Paul Rodriguez: ‘The fish lives and the farmers die.’
by Chuck DeVorePaul Rodriguez wants water – and he’s angry enough to get some
One wouldn’t immediately associate comedian and actor Paul Rodriguez with a serious issue such as water. But, as Mark Twain said: “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.”
Rodriguez is so concerned about water that he helped create the California Latino Water Coalition, led marches with several thousand people in recent weeks, and spoke Saturday night to a convention of the conservative California Republican Assembly in Bakersfield. I addressed the convention goers about my U.S. Senate run against Barbara Boxer just before Rodriguez’ turn at the podium.
What has Rodriguez’ concerned to spark political action is the shutdown of water pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. These pumps move water from California’s wet north to the agricultural Central Valley and urban Southern California. A judge’s ruling switched the pumps off over a controversial U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report that declared a fish, the delta smelt, threatened. No one really knows if turning the pumps off will help the fish, but most can agree that California’s agricultural industry will take a big hit this year due to lack of water.
Rodriguez and his family own farmland in the Central Valley where, as the comedian said Saturday night, “We grow the sweetest oranges and sourest lemons.” But now, because of a judge’s ruling, the most fertile land on “this blue marble” will lie fallow. People will be out of work. Less food will be grown. And farmer and farm worker alike will be hurt.
Rodriguez had notes at the podium but didn’t refer to them as he spoke for 40 minutes, presenting a potent alternating mix of passion, humor, and fact. He recalled using his talent to help many prominent Democrats raise money only to have every one of them turn him a deaf ear when he asked them for assistance over the water issue. “What are they afraid of,” he asked, “fish can’t vote.”
He said many environmentalists are earnest people who are concerned that the delta smelt are “the canary in the coal mine” of the delta’s environmental health. Rodriguez said he asked his uncle who mined coal in Chihuahua about canaries and coal mines. The uncle said, “Yes, we used canaries. When the canary dies, you run like hell out of the mine!” The canary dies and the coal miners live. In the case of the delta though, “The fish lives and the farmers die,” Rodriguez observed.
Rodriguez is in the middle of a steep learning curve regarding the vast political power of the environmental lobby. Soon enough he’ll discover their main motivation: control – the fatal conceit that all elitists feel towards the masses who, they think, need their intelligent direction and guidance.
The California Latino Water Coalition seeks to pressure lawmakers for more water as unemployment rates in some California rural communities have topped 40%. Easing the rules of the Endangered Species Act to allow more water to reach Central Valley farms is the lynchpin.
Rodriguez certainly stands out from the usual assortment of self-absorbed Hollywood glitterati. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force posted to chilly Iceland and chillier Duluth, Minnesota of all places, he remarked that he enjoyed it when the USO came to call. So, it was only natural that he would return the favor, traveling to Iraq three times to entertain the troops.
Paul Rodriguez is one of America’s top standup comedians. His ease in front of large crowds and his motivation to bring relief to the Central Valley’s besieged farmers make him a formidable force. As he said recently before a rally in the Central Valley, “Right now, people need something to lift their spirits. It’s good to see people laugh. Besides, Jay Leno did it for the auto workers, and I’m a lot funnier.”
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131 Comments
Great stuff. Thanks for this.
"The fish Lives and the Farmers die" – profound.
Chuck,
Piscene Electorial Suffrage is the next great civil rights issue for the Leftists in California.
Maxine Waters is very passionate about this issue.
Did you not know!
Once again, people with jobs get screwed because the lazy turds in the environmental lobby–who've probably never camped a day in their lives–are too stupid to understand how the world needs to work.
Another problem that would be solved if they built desalinization plants off the coast of SoCal. There'd be more water for southern Nevada too, driving their costs down, but really people, we gotta think about the FISH.
Paul is so correct about this situation. These folks here in CA are really looney, at least the judges are.
Not to sound too cynical, but dare I ask what Rodriquez is promising in return for supporting him? In other words, Is he talking about throwing support behind Republican causes and candidates (and hopefully bringing Hispanic votes with him) OR is he just asking for help on this one issue and then intending to continue supporting those same democrats who refused to help him?
Ya ever notice? That the celebs and politician who understand how the worlds works, are the same ones who have lived, worked and run a business in the real world. I wonder is there are some correlations with that? I guess some one smarter can answer that.
veiled socialism is what it is. It's not coincidence that environmentalism really became a powerful movement after the fall of the USSR. Same goal, different name. They don't really care about the environment, they are just anti freedom and anti capitalism. Just call yourselves what you are… Down with the fish kissers and tree huggers!
