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If you live in California, the first thing I'd like to say to you is that I feel bad for you. California's weather is beautiful, yes, but the amount of taxes you're paying and the amount you're paying to live in California, through the absorbent COL is insane. I don't know how anyone does it. But back on the subject here.

The cost of 1 gallon of Gas in California is: $3.63
The national average for 1 gallon is: $2.60

Prices have surged in California (and some other Western states) due to issues with certain refineries and limited pipelines/refineries in the area. But this isn't an isolated incident, as gas prices in California are always higher then the rest of the US.

So why are there limited pipelines and refineries: Californians higher emission standards. It's a bottleneck.

But that's not something you'd hear from California Dems or their Governor, due to the fact that they dont want people to know that enacting their climate change policy is going to cause this.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/rising-california-gasoline-prices-highlight-growing-divide-in-u-s-11571832001?mod=hp_lead_pos5

I can do it because I have a different value system.  I would rather pay a little more at the pump in favor of more healthy lungs and environment.  I'd actually like to see gas prices go even higher more like the ones in Europe to encourage more use of public transportation and dense residential development.  I'd support any policy that limits pipelines/refineries and would like to see an increased gas tax with he funds going towards a more sustainable transit system that would ideally, be free of cost to the rider.    Traffic is my biggest gripe with California (along with surpassed supply of housing) and we could reduce traffic by building our lives around dense, walkable areas with low or no commute time.

If that's something that you're willing to admit, then so be it. At least you're able to understand that to have a good deal of social servieces and regulations you're going to have increased COL, taxes, and so on. That's fair.

I think that most Americans care about what they pay at the pump and would like to limit it. I would go even further and say that most everyday Americans care a lot more about gas prices being lower compared to what the stock market is doing -- because most Americans aren't investing in the stock market (and cant as of right now)

driving generates negative externalities like more traffic, smog, co2, damage to roads.
If the tax on gas goes to offsetting these externalities then there is nothing more fair than a gas tax. Because gas use is very correlated with generation of negative externalities.

however im sure california squanders the gas tax revenue on bullshit like infringing on personal freedoms and corrupt government contracts. Not where it actually needs to be spent.

I mean I think this is something that is true of any local government. It's the government that people don't typically care about or get involved in, so corruption at that level is typically ignored and just happens without too much scrutiny. That's just how local goverment works, and until we begin to get involved on the local level we're just going to see all of this continuing.

It seems they've always had these high standards when it comes to "environmental issues". I remember taking orders for car parts and searching through the catalog I found that the catalytic converters required for cars there are more expensive and are supposed to be "better" than what is required in other states (if even).


Or enforcing bans on backyard cookouts or giving free syringes to heroin addicts.

Is that you saying that the same catalytic converters are being sold in CA for more money just simply because its California and people know they can get away with it? If so, that's sad.

I don't think giving out free syringes to heroin addicits is a bad thing though. I'd rather have them shoot up in a safe space, where medical volunteers (and hospital staff) are ready to help if need be rather then have someone die along in their apartment / house due to them overdosing alone. You can also use this opportunity to get people onto the right path, or try to.

I don't remember all the exact parts but basically only a small portion of the converters in our catalog can be sold to California residents. When I asked our manager he said the laws were tough there. And yes, they are more expensive than the other converters. Platinum something.

I don't agree with the shooting up in public part. If they wanna they should put those people in rehab, not let them shot up heroin in public and litter the streets with health hazards.

more precious metals---> more expensive catalytic converters---> better air quality.

You get what you pay for and you have to remember that California cities are sprawled so they are saturated with cars. 

My chemistry and physics training leads me to suspect your hope and belief.

I mean these people aren't shooting up in public when you're going to a location. You're physically going to some sort of clinic, being given a syringe and a 'room' (could be a real room, or a small private area) then you shoot up your heroin, probably stay for a little while and then leave. This limits the amount of LETHAL overdoses (as there are medical staff trained there to help) and the amount of diseases that are spread through people using and reusing needles.

It would seem that the many syringes in the streets and gutters disagree with your santized, pure view of blissful safe shooting up.

You do understand that there are many studies that have shown that safe areas to use syringes and stuff ensure that people aren't dying, right?

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2018/01/12/injection-sites-provide-safe-spots-to-shoot-up

It gives people that are addicted the best chance of getting to treatment.

Is that something that you support?

Ideas like this are definitely worth supporting on a trial basis.

But, but, but... some of the beaches are still good. And if you can afford the gas, what about camping out in your car? Of course, there is always the chance that everything west of I-5 will be under water soon...


35 Reasons Why You Should Move Away From California (http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/News/271355-2019-11-07-35-reasons-why-you-should-move-away-from-california.htm)




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There is absolutely no chance everything West of the 5 will be underwater anytime soon.  I live a little over a quarter of a mile from the ocean and am at 30 meters elevation.  Even the highest projections for sea level rise call for 150cm in the next 100 years.  The craziest ice shelf scenarios I've seen produce less than 10m of sea level rise by 2200 if we lose both ice shelves. 

I mean at this point it's not even trial basis.

We've found out in multiple studies and 'tries' of it that it works and that we should truly expand it. It's not a permananet solution to the problem, but it's temporary while we work on the issues of drugs and addiction in our country.

I read about these clinics and I believe there are other countries with similar programs, IIRC Switzerland is one of them. I understand the benefit.

What I'm talking about those syringes on the streets I see in the news. That meant they shoot up in public areas and the city just allows them. Not really that safe since they can still OD out there and they may even be less likely to receive help since passerbys would just assume they've just passed out of drunkenness and other things.

I'd say keep the clinics but be more strict in arresting people found shooting up in public. The caught addicts also be forced to take rehab as condition for release. Might also convince those not caught yet to get their fix ONLY in the clinics.

You guys are lucky, we pay around £6 per imperial gallon for diesel fuel in th UK. If  governments really cared about pollution and congestion, then they wouldn't have reduced railways to impractical levels. Now they are thinking of introducing convoys of driverless electric lorries - how mad can it get?