Hard Truths is a monthly newsletter about national, state, and local issues, with some sassy personal updates from the author – Heather Schmidt, M.PA – Public Policy Consultant, Political Analyst, and Mom of Three. Beginning in Summer 2025, this newsletter will be available in audio, video, or digital print versions. Please subscribe for newsletters and other updates!

Hard Truths

May 2025

It’s Memorial Day weekend, a long weekend for many, and colloquially the beginning of summer. Before we get started with our May catch-up, though, I feel it’s important to remember that Memorial Day is not really a day of celebration, more commemoration. It’s also not for veterans or active service men and women. Memorial Day is specifically for military personnel that died in combat. Have your bar-be-ques, go to your mattress sales… but do it with some respect.

But I digress…

National Nonsense

I want to talk about the Dust Bowl 2.0, which is something everyone should be aware of by now, though I’m sure many of you are not.

If you lived through the Great Depression, ever read about it, read the Grapes of Wrath, or have a family member who experienced it, you know that much of the economic strife leading into and during the Great Depression was brought about by a drought that impacted such a great portion of farms in the US – and for so long – that it created what was commonly known as the “Dust Bowl.” Wind and unhelpful weather patterns only accentuated this drought and nationwide dust storming, and it contributed to a considerable amount of crop die off, inability to grow at all, and overall economic hardship.

A future Dust Bowl has long been predicted by climate and agricultural scientists, farmers have warned of it, and even the film industry has depicted it in futuristic films (like in the beginning of Interstellar).

Nevertheless, the warnings have not apparently been sufficient to meaningfully change practices and inspire preparation, because we are heading into the Dust Bowl 2.0 this summer. And while it is similar drought-like and weather-related conditions creating the problem, a changing climate or seasonal environments in different agricultural zones/areas (especially relative to humidity and dryness levels), heat domes created by over development and concrete, and over-tillage of soil is making the problem even worse.

I’ve also read at least a few people conspiratorially suggest seasons have shifted across the US; and while it’s entirely conspiracy and probably just people trying to explain what they cannot, I have to say that summer seems to have shown up awfully soon here in Southern California.

Just last week, the Chicagoland area experienced a dust storm that prompted alerts and closures, while the Coachella Valley and other parts of Southern California are experiencing one this weekend. Some desert areas are used to dust storms, but the increases in particulate matter in the air, as well as visible dust in large swaths, is now increasing everywhere, and in places that typically don’t have this kind of a problem.

The solution of course is multi-faceted and will require national, state, and local policymakers to work with the agriculture community to move towards more sustainable farming practices, such as regenerative agriculture, as well as water experts to ensure that the figurative wells do not dry up. But there is more, including adjusting air quality standards for buildings, educating the public on how to protect themselves during a dust storm, and much more. My level of confidence this will be done successfully, though, is waning; so much so, I’m growing as much food on my tiny balcony as I can. It won’t be enough, but I figure I should at least try.

From the Greatest State in the Nation

If you hadn’t heard, the federal government is now steadfastly working to overturn or roll back the California mandate that prohibits newly sold gas powered vehicles (and other equipment) by 2035. We’ve talked about this issue before – here, and elsewhere – because the truth to the matter is that this mandate was a boondoggle from the start.

Firstly, the state legislature and Governor Newsom continue to be unable to answer how the grid will be prepared for such an increase in demand by 2035. This problem has only exasperated as AI and data tech centers across California have increased burden on the grid. For the last couple of years, it would appear that the state just believed they could force power plants already planned for decommissioning to stay open (such as the Ormond Beach facility here in Oxnard). Otherwise, the best explanation offered to date is “we’re hoping for the best.”

Complicating matters, though, is the fact that no voter actually was given the opportunity to have a say in this mandate. It was created by executive order of Governor Newsom, in conjunction with the entirely appointed advisory committee that faces no oversight. These are the same folks that have repeatedly and unscrupulously raised the gas tax on the working people of California, leaving us with the highest gas prices in the nation, and now have the audacity to suggest eliminating the gas tax and replacing it with a per-mile tax that would tax the working class for having to drive to work because those same state leaders have inadequately addressed the unaffordability and unavailability of adequate housing.

When I talk about this issue with people and express frustration with the way the state is handling this, or even relief that the federal government is stepping in on this one, they call me a climate denier and a MAGA. The truth, though, is I just see this as poor governance, a walking set of externalities and costs passed down to working families, and completely devoid of the fact based, representative government the people deserve.

All of that said, the governor is planning to spend more of our tax dollars to take this to the Supreme Court. So who knows, maybe the gas powered ban will end up happening anyway.

What a mess, right?

Just Local Stuff

Ventura County is a real mess right now as well, most notably in the county’s middle space, the largest city of the 805: Oxnard.

The City of Oxnard City Council has become such a toxic wasteland of mudslinging, bickering, late meetings, snarky comments, abuse of city staff, and even fraud and campaign finance violations, it’s really hard to wrap your head around it.

Personally, I love Oxnard. There is a sense of community here, with activities every weekend, a variety of shopping and eating options, and the weather is among the best in the county. But this is overshadowed by the train wreck that is the local city government.

Complicating this is the fact that the local media will not report on the many nefarious and outright corrupt goings on. They’ve shared a few articles here and there about so-called “fireworks” at the Oxnard City Council, but have failed to truly dive into the real problems that plague our city. In response to this dearth of reporting, I wrote a letter to the editor, this time about outright violations of campaign finance law by our mayor and city clerk, and over two weeks have gone by only for the paper to (so far) not print it.

But don’t worry everyone! The mayor is hosting concerts with a local rapper, sponsored by McDonalds; and we’re beautifying the city by finally pulling some weeds in the medians. It’s the important things…

A Bit on Me

About a year ago, I wrote a blog (now archived on my Substack) about how I believed Mom Vlogging was on its way out. Many of you have been around since the days when I was a Mom Blogger; it was a brief period, when I was just getting started as a writer, and everyone said to sell your writing, you had to have a blog. Eventually, Mom Blogging went out and Mom Vlogging – same thing, just in video format – took its place. Personally, I could never really get into that. The day in the life, get ready with me, ASMR cleaning stuff – just not for me. And in recent years, I’ve noticed a trend of the general public turning more away from Mom Vloggers, as they’ve become less relatable when they go on their brand trips, spend hundreds at the drop of a hat for impromptu Target runs, and behave more like 20 year old influencers than 30 and 40 something moms.

A few weeks ago, a very popular Mom Vlogger that I have followed for some time lost her son in a tragic accident involving their backyard swimming pool. You may have heard about it, she had a following in the millions across all social media, and really was great at what she did online. The response, though, has been apocalyptic; that is, from the public. When it became clear that the news story about a child drowning and being in critical condition was about her family, people really went down a dark hole of Internet stalking. People posted videos about calling the hospital to be transferred to the room. They were zooming in on photos of the news footage to compare to her home. These psychos were even stalking the coroner’s website, and leaked the child’s death before the family was even able to make a statement on it. Now, the internet is full of videos where content creators are making it about themselves – monetized videos, of course; or calling them negligent parents, commenting on the levels of safety in the yard, and other overtly vile things.

The result? I believe Mom Vlogging’s final nail has been slammed into the coffin. Of course in the content creation space, something else will replace it. But multiple media outlets now report other big Mom Vloggers are deleting content of their children, or saying they are done. I don’t blame them.

Until next month…