Wednesday Edition: Boring Competence

Amid the devastation of Hurricane Helene, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is quietly setting the bar for effective governance. (AP)

The latest: DeSantis said Monday Florida authorities have restored power to 2.36 million accounts, with just 55,000 outstanding, and that the federal government should focus its aid efforts on North Carolina.

• DeSantis: “We have it handled. We have what we need … Most of the effort should be in western North Carolina right now because you still have active rescues that need to take place.”

• In addition, the Florida governor has committed to helping North Carolina by dispatching over 100 Starlink satellites, three boats, an aircraft and teams for search-and-rescue operations.

• 116 people were reportedly killed by Hurricane Helene nationwide, with 13 of those deaths occurring in Florida (70 people have died in the Carolinas).

This isn’t DeSantis’ first rodeo: Last year, Florida restored power to 98% of accounts just five days after Hurricane Idalia ravaged the state.

• Some political analysts have said DeSantis’ response to Hurricane Ian in 2022 helped propel him to reelection that same year.

• President Biden characterized DeSantis’ Ian response as “pretty remarkable.”

Conservative influencer Erick Erickson:

One of the early knocks on Kamala Harris was that people weren’t sure where she stood on the issues — fast forward a few months and much of the electorate remains in the dark. (Puck)

A new Puck/Echelon Insights poll: 37% of voters can’t name a single, specific policy proposal from Harris.

• 70% of voters believe the vice president is in favor of Medicare for All, even though she recently walked back her support of it.

• 34% of voters wrongly think Harris still supports a fracking ban (32% think she opposes it and 34% say they aren’t sure).

Related: An August poll conducted by the right-leaning Media Research Center found that a large majority of Democrats and Independents are unaware of Harris’ past endorsement of controversial progressive policies, such as defunding the police and reparations.

• For instance, 73% of Dems and Biden-voting independents were unaware that Harris co-sponsored the Green New Deal.

• 86% were unaware that Harris once said we should consider letting death row inmates vote.

Zoom out: According to a Fox News analysis, as of Sept. 3, Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance had conducted a combined 60 interviews, compared to just 21 for Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Bubba’s Two Cents

Not that I’m endorsing Harris’ clearly intentional strategy of avoiding the press and giving her opponent as little to work with as possible, but I think there’s a reasonable case to be made that she’s already been “defined” in the big picture, if not specifics. She’s not Trump. She’s a vote for mainstream culture, at least as defined by media and other elite institutions. She’s a vote for the status quo and “preserving democracy.” I think, whether we want to admit or not, lots of voters make their choices based on these broad strokes, rather than the nitty gritty details of policy.  

Nuclear energy in the U.S. might be poised for a comeback. (Reuters)

The latest: The U.S. government on Monday said it had approved a $1.52 billion loan to Holtec to reopen the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan.

• In response to America’s growing demand for electricity and climate change concerns, the Biden administration wants to triple U.S. nuclear power capacity.

Related: Last month, Constellation Energy announced the Three Mile Island nuclear plant will reopen in 2028 to power Microsoft's data centers.

• The project will create 3,400 jobs and generate over $3 billion in state and federal taxes.

Big picture: Nuclear power, one of the cleanest and safest energy sources, generated 18.6% of U.S. electricity in 2023.

• Construction of nuclear reactors slowed drastically in the 70s following a partial meltdown at Three Mile Island.

• But thanks to increased electricity demand from AI data centers, new factories and electric vehicles, we may be in the midst of a nuclear revival.

• According to an International Energy Agency report from January, global nuclear power generation is expected to break records in 2025 as more countries invest in reactors.

Axios energy reporter Ben Geman:

The numbers: 60% of employers have already fired Generation Z employees they hired earlier this year, per a new Intelligent survey. (Washington Examiner)

• 1 in 7 businesses are considering not hiring recent college graduates next year due to issues they've experienced.

• 50% of employers reported that Gen Z workers are difficult to work with and lack motivation.

Context: We’re seeing a generational clash of cultures in the face of big demographic change in America, as aging boomers hand the torch off to millennials, Gen Xers and Gen Z.

Bubba’s Two Cents

In a deeply divided, politically polarized America, age differences are just another thing for us to fight over. Whether it’s boomers claiming millennials and Gen Zers are entitled and coddled, or younger Americans casting boomers as selfish and out-of-touch — dumping on the generation right below or above you is a rite of passage. The silver lining for all the grouchy cranks out there: one day that young punk driving you crazy with his newfangled ideas will be in your shoes. It’s a beautiful/vicious cycle.