Democrats vs Democrat in California's water wars

Reuters ^ | 18 Feb, 2010 | Dan Whitcomb

[Ben Mugged]

A group of Democratic lawmakers on Thursday asked Senator Dianne Feinstein to abandon draft legislation that would divert more water to California's farmers, a plan that has quickly become a flashpoint in the state's long-running water wars.

Feinstein's proposal, which would ease Endangered Species Act restrictions, has angered environmental activists and fishing groups. The powerful Democratic senator's rebuke by members of her own party underlines the incendiary nature of water politics in the No. 1 U.S. farm state.

The 12 lawmakers, who sent a letter to Feinstein asking her to drop the plan, say it could ultimately lead to the extinction of Sacramento River salmon and eliminate up to 23,000 jobs in the Pacific coast fishing industry.

"Salmon may not have high-paid lobbyists like the corporate agriculture interests in the Central Valley, but they are critical to our economy," Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat, said in a written statement.

Feinstein did not issue an immediate response to the letter, but wrote in an opinion piece posted earlier on Thursday on the San Francisco Chronicle's website that it was a "make or break moment for California's agricultural economy."

Drastic cutbacks in irrigation supplies this year alone from state and federal water projects have idled about 23,000 farm workers and 300,000 acres of cropland.

[Ben Mugged]

Stupid enviromental nazis. What are they going to eat when all the fields are dust?

[GonzoGOP]

What are they going to eat when all the fields are dust?

Whale Meat?

[Ben Mugged]

California's Central Valley is one of the country's most important agricultural regions. The state's farmers produce more than half the fruit, vegetables and nuts grown in the United States.

"The Endangered Species Act is a vital yet inflexible instrument, and we must consider the human condition," Feinstein said in the article. "I can't sit by as farms, jobs and entire communities in the valley disappear."

The state unemployment is officially at 12.9% and the environmentalists are looking for ways to put more folks out of jobs.

[GonzoGOP]

The state unemployment is officially at 12.9% and the environmentalists are looking for ways to put more folks out of jobs.

I personally think that someone is trying to find out how fast they can turn the richest state in the union into Somalia on the Pacific. They are destroying with different laws, basic society, transportation, public safety, employment, water and sewage, and the tax base. When Mexico finally takes over California they won't want it.

[east1234]

Endangered Salmon of course

[east1234]

I know a woman who quit her 6 figure tech jobs to earn 40k from the state signing up illegals for welfare benefits in California. My first intro to Cloward-Pivan. They have been working hard on it out there for decades. Yet when California goes bust and everyones out of work I don’t think they will get the peoples revolution they seek. I think they will be hung.

[hinckley buzzard]

Salmon. And smelt, I guess.

[Naplm]

it’s a shame that the citizens keep electing these people.

[GeronL]

During the campaign Michelle Obama railed against “middle classism”... their term for the American Dream.

[freespirited]

"Salmon may not have high-paid lobbyists like the corporate agriculture interests in the Central Valley"

Oh malarkey. The salmon has a horde of lobbyists -- every envirowacko within 10 miles of K Street. Those jackals have more influence on Pelosi & Co. than any corporate lobbyist.

[originalbuckeye]

Most of the fields are already dust. Driving down I-5 in December I saw yellow signs with black lettering......Congress Created Dust Bowl. It is heartbreaking to drive the Central Valley when you know how it ought to look. California has done it to itself by continually electing people who think the Delta Smelt is more important than Americans getting fresh fruits and vegetables.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Hey Arnold! Want to get re-elected? Call in the National Guard to turn on the water and tell the Feds to go to hell!

[tubebender]

Somalia on the Pacific... Has nice ring to it doesn't it and there aren't many FReepers closer to the Pacific than I so I am thinking of forming a Pirate LLC...

[Noumenon]

Stupid enviromental nazis. What are they going to eat when all the fields are dust?

Long pig...

[C19fan]

No surprise George Miller would consign the Central Valley to dust. I think he would not shed a tear if California east of the Altamont Pass just disappeared.

[SouthTexas]

Looks like fun! I have plenty of popcorn, so tell me when the shooting starts.

[glock rocks]

DiFi is an old style liberal, circa 1984.

She just keeps getting reelected, doesn’t she.

Just don’t hand her a loaded weapon!

[GonzoGOP]

I am thinking of forming a Pirate LLC...

See if you can grab the ships in San Diego. Those somalies think they are so tough with a bunch of fishing boats and RPGs. Hoist the Jolly Roger over a Nimitz class and go a looting. Just remember the The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates (There are seven habbits but many rules)
Rule #1: Pillage, then burn.
Rule #2: A Sergeant in motion outranks a Lieutenant who doesn't know what's going on.
Rule #3: An ordnance technician at a dead run outranks EVERYBODY.
Rule #4: Close air support covereth a multitude of sins.
Rule #5: Just because it's easy for you doesn't mean it can't be hard on your clients.
Rule #6: If violence wasn't your last resort, you failed to resort to enough of it.
Rule #7:Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Take his fish away and tell him he's lucky just to be alive, and he'll figure out how to catch another one for you to take tomorrow.
Rule #8: Mockery and derision have their place. Usually, it's on the far side of the door.
Rule #9: Never turn your back on an enemy.
Rule #10: Sometimes the only way out is through...through the hull
Rule #11: Everything is air-droppable at least once
Rule #12: A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head.
Rule #13: Do unto others.
Rule #16: Your name is in the mouth of others: be sure it has teeth.
Rule #27: Don't be afraid to be the first to resort to violence.
Rule #29: The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy, no more, no less.
Rule #30: A little trust goes a long way. The less you use, the further you'll go.
Rule #31: Only cheaters prosper.
Rule #34: If you're leaving dents, you need a bigger gun.
Rule #35: That which does not kill you has made a tactical error.
Rule #36: When the going gets tough, the tough call for close air support.
Rule #37: There is no "overkill". There is only "open fire" and "I need to reload".

[tubebender]

Makes you wonder if she was the real trigger person in the Harvey Milk shooting...