Police State: CA Approves $500 Fines For 'Wasting Water'...

[paulitician]

Good ole Government. Always there to help ya out, huh? The 'War on Water-Wasters' has begun. Interesting to see how Big Brother will enforce these Laws. Maybe declare the Water-Wasters 'Terrorists?' Who knows? Nothing would surprise me at this point.


Reservoirs are running dry, the Capitol's lawn has turned brown, and farmers have left hundreds of thousands of acres unplanted.

Even so, many Californians aren't taking the drought seriously. State water regulators are trying to change that by imposing fines up to $500 a day for wasting water.

The State Water Resources Control Board acted Tuesday amid warnings that conditions could get worse if it doesn't rain this winter.

City and suburban residents often are not fully aware of the seriousness of the three-year drought - the worst in California since the mid-1970s, board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus said in an interview after the 4-0 vote.

The vote is historic, she said, not only because the steps are unprecedented in California but because the board is trying to spread the burden of the drought beyond farmers and agencies that are trying to protect wildlife.

"We're all in this together," Marcus said.

Yet consumption throughout the state actually rose by 1 percent in May, according to a report from the board, while Gov. Jerry Brown is seeking a 20 percent reduction in water use.

"We're taking the prudent step of taking action as if it's not going to rain for more years, because we know that's possible," Marcus said.

The fines will apply only to wasteful outdoor water use, including watering landscaping to the point that runoff...

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[mamooth]

A fine illustration of libertarians acting as sullen teenagers, endlessly screaming "YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!".

Record drought? Bah. Public good? No such thing. Every single thing is entirely about the rights of the poor libertarians to do whatever they damn well please, no matter who it harms.

Like other grownups, I understand that it's not all about me, and that I don't always get to do what I want, and it doesn't make me a victim of statist tyranny when I don't get to do what I want. Most libertarians never reached that level of maturity.

 

[martybegan]

I would rather State governments worry about things like this, which are within their purview, than making bakers bake cakes for gay weddings or mandate public coverage of abortion funds.

 

[occupied]

What is your problem with this exactly? It is a fact that water is wasted the most in areas where it is scarcest. Are you saying that nothing should be done and valuable water should be squandered on ornamental landscaping rather than growing food or for drinking/sanitation?

 

[paulitician]

A fine illustration of libertarians acting as sullen teenagers, endlessly screaming "YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!".

Record drought? Bah. Public good? No such thing. Every single thing is entirely about the rights of the poor libertarians to do whatever they damn well please, no matter who it harms.

Like other grownups, I understand that it's not all about me, and that I don't always get to do what I want, and it doesn't make me a victim of statist tyranny when I don't get to do what I want. Most libertarians never reached that level of maturity.

Yes, we know... HEIL BIG BROTHER!!! Yikes.

 

[Zoom-boing]

If the feds were doing this you'd have a point.

They aren't and you don't.

Derp.

 

[paulitician]

I would rather State governments worry about things like this, which are within their purview, than making bakers bake cakes for gay weddings or mandate public coverage of abortion funds.

I hear ya. But i am interested in how Big Brother plans to enforce this. Round-the-Clock surveillance? And what if the Fines aren't paid? Will there be arrests & imprisonment?

 

[kiwiman127]

Wow, this has never happened before!
Oh, I guess this has happened and is happening now in other states severely hit by drought.
Using Google and the words "watering ban fine", on just the first page I see it happening in Texas, Florida and Oklahoma in addition to California.
Well, this was a well researched thread.

 

[The Rabbi]

What is a water waster?
The problem is they wont price water accordingly based on scarcity. Increase the price of water to $2/gal or whatever and watch people fall over themselves to conserve it. But in the absence of free market the gov't has to go all stalinist on everyone.

 

[paulitician]

If the feds were doing this you'd have a point.

They aren't and you don't.

Derp.

'Big Brother' doesn't only apply to the Federal Government specifically. It can also apply to the all-encompassing overreaching Government in general.

 

[paulitician]

Wow, this has never happened before!
Oh, I guess this has happened and is happening now in other states severely hit by drought.
Using Google and the words "watering ban fine", on just the first page I see it happening in Texas, Florida and Oklahoma in addition to California.
Well, this was a well researched thread.

What's your point?

 

[paulitician]

What is a water waster?
The problem is they wont price water accordingly based on scarcity. Increase the price of water to $2/gal or whatever and watch people fall over themselves to conserve it. But in the absence of free market the gov't has to go all stalinist on everyone.

Oh Big Brother's gonna do that too. Bet on that.

 

[martybegan]

If the feds were doing this you'd have a point.

They aren't and you don't.

Derp.

The feds may actually have to, as the water in question is shared via a compact between multiple States. Again, something the feds SHOULD be doing instead of finding a way to force a tightly held private company that self insures into paying for IUD's.

 

[martybegan]

I would rather State governments worry about things like this, which are within their purview, than making bakers bake cakes for gay weddings or mandate public coverage of abortion funds.

I hear ya. But i am interested in how Big Brother plans to enforce this. Round-the-Clock surveillance? And what if the Fines aren't paid? Will there be arrests & imprisonment?

Its typical of most laws like this, they hope passing it makes people comply, and they go around and watch people. if they find people watering their lawns excessively, they issue a summons.

 

[paulitician]

I would rather State governments worry about things like this, which are within their purview, than making bakers bake cakes for gay weddings or mandate public coverage of abortion funds.

I hear ya. But i am interested in how Big Brother plans to enforce this. Round-the-Clock surveillance? And what if the Fines aren't paid? Will there be arrests & imprisonment?

Its typical of most laws like this, they hope passing it makes people comply, and they go around and watch people. if they find people watering their lawns excessively, they issue a summons.

Doesn't sound good. Next, Big Brother will probably encourage neighbor & family to rat each other out. Maybe Homeland Security will have to get involved too. I suspect the Water-Wasters will be labeled 'Terrorists' any day now.

 

[paulitician]

How and who decides what 'Excessive Water Use' is?

 

[The Rabbi]

They'll offer rewards for turning in your neighbor for flushing the commode too many times.

 

[dilloduck]

Will it be like electricity ? You use so little that the utility has to raise the rates ?

 

[paulitician]

They'll offer rewards for turning in your neighbor for flushing the commode too many times.

To most, that seems completely far-fetched. But i would not be surprised if Big Brother is advising neighbors and even family members, to rat each other out. Just stealing another page from the Nazi handbook.

 

[paulitician]

Will it be like electricity ? You use so little that the utility has to raise the rates ?

Yeah, a very sad Catch 22 there huh?