I went to the gas station the other day, looked at the price, and thought somebody had moved me to Los Angeles without telling me.
Four dollars a gallon?!
I thought we lived in the Palmetto State. Apparently, we’re the Golden State now.
And speaking of California, Governor Gavin Newsom was just here visiting South Carolina.
I don’t know what he brought with him, but apparently, he left his gas prices!
Sir, you could’ve left us some sourdough bread, a little sunshine, maybe a few opportunities in the entertainment industry. But gas prices? We already had our own!
When Governor McMaster talked about the Trump Train taking off like a rocket, I thought he was using a metaphor.
I didn’t know he was talking about actual rocket fuel with these prices we’re paying!
Now, before somebody starts typing an eight-paragraph political dissertation in my Facebook comments, relax. These are jokes.
Mostly.
The truth is, gas prices have climbed above $4 a gallon in South Carolina, and Governor McMaster recently opposed temporarily suspending the state’s gas tax. His reasoning is that the revenue helps fund our roads, and he doesn’t want to sacrifice long-term infrastructure funding for what he hopes is a temporary problem.
I understand that. We need roads. But at these prices, I’m trying to figure out how I’m supposed to afford to drive on them!
And that brings me back to California.
This summer, I spent some time in San Francisco. Beautiful city. Interesting weather for summer. Even more interesting people. And some prices that’ll make you reconsider your entire financial situation.
I even stopped by Chick-fil-A, and they were advertising starting pay at $25 an hour. Twenty-five dollars!
I looked at that sign and thought, “Well, praise the Lord! Y’all hiring?”
Now, I know California has a higher cost of living. Housing, taxes, groceries, everything. That $25 doesn’t stretch nearly as far out there as it would here.
But it got me thinking.
If we’re going to start paying California prices in South Carolina, can we at least talk about California paychecks? Because the math ain’t mathing.
A person driving from Fairfield County to Columbia every day for work doesn’t suddenly get a raise because gas goes up.
Neither does the teacher, the construction worker, the home health aide, or the grandmother driving to pick up her grandbabies. Their expenses increase. Their income doesn’t.
And it’s not just gas. Groceries cost more. Insurance costs more. Rent costs more.
Even stopping at the store for a few things feels like you’re making a major financial decision. You walk in for bread, eggs, and milk, and you come out wondering whether you need to refinance something.
Listen, I love South Carolina. I love our small towns, our people, our culture, and the fact that I can still find somebody selling boiled peanuts and peaches on the side of the road.
But I also love being able to afford to live here.
We can debate gas taxes, economic policies, and who’s responsible for what. Those conversations matter. But somewhere in all that political back-and-forth, let’s remember the people who still have to get up Monday morning, fill their tanks, and go to work.
Because whether you’re a Republican, a Democrat, or somebody who doesn’t care about politics until it affects your wallet, four-dollar gas gets everybody’s attention.
So, Governor Newsom, you’re welcome to come back to South Carolina. Just bring those $25-an-hour jobs with you next time.
And Governor McMaster, if the Trump Train is still taking off, somebody please tell me where to get a ticket. At this point, it might be cheaper than driving!
Kenny Robertson, an educator and comedian, is a native of Ridgeway.