Opinions, musings, ideas, pearls of wisdom
Know What You Wish For On November 7th
By Kent Hull
Know What You Wish For On November 7th
By Kent Hull
This article isn't about liberal or conservative issues. It's about a grave threat to our sport. The following is the bulk of a letter from Robert Redford (the actor and watershed protection advocate) to other members of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
"We had no idea."
You're going to hear that a lot if Proposition 90 passes next month. Millions of people are going to wake up the morning after Election Day and wish they'd read the fine print.
Please don't be one of them.
Prop 90 is the single most dangerous threat that has ever been leveled at our state's environment. As a native and long-time resident of California, I don't say that lightly.
Prop 90 will make it virtually impossible for our state and local governments to do their job of protecting the wildlife, wild lands and other natural resources that make California the special place that it is.
The way Prop 90 works is simple. Anytime our government wants to protect some vestige of open space or save an old growth forest or restrict offshore oil drilling, Prop 90 would empower hordes of people to sue the government and collect compensation if they feel their properties or businesses have been compromised.
If Prop 90 is enacted, environmental protection will grind to a halt, because we the taxpayers will be unable to afford the billions and billions in payouts. And guess what? Paralyzing government is exactly what Prop 90 aims to do.
This cynical ploy is so insidious--and yet potentially popular--because it's masquerading as a law that will protect our homes and businesses from government seizure under the power of eminent domain.
Well, I'll be first in line to defend private property and protest government seizure. But not if the "cure" is a hundred times worse than the disease!
Prop 90 is nothing but a stalking horse for a group of out-of-state, anti-government extremists who would impoverish Californians both environmentally and financially.
Don't wake up the morning after Election Day and wish you'd read the fine print. Read it now at http://www.noProp90.com/".
And make sure your friends, family and colleagues in California read it, too. Please forward them this email right now.
NRDC has joined with a broad coalition of citizen groups who are fighting hard to turn back this unprecedented attack on our environment. (You can see the full list of opponents at www.noprop90.com/coalition/index.php
Please do your part by spreading the word to everyone you know. Tell them to vote "No on 90" on Election Day.
P.S. Newspapers across the state are urging a No vote on 90. You can read their
editorials at www.noprop90.com/media/articles/?set=article_j6dcq2bwmxw4ax.
Is this just alarmist? The L.A.Times reported on 12/22/04 that the federal administration announced on 12/21 that it had agreed to pay $1.67 million to a group of Central Valley farmers and irrigation districts whose water deliveries had been cut to protect endangered fish. State officials had strongly urged the administration not to settle the farmers' claims, arguing that such a precedent could make it prohibitively expensive to protect endangered species. Oregon passed a similar law in 2004 and it's already cost them $5.6 billion. Cash-strapped local governments have had to cave in rather than enforce protective regulations.
Deja vu all over again. Whether you agree with me or not, at least check it out before you vote.