYC’s 1990s “renaissance” was “driven by a police culture of strict enforcement.” But by 2020 the Legislature had “launched its disastrous experiment with bail ‘reform,’ eliminating cash bail and removing judges’ discretion in detaining criminal suspects.” Today, “nearly 20% of offenders break the law again.” “Offenders are often released on the same day they are arrested, and many go on to do more harm even as earlier cases against them are still pending. Yet district attorneys like Manhattan’s Alvin Bragg remain committed to . . . programmes that keep criminals on the streets.”

— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board