California’s Gas Prices Could Hit $8 Per Gallon

A few days ago, ABC7 posted the following on Facebook:

Gov. Gavin Newsom is demanding to know why California's gas prices are so much higher than the prices in other states.

The governor has tasked the attorney general with investigating why California drivers are paying as much as $1 more per gallon. Is it price gouging? Or something else? https://abc7.la/33OfIUf 

For anyone who either lives (or lived) in California in recent years knows the answer. It is the one-party state government (i.e., Democrats) that over-regulated and over-taxed gasoline and oil in the state. Newsom should take a look in the mirror for his answer.

Now comes a new kicker, and this is from RV Travel:

Hold onto your wallets—California’s gas prices are on track to hit a jaw-dropping $8.44 per gallon by the end of 2026, and experts warn the financial aftershocks could slam Western states too. With two major refineries set to close and a tangle of new state regulations driving up costs, the Golden State’s gas crisis isn’t just a local headache—it’s shaping up to be a regional economic earthquake. The specter of $8 gasoline is enough to make a trip back East look downright inexpensive.

Now nearly $5… $8 gasoline could happen

The highest gas prices in the country are out West. California hits the top of the gauge with an average price per gallon of $4.78 as of Tuesday, May 6. But a new analysis says you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. With the shutdown of two of the state’s refineries in the offing, the findings point to the possibility of pump prices hitting $8.44 by the end of next year. But state lines won’t stop the pump pain—neighbors Nevada and Arizona may feel the big bite, too.

A study released by the University of Southern California took a look at the Golden State’s history of gas prices, its supply of oil, and the capacity of state refineries. It factored in the potential impact of closing two refineries (representing 20% of the state’s refining capacity), and took in the cost of fees and regulations. In the end, this study says $8 gasoline is likely.

Every time I see stories like the above, I have to thank my lucky stars that I moved out of Commiefornia just in the nick of time before Newsom took over. I've been living in New Mexico, where gasoline is under $3.00/gallon, for seven years. No regrets!

No wonder people are leaving the state.

To read more, go here.

NM House Passes Gas Hike Bill

Above, a California gas station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To paraphrase Will Rogers, Democrats never met a tax they didn't like. Or hike. 

You may be familiar with the high gas prices in California due to similar laws. How would you like to pay $5-6 per gallon in New Mexico?

This may be happening in New Mexico as eco-leftists in the legislature are proposing a "clean transportation fuel standard" that, if passed, will hike gasoline prices fifty cents or more.

The Piñon Post reported:

The New Mexico House of Representatives voted Sunday to pass a “clean transportation fuel standard” that will increase gas prices by around 50 cents per gallon or more. The passage was narrowly secured with a vote tally of 36-33, reflecting a divided stance among the legislators, with Democrats joining all Republicans to reject it.

The bill in question, identified as a modified version of House Bill 41 by the House Judiciary Committee, seeks to lay the groundwork for a statewide initiative focused on diminishing the carbon intensity associated with transportation fuels. The ambitious targets set by this initiative aim for a reduction of at least 20% from the levels recorded in 2018 by the year 2030, escalating to a minimum of 30% by 2040.

Proponents of the bill, such as sponsor Rep. Kristina Ortez from Taos, argue that the establishment of such standards is crucial for attracting clean fuel businesses to New Mexico.

States that have adopted similar standards, such as California, Oregon, and Washington, admit that they directly increase fuel prices in these states.

Contact your legislator and tell them to NOT support this crazy bill. 

To read more, go here.

Gov. Grisham and Democrat Leftists Pass "Green New Deal" Law In Near-Secret

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and her Democrat legislative majority in Santa Fe have snuck in a version of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's "Green New Deal" into law with little or no public input.

Daniel Turner of Power The Future wrote an opinion piece for Fox News. It is titled, "Daniel Turner: Stealth AOC ‘Green New Deal’ now the law in New Mexico, voters be damned".

He begins with:

By now, the public is well aware of the “Green New Deal” proposed by freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.  They have not responded well to calls for forced veganism and banning airplanes, let alone giving up the American way of life made possible by cheap energy.  

