Newsom bets big on Trump’s goodwill to shrink California’s budget hole

Always in His Presence · Jan 29, 2026

Newsom bets big on Trump’s goodwill to shrink California’s budget hole

SACRAMENTO, California — Gavin Newsom is making a billion-dollar gamble in his latest budget plan, banking on money from a tax on health insurance carriers to help close a projected deficit.

Let's see shall we:

Called Trump a “son (expletive deleted)” — Newsom used this profanity while criticizing Trump’s immigration raids and policy decisions on a podcast.
Told Trump he “lives rent-free in [his] head” — A common political taunt implying Trump is obsessed with Newsom.
Mocked Trump’s cognitive challenge — After Trump said Newsom couldn’t pass a cognitive test, Newsom responded publicly: “Let’s do it … name your time and place” and used Trump’s own test words in a mocking way.
Described Trump’s speech at Davos as “remarkably insignificant” and called Trump’s rhetoric unserious.
Criticized world leaders for “rolling over” to Trump — saying it was “pathetic” and even suggesting he should have brought knee pads (“red MAGA kneepads”) as a satirical symbol of groveling.

Trolled Trump with over-the-top parody tweets mimicking Trump’s all-caps style and humorous nicknames to mock Trump’s behavior and policies.
- (Within this broader parody: implied Trump “can’t conquer the big stairs” on Air Force One and other zingers.)

And he thinks Trump will show goodwill towards him and get him out of a jam.

Honest folks - you can't make this up.

GoldenBoy89 · Jan 29, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
Newsom bets big on Trump’s goodwill to shrink California’s budget hole

SACRAMENTO, California — Gavin Newsom is making a billion-dollar gamble in his latest budget plan, banking on money from a tax on health insurance carriers to help close a projected deficit.

Let's see shall we:

Called Trump a “son (expletive deleted)” — Newsom used this profanity while criticizing Trump’s immigration raids and policy decisions on a podcast.

Told Trump he “lives rent-free in [his] head” — A common political taunt implying Trump is obsessed with Newsom.

Mocked Trump’s cognitive challenge — After Trump said Newsom couldn’t pass a cognitive test, Newsom responded publicly: “Let’s do it … name your time and place” and used Trump’s own test words in a mocking way.

Described Trump’s speech at Davos as “remarkably insignificant” and called Trump’s rhetoric unserious.

Criticized world leaders for “rolling over” to Trump — saying it was “pathetic” and even suggesting he should have brought knee pads (“red MAGA kneepads”) as a satirical symbol of groveling.

Trolled Trump with over-the-top parody tweetsmimicking Trump’s all-caps style and humorous nicknames to mock Trump’s behavior and policies.

(Within this broader parody: implied Trump “can’t conquer the big stairs” on Air Force One and other zingers.)

And he thinks Trump will show goodwill towards him and get him out of a jam.

Honest folks - you can't make this up.

Wait…. I thought Newsom was “retreating” in his rhetoric?

Always in His Presence · Jan 29, 2026

Lawmaker warns California’s oil and gas crisis is a major US security threat as Valero set to flee in 2026. Can residents handle $12/gallon next year?

Lawmakers in California at both the state and federal levels are warning that refinery closures could push prices higher while leaving the state more dependent on foreign oil.

At the center of the warning is the planned shutdown of two major refineries: Valero’s Benicia facility and Phillips 66’s Los Angeles plant. Together, the closures would eliminate nearly 20% of California’s in-state refining capacity, according to Reps. Vince Fong and Stan Ellis, both Republicans from Bakersfield.

Trump is opening drilling and refinement and the Presidential hopeful who hates Trump is closing - how is that working out for him?

Always in His Presence · Jan 29, 2026

Valero, which has operated its 170,000-barrel-per-day Benicia refinery for roughly 25 years, announced it will close the site in 2026 because of high operating costs and strict state environmental regulations (1). The company reportedly spent about $1 billion preparing to exit (2).

Fong says the impact could ripple far beyond the gas pump.

“We have an energy crisis in our state, and it looks like it is only going to intensify,” he said, adding that reduced refining capacity could drive up fuel prices while also affecting California’s military supply chain. What appears to be a consumer issue, he said, could quickly become a national one.

From the link

GoldenBoy89 · Jan 29, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
Trump is opening drilling and refinement and the Presidential hopeful who hates Trump is closing - how is that working out for him?

A lot better than Trump currently.