I dislike all these special-interest or society-splitting pressure groups: "Blacks against taxes," "Lesbians against pollution," "Latino water coalition." They're splitting the country into a new Balkans.
Anyway, a cause like the "dealt-it smelt-it" fish will only make people laugh.
Remember, they're already trying to define your pets as companions, with rights equal to yours.
Rich Democrats love everything liberal, except those things that have a negative impact on their pocketbooks. Don't expect a sudden conversion. As for me, I hope the delta smelt (is that like a tuna melt?) is carnivorous and eats only snail darters (the fish that started this ridiculous mess in California in the first place).
For our liberal friends who think we conservatives all march to the tune of the Republican party, I wish to point out that two of the most horrendously wrong-headed, expensive and damaging laws ever to come out of DC were both signed by Republican Presidents: The Americans with Disabilities Act, and The Environmental Protection Act.
"The California Latino Water Coalition"
Great, another racist group. Do we really need another one?
I suppose whites will pay double? Blacks 50% off?
*rolleyes*
Has anyone ever eaten a smelt? They are tiny fish that no one in their right mind would use for anything except bait. You have to eat at least a thousand in order to get a decent meal. Seriously, they aren't worth saving. I mean it's not like it's some cute little, highly important, swamp mouse after all.
Yep, and these are the same libs who believe they can run our lives better then we can. Ugh! They need another cause besides us poor peasants.
My understanding is that yes, it is like a tuna melt. But they don't eat snail darters, they eat blue whales — and they emit radioactive greenhouse gases.
Here's a thought. Can the right use issues like this to drive a wedge between the environmental movement and hispanics (farmers/farm workers) and thereby peel off a sizable chunk of hispanic votes?
Also, you are right about the EPA (Nixon) and the ADA (Bush I). Both are classic examples of the law of unintended consequences, the need for precise legislation as opposed to the undefined mandates created by the EPA and the ADA, and the destructive power of presidents looking to improve their images with the media.
I'm not opposed to the goals of either the EPA or the ADA, but this was not the way to go about this. The way they wrote these acts did nothing but generate uncertainty and create floods of legislation.
Add McCain/Feingold to that list also.
Never forget the state of Oregon saving the sucker fish at the Klamath River much to the chagrin of many area farmers !
Done.
Once again proving that the road to hell is paved with good intentions and bad legislation.
It's a golden opportunity. And the California Republican Party never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
And democratic legislation.
That sounds consistent with what I know about California's Republican Party. Maybe Chuck can change this? Hint hint hint. . .
In California, the previously unheard-of banana slug stopped not one, but two major projects (one public, one private). It was so wonderful that UC Santa Cruz adopted the slimy beast as its mascot. No wonder they've never won a football game. They keep slipping on the slime trails.
You can't eat the delta smelt because it's radioactive and its blood contains a hormone that promotes Zombism. But if you're not worried about a fate worse then death, I'm told it is kind of tasty.
How about Sarbanes/Oxley?
Yeah! Chuck–are you listening?
I love this line "“What are they afraid of,” he asked, “fish can’t vote.”
They've officially started water rationing here in San Diego. Of course, people that are conserving already, are punished because each household needs to reduce from their recent water use.
The environmental lobby absolutely controls the major resources of California; water, electrical production, land use, and offshore wealth.
And look at the results. California is broke and its people are fleeing. Look out fellow blue staters, California sets the trends for y'all. This is what you have to look forward to.
I would rather protect the swamp mouse than the senatorus pelosi.
One day – sooner rather than later, methinks – there will appear, out of left field, of course, an insignificant issue in American politics. This issue, whatever it is, will be the straw that broke the camel's back. Overnight, reaction to it will sweep the country as over a half-century of pent up push-back is released, seemingly for no specific reason. Unfortunately, I am just as certain that many unsavory groups will glom onto the sweeping tsunami of public outrage, so it certainly won't be pretty. There are four things it will not be good to be during this time: A politician, a judge, a lawyer (But I'm being redundant), or a police officer.
Yes, it could be something as small as a smelt.
Not cynical at all AP. Especially with what one knows about your average lib celebutard. But like the saying goes, "a liberal becomes conservative after he's been mugged." Let's hope this is Paul Rod's mugging.
I hope so. This strikes me as exactly the kind of issue the Republicans can use to start peeling groups off the liberal collective. But the last thing they should do is let one disgruntled democrat use them to make a point and then watch as he abandons them once the issue is over.
