Elevation

Some may have noticed a trend, but it is time to "elevate" Altadena to bigger questions

Things are shifting. You get a sixth sense sensing change when you do this long enough. Politics is a flow, and generally, you have to ride the waves. Trends evolve. Events occur. What was important yesterday gets marginalized tomorrow. It is hard to balance the flow.

You want to try and maintain as much as possible, thus the existing tension between the Powerful and innovators. Power is the goal. Power is maintained through continuity. Power Gamers know this dynamic. They uphold the statis as long as possible before “shifting.” That “shift” occurs when the new position is well established, or at least they hope. It is why, once something starts in government, it is very hard to “undo” as many say.

When you are not established, if you are not able to exert Power, or if your Power was momentary, then you have to figure out how to maintain. The sensitivity to the dynamics is extraordinarily important.

What is coming next? How does that affect your position, and is it something you use to accumulate more Power?

To those who are new to the Game, do they understand the dynamic or are they merely “bit players?” The next few months will say a lot. Many people have “come up on the radar,” but who lasts? Who understands the next stage? Who is having efficacy in their initial funding or their initial attention. Who is a threat? $100 million cascaded to many groups. How many are delivering on what they promised (which may not be just the public facing part)? Who will deliver utility going forward?

The reason for writing this piece is the world is changing for us.

Many groups on the ground are focused on Altadena or the Palisades and causes specific to those areas.

How long will they continue to get funded? You have read my concerns about the future of philanthropy. The evolution of funding will be more focused. It will not be the “wide net.” The shift become more established groups and established funding. The “seed” amounts are spent. Getting follow on will be so much more difficult.

What about the State? Well, we are moving to a point where the State has to decide what its priorities are going to be going forward. For a group that seemingly is always bankrupt or without money (I recognize the dynamic well, as I was the son of a divorce with a dad always cried poor yet always came up with money for him), there seems to be money for the projects deemed important. The message is clear, Altadena, you are not important enough. It is on us to deliver value, to make ourselves important. How does our situation fit into the “broader narrative?”

You say, “we are asking for federal money. That money is not coming. Why not attack the failure of Trump like we are doing with redistricting?” Good point. The problem is the argument is not landing. It is not “national enough.” It does not have the resonance beyond Southern California which already hates Trump. Altadena and the Palisades are not even good enough to be in the same breath as redistricting. Redistricting a cleaner issue Statewide- one which resonates with the broader populace for the Governor’s needs. Furthermore, if the Governor attacks Trump on the money for Southern California, Trump attacks back- “the State has not listened and has not turned to solutions internally.” In other words, it becomes “why are you abandoning your people.”

Best to leave it as there is no win politically. See if the money comes a different way. Imagining is better than actually picking the fight sometimes. See if you want to do something else and get the win later. It is not a winner now.

So, if we are losing steam, then what?

Our electeds cannot tie up their entire agendas focusing on bills which get no support to implement. Their districts are more than just Altadena or the Palisades. The world is still turning.

We got the “sympathy push” this session. We are likely finished. It is incumbent on us to explain how Altadena fits into the broader narrative for State wide systemic problems.

Insurance for one will be an issue. Yes pay outs are the pressing issue, but the question of whether we can even have it going forward, and not only here but everywhere in the State where risk exist for wildfires. How are we a pilot for reform? It cannot be specifically about Altadena. You lose the room.

What about housing? We are starting to tackle that issue. Affordable and accessible housing is an issue for the State. It affects the Palisades of the State (the Bay Area) as much as the Altadena of the State (Los Angeles). The Bay Area needs accessible housing to fuel the AI driven innovation occurring. The State needs that AI innovation as it needs the income from the IPOs. What can we do here to help the conversation? What can we do to continue to drive innovative solutions? Well, Altadena is ground zero for many of the trends in housing, so maybe we can be a pilot for a new way of doing things, and if so, we get the attention and assistance we need. Government likes pilots. We are ready made.

What about jobs and rebuild the Working Middle Class? Another major issue. Cost of living issue are at the top of every elected’s mind right now.

How can we re-establish that dream for those who need it? While AI is good, it is limited in terms of who will benefit and maybe hurt more than it helps. There needs to be jobs for those who build things. There needs to be a State beyond Silicon Valley, but what is the compelling story? Modern Manufacturing brings those living wage jobs so valued, but how do we get there? Again, Altadena is looking at that exact question. How can we provide the work to allow people to buy the home, to support their family, to rekindle the American Dream? Attracting business with certain tools is a key which disaster areas have available right now. Keeping those businesses is another. Can we replace the lost Hollywood jobs? Not likely, but we need to start to figure something else out. Altadena has the pieces to get those projects off the ground.

I can go on. The point is, we need to elevate. We need to make our projects, our causes, meet the moment. We are no longer in the first stage of the disaster. We are moving to the next. I get it, many are still working through insurance payments, finding housing, starting the rebuilding process, et cetera. Those things will continue. I am not unsympathetic. Many are also exhausted. I get that too.

Politics is not exhausted. It moves constantly. It is infinite like the ambition of those who are in it. You have to keep those fires stoked. You have to adjust. You have to remember where your value is. You must deliver. To remain relevant in twelve months from today, you need to understand the flow and be sensitive to it. Recognize the bigger picture and bigger Game. Adjust and adapt to play the Game you are now part of.

If you do not want to “play Game,” get off the field and stop making noise as the moment is past. Those who say that remind me of the electeds who say, “my goals are limited, I only want this one role” to funders. Funders want to invest. They want to know there is going to be something “more.” When you say “you are capped,” then you get left with those who are also capped.

Politics is filled with ambitious people, whether you are or not. They respect ambition. They expect it. Even if they complain that you are “too ambitious,” that is a compliment. They are jealous. Be ambitious. Remain relevant. Do the work. Also, keep an eye on where things are going if you want to remain. And, if you are not wanting to “play the Game,” maybe this is the time to start focusing on a new cause because we are now in the Game and it is moving fast. Things will start to winnow out.