(Cross-Posted to DemNotes at www.DemNotes.com)
The Pueblo Chieftain today has quite an interesting piece on John McCain that — in one article — gives reason enough why Coloradans can’t afford to support John McCain. In the Chieftain, McCain supports opening up the Colorado River Interstate Compact to renegotiation:
The water compact that Colorado and other upper basin states have with California and Arizona should be renegotiated, U.S. Sen. John McCain said Thursday.
In a telephone interview with The Pueblo Chieftain, the presumptive GOP candidate for president said the water sharing agreement reached in 1922 between seven Western states doesn’t take into account increases in population and the changing water needs.
Here’s the folly with that argument: renegotiating likely means less water for Colorado and more water for thirsty growing downstream states like Nevada and California. Right now, the Interstate Compact truly provides protection for upstream users in Colorado. A renegotiation would only diminish those rights.
If Ken Salazar knows anything, he knows water law. Ken Salazar probably understands water issues better than any elected official in the United States; indeed, it was his work with water law and negotiating water agreements that was key to electing him as our Attorney General in the 1990s. And Senator Salazar knows exactly what McCain’s water proposal would do. Here’s Salazar’s response:
“Senator McCain’s position on opening up the Colorado River Compact is absolutely wrong and would only happen over my dead body,” Salazar said. “It’s an anathema to the fundamental principles of Colorado’s water rights and our compacts.”
The senator said that when the state’s compacts with the lower basin states were negotiated, everyone knew at the time that those states would grow in population faster than Colorado. As a result, the upper basin states’ water rights needed to be protected.
“We did not want California to gobble up all of the water supply on the Colorado River, and they would have done that under the doctrine of equitable apportionment,” Salazar said. “In my view the compact is sacrosanct. I will fight tooth and nail to make sure that it is not opened up.”
I know a little about water issues myself. And from my travels across this state, I can also tell you that Democrats and Republicans alike are highly distrustful with politicians like John McCain that play fast and loose with our water. The phrase, “Whiskey’s for drinkin’, water’s for fightin’!” has much truth for it in Colorado — especially in parts of rural Colorado McCain needs to win heavily in order to compete in Colorado.
John McCain either doesn’t understand or doesn’t care how important water is to Colorado voters. Either way, that is reason enough for many to vote for Barack Obama in November.
Basically, all those fountains and golf courses and non-native plants have gradually transformed the arid climate into a semi-arid one, where precipitation is much more frequent and heavier than in the past.
The natural ecology of the area is under threat due to man's apparent need to watch huge amounts of water hurled into the air accompanied by classical music at the Bellagio, and to play golf in the desert.
There are already wars over water in the world. Water is a major reason for tension in the Levant - what, you thought that was all about religion? Do your research. There have been mini-wars in what is now the United States going on for centuries over access to potable water supplies. It is part of the reason for the wars against Native American tribes - farmers and ranchers needed access to large amounts of water and there wasn't enough to go around. It was the source of much political tension and fighting in the 1920s and 30s in California. The erection of the Hoover Dam is a testament to the arid Southwest's ever-increasing need for water.
While we are asked to conserve water in motel rooms and diners, they are building more golf courses which need constant watering. Huge resorts spring up, boasting five or six swimming pools, in-room jacuzzis, bidets and shower room PLUS enormous bath tubs. In places where water is scarce.
Growing food is one thing. Leisure and extravagance is quite another.