$8/GAL GAS HELL! Newsom LIES and BLAMES Iran War—Ignores CA Taxes 2X National, Refineries CLOSING

This episode of 'News For Reasonable People' delivers a blistering critique of California Governor Gavin Newsom's response to soaring gas prices, accusing him of deflecting blame onto the Iran war while ignoring the state's own policy failures. The hosts argue that California's high gas prices—reaching $8 per gallon in some areas—are primarily driven by the closure of refineries due to strict environmental regulations, particularly those enforced by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). They highlight that California has reduced its refineries from 40 to just seven, forcing reliance on imported fuel from distant sources like Texas and the Bahamas, which increases costs and supply fragility. The episode emphasizes that the Iran conflict is a symptom, not the cause, of California's energy crisis, and criticizes Newsom for scapegoating Trump while avoiding accountability for his own climate policies that have crippled domestic refining capacity. The hosts also condemn the state's regressive gas taxes and the failure to implement a reserve policy that could have stabilized prices during supply shocks, despite warnings from major oil companies like Chevron, Marathon, and PBF.