Nov. 8--In a staggering display of insensitivity, the governor of California last week chose Stockton as the spot in which to get goose bumps over passage of the state water package.

"Part of this package," gushed Arnold Schwarzenegger, "is to fix the Delta and to build a canal around the Delta. ... That was great news this morning."

Pause for applause. No applause. If Schwarzenegger still had that data readout that used to appear in the Terminator's field of vision, it would read, CRICKETS.

May I suggest why? It's not the cynical subversion of the legislative process. We saw that handwriting on the wall long ago. Though I must say you guys outdid yourselves.

It's not the Quisling collaboration of certain big environmental groups, though those dupes legitimized the rape of a wondrous estuary.

It's not the 1950s plan for dams and canals, though that is fundamentally an obsolete scheme to take more from an estuary that greed already brought to the edge of destruction.

It's the presumption that this region is such an afterthought that it really doesn't matter whether its residents swallow the transparent greenwashing and legislative charade meant to conceal this late-model Owens Valley water grab.

Same with prison officials.

Federal receiver J. Clark Kelso and top state prison officials visited this paper last week. They pledged collaboration, mitigation, good community citizenship.

These are the same loyal allies behind the secret and unilateral scheme to burden this community with three new prison facilities.

Without public hearing, they sent out a formal Notice of Decision, which under state law shortens the statute of limitations -- the window for suing to stop them -- from 180 to a mere 30 days.

Is there any doubt they would have shrunk the days to 0 if they could?

Given all that, plus the prison system's history of shamelessly broken promises, I'm surprised they could keep a straight face. They must inject themselves with Botox.

I'll make a prediction about the other giant project involving this area, high-speed rail. I predict if that system ever gets built, the powers that be will renege on their promise to beef up traditional rail over the Altamont.

They'll shrug helplessly and say they have no choice: there's a budget crisis, a court order, unforeseeable new circumstances, a flat tire, their dog ate it.

Because they can.

Politically, that is. In terms of population vs. Los Angeles -- voters -- powerful elected representatives, special interests, war chests, etc., San Joaquin is vastly outgunned.