Article

2011-03-07 Home Front: Culture Wars

Some Californians Will Have To Decide Between Food Or Gas

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by DarthVader 2011-03-07 12:03|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top

#1 Unlike some of the big eastern cities like New York and Boston, California was built around the car. Our suburbs and bedroom communities are spread out all over the place. Developers love it whenever a freeway is extended because that's an open invitation for them to build new housing tracts. People move into these new houses because they're so much cheaper than houses that are closer to the big cities and the jobs. It doesn't take long for the new freeway to become just another parking lot as frustrated commuters vie with one another for advantage in the traffic jams. Most people would consider a 20 mile commute to be indeed "moderate". You buy a new car on a five year payment plan and it'll be worn out before you're done paying for it. Rising gas prices really are gonna hurt.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2011-03-07 12:46|| 2011-03-07 12:46|| Front Page Top

#2 Just remember....Obama's California margin of victory was 24%. They also re-elected Governor Moonbeam and Senator "Don't Call Me Ma'am" Boxer.

Screw 'em if they insist on voting in stupid. Maybe if it hurts enough they just might get a clue.

Posted by Swamp Blondie 2011-03-07 15:36|| 2011-03-07 15:36|| Front Page Top

#3 Rising gas prices really are gonna hurt.
A substantial part of the USA (not just the far West, either) was populated & developed largely because of the widespread use of autos, dirt cheap fuel, and subsidized highway construction & maintenance. Affordable housing was built as far as possible from places of employment, and long commutes became baked in to ways of life.
The pain of really expensive auto fuel has been understood since at least 1973. The USA has since been hit with several cluebats, most recently during the summer and fall of 2008. As little as possible has been done to adapt to that possibility. Californians who obligated themselves to frequent long commutes were just as capable of doing math ($/mile and $/week spent on commuting) as any other American. Now they and the rest of us will be paying the price for failure to act appropriately and in time.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-03-07 15:36|| 2011-03-07 15:36|| Front Page Top

#4 Screw 'em if they insist on voting in stupid. Maybe if it hurts enough they just might get a clue.
That's the 2011 version of Ben Franklin's "Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other."

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-03-07 15:38|| 2011-03-07 15:38|| Front Page Top

#5 Given the distances, how are they going to get food home from the supermarket?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2011-03-07 15:39|| 2011-03-07 15:39|| Front Page Top

#6 Given the distances, how are they going to get food home from the supermarket? Carpooling, or a variation of it. Send one of those monstrous SUVs to the supermarket with a long-enough shopping list & pack it full of the needs of several families, then split the cost of the fuel among the beneficiaries.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-03-07 16:57|| 2011-03-07 16:57|| Front Page Top

#7 Split the diff. Buy ammo.

Posted by mojo 2011-03-07 16:58|| 2011-03-07 16:58|| Front Page Top

#8 ...pack it full of the needs of several families...

They are already doing a version of that here. The ~~illegals~~ undocumented immigrants are putting several families in one.

I swear, if I tried to put that many people in a car I would get ticketed.

Posted by DarthVader 2011-03-07 17:02|| 2011-03-07 17:02|| Front Page Top

#9 Two words:
High. Speed. Rail.

Posted by swksvolFF 2011-03-07 17:03|| 2011-03-07 17:03|| Front Page Top

#10 if I tried to put that many people in a car I would get ticketed. It's not necessary for each of the families to personally visit the supermarket. A team of two can pick out & haul groceries for multiple families, just takes a bit of advance planning and teamwork. Those who live hand-to-mouth & can't buy more than a few days' worth of food at a time, aren't able to do this.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-03-07 17:07|| 2011-03-07 17:07|| Front Page Top

#11 Well obviously the entitled moochers will need to have the food delivered - at taxpayer expense.

And the taxpayers would just have to tighten their belts that much more...

Posted by CrazyFool 2011-03-07 17:07|| 2011-03-07 17:07|| Front Page Top

#12 Maybe this will help the lines at DMV.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2011-03-07 18:40|| 2011-03-07 18:40|| Front Page Top

#13 Y'all don't stop at the grocery store on the way home? That's what I used to do when I had a paying job...

Posted by trailing wife 2011-03-07 19:59|| 2011-03-07 19:59|| Front Page Top

#14 Hey I got that hippy bus. Give me Moonbeam anytime.
Church donations are way down. Charitable food donations are also down. Food banks can't handle the large numbers seeking assistance. The great society indeed. Faith in government and precious little in your fellow man. Faith in God would set our priorities correctly. Otherwise riots for certain. Anyone perceived to have anything will be a target. Anyone suspected of hoarding will lose everything. It could even get much worse.

Posted by Dale 2011-03-07 21:37|| 2011-03-07 21:37|| Front Page Top

#15 c'mon guys I live in LA.
Most of what you guys posted simply ain't true. Most people live near their jobs here just like everywhere else.
But some choose to travel more because there's lots of stuff to see and do when your city in 500 square miles in size.
Especially with good weather most of the time.
Gas expenses for traveling type jobs ..ie..outside or route sales is generally deductible.
And most people in Southern California make more money than their counterparts in other states for the same type work.
But you are right about re-electing that communist broad and Governor 'moonbeam'.
But maybe they will get the blame for the impending doom thats on the way.
I cry for my city & state.

Posted by Mikey Hunt 2011-03-07 22:16|| 2011-03-07 22:16|| Front Page Top

00:03 JosephMendiola
23:25 JosephMendiola
23:20 badanov
23:17 JosephMendiola
23:03 Old Patriot
22:59 Caesar Snuter1559
22:56 JosephMendiola
22:42 Ulutch Dingle8554
22:33 Chesney Unavish8173
22:27 OldSpook
22:16 Mikey Hunt
22:13 Barbara Skolaut
22:13 Anguper Hupomosing9418
21:52 swksvolFF
21:49 OldSpook
21:37 Dale
21:28 Hellfish
21:26 Hellfish
20:05 Fire and Ice
19:59 trailing wife
19:51 crosspatch
19:40 SteveS
19:40 JFM
19:20 Rivrdog