In other words, if Republicans are going to adopt this issue (and I think they should) they need to go in with the idea of converting this constituency (Hispanic farmers/businessmen). They need to meet with them early and often. They need to work with them on this issue and others. And they need to sell them on other shared issues.
What they cannot do, however, is just rely on Paul Rod as a go-between — which likely will be their first instinct.
Amen on those two right intentioned, wrong headed laws. If you get the chance watch Penn and Teller's take on the A.D.A., they absolutely demolish it. The E.P. Act is just one of the nails in the coffin of American industry. I used to sell Pontiacs that the paint would litterally fall off of as G.M. tried to adjust and manufacture cars in SoCal that wouldn't fall apart. They never did get that down, they still fall apart.
You mean a Malibu Barbie like Sean Penn DOESN'T get it? I'm shocked and you're right.
I heard they eat libs and emit methane. Makes them much worse than cows.
As usual, the very people liberals claim to support and understand, in this case farmers, are the same ones who are being harmed by their policies. Also, it sounds kind of cliched to call a species a "canary in the coal mine." They say that about every creature they exploit for their eco-political causes.
Fish lives and the farmers die…
Thanks to the environmentalists, and the Leftwing politicians who are owned by them; the land dies up and the cost of food goes up.
Thanks to the environmentalists, and the Leftwing politicians who are owned by them; the price of gas will go up because of reduced drilling. That will cause trucking companies and railways to charge more for shipping. The price of food goes up.
Thanks to the environmentalists, and the Leftwing politicians who are owned by them; there will be less coal-generating power plants, less oil-fired power plants, and no nuclear power plants. Electricity will be rationed and food freezers and other storage facilities will not be able to run at optimum. Prices of food will go up.
Cap and Trade (Carbon taxes) pushed by environmentalists and the Leftwing politicians who are owned by them, will raise prices on everything and anything, including food.
Environmentalists wll get what they wanted: A US with less people so the environment will be 'saved'. The Leftwing politicians who are owned by the environmentalists will get what they want: a populace totally dependent on the government.
Oh I agree. Taken on the issue and keep Paul Rod at arms length. Be polite, slap him on the back, but don't make him the face or mouth of the issue. Lead from the front. After that we'll see if Paul Rod has a genuine change of thinking.
I hate living here.
Great column Chuck, thank you. It's good to see some people on the Left realize that the feel-good policies do hurt real people, and the people implementing them don't care at all. It's all about what they think is important and winning at all costs.
The next one that is going to really hurt us is the nightmare bill Congress passed over lead in anything a child might use (including ATVs). I hear that it's going to cost businesses billions, and expose many to legal action that will put them out of business permanently. Unfortunately, nobody knows about it at the moment. By the time they do, it will be too late.
“The California Latino Water Coalition”? How about “The Californian Lesbian Dwarf Water Coalition”? This is a joke people. Okay, you win. I’m going to start up “The Californian Australian Water Coalition” mate.
"I'm told it is kind of tasty" especially with Spotted Owl Paté.
Yeah I know
My dog just got a lawyer.
Something about dry dog food. Sheez!
Depends on what is meant by Hispanic. People from the Carribean, Central Mexico and south America are very different in culture. Most Cubans are Republican and they manage to convert some of there fellows down in Miami. That does not help California I know. People from Venezuela are also more conserative leaning now. When Chavez took over there was a mass exodus from Venezuela. The Cubans and Venezuelans in Miami are finding a common enemy in "liberation" ideology communism. Brazilians don't even speak Spanish although many educated ones do.
The hispanic community is not as monolithic as you'd think. I guess out there in Cali Hispanic is most likely better termed Mexican.
Sarbanes Oxley in a sense is a typical reaction to an accounting scandal. Every time there is a major fraud there is usually an update to a standard. SOX was unfortunately a powergrab by the government. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) we accountants call it Peekaboo takes authority away from the FASB which is now being converged with the IASB (International).
In my opinion the effect of the law is to move Internal Audit from an operational auditing effort (improving how it works) to more of a compliance auditing effort (meeting regulatory standards). I dislike compliance auditing so I am biased but in my opinion the flaw is the assumption that IA will perfrom more independent audits. We are still paid by the companies we work for and the pressure is to accept things as not material in order to comply with the government that before the law we would point out to management as potential for improvement.
When the next great financial fraud occurs we will probably see a revamp of the standards but who knows.
Having lived in D.C. I can absolutely confirm that Hispanics are broken up by country of origin. In California, however, I understand that they are by and large from Mexico.
