New California gas tax went into affect today

[Trigganometry]

See, everyone’s view of it is different depending on how you prepared for the future and additionally the quality of life you expect in retirement.

For me after raising 4 kids to adults pretty much took everything I earned to make their lives comfortable. That’s millions of dollars when you really look at the whole picture.

When I sold my company I made enough to retire at 43. Took the next 4 1/2 years off doing home projects and the like. Then I got bored! Wife wasn’t happy ether. Friction started. Found a consultant gig and felt the value of working and the self esteem that goes with it again. Everything extra made got salted away. I put the max into 401 every year and will continue to work till I’m 70 I think. Why? Because I already know what retirement is, my parents both lived into their 90’s, grand parents too and that means I got another 30 years to enjoy life. I’m not counting on the government for anything because I KNOW that’s a fools folly

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[JTDay]

$3.39 for 93 in Conyers, GA today

 

[AzScorpion]

It jumped up in the early 2000's iirc. Used to cost me $20 to fill up back then, now it costs $80.


Unfortunately this is true, but you'll find that the most socialist countries are happy to pay for it. 40% tax in some places, yet highest quality of life and happiest citizens.


Personally I would rather pay all the taxes I do than end up with hundreds of thousands in unexpected healthcare bills. The less your luck can effect your life, the better, imo. I've had kidney stones 3 times and appendicitis before that, not to mention countless other hospital visits. I'd probably be an inverse-millionaire by now if I didn't live here.

These topics always remind me of Mexico, Brazil, and parts of South Africa, where you have affluent neighborhoods bumping up against poor ones (with literal metal huts). Where the wealthy have to hire body guards or even walls with watch towers surrounding them and their loved ones. I feel like that's what you get when you make everyone fend for themselves. Is that the American Dream? Did Mexico beat you to it?

Personally I’d rather have it the way it used to be here without the govt interfering with it. I’ve been paying my own for 35 years and it was affordable and great. But once MA implemented their version of the ACA prices skyrocketed and the quality of healthcare went down.

It has nothing to do with people fending for themselves it does however have everything to do with keeping the government out of the healthcare business. I don’t know much about yours up there but only what I’ve heard from my Canadian snowbird friends. Some like it and some hate it. Here almost everyone I know hates the ACA. The only good thing was it made pre existing conditions eligible which they always should’ve been.

 

[Leftcoast]

It jumped up in the early 2000's iirc. Used to cost me $20 to fill up back then, now it costs $80.


Unfortunately this is true, but you'll find that the most socialist countries are happy to pay for it. 40% tax in some places, yet highest quality of life and happiest citizens.


Personally I would rather pay all the taxes I do than end up with hundreds of thousands in unexpected healthcare bills. The less your luck can effect your life, the better, imo. I've had kidney stones 3 times and appendicitis before that, not to mention countless other hospital visits. I'd probably be an inverse-millionaire by now if I didn't live here.

These topics always remind me of Mexico, Brazil, and parts of South Africa, where you have affluent neighborhoods bumping up against poor ones (with literal metal huts). Where the wealthy have to hire body guards or even walls with watch towers surrounding them and their loved ones. I feel like that's what you get when you make everyone fend for themselves. Is that the American Dream? Did Mexico beat you to it?

Slow your roll there Canuck. I don't like Georgia ripping on California but I don't like Canada ripping on the US more. You can't try to sell us that crappy oil sands garbage and believe you have the high ground here.
edit I'm waiting for some European to chime in ripping on North America.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

Slow your roll there Canuck. I don't like Georgia ripping on California but I don't like Canada ripping on the US worse. You can't try to sell us that crappy oil sands garbage and believe you have the high ground here.

I'm just stating my observations. Not trying to have high ground. It's not a pissing contest and I don't want anyone to get emotional and feel the need to defend their country. FWIW I think it could be a lot better up here than it is. There are plenty of countries doing it better than Canada. I think one of the issues common to both the US and Canada is that we let our egos tell us that "we're the best", meanwhile the rest of the world got better in many ways , and now we've fallen behind.. because "we're the best". lol

It has nothing to do with people fending for themselves it does however have everything to do with keeping the government out of the healthcare business. I don’t know much about yours up there but only what I’ve heard from my Canadian snowbird friends. Some like it and some hate it. Here almost everyone I know hates the ACA. The only good thing was it made pre existing conditions eligible which they always should’ve been.

Up here we can choose whichever route we want to go. If public healthcare doesn't cut it for some reason, we can always choose to go to a private healthcare provider instead. In my experience, most of us are happy enough with public healthcare that the we don't even know that there are still private options.

As for ACA I've only heard good things from those I know, but I think it still has a long way to go to match what other countries offer.

 

[AzScorpion]

I'm just stating my observations. Not trying to have high ground. It's not a pissing contest and I don't want anyone to feel the need to get emotional and defend their country. FWIW I think it could be a lot better up here than it is. There are plenty of countries doing it better than Canada. I think one of the issues common to both the US and Canada is that we let our egos tell us that "we're the best", meanwhile the rest of the world got better in many ways , and now we've fallen behind.. because "we're the best". lol



Up here we can choose whichever route we want to go. If public healthcare doesn't cut it for some reason, we can always choose to go to a private healthcare provider instead. In my experience, most of us are happy enough with public healthcare that the we don't even know that there are still private options.

As for ACA I've only heard good things from those I know, but I think it still has a long way to go to match what other countries offer.

