Sure! Here’s the rewritten text:
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Aug. 15, 2025 5 AM PT
To the editor: In response to your recent piece (“Newsom’s push to reduce fossil fuels is clashing with California’s thirst for gasoline,” Aug. 11), it’s puzzling why Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democratic lawmakers seem caught off guard.
These legislative moves often look like they’re more about playing politics and giving oil companies a hard time than actually cutting air pollution. Newsom cheers these political plays and asks for even more of them.
Years back, Democrats in the Legislature thought they could play petroleum engineer and came up with this unique political blend of gasoline that the rest of the country doesn’t use. It’s the only kind you’ll find in California, it costs more to produce, and it requires costly modifications for refineries.
When oil companies hike the price for this costly fuel, Newsom cries price gouging. If California can’t get refiners abroad to alter their setups for this unique fuel and put up with governmental hassles, some folks might just have to dust off their old bikes.
Gordon Binder, Pasadena
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To the editor: The uproar over the closure of two refineries in California seems a bit misplaced. A close look at market trends shows internal combustion engines are on their way out by 2035, just a decade away. Instead of warning readers about potential gas hikes due to reduced refining, nudge them towards ditching gas for electric cars.
Americans buy over 40,000 new vehicles daily, with about 3,300 of those being EVs. You could snag a basic Nissan gas car for around $17,000 or get a great used EV for that price, which is cleaner and won’t keep feeding the oil giants. Plus, when you cut your gas consumption, it lessens demand, keeping prices from spiking.
I’d love to see California harness our film industry’s creativity to create ads steering people away from new gas cars. Lower the demand, and we’ll say goodbye to combustion engines sooner than later.
Paul Scott, Santa Monica
