California Has No Idea How Bad Soaring Oil Is Going To Hurt

[AllentownJake]

The next BLS release of unemployment data for California comes this Friday, and its bracing to think what the numbers might be. Currently, the broad measure of unemployment for California–or U6- is running at 19.9% and the more conservative measure, which will be updated this this week, is at 12.2%. I’ve written quite alot on the subject of California this year. So, I watch the macroeconomic newsflow that emerges from the state each week, and most of it is pretty awful.

This Summer I spent a little time on television making the case to both MSNBC and BNN in Toronto that California was extremely overleveraged to the automobile, and should probably think seriously about building out it’s rail system. At that time the machinations over California’s budget were in full swing, and a number of observers thought the budget agreement would put the state on the right path for at least another year. I was doubtful, and said so at the time. Moreover, I tried to draw the two points together: California was now suffering diminishing returns from its vast automobile and highway system, and it was unlikely to crawl forward again as an economy unless petrol became very cheap again (unlikely), or got serious about transition.

This month’s Gregor.us Monthly, published 31 October, is titled Solve for California, and it attempts to lay out the backstory to the Golden State’s current predicament. Meanwhile, I see that Sacramento via the Strategic Growth Council has comissioned a new study, Vision California, and hired Calthorpe Associates of Berkeley to come up with reference scenarios to both spur and define future economic growth in California. Sounds good. But one question I have is as follows: of all the consultancies hired both in the past, and now, do any attempt to quantify for Sacramento the cost of maintaining the automobile system in an era of structurally higher oil prices?

http://www.businessinsider.com/california-leaders-havent-begun-to-think-about-how-screwed-they-are-with-higher-oil-2009-11

[AllentownJake]

1. Who the hell unrecs a post about encouraging a state to develop

Public transportation infrastructure?

:wtf:

[marmar]

2. The psychology of un-rec'ing puzzles me.....

I'll do my part to reverse it. K&R

[Occulus]

3. it might have been accidental, I've done that before

I think we need a confirm dialog for rec and unrec. That way, we could be sure they're intentional when these weird, inappropriate unrecs happen.

[rudy23]

5. The Kucinich avatar makes you a target of the DLC's goon squad

Rahm and Obama's long term political strategy for dealing with us on the left is to brand us with Kucinich, and call him every vile name in the book. Check my journal for a more detailed history of this tactic.

[AllentownJake]

6. I think my other posts have done that long before I slapped Dennis up there

:rofl:

[rudy23]

7. I'm starting to think certain people are on an unrec list, and the paid bots go after them.

It really is a shame the way Rahm and Obama have gone after their own base like this. Truly disgusting.

[AllentownJake]

8. No this guy has a following

Where people who support him assume the worst of anyone who questions him...I've seen it in real life. Funny when people you used to sit in a room to discuss strategy with in electing someone assume you want the President to fail because you think some of his policies are shit.

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. knr

[anigbrowl]

9. not very impressive article

I mean, we've already passed a bond and accelerated the approval process for building a high speed rail link up and down the coast. Municipalities are already investing in 3-phase electric charging stations that will be usable by battery-powered cars. Los Angeles is further expanding its subway system. We're examining plans for building an enormous solar farm in the Mojave desert. And California led the fight for more fuel-efficient auto standards, to the point of suing the (Bush) EPA for the right to maintain our own emissions standsrds, which the (Obama) EPA has now adopted for national use.

People grumble about our 'governator', but one thing he has been really good on is pushing for more transit infrastructure and greater fuel efficiency even though state Republicans hate him for it. He's solidly backed infrastructural and energy-reduction policies. He's less good on environmental measures (eg not giving much support to clean air initiatives) so it's a mixed bag...but I have to say he's kept these long-term issues near the top of his agenda and shown a lot more leadership on the issue than most politicians, even many Democratic ones.

Indeed, we could, and should, do more. But to say California is ignoring the issue is misleading.

I don't know why it was unrecced, but some people dislike cut-and-paste posts. Or maybe they disliked the article author's suggestion that we should step up drilling for oil and natural gas off the coast (which I agree with).

[AllentownJake]

11. I don't know much about California Politics

Thank you for the insider view on what is going on.

[asdjrocky]

10. Public transportation sucks in Ca.

Recently I went from Stockton Ca to Salem Or. I checked both buses and trains. More than 18 hours by train at around 160 bucks round trip. Bus was more than 15 hours and about 150 bucks. It was cheaper to drive and pay for gas.

Didn't check on air fair, but I'll do that next time.

[diane in sf]

12. I live in SF, the bay area is better than many parts of CA for transit. The mayor is working

on charging stations for electric cars for those who don't have garages. I'm looking forward to never buying gasoline again in the next few years. The best would be to charge with solar.