But in any event, it doesn't really matter because the idea would be to seek out farmers and businessmen (local community leaders) who will suffer because of this environmental issue and to sway them into joining the Republican Party. This is a local economic issue, not a country of origin issue (like Cuba policy). In this instance, Tip O'Neil was right when he said, "all politics is local."
You talk of those things as if they were bad.
LOL!! Sorry to hear that.
Can't they still claim all this is Enron's fault. I mean don't they get 10 years of blame from any scandal to deflect their owned FUBAR'd policies.
Hey don't knock it until you've seen the donations at the website.
I LOVE Spotted Owl Paté! Hmmmm. . . a rare delicacy!
With lawyers directing the traffic.
That problem's corrected now, better send a thank you letter to Barry.
Ain't that the truth?
And while I've got you, I meant to comment on your final post to tooty-frooty from yesterday about his lordship's definition of torture. The guy is so enamored of his own rhetoric that he didn't even realize how outrageous his final response to you was. After haranguing all of us with his purer-than-Jesus love of gentle America, the guy starts a post with stating that he would have "no problem torturing or even outright murdering (his words) a Taliban that would flog a helpless woman." He wouldn't waterboard a terrorist on the battlefield to save a thousand people in America (interrogation), but he would torture or murder a Taliban for flogging one woman (punishment/revenge). He's not just a feminazi, he's completely nuts. Whatever happened to a sense of proportion?
And then there's this sentence: " . . . but over time I believe we will see less of this and more of an application of new paradigms that move us from violent and unrestrained reaction into measured, thoughtful ways to redistribute events that initiate extremes." That sounds like something Foucault or Derrida would write, if they were drunk at the time. Talk about meaningless gibberish. He is obviously a product of our current college instructorship, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing. If I put together enough complicated phrases and high-falutin' words, people will think I am actually saying something both worthwhile and intellectually as deep as the Marianas Trench. In fact, it's just liberal double-talk. There were at least three more paragraphs of equal brilliant but meaningless obfuscation.
I hope the loony liberals in Chicago don't get wind of this; the smelt are disappearing here. Now, it's more a social activity than a fishing one.
I'm all for common sense approaches to environmental problems, but as so often happens, this one is ridiculous.
I don't know about Andrew, but I'm joining the mob.
The whole speech can be heard here http://cra.tackyandimmaculate.com/itunes/cra8.mp3
Previously unheard of? Do you ever wonder if certain groups get these critters from elsewhere and drop them in to halt development?
Wikipedia says the delta smelt are one of fifteen species of smelt. Has anyone done any (respectable) research to show this one is so distinct that it must be protected?
Wikipedia also says it was up-listed in 2008 to "endangered" under the Kalifornia Endangered Species Act, which likely also figured into the judge's decision. Since it's listed under the Federal ESA, through the gaping maw of the Interstate Commerce Clause, doesn't preemption mean Kalifornia shouldn't have it listed at all, let alone at a different level?
Don't feel bad. My cat got a lawyer because she didn't like the brand of caviar I was feeding her. Meanwhile, I'm eating generic peanut butter. Damned lawyers.
I'm afraid that's only partially true. A large number of them have embraced environmentalism as a religion, a particularly militant religion. They're like Druids, willing to sacrifice human life to appease the earth goddess.
Rodriguez wouldn't be so surprised about eco-hypocrisy if he just watched these episodes:
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/1a4af347eb/eco-c...
I'm sorry, I'm having trouble focusing. I keep getting the giggles over the word "smelt." How do you keep a fish from smelling? Cut off its nose. Is smelt the past tense of smell? I need a drink.
Do smelt eat smores?
I think they already passed that law. Or maybe it was just in Santa Monica.
Environmentalists are also proponents of population control which has always been a priority of the Leftist movement. (communism)
I agree. I cringe everytime someone feels the need to attach a race to an ideological movement. And then these same people wonder why racism persists. Because they perpetuate it.
I'm certainly not one who should comment on another's wordiness, but I'm roughly aware of what "advanced" vocabulary and concepts I've let slip away since I first went to college. Long ago, I became aware a question was being asked of me, do I choose intelligence (book smarts) or wisdom? Take a guess. I've since grown tired of 20 page dissertations into the motivations of some aspect of human behavior, that I can see is instinctual to animals by watching cats and dogs. I try to keep my words simple, and argue from what I can clearly see as true, rather than some 6th-generation rehash of a conglomeration of concepts that had neither practical applications nor real-world truth when their first versions were written.