But while Ocasio-Cortez has taken the brunt of the media focus, environmental groups have developed a new strategy to get their way: pass a type of “Green New Deal” state by state.

It’s a smart tactic. They get friendly, left-leaning state legislators and governors, most of whom they financially backed in the past election, to do their dirty work.  While the media is watching AOC marveling over garbage disposals and rejecting the racism of cauliflower, no one is reporting about bad laws taking shape in secret. 

That’s exactly how radical green groups want it. 

Their latest attempt was in New Mexico, and unfortunately, it succeeded. Newly-elected Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the “Energy Transition Act” in March. This law requires that New Mexico move to 100 percent carbon-free energy – the same long-term goal as the “Green New Deal.” 

This destructive law is essentially a hidden carbon tax and will threaten the jobs of thousands of energy workers, raise utility rates, cut state revenue, and make green energy companies rich at the taxpayers’ expense. 

Green groups have effectively rebranded “carbon tax” as “renewable energy mandates” and to get the same results: the end of fossil fuels.  Force the elimination of low-cost energy sources and mandate high-cost renewables.  Send the bill to customers.  Say it’s “for the earth” and voilà, green energy companies get rich.

But no matter what you call it, it’s a tax, plain and simple.  Economists agree. The University of Chicago, for example, recently released a report detailing how renewable mandates increase energy prices by 17 percent. The Heritage Foundation believes it might be even worse and could double electric bills on families.

Unless the Republican Party of New Mexico gets on board with a referendum on the ballot for voters to rescind this disastrous law, the New Mexico people are screwed.

Petitions are already being circulated.

From the Deming Headlight:

SANTA FE - More laws passed this year by the Democratic-controlled Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham are being targeted for repeal by self-described "patriot" groups from around New Mexico. 

Five new referendum petitions aimed at bills such as an approved increase in New Mexico's $7.50-per-hour minimum wage, a landmark renewable energy law and a framework for having certain criminal records expunged from public view were filed last week with Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver's office.

To read more, go here. 

French Revolt Against Macron's Carbon Tax

The left in the United States have been clamoring for carbon and other taxes on the American driver for years to fight global warming, now called climate change. The whole thing is a fraud. It is a plot by the left to gain control over energy and thereby the people. If they had their way, the leftist Democrats here would impose the same taxes on us.

The French president did just what the left has been clamoring for, and all hell has broken loose in France. The middle class are revolting and rioting. If this tax goes into effect, the French will be facing gasoline prices in excess of $7.00/gallon.

What's happening was best described by Rush Limbaugh yesterday:

You know who’s protesting in France? The middle class. You may not know this. They’re sometimes called the yellow vest crowd. The reason is, in France, you are required to have a yellow vest in your car in case your car has a breakdown or an accident, you’re to put that on so that you’re seen at night by emergency personnel or others. It’s for your safety. So everybody’s wearing the yellow vest. 

It’s the middle class, and they’re protesting over climate change! They’re protesting this carbon tax, which is exactly what the worldwide left wants to happen in the United States. They’re protesting this massive increase in the price of gasoline. And it is the worst protests that have taken place in Paris in all of France since 1968. It is devastating. And it’s happening in the elite sections like near the Champs-Elysees. 

And it’s got this new French president totally nonplussed because he thought this was the route to instant love, to instance popularity. Why, everybody believes in climate change. Everybody wants to save the planet, everybody hates fossil fuels, everybody hates pollution, everybody this, everybody that. This young, impressionable little guy has been led to the trough by a bunch of worldwide leftists, and he’s bought hook, line, and sinker this literal bilge and drivel that they’ve been teaching him. 

So he slaps this massive tax, and now he’s got the middle class in his country revolting. Boston had its problems with tea, the French are having problems with gasoline. I think energy prices are probably more important to people than tea. Now, this is gonna be an interesting winter in Paris. And I hope it doesn’t get too cold because a lot of people use fossil fuels to heat their homes. And when people can’t afford to heat their homes as well as drive their cars, they tend to get grouchy.

The latest news is that President Macron has put a six-month delay in implementing the tax. Yes, he blinked. But the French people don't want a delay, they want the tax eliminated.

To read more, go here.