This is a bit over a month old now but it’s the most recent I could find:

One year after Donald Trump’s return to the White House demoralized California Democrats, Gavin Newsom and allies are riding anti-Trump sentiment to a polling rebound.

A new survey from the Public Policy Institute of California finds that both the governor, a likely presidential candidate, and the heavily Democratic Legislature surged to majority support in the final months of this year. The approval jump comes after Newsom and fellow Democrats championed a gerrymandered new House map explicitly to counter Trump in next year’s midterm elections.

Newsom’s favorability rating jumped 10 percentage points over the course of the year, from 46 percent in June to 56 percent this month. The Legislature’s standing improved by 8 points in the same time period, reaching a 53 percent majority.

And for the first time since 2021, a slim majority of voters — 51 percent — said, in consecutive months, that California is on the right track. Behind that reversal was more optimism among independent voters and a double-digit confidence boost among Democratic voters, who also reported far higher enthusiasm than their Republican counterparts to vote in the upcoming midterms. That likely reflects the reality of new maps boosting Democrats and shrinking the GOP’s competitiveness.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/newsoms-favorability-rating-surges-in-california-00681683

Always in His Presence · Jan 29, 2026

California wealth tax would cause rich to flee, Newsom warns

(Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom warned that a proposed one-time tax on billionaires will backfire by prompting the ultra-rich to leave the state.

“The impact of a one-time tax does not solve an ongoing structural challenge,” Newsom said Thursday at a Bloomberg event in San Francisco. “You would have a windfall one time and then over the years you would see a significant reduction in taxes because taxpayers will move.”

There’s a major ballot initiative being organized in California that would impose a one-time tax (about 5%) on the net worth of individuals worth more than $1 billion to raise revenue for state programs.

He should let NY know because they want to do the same.

Go figure - tax the rich on their wealth and they will move - wasn't that disputed quite strongly some place?

Always in His Presence · Jan 29, 2026

California billionaires unite to beat wealth tax, gain influence

(Bloomberg) -- A group of some of the world’s richest people, including Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt, are bankrolling a new pro-business political organization as the tech industry looks to play a greater role in shaping California politics.

The initiative, dubbed Building a Better California, will deploy funds to back candidates and other initiatives across the state, a person familiar said.

essentialsaltes · Jan 29, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
And he thinks Trump will show goodwill towards him and get him out of a jam.

Honest folks - you can't make this up.

Presidents are supposed to do what's in the best interests of the American people.

Not withholding disaster aid or changing tax laws to spite people he doesn't like.

Anyway, this 'jam' concerns $1.1 billion, which is less than 1% of California's budget. It's not that significant in the overall budget calculation.

Always in His Presence · Jan 29, 2026

essentialsaltes said:
Presidents are supposed to do what's in the best interests of the American people.

Not withholding disaster aid or changing tax laws to spite people he doesn't like.

Anyway, this 'jam' concerns $1.1 billion, which is less than 1% of California's budget. It's not that significant in the overall budget calculation.

Shouldn’t the governor of the state do things to prevent 10.00 a gallon gas?

Governors should do what’s best for their people also - shouldn’t they?

GoldenBoy89 · Jan 29, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
Shouldn’t the governor of the state do things to prevent 10.00 a gallon gas?

Not necessarily.

Always in His Presence said:
Governors should do what’s best for their people also - shouldn’t they?

I’m pretty happy with the work he’s done so far.

Thanks for your concern.

Hans Blaster · Jan 29, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
California billionaires unite to beat wealth tax, gain influence

(Bloomberg) -- A group of some of the world’s richest people, including Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt, are bankrolling a new pro-business political organization as the tech industry looks to play a greater role in shaping California politics.

The initiative, dubbed Building a Better California, will deploy funds to back candidates and other initiatives across the state, a person familiar said.

I've seen rich guys back all sorts of political advocacy in open and in secret, but I have my doubts that a "billionaire PAC" with policies for billionaires will get any real influence.

Gene2memE · Jan 29, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
Lawmaker warns California’s oil and gas crisis is a major US security threat as Valero set to flee in 2026. Can residents handle $12/gallon next year?

Lawmakers in California at both the state and federal levels are warning that refinery closures could push prices higher while leaving the state more dependent on foreign oil.

At the center of the warning is the planned shutdown of two major refineries: Valero’s Benicia facility and Phillips 66’s Los Angeles plant. Together, the closures would eliminate nearly 20% of California’s in-state refining capacity, according to Reps. Vince Fong and Stan Ellis, both Republicans from Bakersfield.

