Actual Energy Diversity

There are many demands for diversity in various aspects of life and government in California. But aspects of business and quality of life where diversity is most needed, is ironically where California government works hard to narrow options to electricity. That aspect is energy.

Dependability and resilience of California energy of various types requires a diversity of energy sources. That is now reenforced due to the high electricity consumption of the rapidly expanding AI, artificial intelligence. 

California green energy policies and mandates have radically driven up energy prices, and therefore costs, to everyone, hitting small businesses and those of lower income especially hard. Sole reliance on electric power that is dependent on a fragile grid and uncontrollable factors, such as lower precipitation impacting hydro power production and reduced solar power production due to limited sunlight during winter, is pointlessly inviting disaster. This creates pointlessly high energy prices, in a state where it had been very inexpensive in previous decades and far below the national average, while it is now far above the national average.  

The idiotic and pointless green mandates have driven prices for everyone up as businesses leave this state, making middle class employment drop.  

This is complete nonsense in energy rich California with plentiful oil, natural gas, hydro, geothermal resources, and where nuclear energy, considered green energy in Europe, has been stupidly curtailed by legislated policy. Logically, California should have the lowest energy prices in the nation, not the highest.  

As this is being written I am experiencing the benefits of diversified energy caused by the failure of a two-year-old heating system that suddenly refused to work immediately prior to a weekend, meaning several days before a technician could analyze and fix the problem of a system serviced only a couple of months ago. Repairs were delayed by the need to order parts. During the interim outside temperatures never went degrees above the mid-40s. While the house heat was out of service, the gas water heater still functioned, an electric space heater helped with critical small animal needs, and a fireplace became the became the gathering spot for dog and turtle. 

The environmental wackos seek to do away with natural gas and fireplaces, the lack of which would have left a residence devoid of anything more than a couple of degrees above freezing for many days.         

Another irony; the liberal political office holders that loudly proclaim themselves as protectors of the middle and lower economic classes have legislated policies gutting business and manufacturing entities, forcing many of them to leave the state, and lowering the tax base. That has hollowed out the pool of middle-income earners and destroyed opportunities for lower income earners to move up to the middle class. The left-wing politicians then propose to make up that economic destruction with government subsidies, to blatantly buy votes for their reelections with tax money. That hypocrisy is why California state and local government budgets are largely in deficit mode even though tax revenues are at record highs. 

The unavoidable fact is that the affordability crisis of California is caused by ridiculous legislated and administered regulations controlled by the Governor, energy being perhaps the worst example.

Paraphrasing Ronald Reagan, more power to government is the problem, not the answer. 

In recent years Governor Gavin Newsom’s loud and obviously false pronouncements of high gasoline prices due to oil company “gouging” and the resulting legislation adding more regulation, only drove prices even higher. As has seen recent press coverage, oil refineries in California are closing due idiotic regulation, and the resulting gasoline and diesel prices will only dramatically rise, as been predicted by academic studies. 

Billionaire Tom Steyer, a master energy hypocrite as fossil fuels created his fortune, is now running for Governor, his prime issue is attacking utilities for high energy prices while well knowing that is untrue.    

It is far past the time for the voters to understand the difference between “feel good” energy policies and policies that actually do good for the public and the environment. 

Further, a restored California requires complete rejection of the Newsom-and-Steyer-type demagogues. 

The 2026 state elections offer the opportunity to break this state’s single party power lock that has brought nothing but destruction of the economy and corruption to California.