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Here in Georgia we have a pretty severe drought about every five to seven years, at least that is the way it seems to me. Well of course every time we have a drought, the government decides to ration water, and then sooner or later the rates go up as well. The last big drought lasted from about 2006 through 2008, and a lot of the area lakes were starting to dry up.
There was water rationing and fines imposed for using more than your allotment, as well as restrictions such as prohibiting outside watering of lawns and gardens. A lot of people's yards began to dry up, and it certainly made it hard to grow flowers and vegetables. Funny though that when the drought was over, the water rates did not come back down, and it got me to thinking that we are due for another drought in the next few years.
Of course the problem in Georgia is like most other states, in that most people these days live in cities and drink water that comes from rivers. This is true in Atlanta where the majority of the water comes from the Chattahoochee River. The funny thing is though, that while Atlanta is twice as big as it was twenty five years ago, the river is the same size.
Somewhere back in around 2007 there was a big national debate going on about immigration, and my cousin happened to have a chance to talk to one of our United States Senators about the subject. What my cousin said was that while most Americans have always been willing to share the wealth, the water rationing was stopping him from growing tomatoes, which he has always done. Because of this he was not feeling very charitable about sharing Georgia's water with the more than one hundred thousand illegal immigrants living in the state at that time.
I have been thinking that we had better get a strong national conversation going regarding shrinking resources and over- population, before the next crisis arrives. The truth is that the country has more than twice as many people living here than it did about fifty years ago. Meanwhile, the amount of available drinking water is about the same as it has always been. The same is true for clean air and good land. Natural resources are not the only shrinking commodity either. The government is running out of money to assist people with, our schools are over crowded, and our healthcare system is straining with the load of an ever increasing population
The bottom line is, whether you are speaking of legal or illegal immigrants, we are starting to approach the saturation level in population. For me, this means that I am not putting out the welcome mat for any new residents, regardless of where they come from. Regrettably that includes my favorite English Auntie, who wants to move here from England to be closer to her American nieces and nephews. Sorry Auntie, there is just not room for any more folks in Georgia.
"Just my Opinion"
Scoop Biggers
