Nice to be recognized
not gonna help much, but...
California’s Man-Made Drought
The green war against San Joaquin Valley farmers.
[California]’s water emergency is unfolding thanks to the latest mishandling of the Endangered Species Act. Last December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued what is known as a “biological opinion” imposing water reductions on the San Joaquin Valley and environs to safeguard the federally protected hypomesus transpacificus, a.k.a., the delta smelt. As a result, tens of billions of gallons of water from mountains east and north of Sacramento have been channelled away from farmers and into the ocean, leaving hundreds of thousands of acres of arable land fallow or scorched.
For this, Californians can thank the usual environmental suspects, er, lawyers.
Not only do you not get the produce you have become accustomed to, you get to pay more welfare. Farmers? Oh hell no—illegals:
In the inland areas affected by the court-ordered water restrictions, the jobless rate has hit 14.3%, with some farming towns like Mendota seeing unemployment numbers near 40%. Statewide, the rate reached 11.6% in July, higher than it has been in 30 years.
We’re dang near eligible for international aid. Wait! We’re getting it!
sort of…
Sacramento’s Mexican Consulate served up a smorgasbord of services to hundreds of Mexican immigrants Monday.The immigrants, most of whom came for Mexican passports and consular identification cards, got advice on how to ensure they get paid and treated fairly on the job.
...first-ever Labor Rights Week. ...State and federal labor officials joined immigrant rights advocates and union representatives to address work- related injuries, sexual harassment, salary issues and working conditions.
...endorsed by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, to protect Mexican workers regardless of their legal status.
Well, at least the illegals migrants brasseros will be ok.
Things in California may have to get so bad that they endanger Democratic Congressional incumbents before Washington wakes up, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Mr. Salazar has said that convening the God Squad [a panel of seven cabinet officials known as a “God Squad” is able to intercede in economic emergencies] would be “admitting failure” in the effort to save the smelt under the Endangered Species Act. Maybe so, but the livelihoods of tens of thousands of humans are also at stake. If the Obama Administration wants to help, it can take up Governor Schwarzenegger’s request that it revisit the two biological opinions that are hanging farmers and farm workers out to dry.
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