We can still chose but it made the public system way more expensive than it was before the ACA. I think those with a lot of health issues and that are lower income love it and I can see why.The ones like myself who are in good health and make to much to qualify for it don’t because it raised all our rates. I wish there were better choices for those with private healthcare and in good health.

 

[KNI]

Unfortunately this is true, but you'll find that the most socialist countries are happy to pay for it. 40% tax in some places, yet highest quality of life and happiest citizens.

I disagree, and I live in the "happiest country in the world".

Sure, if instead of me paying taxes the government would give me an apartment, tv, phone, internet, hobbies, free childcare, monthly paycheck and endless free time then I also would probably be happy. But since I need to support 2.17 of these freebooters through tax I'm not happy. But on average I and the freebooters are still 70% happy anyway. And therefore we get 7 out of 10 on the world happiness scale and win!

https://happiness-report.s3.amazonaws.com/2020/WHR20.pdf

 

[TechnicallyReal]

I disagree, and I live in the "happiest country in the world".

Sure, if instead of me paying taxes the government would give me an apartment, tv, phone, internet, hobbies, free childcare, monthly paycheck and endless free time then I also would probably be happy. But since I need to support 2.17 of these freebooters through tax I'm not happy. But on average I and the freebooters are still 70% happy anyway. And therefore we get 7 out of 10 on the world happiness scale and win!

https://happiness-report.s3.amazonaws.com/2020/WHR20.pdf

Can't make everyone happy, and there are always those who don't need the help and therefore feel like they're being taken advantage of by everyone else. That's always the argument I see.

But the thing about not needing help is that one day maybe you will, and then it all balances out. Just like no-fault insurance. It's a ripoff until you use it.

 

[awd.nv]

You can't call last word right after you had the last word. That's not cricket.

How is California specifically trying to push their agenda on other states? Are you refering to the House where we have a majority of reps?

I am very hesitant to even get into this comment but I believe what he may mean is that when CA policy changes, it influences the whole country. For example that recent law about only new vehicles being electric can be sold in CA after 2024 or something. CA being a large market will obviously make an impact on the whole country one way or another with that law.

CA is very progressive (you may like that, I am not debating that mater) and once one state does a change no other state has done before, then others follow.

Lastly, as many Californian's leave the state, often due to cost of living, they often bring their ideology to other states which makes an impact. That is another form of making an impact on outside states.

My mentality is if you left CA or any other state because cost of living or whatever, who made the policies that took away your quality of life away and do not vote that way in the state you move to. CA fuel is so high because of the taxes on them, those taxes help pay for the state spending. If you do not agree with that spending, surely someone an complain about their tax rates.

 

[silverflash]

so, how do you all like the ranger? LOL.

 

[Leftcoast]

Didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I grew up in So Cal and lived there until I was 26, and I still have friends and family out there. Love the State, just not the government.

California is part of my US of A, so I do care ...a lot! I'm saddened by what I see going on there and a couple other states I won't mention. And yeah, I'm a little scared that some of the state's elected officials will pass that on to others.

I'm sure you know all about Californian's (long-time residents and business) leaving the state and moving to other states like Texas. I actually welcome Californian's who come here and assimilate, just don't' California my Texas!

If you live there and you're OK with it, then great. Keep on paying $5 for premium and I'll think of you and won't be jealous when I'm filling up at $3.

$2 a gallon so I don’t have to move to Texas. That sounds cheap. It’s a deal.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Yes, because God forbid we made sure people wouldn't lose their entire life savings/house/etc if they get seriously ill or injured.

Also, the irony of this being posted by a retired Canadian is amazing...since he doesn't have to worry about it BECAUSE he has socialized healthcare in Canada.

Had a very good friend in Drayton Valley AB....suspect heart blockage. Hospital in Edmonton said allocation of special dye was used up and go home and do not have a heart attack....it will be about 3 months. So he went home, had a heart attack and died....?

 

[Opusnbill7]

Had a very good friend in Drayton Valley AB....suspect heart blockage. Hospital in Edmonton said allocation of special dye was used up and go home and do not have a heart attack....it will be about 3 months. So he went home, had a heart attack and died....?

I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

However, that sounds like a management problem. For something that serious the hospital/medical group should have prioritized procurement of that dye over something else that can wait (lets say knee scopes?) if it was a resource problem for the hospitals because they're socialized (which is what I think you're implying...)

Same could happen in the US in a poorly managed private hospital group (and in some areas you'd be in just as little luck without travelling long distances). A nearby hospital chain was part of a purchasing spree by a nationwide group a few years back. They had to cancel surgeries because they ran out of anasthesia medicines because the hospital admin was trying to impress the new owners.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

However, that sounds like a management problem. For something that serious the hospital/medical group should have prioritized procurement of that dye over something else that can wait (lets say knee scopes?) if it was a resource problem for the hospitals because they're socialized (which is what I think you're implying...)

Same could happen in the US in a poorly managed private hospital group (and in some areas you'd be in just as little luck without travelling long distances). A nearby hospital chain was part of a purchasing spree by a nationwide group a few years back. They had to cancel surgeries because they ran out of anasthesia medicines because the hospital admin was trying to impress the new owners.

Unfortunatly the Dye was controlled by the Canadian Federal Govt from what I learned from his wife.... Sad...

 

[AzScorpion]

I feel bad for you guys in TX. On the other hand I am also happy when libs move out of state from here and go somewhere far away.

Hopefully they'll all move out and we can move there!

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