Things That Slow Down The Growth Of The Economy

In September of 2010 I posted a story about the water shutoff in the Central Valley region of California (rightwinggranny.com). The irrigation systems that water the valley were shut down by Congress to protect the delta smelt, a supposedly endangered small fish that was getting caught in the irrigation pumps. Before the shutdown, the Central Valley was the breadbasket of America, supplying a major part of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables found in American supermarkets.

To add insult to injury, On April 28, 2010, Investors.com  reported:

Take the three congressmen who represent the valley and how they were pressured to vote for President Obama’s health care bill. It didn’t go without notice by farmers like Jasper that the 5% water allocations announced in February for all three congressional districts were lifted to 25% for the two whose Democratic representatives, Jim Costa of Fresno and Dennis Cardoza of Modesto, switched their votes on health reform from “no” to “aye.”

That is a disgrace.

Now to the present. Ed Morrissey at Hot Air reported yesterday that President Obama has stated that if the bill to restore the water to the farmers of Central Valley passes Congress, he will veto the bill. California Representative Devin Nunes has sponsored the Sacramento-San Joaquin Water Reliability Act.

The article at Hot Air reports:

“The bill restores the flow of water and establishes a framework for meaningful environmental improvements. It is a repudiation of the left’s assault on rural communities, which began with the decimation of the West’s timber industry and now is focused on Central Valley agriculture,” Nunes told IBD.

The stand-alone bill, H.R. 1837, marks the first time Central Valley water shortages and the federal role in creating them will be considered directly in Congress.

The statement from the White House regarding this bill includes the following:

H.R. 1837 would undermine five years of collaboration between local, State, and Federal stakeholders to develop the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan.  It would codify 20-year old, outdated science as the basis for managing California’s water resources, resulting in inequitable treatment of one group of water users over another.  And, contrary to 100 years of reclamation law that exhibits congressional deference to State water law, the bill would preempt California water law.

The article at Hot Air also includes a picture of what five years of collaboration have created. I posted my own picture back in April 2010. This is that picture:

Near Bakersfield, Calif., a farmer posts a sign blaming Congress for a sharp drop in water supplies that has slashed farm output.

Sometimes a picture is all you need.

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