I think my favorite line of his was from elsewhere in the comments, "An interrogator that states he can break people into a truth-spewing entity is full of garbage. " Any kid who had their ear pinched and twisted by their mother 'til they 'fessed up knows this to be untrue.
"I guess out there in Cali Hispanic is most likely better termed Mexican."
In California, calling a person of Latin American descent a "Mexican" will get you a racist card.
When environmentalists advocate population control, demand they lead by example. If they say they have done so by having few or no children, inform them of the damage they do by their mere existence, as spewers of environment-destroying emissions consuming limited resources and occupying space in an overcrowded world, and repeat your demand.
Environmentalists who insist we need to be in tune with nature, should be air-dropped into deep forest hundreds of miles from civilization, as a friendly way of helping them with their personal goal. Bet they could come up with some good speeches on biodiversity, as they seek to inform and enlighten the bears, wolves, and cougars as to why they should preserve the limited number of humans in the area.
Yep. Common sense, plain speaking, and clear logic may very well be gone forever. It isn't the length or the wordiness that's so bad (God knows I do enough of that right here on this site), it's the utter lack of any coherent meaning in their words that irritates the crap out of me. His comment on interrogators was at least a simple statement of his belief, however crazy and unsupported by evidence. But guys like him surround that simple idiotic statement with volumes of pseudo-intellectual trash and liberal babble first so that you won't notice the sheer idiocy of the one clear statement they make in their sea of quasi-academic gibberish.
It's possible the name is related to smelting, due to their silvery color and silver being smelted, if that's any help.
And I can think of an obvious method to keep a fish from smelling. You sneeze on it and give it your cold.
While smiling?
You can't get away with saying a dog is a pig by dressing it with a "Proudly Porcine" T-shirt and teaching it to snort.
And once they have equal standing under the law, someone will get a judge to agree that the law does not stipulate marriage must be between humans.
Wait, Prop 8 specified "man" and "woman," human-centric terms, not male and female. Ah well, there's another good reason to keep it around!
…
Yes, it is likely there are proponents of same-sex interspecies marriage, who are working to remove Prop 8 as personally infringing. I'm trying not to think about it.
But desalinization plants use energy, which is already criminalized and heavily fined, although outside the legislature they simply call the fines taxes. I guess it'd be okay if they were solar powered, on the days without bright sunshine you'd still have a shot at collecting rain or snow before you die from dehydration.
They could likely cure the shortage by giving up all that frequent showering and bathing, once a week is plenty. Then we get used to calling it "French California" and the transformation is complete.
Unfortunately if you've run a business you'll likely find there are some people you must keep a tight rein on, and government does not have the option of firing citizens, thus you'd be inclined to regulate lives. I think for that group a distinction is made between those who have run a successful business, and don't like people who'd take their hard-earned profits while dictating how their business should be run, and those who didn't who are certain they'd have done fine with some governmental help like grants and guidance.
And this comment is only here because it makes the lost one pop up. What a wonderful comment system! Was ID created as part of a federal jobs program or something?
Dang, I already got that one for my "Liberal Doublespeak Hate Phrase" collector deck. Gotta get them all!
Anyone got the Ignorant Southern Redneck one? I'll trade you two Homophobes and a Nazi!
Everyone has those two. What I am looking for is the new "carbon emitter" card. Since they are new, very few have been handed out.
Of course, in a few years, they will be just as common as all the others.
Well, by living within 20 miles of the local power plant, I got ahold of the Clean Coal card from the "Conservative Code Words" add-on deck. Allegedly someone was handing them out to some protesters from a nearby university, the kids left some behind with their discarded Taco Bell wrappers. There's really nothing to it, a solid black back and a white front with those words on the bottom. Guess it's some sort of high-brow humor, saying nothing is there since it doesn't exist. Strange though, they used the cheap sooty newspaper ink, every time you touch it you get dirty. I expect it to stay rare, no one will want it.
kadaka,
Where does that leave those people who consider themselves "furries?" They dress as animals, and a good number of them consider themselves another species. Or those who modify their bodies to look like animals? I know a woman who thinks she is a cat. True story. I read her posts all the time. She is bat s#it crazy, but there you go. It is indeed a slippery slope.
I’m not sure if I understand you. So, we must judge a cause by how much money it can raise? So, then, according to your logic, Obama is far better than Abraham Lincoln and Eisenhower.
