Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share The Liberty Conspiracy Audio Pod, for 3-30-26!
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
The Liberty Conspiracy Audio Pod, for 3-30-26!
Welcome, fellow Conspirators!
Immense thanks to the great and energetic gang of Conspirators who joined us to cut apart the big news + uncover key lessons for freedom. We got to play great music, compare notes, and touch on journalism. - Join us, m-f 6 PM on Rumble or on X, and get the audio pod at Spotify or here, at Substack! - Here are some of the major topics we got to investigate tonight!
Subscribe now
Share
WARIRANWe begin with Trump preparing to send ~20,000 soldiers into the Persian Gulf, and that estimate is on the low side, likely to grow. 10K already are near their final target zone, bringing the total of troops already in the general vicinity (land bases and sea) to 50K. Trump not only already has engaged in War Crimes in Iran, facilitated Israeli War Crimes in Gaza, and committed mass murder in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, he has not spoken out re the Israelis targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran, and he doubled down, making his deceit re “negotiations” (which he previously has used to trick Iranians, before blasting them) even more egregious. Here, he makes it worse, openly calling for more attacks on civilian infrastructure - more war crime activity. In announcing his latest threat of commanding his soldiers to attack civilian infrastructure, Trump also wove in a deft “out”, claiming that the US has engaged in “regime change” and that his team was making “great progress” negotiating with the Iranian team. That claim of “progress” has not been verified by anyone, so it appears as if Trump is lying, again. Trump appears to be pulling his standby trick of trying to talk down oil prices by claiming “progress” in “negotiations” - utterly bogus.
Additionally, the US demands, as we will see in a video below of Marco Rubio, are thuggish demands that Iran need not accept, and would be crazy to accept. Iran’s government has control of the Persian Gulf, and its government demands these key things: A. US bases out of the Middle East. B. All sanctions lifted. C Reparations paid by US.
Some of the observers I know have mentioned that they think Trump is desperate to find a way out that will make it look as if the US has control and has ended any Iranian “nuclear development” - Iran will not give up nuclear power. Here is the toxic mixture of Trump’s “Truth Social” post.
-Here is additional thinking from Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute, re the Trump threat of more war crimes:
More.
Share Gardner Goldsmith
More.
Meanwhile, CENTCOM has confirmed that the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command “area of responsibility” (what a quaint way to say, intended occupation zone) waters on Friday, with 3,500 U.S. sailors and Marines on board. This tax-fed, tax-clothed, tax-paid, tax-armed deployment builds on the existing presence, to bring the total to around 50,000 tax-paid U.S. troops in the region. Here is AntiWar on it LINK -
And, as Judge Napolitano and Larry Johnson explain, with footage of Cong Jim Hines (D -CT) from CBS, Trump is not having his “team” properly/legally brief the House Intel Comm on the Trump troop deployment The Congress might notice that they have not declared WAR, so they need to stop him and impeach him (that is for those who think the Constitution is a valid claim of authority over you, which is not the case, but we can, at least, demand that the politician abide by it).
As Natali Morris, of Redacted (Mon-Thurs, 4 pm on YT and Rumble and X) this morning wrote: ‘Nothing says “we’re committed to peace” like sending more troops toward Iran right before negotiations are to take place, and Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has taken note of it, saying, “the enemy publicly signals negotiations while secretly planning a ground invasion.” Last week, Marines received a letter from Lieutenant General Leonard F. Anderson IV, commander of Marine Forces Reserve, in which they were told to “prepare your family” and “check their gear.” The most noteworthy line read, “Our forces are currently engaged in operations connected to Iran and are positioned to preserve stability in the Western Hemisphere.”
Apparently, “preserving stability” requires sending more U.S. fighters as opposed to gearing up on negotiation tactics.
Regarding military deployment to Iran, will the IDF fight too? According to reports, no, they won’t. Why would they? Israeli billionaires leased the U.S. military. Meanwhile, Houthis are ramping up attacks on Israel to support Iran, and the U.S. cannot fight them at the same time, nor can Israel while fighting in Lebanon. The Houthis entered the conflict on Saturday with two missile and drone attacks on Israel in the space of fewer than 24 hours.’
