Republican lawmaker asks Schwarzenegger to quit

A California congressman on Friday called on fellow Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to resign over his handling of a water crisis in the San Joaquin Valley.

Rep. Devin Nunes represents several communities that he said are withering away because they can't get enough water pumped to their farms. Federal regulations are restricting water flow to protect a tiny fish called the delta smelt.

The governor told farmworkers and farmers on Friday that he'll do everything he can to bring more water to the valley this season.

Nunes said the solution is an emergency reprieve from the Endangered Species Act that would allow more water to be pumped through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/17/state/n143856D79.DTL&type=politics

The reason these farmers are in such a bind is they have never been forced to practice any sort of wise management of cheap taxpayer funded water. Had they conserved or recirculated water in the past they would have a groundwater reserve available for years when surface water deliveries must be cut in compliance with the ESA.

The farmers won't suffer. Their profits may be reduced this year but they'll still make a ton of money (plus collect federal subsidies and in lieu payments for acreage they didn't plant). Farm workers on the other hand will suffer. Fewer acres planted means fewer jobs.