Part 13/14:
California’s future hinges on whether policymakers heed the warnings of industry leaders and economic trends. Without substantial reform—reducing regulatory burdens, incentivizing energy production, and respecting market dynamics—the state risks descending into economic and social instability.
For now, big oil’s warning serves as a stark indicator: continue down the current path, and California risks losing its energy independence altogether. The choices made in the coming days and years will determine whether the state can stabilize its supply chain, control costs, and sustain prosperity—or whether it will become a poster child for the failures of political virtue signaling and regulation gone awry.