Meanwhile, Oklahoma Sen (R) Lankford claims the US has “won” or “is winning.”
Funny… because the WaPo says something quite different, and so does the activity of the US.
And Rubio is clueless…
-And if Lankford is right, why are we getting this info re NUKES…?
This development, from the UN, is both alarming and not surprising.
And Max Blumenthal stresses what we know: the Trump Admin is saying it needs to take military action to open the Strait of Hormuz, which was open before the US engaged in its military action and Iran closed BECAUSE of the US military action.
Notice how Rubio lies here, telling George Stephanopoulos that “…if Iran had agreed to give up its nuclear ambitions and been open to inspections like every other regime…” first, IRAN WAS OPEN to inspections under the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty and the JCPOA, the latter of which Trump dumped. Second, Israel has nukes and is NOT open to inspections. Third, it is not Rubio’s place to threaten Iranians about anything their government does that is not a direct threat to the US, and even if the nation of Iran did threaten, the US Congress would have to DECLARE WAR.
WH spokes-genocider Karoline Leavitt just openly admitted that Trump engaged in assassination of Iranian negotiators because he did not like their positions. This is low in volume, so we’ll record it and reproduce it for the Liberty Conspiracy Live broadcast tonight.
This is new info on the targeting on that sports arena the US hit in Tehran last week
Daniel Davis discusses Trump’s threat of more war crimes
-Prof Pape (U of Chicago) will be a guest speaker at the next Ron Paul Institute conference in TX.
But, that’s okay, because the US is in very good financial health… (i.e. The US economy is getting its proverbial head kicked in.)
This entire conversation is absolutely essential to see how close the US and Israel are taking the Middle East to nuclear bombing. Prof Postol of MIT explains that Iran can use its civilian nuclear material to create a bomb, that the previous agreements the US had allowed inspectors to see what Iran was doing, and that the threats by the US and Isreal are leading to significant risk of nuclear attack by Israel, and the only thing that might stop Israel is this chance that Iran might reverse policy from the previous Ayatollah and engage in this procedure.
-And, this - thank you, Martin!
@gardgoldsmith @libertytarian ","username":"MalcolmMt13849","name":"Martin Thorne","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/2033623162534170625/rCsz_MNG_normal.jpg","date":"2026-03-30T14:32:54.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/HEqnFPyWQAA_Jsd.png","link_url":"https://t.co/6hGLIhgP21"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":1,"retweet_count":0,"like_count":1,"impression_count":5,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">LEBANONAs we noted in the Sunday News Assembly, Israel continues targeting and killing journalists. Israeli invasion/occupation forces launched multiple strikes on a marked press vehicle near Jezzine in southern Lebanon, killing three journalists and wounding others after firing four missiles. The IDF says one of these journalists was a Hezbollah terrorist, which is baseless. And, in what appears to be an attempt to replicate the “Gaza model” of occupation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his military to expand invasions of southern Lebanon. This is concerning given that the Health Ministry is reporting that Israel has already killed 1,094 in Lebanon this month, and this includes 121 children. The IDF claims that at least 700 of those killed were Hezbollah members, though it has offered no proof.
THE WEST BANK-The Israelis got enough bad publicity that they made a big show of removing the thugs who attacked a CNN crew LINK
Subscribe now
Share
The ZIONIST EVILThis conversation with a rabbi offers a key set of perspectives on the false “jewishness” of Zionism. Kudos to Middle East Eye.
