California’s oil and gas issues are self-inflicted, and the crisis will only get worse as California Democrats continue to blame everyone but themselves for this problem.
The vice chairman of the California Energy Commission told state legislators that California has enough fuel supply to meet demand for the next six weeks; beyond that, the state’s gas prices could rise further. California has become almost entirely dependent on foreign oil shipments, with that supply problem (along with the state’s extraordinarily high gas tax) causing gas prices to rise to an average of $6.11 per gallon statewide, the highest in the nation.
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Still, California Democrats find a way to blame Republicans or greedy oil executives for the prices that are exclusive to their state. Gov. Gavin Newsom blames President Donald Trump’s war with Iran for the rise in gas prices. Xavier Becerra, the former Biden administration official running to replace Newsom, similarly blamed Trump. The Democrat leading that race to replace Newsom, billionaire Tom Steyer, argues that California’s oil refiners are colluding to gouge California residents (and, apparently, only California residents) on gas prices.
The reality, though, is that California Democrats did this to themselves. They have made it state policy to try to run oil refineries out of business through excessive taxes and regulations, and the result is multiple refineries closing. In the past year alone, California lost two refineries, costing the state 20% of its refining capacity. Both Newsom and Steyer are now saying that refining capacity needs to increase, even as they demonize the oil companies they are begging to continue operating in the state.
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Meanwhile, the difference in gas prices between California and other states can almost entirely be attributed to the state’s gas tax and fuel regulations, which are more onerous than those of any other state in the country. The top three Democrats to replace Newsom — Steyer, Becerra, and former congresswoman Katie Porter — all oppose even briefly suspending the gas tax. Steyer wants an increased tax on oil refiners instead (yes, the same oil refiners he is begging to remain open in California).
It’s not Iran, or Donald Trump, or greedy oil companies who are responsible for California’s gas crisis. It is California Democrats who want to run refineries out of business and use gas as a vehicle to extract more taxes from residents. California Democrats want to destroy the oil and gas industry as it exists, and they are shocked that this has made oil and gas more expensive and more difficult to supply in their state.