Amen, Kadaka! I find that 20 yrs out that my language skills are not what the once were, and that I cannot write a decently structured sentence to save my life. I also can no longer speak in the liberal doublespeak. Of course, I wasn't taught very much of this particular pile of offal, as I went to U of Alabama in the 80's, and we weren't innundated with that business then. I get headaches trying to decipher those types of sentences these days. I like info to be broken down to it's basic form.
I am so glad you said that. I have more than once chastised for calling Mexicans (as in born in Mexico) "Mexicans". Apparently, I said it with the wrong intonation.
I miss freedom of speech, but I reeeally miss freedom of tone.
He said bad legislation already. No points for you!
Here's your pitchfork. Make sure you can reach it in case of overthrow…
What coal mines?
Didn't environmentalist statists already close those?
Specious argument, then…
I wasn't aware this guy had his head on straight. I'd pretty much given up on mainstream standup comedians as a monolithic block of vapid left-wing droolers.
I was wrong. Sorry, Mr. Rodriguez. We still may or may not agree politically, but at least you're reasonable enough put the concerns of your fellow humans on equal or greater footing with the concerns of a fish.
Rodriguez has supported, and does support, many right-wing policies; he is a BIG proponent of "English Only" in schools.
"If he could be turned, he would make a powerful ally…."
Anyone got Palpatine's phone number?
"Freedom of Tone" — wow! Great phrase!
Wait a minute. . . let's be fair. . . not ALL democratic legislation is bad legislation. There was that one bill. . . no. . . what about that other one. . . no, not that one either.
Ok, you're right.
Individualist, I have an accounting question for you: What exactly is Basil 2? I keep hearing people talk about it, but no one seems to be able to tell me what it really means for US companies. Any ideas?
Dunno Andrew… if you ask me, you're off the mark on this one a little on the "too" cynical side. Why do we have to have a "give and take" on this? Paul realizes and speaks out that the enviroweenies are hurting California as a whole…
So if the conservatives step up and get this ridiculousness removed from the books, then we score big..
If conservative Californians try to get it removed and theycan't do it at the moment… the liberal policy remains under fire … Heck 40% unemployment due to a "fish"…
Why go with a give and take here? They see an enviro-policy that's screwed up.. and they want it rectified. Time for conservatives in California to step up and fix it.. and take -credit- for fixing it and don't let the liberals do so.
Now as for calling it the "California Latino Water Coalition"… i can see the problem with the group naming but it's something I can overlook…
The salient fact about "environmentalists" is that they live in cities.
The popular name from the sixties was "Chicano" and when it fell out of favor, a few non-hip universities forgot to change the name of their "ethnic studies program" so they're still called "Chicano Studies." "Latino" seems to be the current [and ethnically-historically incorrect] nombre de especialidad, but I'm sure it would cause offense to someone, somewhere. The generic "Hispanic" is popular when the smaller special groups wish to appear as one large special group. But they have no problem calling me an "Anglo," even though I don't have a single drop of English blood. But I'm not allowed to be offended.
It's going on the wall in a place of honor, right next to my axe and torch.
Maybe Chuck should think a bit more about water… such as the water leaking from the Indian Point Nuclear Plant in NY. He seems to understand Nuclear more than agriculture.
Consider this, folks. Ag Employment in California has gone up during the drought. It is non-Ag employment, like all of those developer construction jobs, that has tanked.
Intresting but I have alreay written off California as a loss.
and if I hear one more time about Kal-ef-ornias Republican Governor I'll heave my cookies
Mark, my concern is with being used and abandoned, and ultimately squandering a great issue.
What I don't want to see happen is that Paul, a disgruntled democrat, comes to the Republicans for help. They help him, and rely on him to lead / "front" the issue. He attracts just enough democrats to win the issue. Then credit them is given to Paul and his "bipartisan effort."
I would rather that the Republicans get him to introduce them to the "power players" in the hispanic small business/farming community as the price for helping him out. Then they have the power to make this effort meaningful.
Next time someone calls you an Anglo, tell them that you're actually a "Teuton" and then demand that they get it right from now on.
You got vote and my my support, Chuck! Remember to just vote NO on all 1A-1F ballot propositions come May 19th. If you notice, not one is about water and all are about higher taxes that will only benefit the very people that got us into this mess in the first place! Let's send a message to Sacramento and Governor Girlyman that we are mad as hell and we aren't going to take it anymore.
