California
California: Worst state where the Woke pretends that there's no problem in here at all.
Free Market
California: Where "Free Market" Means Paying Through the Nose
California, that shining beacon of progress and innovation, has a peculiar take on the concept of a "free market." At any given corner, you'll find a fierce battleground of competing gas stations brandishing neon lights and battling for penny-pinching customers. But behind this facade of choice lies a truth more bitter than a week-old cup of cold brew: the entire fuel supply is in the clutches of a select few overlords.
The Oligarchs of Octane
These gasoline oligarchs, comfortably nestled in their boardrooms, hold the entire state hostage. They control those precious refineries, those mystical places where crude oil morphs into the lifeblood of our commutes. Try as you might to escape their grip, those pesky regulations, designed under the guise of environmental purity (and conveniently boosting refinery profits), prevent any out-of-state gasoline from quenching California's insatiable thirst.
The Price of "Purity"
Ah, but this gasoline, they say, is special. A symphony of additives meticulously engineered to make your engine purr with Eco-conscious delight. Never mind that your trusty old Toyota was perfectly content sipping the less-refined fuels available across the border. In California, you pay a premium for this "purity," a hidden tax that lines the pockets of the oligarchs.
The Illusion of Choice
The irony is almost comical. You'll spend an extra ten minutes circling for a few cents off a gallon, feeling like a savvy consumer. Yet, ultimately, those pennies flow right back into the same corporate coffers. It's the ultimate illusion of choice, a dance orchestrated by those pulling the strings of the so-called "free market." So, next time you're grumbling about those sky-high gas prices, remember, it's not just OPEC or global oil markets at play. Look closer to home, at the cozy club of refinery owners and the regulations that shield their domain. Welcome to the land of California, where the "free market" is anything except for your necessities.