CUBAWe wondered last week whether Trump’s unilateral 30-day “lift” of the blockade against any Russian tankers “already on the water” would apply to shipments headed to Cuba. We have one answer, which popped into the news last night. Headline: “Russian tanker bypasses US oil blockade of Cuba — RT World News” LINK
THE MAD PROSECUTION of MADUROWe have interesting video of Marudo’s son talking about these early days of the “trial” and what the judge has said. It actually does look promising for Maduro. LINK
NORTH KOREAKim and his allies in the government understand the importance of having acquired nuclear weapons to stave off foreign attempts to attack the nation-state. This does not make him a good man, but it indicates what the Iranians are learning — that having a nuclear weapon is a deterrent against foreign attempts to attack or overthrow one’s government. Headline, from the Libertarian Institute: “Kim Oversees Test of New Engine for North Korean ICBM | The Libertarian Institute” LINK
UKRAINE-RUSSIA-NATOHeadline: “Moscow expels UK diplomat for spying — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union” LINK
-AND, RUSSIA SOON WILL BE CUTTING OIL EXPORTS
On March 27, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak instructed the Energy Ministry to prepare a government decree banning gasoline exports starting April 1, 2026, with the measure expected to last until July 31. LINK
Yep. Bad investment. LINK
Share Gardner Goldsmith
GAS PRICES - THE GULF CLOSURE MEETS GAVIN NEWSOM’S PREVIOUS MANDATES IN CAHeadline: “Gas prices surge as LA council confronts fallout from Phillips 66 refinery shutdown” LINK For context, Phillips 66 announced on October 16, 2024, that it would cease operations at its 139,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Los Angeles-area refinery complex (spanning Wilmington and Carson sites, connected by pipeline, ~650–1,300 acres total) in Q4 2025, citing “long-term uncertainty” and “market dynamics.” The facility (one integrated refinery operation, not two separate ones) supplied roughly 8% of California’s gasoline. It began phasing down crude intake in September/October 2025, with final processing around mid-October 2025 and full idling by year-end 2025; it is now closed as of early 2026, with associated layoffs (600 employees + contractors). Phillips 66 still maintains other California assets (e.g., fuel terminals, distribution infrastructure, and previously converted Rodeo renewable diesel operations in the Bay Area) and has stated it is “not exiting California” while continuing to supply fuel to the state (including imports and renewables). No public reports or company statements indicate Phillips 66 operated or is shutting down any oil wells/production assets in the state—the closures are strictly downstream refining. The main California political impositions widely seen (especially in industry, conservative outlets, and some legislator commentary) as contributing to or “inspiring” the decision are the heightened regulatory burdens and anti-oil-industry policies under Gavin Newsom, highlighted by timing and statements about “uncertainty.” The announcement came just two days after Newsom signed ABX2-1 (October 14, 2024), which empowers state “energy regulators” to impose minimum petroleum product inventory/storage requirements on refiners and require sharing of resupply/maintenance plans to prevent gas price spikes. Critics (including industry groups like the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance and some Republicans) not that this added compliance costs, operational restrictions, and uncertainty on top of existing pressures, with one calling it a factor that “would negatively impact supply.” Broader factors frequently cited in coverage as creating the hostile business climate include:
Strict environmental regulations and high compliance costs (e.g., California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard/LCFS, CARB rules, and refinery-specific mandates), which make in-state refining ~2x more expensive than Gulf Coast operations per Phillips 66’s own CEO comments.
State policies accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels (e.g., aggressive EV/ZEV mandates reducing long-term gasoline demand, alongside declining in-state crude production—down ~75%—which erodes the “crude advantage” for local refineries).
senv.senate.ca.gov
Overall perception of an anti-oil stance (Newsom’s public accusations of “gouging” and “screwing” Californians by Big Oil around the time of the bill signing).
