Like the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, our Valley economy is an especially fragile ecosystem and investment capital has long been our most endangered species. Although we have aspired to economic diversity, the truth is that most of our Valley's capital is still quietly tucked away in farms, orchards, F-150's and processing plants.
The real value of that capital is vaporizing with every drop of water that doesn't reach our land and every day that passes without a predictable picture of what those flows will look like in the future.
This is not just an ag problem. Like a living system, the various segments of our economy are connected organically. As our capital base shrinks, so does financing, jobs, population, innovation and philanthropy.
Start-ups don't get funded, homes don't get built, city budgets are decimated. Unlike Delta water, the negative fall-out from our capital devaluation will trickle down to every segment of our economy.
With 20% unemployment, things are bad already, but there is a growing danger that a unique combination of the housing market implosion, the national recession and the devaluation of our agricultural capital will create a perfect storm that deals a permanent knockout blow to our economy.
When a regional economy hits a tipping point, it can spiral downward into permanent depression and never fully recover. Detroit and New Orleans are poignant examples.
But when it comes to water, our fate is not yet cast. In a recent speech, U. S. District Judge Oliver Wanger made it clear that a solution can only come from Washington. That's bad news because it requires a fight the Valley is especially ill-prepared to wage.
Let's face it, the Valley is an orphan in national politics. It has become embarrassingly clear that local Democrats have absolutely no chops within the national party, the Obama administration, or even fellow caucus members; and lack of any current Republican power makes the leadership of Rep. Devin Nunes valiant, but currently insufficient.
Increasingly, the battle looks less Republican versus Democrat and more "Us" (the Valley) against "Them" (outside regional and environmental interests).
It seems that every day we are served up a fresh plate of condescension from a Bay Area politician or environmental special interest group intent on imposing their priorities upon our way of life without any regard for our basic economic health. Straight up: The Valley is being tread upon!
We have already exhausted our usual political playbook. The time has come to identify some form of bold and united community action that can create pressure in Washington and force movement in Congress.
Here's one idea: Fresno State should boycott the 2010 football season in unity with the "Green V" and to create national awareness of the Valley's plight. Sound dramatic? Then we are on the right track. So, too, will be the human cost if our local economy goes extinct.
The reality is that Fresno State is our only recognizable national franchise and the Green V our most unifying symbol. Even the timing would be perfect as the college season ramps up to crescendo just before the November elections.
Truth is, when the goal is awareness, sports boycotts can be stunningly effective. Read up on the 1936 Long Island hoops squad, the 1980 Olympics or Tommie Smith's 1968 medal stand salute.
Even the NFL is likely to face a boycott (strike) or lockout in 2011 over relatively silly issues like revenue sharing and guaranteed contracts.
Many will argue that a boycott would unfairly burden the university and the football program specifically. But be honest: Given Fresno State's history with athletic priorities, would publicity from a boycott in the name of human rights and regional economic survival be a bad thing for the university? Just asking.
More likely, coach Pat Hill and the entire football program would emerge as heroes and the Valley would stash away decades of political capital to fight off regional oppression in the future.
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