INDEPENDENT'S MORAL HIGH GROUND: IS IT THE LOCAL POT SHOP'S ROOFTOP?

The Santa Barbara Independent, bless its ever-so-earnest heart, recently published a profound rumination on 'Power, Heat, and Water,' starting with a deep thought about America's commitment to the 'moral high ground.' One can only assume this isn't a deep dive into the practicalities of keeping the lights on or water flowing, but rather a gentle, poetic sigh about feelings. Given the current administration in Washington, led by President Trump, America's moral high ground is firmly rooted in energy independence, economic strength, and secure borders, which seems to fly right over the heads of our local progressive pundits.

While the Independent waxes philosophical, actual Santa Barbarans are left wondering why their energy bills continue to climb faster than a progressive's property taxes, and why basic infrastructure seems perpetually ignored unless it involves renaming a street or banning straws. The 'moral high ground' for most working families involves being able to afford to heat their homes, fill their gas tanks, and not worry about the next power outage. Yet, the Independent seems more concerned with abstract ideals than the very real, tangible costs of the green-mandate dogma embraced by the local political class.

Perhaps if the Independent spent less time gazing navel-ward and more time scrutinizing the county's energy policies, or the supervisors' consistent votes against common-sense energy solutions, they'd realize the 'moral high ground' is currently eroding under a torrent of regulatory overreach and virtue signaling. But that would require actually connecting the dots between policy and pocketbooks, a connection often lost in the lofty rhetoric emanating from our local 'enlightened' media. Maybe next time, they could focus on why we can't get enough power to run a hairdryer without being lectured on climate change.