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Who is going to tell middle California that they need to pay a lot higher to grow crops? The politicians sure won’t. The government is already an enemy in those

Who is going to tell middle California that they need to pay a lot higher to grow crops? The politicians sure won’t. The government is already an enemy in those parts.

maxerickson 5y ago
If they already hate the government, making them hate the government some more doesn't seem like a problem. Figuring out what is equitable and carrying it out is the hard part, the political consequences of pissing some people off shouldn't really matter.
stevenwoo 5y ago
When one drives on I-5 or 99 through central California, there are billboards every 10-20 miles telling people that big government is trying to stop farming by restricting water rights. There is a constant messaging campaign (for the 20+ years I have lived in California) and the signs all look the same, and it's the opposite of what you are writing.
- mercutio2 5y ago
  Huh? Those signs all are arguing for more free water for agriculture. That’s not the opposite of “The politicians won’t tell farmers to pay for their inefficient water use”. Or maybe you’re arguing “yeah, politicians, won’t try to charge market rate for water, because the farmers are already up at arms at not having more subsidies thrown their way”?
  - s1artibartfast 5y ago
    It's not about subsidies, it is about water contracts and infrastructure that the farmers paid for up front.
    - 8note 5y ago
      The infrastructure that came with water in it? They built the Colorado River?
      - s1artibartfast 5y ago
        Most of the fights over water in the central valley is over water coming from the American and Sacramento rivers, not the Colorado river. Bonds were raised and contracts were made with farmers for X gallons at Y price. The state water project doesn't want to uphold the contracts and this is what the farmers are demanding. There is a separate fight also going on about new laws preventing farmers pumping their own water with private wells. The state holds that the new laws supersede the water rights of the farmers, but that restricting their use does not constitute eminent domain and the farmers do not need to be compensated. There are a number of heated cases making their way through the courts regarding this now. Last, the waters imported from the Colorado River are used for drinking and domestic use, not for agriculture.

Who is going to tell middle California that they need to pay a lot higher to grow crops? The politicians sure won’t. The government is already an enemy in those parts.

maxerickson 5y ago

If they already hate the government, making them hate the government some more doesn't seem like a problem. Figuring out what is equitable and carrying it out is the hard part, the political consequences of pissing some people off shouldn't really matter.

stevenwoo 5y ago

When one drives on I-5 or 99 through central California, there are billboards every 10-20 miles telling people that big government is trying to stop farming by restricting water rights. There is a constant messaging campaign (for the 20+ years I have lived in California) and the signs all look the same, and it's the opposite of what you are writing.

mercutio2 5y ago
Huh? Those signs all are arguing for more free water for agriculture. That’s not the opposite of “The politicians won’t tell farmers to pay for their inefficient water use”. Or maybe you’re arguing “yeah, politicians, won’t try to charge market rate for water, because the farmers are already up at arms at not having more subsidies thrown their way”?
- s1artibartfast 5y ago
  It's not about subsidies, it is about water contracts and infrastructure that the farmers paid for up front.
  - 8note 5y ago
    The infrastructure that came with water in it? They built the Colorado River?
    - s1artibartfast 5y ago
      Most of the fights over water in the central valley is over water coming from the American and Sacramento rivers, not the Colorado river. Bonds were raised and contracts were made with farmers for X gallons at Y price. The state water project doesn't want to uphold the contracts and this is what the farmers are demanding. There is a separate fight also going on about new laws preventing farmers pumping their own water with private wells. The state holds that the new laws supersede the water rights of the farmers, but that restricting their use does not constitute eminent domain and the farmers do not need to be compensated. There are a number of heated cases making their way through the courts regarding this now. Last, the waters imported from the Colorado River are used for drinking and domestic use, not for agriculture.