Governor Moonbeam is at it again!
His recent 'State of the State' address was a mixture of standard 'smoke and mirrors' stuff, but mixed in with some really dumb ideas. He's so naïve, and hopes you are too!
The 'smoke and mirrors' included: "education is a top priorty." just as it has been with EVERY California Governor going back to Reagan. His stated goal was 'Decentralization of education', as if that phrase means something; It doesn't. It's the Teacher's Union (the largest organized Union in the U.S.) that black-mailed us into giving them MORE money this past election, and it is that 'arm' of education that needs 'decentralization', -not the actual schools. One past very real attempt at 'decentralization', was called 'funded Charter Schools,' (which could use non-union teachers) was beaten down, and it was the Teacher's Union (and their handling of our tax dollars) that sunk it. Then, their retirement plan turned out to be WAY underfunded. (If they hadn't spent all their money fighting the Charter School attempt, they could have placed the money in their retirement fund...no suprise there). Now, 60% of what we pay into schools actually goes to correct the 'retirement fund' fiasco; NOT to teachers that 'teach.' But don't get caught up in this 'smoke and mirrors' direction; if any of us, or the past 5 Governors could have done anything with the Teacher's Union, it would have happened already.
The really dumb ideas he wishes us to pay for are triple, yet linked:
a) A pipe line under the Delta to siphon drinkable water towards Riverside county.
b) A Bullet Train, ostensibly to connect Sacramento to L.A.
What is in common with these two goals?
Simple: HUGE land developers owning all the land of the Southern San Joaquin Valley (Merced to the I-5) that need an easy commute into L.A. For their planned housing tracts (now cotton and cattle ranches), and drinkable water for same.
These two developers (which frequently parade into the press and Sacramento as 'farmers') own 90% of the land there. They have been working to get more water: 'around, over, or through the Delta' from Lake Shasta for the past 10 years! Now, they propose for you to pay to go 'under' the Delta. They've wiped out the water that use to come down the San Joaquin river, now they are after ALL freshwater North of Sacramento (including the Rogue!). The impact is the same on the Bay: LESS WATER taking out the sediment that is now rapidly filling it.
The 'Bullet Train' idea is another 'Moonbeam'-class idea. He mentioned that China and even Morroco is getting on the 'Bullet' band wagon. Good for them, we are not China or Morroco. There are too many towns and mountains between Sacramento and L.A. to make the plan equivalent to a real 'bullet train'. The real Japan 'bullet train' has NO traffic, or potential traffic crossing it; it is entirely encased in tunnels or fences. It has never collided with any vehicles, or been off-schedule more than 16 seconds. It replaces airplane travel through areas where air-fields are NOT feasible, -due to population density and the cost of land.
This hoax has already been made obvious, as the Bullet Train design HERE has already been inked-out to go down the MIDDLE of the Valley, and NOT the logical and economical route along the I-5.
Again: their simple goal is for YOU to pay for the commuter train from Merced into L.A. And for YOU to pay for drinkable water to the deserts and Southern Valley - with the only fresh water that keeps the S.F. Bay alive. No fish in the Bay or Delta? Are you surprised? Harbor seals can be found year-round in Stockton, because Ocean water can be found there too.
Please don't buy into Moonbeam's 'smoke and mirrors'. Overpopulation, which adds to the challenges that have forced California to the brink, is our biggest problem; converting farm land to high-density housing tracts IS NOT the answer. Please write your State Representative and express your angst.
I almost forgot, what is the third thing that the San Joaquin Land Developers and Moonbeam support? :
c) More immigrants, legal or not. Thus pushing homeowners out of the cities into the surrounding new housing tracts! For every 8 immigrants (in the cities), a new house in the Valley can be sold! (Moonbeam already signed-off on free education and CA driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, making California the 'go-to' state for illegals).
Former Governor, Schwarzenegger, a land developer himself, saw through all of this, and refused to go down this path. With Governor Moonbeam, the Valley Land Developers have hit the Trifecta, and YOU and your children's children will be suffering the consequences if you don't write your State Representative!
For you, the best thing for your education is to start with the 1974 movie 'Chinatown'; and understand the roots of it are based on fact, not fiction (Google 'Owens Valley', 1913) Southern California has extremely little water of it's own, and the goal of land developers since the 1907 is to simply convert cheap desert land into swimming pools and high-density housing. (Water is easy, drinkable water-not so easy). The developers easily lubricate the politicians (who welcome them, as the average Sacramento politician must spend 65% of their time chasing funding), and when not plying politicians, they play the public like a fiddle. After all, who can refuse 'poor farmers'more water for their farms! They LOVE droughts so they can play this card, and obtain rights, and canals, aqueducts, (and tunnels) for MORE water. [Even the 'restore Hetch-Hetchy' bit was a scam which would have facilitated their Delta by-pass scam.] Paddle Wheels use to travel from San Francisco to Merced, I doubt you could make it up there in a canoe! The water from both sides of the Southern Sierra all goes to Southern California desert communities. Even (some) water comes all the way from the Western area of Utah; do your homework! Review the 'Death of the Delta', where former freshwater flora and fauna (thats plants and fish to you Bob ) have been wiped out by saltwater intrusion: http://www.sfbg.com/2010/11/16/delta-death
Research the 'Bullet Train' hoax on your own. It's just a commuter train over the Mountains to give a commuter route to L.A. from Merced. After that is complete, ALL interest in the 'Bullet Train to Sacramento and the Bay Area' will die off, as the funding peters out. (But thanks: your tax dollars made these housing tracts feasible.) Ask yourself: WHO NEEDS all the water that the Governor is pushing for? Why pipe the Sacramento River (which sources from Mount Shasta) all the way to L.A.?! Don't be fooled; always be aware of the nicely packaged con which contains: 'Bullet Train', 'Poor Farmers', 'Water Shortage,' 'Delta dikes need attention,' ..more jobs here', 'We are dependent on migrant farm workers' –ALL myths, that simply moves us towards more people and 'the need' for housing which translates to tax supported development of desert (which is one thing); and now shifting farmland to swimming pools, which is worse IMHO. They didn't 'give' land to U.C. in Merced for nothing. As I said: ALL the farmland there, and all the way to the I-5 is sewed up by just two large developers. After you do your homework, please take your best shot... or write your representatives. Thanx
Historical note: When BART in the SF bay area launched, they applied the same 'Bullet Train'- marketing ploy to the public, with speeds of 150+MPH promised. On completion, they very quickly acknowledged that at high speeds, the on-going maintenance costs more than QUADRUPLE. The land developers really don't care if the speed is fast or not; they just wish a taxpayer-paid commuter train into Merced from anywhere. In Japan, the high-speed makes financial sense, as an open-space for airports is scarce; they must have a real 'bullet train' in spite of the cost; and yes, the train fare costs double that of an equivalent airline fare for the same distance.
And how did you know I was bad at homework...is that you Mom?