‘TOTAL INSANITY’: Steve Hilton lets loose on elitists over California’s climate policy

Key Concepts

• Offshore Oil Drilling Proposals: New proposals by the Trump administration to allow offshore oil drilling along the California coast.
• 5-Year Offshore Drilling Program: A draft proposal detailing a schedule of lease sales and potential new drilling areas.
• California Gas Prices: Significantly higher than the national average, impacting working-class Californians.
• Energy Independence: The argument for utilizing domestic oil and gas resources instead of importing them.
• Environmental Regulations: Policies like the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard and Cap-and-Trade system that are argued to increase gas prices.
• California Resources Board (CARB): A regulatory agency criticized for policies that drive up gas prices.
• Bunker Fuel: The fuel used by supertankers, described as a highly polluting form of transportation.
• Imported Oil: California's reliance on foreign oil, with Iraq being a primary provider.
• Rainforest Oil: California's purchase of oil drilled in the rainforest, highlighted as hypocritical.
• $3 Gas Goal: Steve Hilton's campaign promise to reduce gasoline prices in California to $3 per gallon.
• Refinery Regulations: Regulations creating unique gasoline blends for California, dating back to the 1970s.

Offshore Oil Drilling Proposals and California's Energy Landscape

The Trump administration is considering new proposals to permit offshore oil drilling along the California coast. A draft proposal, revealed by The Washington Post, outlines a five-year offshore drilling program that includes a schedule for lease sales and identifies potential new drilling areas. This initiative has drawn strong opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has vowed to block the proposal.

Arguments Against Current Energy Policies and for Domestic Production

Steve Hilton, a California gubernatorial candidate, argues that current climate policies in California are hypocritical and detrimental to working-class residents. He contends that these policies, aimed at appeasing "climate change crazies," lead to massively increased gas prices, making California's prices the highest in the country, even exceeding Hawaii's.

Hilton's central argument is that as long as California continues to use oil and gas, it should utilize its own domestic resources rather than shutting down its own industry, destroying jobs, and increasing prices. He highlights the current practice of importing oil, often via giant supertankers that run on bunker fuel, which he describes as the most polluting form of transportation. A significant fact presented is that California's number one provider of oil is currently Iraq.

Furthermore, Hilton criticizes Governor Newsom for flying to the rainforest to purchase oil drilled there, calling it "insane" and hypocritical. He contrasts this with the potential benefits of opening California's own production to reduce gas prices for its residents, with a stated goal of achieving "$3 gas in California."

Steve Hilton's Plan to Reduce Gas Prices

Marcus, the interviewer, expresses fascination with Hilton's focus on energy and the "$3 gas" promise, inquiring about the immediate steps Hilton would take on his first day in office. Hilton outlines a four-pronged approach:

1. Remove "Climate Zealots" from Regulatory Agencies: Hilton proposes removing individuals from regulatory bodies like the California Resources Board (CARB) who he believes are driving the "insanity" and pushing gas prices higher.
2. Repeal the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard: This policy is identified as a key driver of increased gas prices.
3. End the Cap-and-Trade System: Hilton views this system, which he describes as a tax on companies using and producing energy, as contributing to higher costs.
4. Reform Refinery Regulations: He advocates for ending the "insanity" of importing oil and gas, which incurs costs for transportation on supertankers and complex refining processes. Hilton argues that these regulations create "ridiculous blends of gasoline" unique to California, dating back to the 1970s when smog was a problem, a problem now largely solved by car technology.

Hilton acknowledges that achieving $3 gas is not easy but asserts it is "doable." He notes that even with these reforms, California's gas prices would likely remain higher than in most other states without oil reserves.

Conclusion

The discussion centers on the proposed expansion of offshore oil drilling in California and the high gasoline prices experienced by the state's residents. Steve Hilton argues that current environmental regulations and import policies are counterproductive, leading to increased costs and job losses. He proposes a plan to reduce gas prices by reforming regulatory agencies, repealing specific policies like the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard and Cap-and-Trade, and focusing on domestic oil production to achieve his campaign goal of $3 gas. The core argument is that California should prioritize its own energy resources to benefit its citizens, rather than relying on foreign imports and adhering to what he terms "insane" and "regressive" policies.