in California, the state, for years, for whatever reasons — fuel economy, global warming, pollution emissions — urging people left and right to buy smaller cars, more economical cars, cars that get more miles to the gallon.

As is the case, here in a state as populous as California, you’re going to have enough sheep out there that when the government says do something, they’ll go do it because they think that’s what defines being a good citizen is following orders from the government.

And enough of them did over the course of recent months that less gasoline was sold. This coupled with a higher gasoline price — OVER $4.00 a gallon, here in San Diego — and all the other factors contributed to what? Less tax revenue pouring into the public coffers in Sacramento.
— OVER $4.00 a gallon, here in San Diego —
This alarmed state officials because everything they suggested people were doing in enough numbers, sufficient numbers, as to impact negatively the collection of tax revenues.

So what did they do? They figured out ways to raise taxes on gasoline and other things to make up their loss. This is typical government, typical liberal government. They tell you to do these great things to save you money and save the planet at the same time.

When they figure out that you saving tax revenue means they don’t get it, then the days of you saving tax revenue are over. So you’ve gone out, you’ve purchased a bunch of junk-heap automobiles that you really didn’t want but because of your desire to be good citizens. You’re driving around a bunch of puny so-called – car, barely able to do 50 miles an hour, but you think that you’re a good citizen.

And all of a sudden everything they told you to do harms them.