Dear Gov. Jerry Brown and statewide water restrictions,
Yesterday Jerry Brown stepped in front of the cameras sporting his best “man of the people” clothes and proclaimed that for the first time in California’s history there will be mandatory water restrictions put into place due to the lowest snowpack ever recorded. As brown lawns, no lake time, fallow fields and the possibility of finding another line of employment ran through my mind I took a minute to ask myself who is to blame for this historic drought? The easy answer is Mother Nature. She has been a moody bitch the last few years when it comes to precipitation in the form of rain and much needed snow in our state. Knowing the consequences that arise when it comes to blaming a woman for anything and the impending backlash associated with it, I am going to refrain from attacking her (you are beautiful by the way). OK, so if it’s not Mother Nature then who? Drum roll please…… Politicians! I know shocking right, who would think that the people we vote into office would fail us. The irony of the situation is that the man who will be implementing these unprecedented reductions is the same liberal governor who could have stopped this from happening way back in the 70’s. Yes, the same Jerry Brown who presided over the last great water crisis this state faced is the man sitting in Arnold’s former desk in Sacramento. Strategic planning is not something government thinks about. It takes a “wait and see approach” to issues and then responds with a knee jerk reaction when something occurs. 40 years ago measures could have been put into place to prevent what is happening currently. I may not be a scientist from NASA but Chico State taught me that an ever growing population coupled with a water system that stays stagnant or is wasted is not sustainable. Being that I like water, food, green grass, lakes and beer (made of water) If I was 70’s Jerry Brown with cool hair I would have said to myself, “Hey this drought sucks, we need water storage, let’s build some dams!” and “Why are we wasting millions of gallons of water every year that finds its way to the ocean instead of being utilized in an efficient manner? The fish were fine before we were around and they will be fine when we are gone! Let’s make this happen senators and members of the assembly!” If this scenario with the politicians in Sacramento had played out logically all those years ago and we would have saved for an “un-rainy day” then I wouldn’t be fielding angry calls from my favorite person wondering why the backyard can’t be landscaped due to the pending water cutbacks or worrying if I will be afforded the opportunity to make a living in my chosen profession as a farmer because the wells have ran dry. Common sense is nowhere to be found anywhere near a large concentration of politicians. Lawns are going to die whether you call Chico or San Diego home. Lakes will be empty from Oroville to Friant. Fresh water will still make its way to the San Francisco Bay. We all need the precious commodity that is water. If this isn’t a reality check for you when it comes to your representatives nothing ever will. Let’s start putting the burden on the ones who put us in position we are in today. Liberal politicians and environmentalists whose only agenda concerns what will benefit them. Call me selfish but I would rather have a clean and reliable water source at the expense of a butterfly or the possibility of a salmon losing his way. In the meantime I’m going to go freshen up my resume, I hear pool and lawn boys do very well…Wait..Damn…
PS. I hope you are having an amazing Thursday peeps. The tractors are continuing to move dirt in hopes we do get some water and remember…..Never underestimate the power of a good morning text, a sincere apology and letting her know she’s beautiful.
#jerrybrown #California #drought #water #waterreduction #farms #lawns #empireliving
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