Refinery Closures: A Self-Inflicted Crisis
California’s oil refining industry is in free fall. Once-reliable refineries are shutting down, citing soaring operational costs, suffocating regulations, and declining in-state production. Instead of stepping in to protect energy security, Governor Newsom and the uni-party legislature have remained largely silent, leaving Californians to face the consequences.
The result: skyrocketing fuel prices, reduced energy independence, and an economy increasingly reliant on imports from halfway around the world.
Imported Gasoline: India and the Russian Connection
With domestic refining on the decline, California now relies heavily on imported gasoline. Much of this comes from India, where refineries process crude oil sourced from Russia before exporting the refined products to the United States. In 2025, the state imported 39,000 barrels per day of gasoline and blending components from India—the highest level in over a year.
This creates a striking reality: Californians may be indirectly paying for fuel that benefits Russia’s economy, and by extension, fund activities that California’s leaders publicly condemn. All while the state celebrates its climate leadership and energy policies.
Half-Measures That Fail Californians
Governor Newsom has attempted to show action. Policies requiring fuel inventories and limited new drilling permits are presented as solutions. But these are stopgap measures at best—they barely touch the root of the problem.
Fuel prices remain high, the cost of living continues to climb, and environmental groups warn that even these small drilling expansions undermine California’s climate goals. Residents are left paying the price for political theater, not real results.
The Everyday Burden on Californians
Housing, utilities, and energy costs are all at record highs. Californians face a perfect storm: not only are they paying some of the highest fuel prices in the nation, but their gasoline may also be indirectly funding a foreign adversary. Meanwhile, state leaders focus more on optics and ideology than on practical solutions to ease these burdens.
The Big Question: Who’s Looking Out for California?
California likes to call itself a leader in innovation and climate policy, but when it comes to protecting residents from economic pain, leadership has failed. Californians are stuck with high costs, declining local production, and reliance on foreign fuel sources—including Russian crude refined abroad.
The critical question remains: What does Governor Newsom know about these risks, and what is he actually doing to lower costs for the people who live here? So far, the answer is painfully clear: not nearly enough.
Bottom Line: Time for Real Leadership
It’s time for California to demand real energy security, real relief at the pump, and real leadership. Closing refineries, ignoring domestic production, and relying on imported gasoline is not a strategy—it’s a policy failure. Californians deserve leaders who prioritize the people over political theater, ideology, or global optics.
We are so screwed.
— Steve