Phillips 66’s official statements and CEO remarks emphasize market/economic drivers (aging/high-cost facility, low profitability/margins, global refining shifts to newer/cheaper capacity elsewhere, and sufficient imported gasoline to backfill supply) rather than any single new law as the direct trigger. They have denied the closure was a “knee-jerk” reaction to ABX2-1. However, the proximity of the announcement to the new regulations, combined with years of cumulative policy costs and demand-reduction signals, is what many observers point to as the tipping point creating the “long-term uncertainty” the company cited. This has contributed to the gas price concerns in the linked MSN/LA-area article (and similar coverage), as the state loses ~8–20% of refining capacity from recent closures (including this one and others like Valero Benicia). Phillips 66 has committed to working with the state on continued fuel supply. LINK
Subscribe now
IMMIGRATION POLICE STATE-San Fran politicians are considering a proposal that does not go far enough, following last week’s ICE attack on a woman in an airport that got lots of deserved attention, but which did not see the San Fran politicians acknowledging that the feds are not supposed to be policing inside their state, let alone policing immigration. Headline: “SF lawmakers float ICE accountability law after viral immigration arrest at SFO” LINK
-And, as ICE gropes people in airports, breaching the 4th Amendment and continuing to exist despite the fact that immigration is a state matter, we see Mike Johnson intentionally dismissing a temporary Senate funding mechanism to get TSA back in the airports (where they will take over the breaching of the Constitution, once more) Headline: “US House Republicans reject Senate deal to restore airport security funding” LINK
-Bondi is trying to revoke citizenship of many people now. Headline “Bondi, DOJ ramp up efforts to revoke some naturalized citizens’ status” LINK
-COURTS! This judge just ruled FOR migrants to be able to SEE LAWYERS. What a bizarre idea! LINK
Subscribe now
Share
CULTURE v POLITICSThe Rolling Stones are expecting retaliation and possible visa revocation after expressing dissatisfaction over the producers of the film “Melania” using “Gimme Shelter” in the film. LINK
-AND this… If you scroll down more than halfway through the article, you will be able to see a fascinating mixture of conjecture and fact re George Orwell’s inspiration for Big Brother’s look being… Charlie Chaplin, in “The Dictator” LINK
This is a good overview of key history. Headline: “How Decentralized Germany Prospered Without One State | The Advocates for Self-Government” LINK
Share Gardner Goldsmith
That’s it for now, all! Spread the word about what we’re offering. :)Many thanks for supporting freedom, and for sharing the links! And remember, you can back us here by becoming a paid subscriber if you would like, and feel free to watch Liberty Conspiracy LIVE on Gardner’s X @gardgoldsmith and on Rumble! Spread the word! Thanks, again! Please feel free to SHARE the links, and join us every M-F at 6 PM on Rumble, and my X @gardgoldsmith — and you also can donate to help the Liberty Conspiracy, itself! Just visit PayPal to help out! You also can mail GG at:
Gardner Goldsmith
PO Box 581
Amherst, NH, 03031 :)
Leave a comment
Subscribe now
Share
View all episodes
By Gardner GoldsmithWelcome, fellow Conspirators!
Immense thanks to the great and energetic gang of Conspirators who joined us to cut apart the big news + uncover key lessons for freedom. We got to play great music, compare notes, and touch on journalism. - Join us, m-f 6 PM on Rumble or on X, and get the audio pod at Spotify or here, at Substack! - Here are some of the major topics we got to investigate tonight!
Subscribe now
Share
WARIRANWe begin with Trump preparing to send ~20,000 soldiers into the Persian Gulf, and that estimate is on the low side, likely to grow. 10K already are near their final target zone, bringing the total of troops already in the general vicinity (land bases and sea) to 50K. Trump not only already has engaged in War Crimes in Iran, facilitated Israeli War Crimes in Gaza, and committed mass murder in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, he has not spoken out re the Israelis targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran, and he doubled down, making his deceit re “negotiations” (which he previously has used to trick Iranians, before blasting them) even more egregious. Here, he makes it worse, openly calling for more attacks on civilian infrastructure - more war crime activity. In announcing his latest threat of commanding his soldiers to attack civilian infrastructure, Trump also wove in a deft “out”, claiming that the US has engaged in “regime change” and that his team was making “great progress” negotiating with the Iranian team. That claim of “progress” has not been verified by anyone, so it appears as if Trump is lying, again. Trump appears to be pulling his standby trick of trying to talk down oil prices by claiming “progress” in “negotiations” - utterly bogus.
Additionally, the US demands, as we will see in a video below of Marco Rubio, are thuggish demands that Iran need not accept, and would be crazy to accept. Iran’s government has control of the Persian Gulf, and its government demands these key things: A. US bases out of the Middle East. B. All sanctions lifted. C Reparations paid by US.
Some of the observers I know have mentioned that they think Trump is desperate to find a way out that will make it look as if the US has control and has ended any Iranian “nuclear development” - Iran will not give up nuclear power. Here is the toxic mixture of Trump’s “Truth Social” post.
