Posted on 01/08/2018 1:24:03 PM PST by Liberty7732
Most Americans were probably drop-jawed to learn there was a state in the union where government overseers prohibited the people from pumping their own gas. The ultra-progressive and ever-controlling Oregon Legislature had banned this otherwise normal behavior for more than 50 years, ostensibly to provide some form of protection for its residents.
This is the practical reality of the general principle that government coddling creates entitlement, pampered residents with fewer freedoms, and reduced abilities to live independently. Oregon has been telling its residents for generations they are incapable of pumping their own gas, and now there are generations of Oregonians who are terrified at the prospect of doing what more than 300 million other Americans do without a thought.
The first thing that comes to mind are the scenes from the animated Pixar movie Wall-E, where the remainder of earth’s population cruise the galaxy on the spaceship Axiom. The passengers are so dependent on the automated ship that they have become obese, too feeble to walk and incapable of caring for themselves. They definitely would not have been able to pump their own gas.
But now the Oregon Legislature moved partially into the 1980s when it recently passed a law allowing rural gas stations to let people pump their own gas. Portlandians are still safe from the ordeal; government continues to protect them from gas pump handles. But others in the supposed rugged rural areas are outraged at the change (because outrage comes easily these days.)
Take a look at some of these Facebook comments from Oregonians in response to the legislature catching up to 1980 America:
“I don’t even know HOW to pump gas and I am 62, native Oregonian … I say NO THANKS! I don’t like to smell like gasoline!” one woman commented.
“No! Disabled, seniors, people with young children in the car need help,” another woman wrote. “Not to mention getting out of your car with transients around and not feeling safe too. This is a very bad idea. Grr.”
“I’ve lived in this state my whole life and I refuse to pump my own gas. This is a service only qualified people should perform. I will literally park at the pump and wait until someone pumps my gas.”
This is really a thing in Oregon. Most of the rest of the country may laugh and mock them (except big-government nanny state New Jersey, the only remaining state with such a law) but people long relying on government-forced service don’t like losing that service. They believe they have an entitlement.
“I think that we are getting tarnished in social media,” Lizzy Acker, a reporter for The Oregonian, told NPR. Well, yes. There’s sort of a reason for that. But Acker is confident in Oregonians ability to actually pump their own gas. “And I think most Oregonians are self-sufficient enough to figure out how to pump their own gas.”
Just read that statement. There may not be a better example of how progressivism breeds dependency on government — more and more power for government over weaker and weaker people. Not surprisingly — to people who understand how capitalism works — Oregon is one of the most expensive states in the union for a gallon of gas.
Oregon’s 56-year gas-pumping law is a cautionary example of how more government regulation and control immediately limits freedoms and breeds dependence and entitlement.
Perhaps one day, all Americans will be free to pump their own gas. But only if they choose leaders with a vision for freedom over governmental dominion.
I used to drive to Oregon from California to visit my daughter often, and sometimes I’d forget and get out to pump my own gas, but the attendant rushed over to stop me. Then there was the station I stopped in Ashland, where I noticed the posted price was different than the charged price. He said I was supposed to pay for the service, I told him I didn’t think so, so he refunded me the money. I just happened to look at my receipt, think how many people don’t.
The city dwellers ride bikes anyway. /s
They can't leave. The hybrid cars won't go far enough on the battery to get to the border....................
>>As the vote was going on this lobbyist got a smirk on his face when it looked like the law was going to pass.
>>Both parties looked up at this despicable man and, due to his arrogance, voted in a bipartisan way to defeat the law.
When I heard that Oregon has this law, I lost whatever respect I had left for this pathetic tribe of progressive losers. But, after reading your story of “lawmakers” voting a certain way over a smirk, I have nothing but contempt for that pathetic tribe of Progressive losers that is Oregon.
I’ve always said that the heart of every Progressive is a 13 year old fat girl. Their smirk vote proves that.
Anyone who can't learn to do something as simple as pumping his or her own gas has no business driving a car in the first place.
I think I see how great civilizations come to an end. They aren't invaded, and they don't decay from within. They just turn retarded and die.
..........we have one or two Full Service pumps in my area west of Austin. But, those pumps are about 15c to 20c per gallon higher than self serve.
I worked at Riney’s Conoco in South Austin in 1962. When a car drove in it rang a very loud bell. 3 of us dropped what we were doing and descended upon the car. One pumped and cleaned windows “all around” while the pump was pumping, one checked air in the tires and made sure they all had the same pressure, and one checked and replenished everything under the hood........usually Riney himself.
Looking back on all that is kinda like looking back on covered wagons!
Oh, my pay was 67c per hour! Gasoline was 25c a gallon.
I miss it when I have to clean the window and check the tires. I’ve seen a few stations that have a full service isle to give customers a choice. Tips welcome.
I heard NJ doesn’t allow self serve gas pumping due to insurance reasons. It doesn’t bother me because I can cross over from Pennsylvania and buy NJ gas for 20 cents less per gallon.
If you ride a motorcycle they will let you pump, but only after they hand you the pump handle, and they stand and watch.
Cannot remember how many times I have been yelled at there...and I live 500 miles south.
I always forget and just start pumping.
My friend’s Father was a Republican - hence ‘Minority Leader’
He was very conservative. Very.
The point of His story was simple: an arrogant ASS can solidify BOTH party’s against you.
I do admit things were better in Oregon back then (last century, ya know...).
I worked with a woman from Portland one time, and she complained loudly any time she had to pump gas, saying she couldn’t wait to go back to Oregon. One day the boss fired her and she got her wish.
LOL
LOL
What is a traffic circle?
I pulled up to get gas once and an Asian woman asked me if I would pump her gas for her, as her husband forgot and she didn’t know how. I didn’t say what I thought, so I told her I wasn’t going to do it for her but I’d show her how.
The legislature made sure all the wacko urban duelers who run my state continue to live in a “safe zone” where unskilled minimum wage workers still perform this the highly technical function of operating a gas pump.
Long ago we had circles - in DC. DC is a mess, and those damn circles don’t help, especially with visitors! Hear of DuPont Circle? Well, it’s no cakewalk.
My mother nor father never complained.
Baltimore, nor in the boonies in NY or ME.
How the heck are gas prices so cheap in Oregon and New Jersey if stations are having to pay attendants to pump people’s gas vs most of the rest of the country with self service? I know our California prices are due to blend and massive amount of taxes, but dang, those prices should be considerably higher than neighboring self service only areas.
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