GOP using water to woo Latino voters

[Auggie]

San Francisco Chronicle, 10-19-09

California Republicans are seeing political gold in California's water problems, hoping to steal the issue from Democrats and win support from one of that party's key constituencies - Latinos.

GOP leaders have put water atop their agenda for next year's statewide campaigns. They are expanding voter-registration efforts in the drought-stricken Central Valley, where unemployment is high and food banks are busy, and encouraging candidates to reach out to Latino voters hit hard by the recession. The strategy was distilled on a 5-foot-high banner at the Republican voter registration table in front of a Walmart store in Dinuba (Tulare County) in August: "Stop the radical environmentalists. Save your water. Save your jobs. Vote Republican."

"When I saw the (registration) numbers from that weekend, I fell off my chair," said Johnny Amaral, chief of staff for Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Alpaugh (Tulare County). "I've never seen something work like this."

<snip>

While Republicans blame water shortages for 40 percent unemployment in some Central Valley towns, a study by the University of the Pacific found that virtually all of the unemployment in San Joaquin Valley counties is a result of the collapse of the construction industry.

MORE: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/19/MNJT1A5H5Q.DTL&tsp=1

[Greyskye]

1. So that's what's behind the "Congress Created the Dust Bowl" signs I saw...

...driving through the Central Valley this last weekend. :puke:

[Auggie]

2. Lying their way back into power...

they hope

[alp227]

3. What do water and construction have to do in common?

Really?

[EFerrari]

4. Oh, brother. These people have no shame whatsoever.