-Here is additional thinking from Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute, re the Trump threat of more war crimes:
More.
Share Gardner Goldsmith
More.
Meanwhile, CENTCOM has confirmed that the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command “area of responsibility” (what a quaint way to say, intended occupation zone) waters on Friday, with 3,500 U.S. sailors and Marines on board. This tax-fed, tax-clothed, tax-paid, tax-armed deployment builds on the existing presence, to bring the total to around 50,000 tax-paid U.S. troops in the region. Here is AntiWar on it LINK -
And, as Judge Napolitano and Larry Johnson explain, with footage of Cong Jim Hines (D -CT) from CBS, Trump is not having his “team” properly/legally brief the House Intel Comm on the Trump troop deployment The Congress might notice that they have not declared WAR, so they need to stop him and impeach him (that is for those who think the Constitution is a valid claim of authority over you, which is not the case, but we can, at least, demand that the politician abide by it).
As Natali Morris, of Redacted (Mon-Thurs, 4 pm on YT and Rumble and X) this morning wrote: ‘Nothing says “we’re committed to peace” like sending more troops toward Iran right before negotiations are to take place, and Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has taken note of it, saying, “the enemy publicly signals negotiations while secretly planning a ground invasion.” Last week, Marines received a letter from Lieutenant General Leonard F. Anderson IV, commander of Marine Forces Reserve, in which they were told to “prepare your family” and “check their gear.” The most noteworthy line read, “Our forces are currently engaged in operations connected to Iran and are positioned to preserve stability in the Western Hemisphere.”
Apparently, “preserving stability” requires sending more U.S. fighters as opposed to gearing up on negotiation tactics.
Regarding military deployment to Iran, will the IDF fight too? According to reports, no, they won’t. Why would they? Israeli billionaires leased the U.S. military. Meanwhile, Houthis are ramping up attacks on Israel to support Iran, and the U.S. cannot fight them at the same time, nor can Israel while fighting in Lebanon. The Houthis entered the conflict on Saturday with two missile and drone attacks on Israel in the space of fewer than 24 hours.’
Meanwhile, Oklahoma Sen (R) Lankford claims the US has “won” or “is winning.”
Funny… because the WaPo says something quite different, and so does the activity of the US.
And Rubio is clueless…
-And if Lankford is right, why are we getting this info re NUKES…?
This development, from the UN, is both alarming and not surprising.
And Max Blumenthal stresses what we know: the Trump Admin is saying it needs to take military action to open the Strait of Hormuz, which was open before the US engaged in its military action and Iran closed BECAUSE of the US military action.
Notice how Rubio lies here, telling George Stephanopoulos that “…if Iran had agreed to give up its nuclear ambitions and been open to inspections like every other regime…” first, IRAN WAS OPEN to inspections under the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty and the JCPOA, the latter of which Trump dumped. Second, Israel has nukes and is NOT open to inspections. Third, it is not Rubio’s place to threaten Iranians about anything their government does that is not a direct threat to the US, and even if the nation of Iran did threaten, the US Congress would have to DECLARE WAR.
WH spokes-genocider Karoline Leavitt just openly admitted that Trump engaged in assassination of Iranian negotiators because he did not like their positions. This is low in volume, so we’ll record it and reproduce it for the Liberty Conspiracy Live broadcast tonight.
This is new info on the targeting on that sports arena the US hit in Tehran last week
Daniel Davis discusses Trump’s threat of more war crimes
-Prof Pape (U of Chicago) will be a guest speaker at the next Ron Paul Institute conference in TX.
But, that’s okay, because the US is in very good financial health… (i.e. The US economy is getting its proverbial head kicked in.)
This entire conversation is absolutely essential to see how close the US and Israel are taking the Middle East to nuclear bombing. Prof Postol of MIT explains that Iran can use its civilian nuclear material to create a bomb, that the previous agreements the US had allowed inspectors to see what Iran was doing, and that the threats by the US and Isreal are leading to significant risk of nuclear attack by Israel, and the only thing that might stop Israel is this chance that Iran might reverse policy from the previous Ayatollah and engage in this procedure.
-And, this - thank you, Martin!