Trump is opening drilling and refinement and the Presidential hopeful who hates Trump is closing - how is that working out for him?

This is divorced from reality. The US is currently experiencing oil stock growth and a (minor) refinery capacity surplus.

US crude oil inventories are forecast to go from 413 million barrels as of Dec 2025 to 481 million barrels by Dec 2026. US distillate and gasoline inventories are ~370 million barrels at present and are forecast to remain at the upper edge of historical ranges for the rest of the year.

US refineries are running at about 88% capacity at present - against a historical average of about 94%. Much of that is Gulf Coast capacity taken offline and waiting on maintenance. Even so, there's about 1.8 to 2 million barrels of capacity that could be taken up that isn't at present.

California has been losing refineries since the 1980s. In 1985 there were 43 refineries in the state, now there are 13.

California's oil consumption peaked 20 years ago. Gasoline demand in the state peaked 25 years ago.

Always in His Presence · Jan 30, 2026

Gene2memE said:
This is divorced from reality. The US is currently experiencing oil stock growth and a (minor) refinery capacity surplus.

Denial of what is currently happening that is causing people to suffer with the highest fuels prices in the US - the highest tax rates in the US and the highest homeless population in the US is also certainly part of the divorce from reality.

essentialsaltes · Jan 30, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
the highest fuels prices in the US - the highest tax rates in the US and the highest homeless population in the US

None of that is new.

Always in His Presence · Jan 30, 2026

essentialsaltes said:
None of that is new.

Did I say it was? The Democratic leadership in California has been an abysmal failure to it's citizens for years - none of that is new either

GoldenBoy89 · Jan 30, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
The Democratic leadership in California has been an abysmal failure to it's citizens for years

I don’t feel this way.

What special insight do you have to life in this state?

Always in His Presence · Jan 30, 2026

GoldenBoy89 said:
I don’t feel this way.

What special insight do you have to life in this state?

Well -

The cost of taxes - the highest in the country
The cost of fuel - the highest in the country
The homeless - the highest in the country.

How about that?

Larniavc · Jan 30, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
Newsom bets big on Trump’s goodwill to shrink California’s budget hole

SACRAMENTO, California — Gavin Newsom is making a billion-dollar gamble in his latest budget plan, banking on money from a tax on health insurance carriers to help close a projected deficit.

Let's see shall we:

Called Trump a “son (expletive deleted)” — Newsom used this profanity while criticizing Trump’s immigration raids and policy decisions on a podcast.

Told Trump he “lives rent-free in [his] head” — A common political taunt implying Trump is obsessed with Newsom.

Mocked Trump’s cognitive challenge — After Trump said Newsom couldn’t pass a cognitive test, Newsom responded publicly: “Let’s do it … name your time and place” and used Trump’s own test words in a mocking way.

Described Trump’s speech at Davos as “remarkably insignificant” and called Trump’s rhetoric unserious.

Criticized world leaders for “rolling over” to Trump — saying it was “pathetic” and even suggesting he should have brought knee pads (“red MAGA kneepads”) as a satirical symbol of groveling.

Trolled Trump with over-the-top parody tweetsmimicking Trump’s all-caps style and humorous nicknames to mock Trump’s behavior and policies.

(Within this broader parody: implied Trump “can’t conquer the big stairs” on Air Force One and other zingers.)

And he thinks Trump will show goodwill towards him and get him out of a jam.

Honest folks - you can't make this up.

I guess it’s up to Trump to decide whether or not to keep the tax relief on health expenses or to let them lapse at the consumer’s expense.

I can’t see a Republican siding with the people on this one. I feel really sorry for the people this Trump tax will hurt.

Seems like a self own on behave of the right, this one does.

GoldenBoy89 · Jan 30, 2026

Always in His Presence said:
Well -

The cost of taxes - the highest in the country
The cost of fuel - the highest in the country
The homeless - the highest in the country.

Someone has to be first.

Always in His Presence said:
How about that?

Not that big a deal really. I’m just here having my lunch at a local park by my work, enjoying this absolutely beautiful 80° day in January.

But again, thank you so much for your concern for my cost of living.

Always in His Presence · Jan 30, 2026

GoldenBoy89 said:
But again, thank you so much for your concern for my cost of living.

My friend has it 10 degrees cooler in Orlando - but cost of living is 30% less and there is no state income tax.

I'm glad you are well -

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Newsom bets big on Trump’s goodwill to shrink California’s budget hole

Jesus is the only Way