California Democrats have once again proven that when it comes to policy decisions, common sense takes a back seat to environmental virtue signaling. For over a decade, the state has been dumping billions of gallons of fresh water into the ocean in a desperate attempt to save the Delta smelt—a tiny fish that hasn’t even been seen in the wild since 2012. Let that sink in. California is sacrificing its water supply for a fish that, by all accounts, is extinct.
A 2021 report by Dan Bacher in the Sacramento News confirmed that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife hasn’t caught a single Delta smelt in its annual surveys for seven straight years. The last time they found any was in 2016—eight fish. Before that, in 2015, it was just five. Yet, the state continues to flush millions of gallons of water out to sea, claiming it’s for the sake of ecological health. Newsflash: it’s not working.
And while the Democrats in Sacramento play environmental savior, real communities are paying the price. California is in a perpetual state of drought, and wildfires are devastating towns across the state. Why? Because water that should be used to fight fires, irrigate crops, and keep reservoirs full is instead being wasted to “save” a fish that doesn’t even exist in the wild anymore. Fire hydrants are dry, farmers are struggling, and neighborhoods are turning to ash—all because of a failed environmental policy.
Recent research shows that these massive water releases aren’t even helping the Delta smelt. Their numbers remain nonexistent, proving that this whole operation is nothing more than a costly environmental fantasy. Meanwhile, a report from the Pacific Institute highlighted that nearly 490,000 acre-feet of stormwater runoff—about 437 million gallons per day—is wasted in cities like Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Anaheim. That’s enough water to make a real difference in drought-stricken and fire-ravaged areas.
But California’s leadership doesn’t want to hear that. They’re too busy patting themselves on the back for being “eco-friendly” while their citizens suffer. This is what happens when radical environmental policies override basic governance. It’s not about saving the planet—it’s about political posturing.
So, while California burns and communities crumble, the Democrats continue to sacrifice human lives and livelihoods for a fish that’s been gone for over a decade. This isn’t environmentalism. It’s insanity.
The more I hear about California, the more I say YOU GOT WHAT YOU VOTED FOR.