Part 5/9:
Throughout the conversation, McKenna posited an intriguing dichotomy between pragmatism and emotional decision-making in governance. He traced his reasoning back to the last mayoral election in Los Angeles, lamenting the public's choice of emotional responses to practical issues like homelessness. He contrasted the more pragmatic approach of candidate Rick Caruso with that of Karen Bass, pointing out the consequences of emotional decision-making in leadership roles. He claimed that the shift from emotional impulses to pragmatic policies may only arrive when the severity of the conditions— homelessness, infrastructure decay— reach a critical mass.