@gardgoldsmith @libertytarian ","username":"MalcolmMt13849","name":"Martin Thorne","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/2033623162534170625/rCsz_MNG_normal.jpg","date":"2026-03-30T14:32:54.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/HEqnFPyWQAA_Jsd.png","link_url":"https://t.co/6hGLIhgP21"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":1,"retweet_count":0,"like_count":1,"impression_count":5,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">LEBANONAs we noted in the Sunday News Assembly, Israel continues targeting and killing journalists. Israeli invasion/occupation forces launched multiple strikes on a marked press vehicle near Jezzine in southern Lebanon, killing three journalists and wounding others after firing four missiles. The IDF says one of these journalists was a Hezbollah terrorist, which is baseless. And, in what appears to be an attempt to replicate the “Gaza model” of occupation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his military to expand invasions of southern Lebanon. This is concerning given that the Health Ministry is reporting that Israel has already killed 1,094 in Lebanon this month, and this includes 121 children. The IDF claims that at least 700 of those killed were Hezbollah members, though it has offered no proof.
THE WEST BANK-The Israelis got enough bad publicity that they made a big show of removing the thugs who attacked a CNN crew LINK
Subscribe now
Share
The ZIONIST EVILThis conversation with a rabbi offers a key set of perspectives on the false “jewishness” of Zionism. Kudos to Middle East Eye.
CUBAWe wondered last week whether Trump’s unilateral 30-day “lift” of the blockade against any Russian tankers “already on the water” would apply to shipments headed to Cuba. We have one answer, which popped into the news last night. Headline: “Russian tanker bypasses US oil blockade of Cuba — RT World News” LINK
THE MAD PROSECUTION of MADUROWe have interesting video of Marudo’s son talking about these early days of the “trial” and what the judge has said. It actually does look promising for Maduro. LINK
NORTH KOREAKim and his allies in the government understand the importance of having acquired nuclear weapons to stave off foreign attempts to attack the nation-state. This does not make him a good man, but it indicates what the Iranians are learning — that having a nuclear weapon is a deterrent against foreign attempts to attack or overthrow one’s government. Headline, from the Libertarian Institute: “Kim Oversees Test of New Engine for North Korean ICBM | The Libertarian Institute” LINK
UKRAINE-RUSSIA-NATOHeadline: “Moscow expels UK diplomat for spying — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union” LINK
-AND, RUSSIA SOON WILL BE CUTTING OIL EXPORTS
On March 27, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak instructed the Energy Ministry to prepare a government decree banning gasoline exports starting April 1, 2026, with the measure expected to last until July 31. LINK
Yep. Bad investment. LINK
Share Gardner Goldsmith
GAS PRICES - THE GULF CLOSURE MEETS GAVIN NEWSOM’S PREVIOUS MANDATES IN CAHeadline: “Gas prices surge as LA council confronts fallout from Phillips 66 refinery shutdown” LINK For context, Phillips 66 announced on October 16, 2024, that it would cease operations at its 139,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Los Angeles-area refinery complex (spanning Wilmington and Carson sites, connected by pipeline, ~650–1,300 acres total) in Q4 2025, citing “long-term uncertainty” and “market dynamics.” The facility (one integrated refinery operation, not two separate ones) supplied roughly 8% of California’s gasoline. It began phasing down crude intake in September/October 2025, with final processing around mid-October 2025 and full idling by year-end 2025; it is now closed as of early 2026, with associated layoffs (600 employees + contractors). Phillips 66 still maintains other California assets (e.g., fuel terminals, distribution infrastructure, and previously converted Rodeo renewable diesel operations in the Bay Area) and has stated it is “not exiting California” while continuing to supply fuel to the state (including imports and renewables). No public reports or company statements indicate Phillips 66 operated or is shutting down any oil wells/production assets in the state—the closures are strictly downstream refining. The main California political impositions widely seen (especially in industry, conservative outlets, and some legislator commentary) as contributing to or “inspiring” the decision are the heightened regulatory burdens and anti-oil-industry policies under Gavin Newsom, highlighted by timing and statements about “uncertainty.” The announcement came just two days after Newsom signed ABX2-1 (October 14, 2024), which empowers state “energy regulators” to impose minimum petroleum product inventory/storage requirements on refiners and require sharing of resupply/maintenance plans to prevent gas price spikes. Critics (including industry groups like the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance and some Republicans) not that this added compliance costs, operational restrictions, and uncertainty on top of existing pressures, with one calling it a factor that “would negatively impact supply.” Broader factors frequently cited in coverage as creating the hostile business climate include:
Strict environmental regulations and high compliance costs (e.g., California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard/LCFS, CARB rules, and refinery-specific mandates), which make in-state refining ~2x more expensive than Gulf Coast operations per Phillips 66’s own CEO comments.
