California really is an agricultural powerhouse, and not only in the central valley. Not to be argumentative, but many people's grasp of agricultural economics is a bit suspect. One could equally ask people in the midwest how they expect to import fertilizer and export crops without access to major ports.
Not sure if the parent comment was being serious to be honest. If not, then, well, they are very tragic.
A sizeable portion of HN users are technical middle class citizens and seem on the face of it often highly separated from the working class, who they mine the metals for their self-driving car batteries and fold their $12 burrito, and drive their Ubers (for now).
Having said that a lot of HN is very modest and objective, so you bad sorts like parent comment and good sorts...like anywhere.
