Parts Of Southern Florida Hit With Catastrophic Flooding | NPR News Now

In Confidence Man, New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman explores the remarkable public life and career of real estate developer, reality TV star, and former President of the United States Donald Trump.

Haberman's book explores the people, experiences, and environments that shaped the singular personality that would define his presidency, focusing on his prowess as a consummate showman and salesman and his deep-seated desires for fame, attention, dominance, power, and leverage over others.

In this guide, we’ll explore:

• Trump’s career as a real estate developer and public symbol of capitalist success
• His second act as a right-wing firebrand and promoter of conspiracy theories
• His victory in the 2016 presidential election
• His presidency and attempts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election

Throughout this guide, we’ll supplement Haberman’s account with commentary from outside sources to both support her critical portrayal of Trump’s life and career, as well as to bring in perspectives that offer a more favorable view of the 45th president.

A Warning is an inside look at the chaotic Trump administration by a senior Trump administration official writing anonymously. It’s a follow-up to the author’s September 5, 2018, New York Times op-ed piece describing internal efforts to control Trump’s impulses. This is no longer working, “Anonymous” writes. The book depicts an impulsive and corrupt president, who puts his self-interest above the country’s interest, in the process undermining the foundations of democracy and putting national security at grave risk.

“Anonymous” describes the increasingly futile efforts of a handful of principled White House officials to stave off disastrous, often illegal actions. The author warns that the “guard rails” have come off—the principled staffers have mostly been driven away and Trump is uncontrollable. If he wins another four years, he may sink the ship of democracy.

In Florida, Hurricane Ian left behind over 100 deaths and $60 billion in damage, making it the costliest hurricane in the state’s history. Its longest-lasting effects will be financial: insurance bankruptcies, premium increases, financial ruin for many homeowners, and quite possibly, a downturn in the housing market. Florida’s insurance market was already in crisis—premiums have long been expensive and insurers are unreliable. Many homeowners thus opted out of flood coverage and are now facing catastrophic costs.

A record-breaking storm hit California in early February 2024, causing widespread flooding in major cities. Researchers predict that as global temperatures continue to rise, California will experience more intense storms with increased dry spells between them, creating challenges for water managers to maintain adequate supply year-round.

Climate change-driven heat waves, flooding, and droughts are plaguing the globe. What’s worse, the extreme weather events are exceeding climate scientists’ projections—which suggests we’re unprepared for what’s to come. It’s too late to reverse the effects of climate change. All we can do is to keep things from getting worse and adjust to our new normal with adaptations like green technology, updated building codes, and better infrastructure. Private industry is getting more involved with adaptation efforts, as it’s becoming increasingly clear that severe weather will impact business.