Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water

by Marc Reisner

Brown knew that a lot of voters will vote reflexively against any bond issue, even one to hire police and build jails in the midst of a crime wave. They would rather not pay taxes and buy guns, rather not pay taxes and dig wells. This was especially true in southern California, the home turf of the John Birch Society and the Liberty Lobby. Northern Californians were sure to be violently opposed, even if they were promised some of the water. Northern Californians had always resisted sending their water to Los Angeles. Between metropolitan San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, Stockton, and Contra Costa County, there were four million people and at least a million voters (out of three million who might vote statewide) who were certain to go against him. Those votes had to be counterbalanced by “yes” votes in southern California. But when those good Republican migrants from the Middle West down there saw how much the project would cost, they would blanch. How could he possibly win? There was only one way, Brown decided. It was to lie. “Lie” is a strong word, but in this case it is advised, because one day Pat Brown would all but admit it himself.