Friday, Jan. 29, 2010

Letter to the Editor: A political drought

Why is Secretary Salazar's, excuse me, Czar Salazar's press release so important? What a deceptive lie! Is this purely about the reelections of Costa and Cardoza? By the way, they have voted against bills to free up water and for bills to block turning on the pumps for San Joaquin Valley farmers.

Once again our politicians are announcing exactly what the Westside would have received if it continue to be an above average meteorological year anyway. Unfortunately, in a very politically-correct fashion, at least Tom Birmingham reported the obvious. But, it is far short of what agricultural contracts would have been if our congressman had the strength to stand behind their food supply rather than to be bought off by Nancy Pelosi D -- San Francisco, Sen. Harry Reid D -- Nevada and a fish.

Yes, farmers would have received all the water needed. I was sickened by Westland Water District General Manager Tom Birmingham kissing up at Dennis Cardoza's, D -- Merced and Jim Costa's, D-Fresno, "public" meeting! What has this party promised Birmingham, obviously not water.

Cardoza and Costa have almost an identical voting record as Pelosi and Reid. Google "Congressional Voting Records" and compare for yourself! What has Nancy promised them in order to get them to vote against their constituency?

There is an incredible amount of wealth built out of sweat and honest hard work in the farms, built by families on the Westside. Where is the anger, the passion, the fight? Why don't we the farmers, at the very least, understand what is happening?

This so called "Water Issue" is not about incompetence, it is about very competent "progressives" who have placed like-minded regulators into positions of control. They are in control of our economy and they have no qualms about destroying farming just like they destroyed the timber industry.

I think this quote is very appropriate.

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny! When the government fears the people, there is liberty!"- Thomas Jefferson

John Fawcett

Los Baños