I can understand the point about using him to introduce him to the power players, but that's why I put in the remark about conservatives stepping up, fixing the problem, and then proclaiming they fixed the problem.. and i don't mean, "we had a great working relationship with liberals to fix this…" .. I mean shout it out as loud as possible among the Hispanic community if needed "WE GOT THE PROBLEM FIXED BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT YOU, NOT THE ENVIRO-NUTS!". (yeah, I put all caps just to emphasize the shouting).
Repeat it over and over.. make it a mantra, whenever conservatives get something done, take the FULL credit for it. If anyone calls them into question, fire back… ask whatever democrat "leader" claims credit to step and prove they did something on their own.
Don't forget there are a few actors/writers in Hollywood, Andrew were "disgruntled" democrats, and the conservatives/republicans welcomed them in, and they spoke out strongly in favor of conservative ideals since then…. (Reagan, Silver, Miller, our own Burt P on the site..). Why not use the opportunity to bring someone like Rodriguez over to the conservative side (if he's not already.. (yeah, i just checked his political donations.. and he donates more to Dems (and also donated to Mitt RomneY))
Prove to the liberals that the conservative "household" is more than willing to welcome them…
I was watching a BBC series the other night about The Barbarians, and for the first time found out that the victor at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, Arminius, was called Hermann in German. I probably should have realized that, but I didn't. My dad's name was Herman, and I was always slightly embarrassed by it, since it sounds a little funny in English. But no more! From here on, I am no longer Spartacus. I am Herman the German!
New Central Valley cry…SMITE THE SMELT!!!
People like Rodriguez lose me when they create divisive, exclusive, ethno-based organizations such as the California Latino Water Coalition, which Schwarzenegger addressed about 2 weeks ago. Why not, instead, name it something like the Central Valley Water Coalition, for example? All people and all farmers need water, not just Latinos. The regressive and spreading separation along ethnic lines over every issue (water?) is a cancer rapidly weakening the American social body. At the least, maybe this experience will wake Rodriguez from the hazy Rumpelstiltskin-like slumber so many Liberals succumb to. Fish before people? Wake up, Paul, wake up!
Paul Rodriguez is brilliant and successful because we agree with him!
Janene Garofalo is a stupid loser because we disagree with her!
Yay us!
I'm such a "white" mutt you can call me anything you want. Lots of people do.
Same here but in PA. Hey, I see by your profile we're about the same age. You married?
*sigh* I had a nice long reply done, that got eaten by the moderation beast, likely to never be seen again. With links I had to Post then Edit to get working right.
Oh well, short form, see this Wikipedia article. Those who want to do it with animals are not "real furries" and are widely condemned. Furries are largely just fans of "anthropomorphic" art, there may be some dressing up as characters. The dark stuff is considered separate and abhorrent, they get quite upset when the media attaches the animal-relations and "sex in fur suits" groups to them. As to other stuff like you're complaining about, eh, they already feel marginalized, some like to "push back" by doing just about anything to annoy others. Needless to say, they tend to be liberal.
I prefer it when people either call me "Caucasian, not hispanic", or " gloriously sun-tanned".
fish? what fish? it's a sea kitten. didn't you know that? PETA officially renamed them all. Paul Rodriguez just wants to kill kittens. he must be stopped!
see how that works?
Out here in Florida you almost have to make the distinction. Try lunping all Hispanics together and you could find yourself in real hot water. Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Brazilians, Colombians and Mexicans will get down your throat if you forget that they have a distinct culture from each other.
For whatever reason there is a rilvary between Cubans and Puerto Ricans but if you assume either likes a tamale and you will hear it. This does not come from the "liberal activists" mind you but from these people themselves. In Miami there is a true Hispanic melting pot but that is changing since now we have Russians, Slavics, Haitians (they speak Creole), etc.
The Hispanics are having their monolithic minorty status in Miami eroded.
But hey for a brief year the Florida State Motto was
"Florida the rules are diferent here". Unitl the antidrug groups that it meant sometniong else.
Insanity! Next we won't be able to use fertilizer or cement as they pollute the environment! California is going down the tubes because of its liberal politicians and environmental idiots!
WOW! You ARE ready!
Just remember; "Never bring axes, torches, and pitchforks to gunfights…"
Wait until they have to reload…
Andrew! I was the one who actually booked Paul for the event. he is awsome and passionate and putting his career on the line against the Hollywood enviro movement. I assure you there is no backscratching at all. His farm has no water, he needs water. Republicans have been fighting enviros for years, our worlds have simply and finally collided.
