Let's be clear about what PG&E is: a state-sanctioned monopoly with a body count. This is the company that caused the deadliest wildfire in California history, went through bankruptcy, and still managed to come out the other side raising your rates. If you've opened a PG&E bill lately and felt your soul leave your body, you're not alone. The utility has become a masterclass in how a company can fail upward when regulators are asleep at the wheel.

So when Steyer picks a fight with them, it's tempting to cheer. But let's pump the brakes for a second. Steyer's track record in California politics isn't exactly a highlight reel of fiscal restraint or market-based solutions. This is the same guy who's bankrolled some of the most expensive and least effective progressive ballot measures in state history. His instinct isn't to introduce competition or strip away the regulatory capture that keeps PG&E fat and happy — it's usually to throw more government at the problem.

Here's what would actually help: breaking PG&E's monopoly. Let communities choose their energy providers. Let the market punish a company that lights the state on fire instead of letting Sacramento negotiate another sweetheart deal. That's the fight worth having.

If Steyer wants to channel his considerable resources into holding PG&E accountable, great. Every San Franciscan paying obscene utility bills while watching infrastructure crumble should welcome the scrutiny. But accountability and another layer of bureaucratic oversight are two very different things.

We'll be watching this one closely. In the meantime, maybe check your PG&E bill — and then check your blood pressure.