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I can’t afford an electric car. Congressman Huffman, thinks I must. Huffman doesn’t work for Tesla. He’s supposed to work for us representing California’s second congressional district. Recently, Politico, a moderate to left, online publication, announced: “Jared Huffman told Politico that calling on Biden to declare a “climate emergency” would be one of the “centerpiece actions” to headline the Congressional Progressive Caucus executive order plan.” (Whew—bit of verbal air in that.) Translation. Huffman, along with other Democrats, including Alexandria Casio Cortez, (AOC) are demanding that President Biden use his executive powers to ban drilling on federal lands. Forever. To the amazement of many, Congressman Huffman’s clamorous call to end drilling on government land comes amid the current Ukrainian crisis that has disrupted oil markets all over the world. Including where we live. What’s behind congressman Huffman’s drilling demand on senescent Joe? You know it just like me—put us behind the wheel of brand-new electric car. Sorry, Mr. Congressman, I’m little short of cash. The Tesla for which I dream costs sixty thousand bucks. Or more. And, let us not forget that even Elon Musk, the Henry Ford of electric cars, has recently told President Biden that drilling should resume.
Congressman Huffman lives in Marin, where the average middle-class income is around $171,000 dollars a year. In Tiberon it’s $267,000. Lots of Tesla drivers there. I live here. In rural Mendocino County, and this is what I think: the price for gallon of gas is a stickup aimed at my wallet and I can’t even call the cops. In my county, the average income is around $50,000 dollars. To the north in Humboldt county it’s less than that. $48,000. Trinity and Del Norte, not much better than that. Rural northern California is poor compared to where the congressman lives. Will ending oil exploration on Federal lands (forever) drive the price of gasoline down? Stupid question there, and Jared Huffman knows the answer to that. Two years ago, America was completely energy sufficient. At that time, I bought gas in Wyoming for $2.98 a gallon. Today, in the town of Mendocino, the nearest gas station to my house, gas is $8.63 per gallon. Yikes! Yes, a profit gouging anomaly, but at some places in LA a gallon of gas is over seven bucks a pop. Has Huffman and his colleague AOC taken these prices into account while they save the world from heat stroke, or bring peace and quiet to groundhogs living on government land?
If they haven’t, I have a friend who has. Salvador was born in Mexico City. He’s a very sweet guy. His English is not so hot, but, then again, I’m too dumb to speak Spanish at all. He and his wife live in a trailer court in Ukiah. She works in home service. He commutes to properties close to where I live doing manual, property work. His daily commute is more than a hundred miles. Fifty plus out; fifty plus back. Salvador shakes his head and raises his hands to the sky, when we discuss the current price of gas. He labors for an entire day just to put fuel in his tank to work his five-day week. That’s the problem with lofty, abstract thought. Big thinkers seldom think about what happens to the little guy.
Of course, our President has already made it impossible to drill on public lands. Red tape for a permit? The dinosaurs will return before anything happens there. Huffman is demanding that drilling be stopped forever. Greens and environmentalists are dancing in the streets. However, does our congressman know, that according to recent revelations in the Guardian, Putin and the Russians have been secretly funding European Greens and environmentalists to turn European nations away from fracking, nuclear power and energy dependence? Conspiracy theory? Now days, everything’s a conspiracy when it comes to whacking truth. The world’s a complicated place. In American has anything happened like that? Russia is a gas tank. Why would they do a thing like that?
But…back to us, as we wait in line at Costco praying for cheaper gas. Has my congressman forgotten in his fervor for electric cars that his district—from the Golden Gate to the Oregon line—is comprised of rural land? Land populated by simple bumpkins such as myself. The majority of his votes come from Marin and Sonoma counties where urban people dwell. Why should he care about us? In Marin, few drive a hundred miles to work. They can bicycle to Trader Joes while they’re charging their electric cars. Where I live, it’s ten miles to the nearest store. One way. Others drive further still. Especially if they dive to work. Rural people are becoming more impoverished every day when they put that gas hose in their hands.
Congressman Huffman, hear my plea on behalf of Salvador and everyone else who cares. We need diesel to bring our food; gas to go to the store. Forget about AOC and your wistful, planet plans to remove petroleum from our lives. Wake up, Mr. Congressman! Get in touch with the rest of us: we need gas. At a price we can afford.
-Michael Koepf, Elk, California
Make California golden again vote republican.
Yeah those republicans love a golden shower.
Gas was $0.10 per gallon in Iraq before we invaded them but you never hear them complain.
Try riding a bicycle.
The entry price of a Prius is $25k, just because you can’t afford a Tesla doesn’t mean you can afford an electric car.
I’m sorry I completely disagree with this letter.
Prius EPA-estimated 25 miles of driving range in EV Mode. Lynnemabry, that won’t even get me to Fort Bragg to a quart of milk. And, if I live in Mendocino I’d still be paying $8.62 for a gallon of gas. A Prius is basically a gasoline car.
great job Michael.
We all can’t work from home. Who is going to clean your home, cook your lunch & dinner. Who is is going to pickup your trash. Who is going to show up at the police station, city hall, county offices, fire department, county CDF, local fire departments & volunteers, etc. Higher gasoline prices effectively reduce all our city & county services. So next time I receive my property taxes will they be higher? We need to pay for gasoline, so the firetrucks can drive to my house to put the fire out? There has to be an answer to the higher priced gasoline? Help!
There was, his name Donald Trump. As I recall gas was $2.79 per gallon and we were energy independent when he left office. Boy the Democrats have really done an amazing job!!!!!!!!!
If the cost of low price gas is having trump in office, I will take high gas price instead. I prefer integrity over dishonesty.
So high gas prices, inflation, no border, war, ships stuck at sea, not being energy independent is okay because you hate Trump. You think Sleepy Joe is honest and has integrity. He doesn’t know anything about Hunter’s business, lie. Inflation, Putin’s fault, lie. Gas prices, Putin’s fault, lie. I could go on and on. Don’t let hate make you stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way, this Libtard Huffman is a joke!!!!!!!! Just another Nancy Pelosi voting moron. This Green plea the Libtards are trying to pull off is a high priced scam that will not save the earth. Just another way to tax and regulate your life. You need all aspects of energy, natural gas, oil, electric and wind power. Just ask the people of Texas when the turbines froze. Common sense, where has it gone.
It’s liberal as in a liberal democracy. That is what we live in . Maybe stop using names like “Libtard”, it really makes you sound like a MORON TS
What world are you living in, Libtards are about control, if you don’t agree with them they silence you. They make rules for Covid, which they don’t abide by. You obviously are a Libtard and sound like a MORON, Wow that’s awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way, how’s inflation, gas and the cost of living going for you.
TS what are you doing to make the the world you live in a better place? Beside labeling people and spreading hatred? Yeah… not much.
No hatred, just truth!!!! But you can’t handle the truth. Now you assume that I don’t do anything to make this world better. Do you know me? If you did, you would know I participate in a lot of community oriented events, donate to St. Judes, etc. I guess that’s not much in your opinion!! Also, I love my Country, unlike you. You see I just assumed, kind of like you.
So you must be a ? Conservatard?
Come On, Man!!!!!!!!! Come up with your own, not copy mine. You’re not Sleepy Joe, are you?
The Biden adm is getting spanked by big oil. an we suffer. they shut down the largest oil supply in the world , with the new green deal. If i was an oil company i would shut off the flow of oil entirely! THINK ABOUT THAT! You are lucky you still have oil,
Remember who really runs this country.
You got it rite. Mike