There are no "white" people, there are "variably toned" ones that adapt to sunlight exposure who start from a low baseline. I've seen many "ethnic" people who might as well be called white. Look at Rodriguez' photo, European ancestry. Somehow I don't think it'd go over well to go to Europe and tell a Spaniard they're a Latino or a Hispanic. And given the way the royal families used to intermingle, seems likely you could try telling that to Prince Charles as well. Now George Lopez on the other hand, he is definitely a Chicano.
And fourteen hours later… Wikipedia by way of Google, twenty seconds with coffee sipping.
Trust me, in the winter, I am white.
I never would have thought Paul to be such a rabid eco-rapist, but apparently he is
Excellent! Please, please make the most of this. Based on the Hispanics that I have met in my life, they really should be natural allies of the Republican Party. You folks may have the chance to get that started.
I sincerely wish you guys the best.
This is a complicated issue. I consider myself someone who cares about the environment. I take steps everyday to minimize my impact on our planet and one of those steps includes shopping for locally grown foods. Being able to shop and buy locally grown produce is one of many steps we can take to reduce our environmental impact by helping reduce fuel consumption and pollution created as we ship food from other countries thousands of miles away.
I feel for the smelt, really, I do. I hate the idea of another species going the way of the dinosaurs because of human encroachment. But, no matter how much it bothers me, simply stopping the water to our food growing region is not the answer. I see some of those same "environmentalists" at the farmer's market every week so to you I say… It’s not just big farms that are impacted, but also small farmers and farms who use sustainable growing practices and sell to local markets that aren't getting the water they need.
And for those of you who have a problem with "The California Latino Water Coalition" I get what you are saying and normally, I would agree. But in this case I see someone who is trying to mobilize a group of people, including farm workers (the majority of of whom are Latino ) to take a stand that may put them at odds with the usual politics in CA. So I get it.
This is a complicated issue. I consider myself someone who cares about the environment. I take steps everyday to minimize my impact on our planet and one of those steps includes shopping for locally grown foods. Being able to shop and buy locally grown produce is one of many steps we can take to reduce our environmental impact by helping reduce fuel consumption and pollution created as we ship food from other countries thousands of miles away.
I feel for the smelt, really, I do. I hate the idea of another species going the way of the dinosaurs because of human encroachment. But, no matter how much it bothers me, simply stopping the water to our food growing region is not the answer. I see some of those same "environmentalists" at the farmer's market every week so to you I say… It’s not just big farms that are impacted, but also small farmers and farms who use sustainable growing practices and sell to local markets that aren't getting the water they need.
And for those of you who have a problem with "The California Latino Water Coalition" I get what you are saying and normally, I would agree. But in this case I see someone who is trying to mobilize a group of people, including farm workers (the majority of of whom are Latino ) to take a stand that may put them at odds with the usual politics in CA. So I get it.
[...] The Fish Live and the Farmers Die [...]
Denim, me too. I had to move here from PA in 2002 to maintain my career. I thought the stories I had heard about how nutty this place was had been exaggerated. Too soon I found out they were understated not overstated. Just trying to hang on until I can retire and move away.
Time for Paul Rodriguez and the rest of the hispanics to become conservatives and realize that the democratic liberals don't care about them or any of us. They only care to push their anti-people agenda. They hate poor people and they would rather we all die to save a delta smelt. I hope that he and the hispanic community wake up and realize that they have much more in common with conservatives and Republicans than they think and vote that way. There is no free lunch and you cannot expect to vote for Democrats to get free hand-outs and have no consequences. As a wise woman once told me "Free comes with a d*ck up your ass"
I've been asking everyone about this since first hearing Rodriguez in an interview over a month ago. But even here in western Nevada, where you think that folks might be concerned about their main supplier of fruits and vegetables, NOONE knows about it.
The orchards and farms of the San Joaquin valley have turned to dust. Where are those necessary foodstuffs going to come from? Mexico? China? Because a freakin' bait fish?
The mainstream media, environmentalists and democrat (small d) politicians have crossed the line.
It's pitchfork time.
Actor Paul Rodriguez Turns GOP After Farmers Hurt to Save Endangered Fish
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2009/0...
[...] Paul Rodriguez: ‘The fish lives and the farmers die.’ [...]
I Prefure Bow/Arrows myself, got nearly the range, no bang, and you can retrieve your ammo when your done.
I agree it should just be the Californian Water Rights Coalition, keep race, sex, etc. out of it.
Then explain the nearly 40% unemployment in the Ag Baised Counties, in a state with about 15% unemployment overall.
[...] http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cdevore/2009/05/03/paul-rodriguez-the-fish-lives-and-the-farmers-d... [...]
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