State policies accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels (e.g., aggressive EV/ZEV mandates reducing long-term gasoline demand, alongside declining in-state crude production—down ~75%—which erodes the “crude advantage” for local refineries).
senv.senate.ca.gov
Overall perception of an anti-oil stance (Newsom’s public accusations of “gouging” and “screwing” Californians by Big Oil around the time of the bill signing).
Phillips 66’s official statements and CEO remarks emphasize market/economic drivers (aging/high-cost facility, low profitability/margins, global refining shifts to newer/cheaper capacity elsewhere, and sufficient imported gasoline to backfill supply) rather than any single new law as the direct trigger. They have denied the closure was a “knee-jerk” reaction to ABX2-1. However, the proximity of the announcement to the new regulations, combined with years of cumulative policy costs and demand-reduction signals, is what many observers point to as the tipping point creating the “long-term uncertainty” the company cited. This has contributed to the gas price concerns in the linked MSN/LA-area article (and similar coverage), as the state loses ~8–20% of refining capacity from recent closures (including this one and others like Valero Benicia). Phillips 66 has committed to working with the state on continued fuel supply. LINK
Subscribe now
IMMIGRATION POLICE STATE-San Fran politicians are considering a proposal that does not go far enough, following last week’s ICE attack on a woman in an airport that got lots of deserved attention, but which did not see the San Fran politicians acknowledging that the feds are not supposed to be policing inside their state, let alone policing immigration. Headline: “SF lawmakers float ICE accountability law after viral immigration arrest at SFO” LINK
-And, as ICE gropes people in airports, breaching the 4th Amendment and continuing to exist despite the fact that immigration is a state matter, we see Mike Johnson intentionally dismissing a temporary Senate funding mechanism to get TSA back in the airports (where they will take over the breaching of the Constitution, once more) Headline: “US House Republicans reject Senate deal to restore airport security funding” LINK
-Bondi is trying to revoke citizenship of many people now. Headline “Bondi, DOJ ramp up efforts to revoke some naturalized citizens’ status” LINK
-COURTS! This judge just ruled FOR migrants to be able to SEE LAWYERS. What a bizarre idea! LINK
Subscribe now
Share
CULTURE v POLITICSThe Rolling Stones are expecting retaliation and possible visa revocation after expressing dissatisfaction over the producers of the film “Melania” using “Gimme Shelter” in the film. LINK
-AND this… If you scroll down more than halfway through the article, you will be able to see a fascinating mixture of conjecture and fact re George Orwell’s inspiration for Big Brother’s look being… Charlie Chaplin, in “The Dictator” LINK
This is a good overview of key history. Headline: “How Decentralized Germany Prospered Without One State | The Advocates for Self-Government” LINK
Share Gardner Goldsmith
That’s it for now, all! Spread the word about what we’re offering. :)Many thanks for supporting freedom, and for sharing the links! And remember, you can back us here by becoming a paid subscriber if you would like, and feel free to watch Liberty Conspiracy LIVE on Gardner’s X @gardgoldsmith and on Rumble! Spread the word! Thanks, again! Please feel free to SHARE the links, and join us every M-F at 6 PM on Rumble, and my X @gardgoldsmith — and you also can donate to help the Liberty Conspiracy, itself! Just visit PayPal to help out! You also can mail GG at:
Gardner Goldsmith
PO Box 581
Amherst, NH, 03031 :)
Leave a comment
Subscribe now
Share