a tale as old as time: corrupt public servants

I am watching, via Netflix, Chinatown. I loved it when it came out and have watched it a couple times since. It is about the complexly corrupt California water laws.  People built fortunes moving massive volumes of water around. Stealing water. Stealing elections. Corruption and water.

It seemed timely. Every thing I see about Berkeley public governance seems to have no more than a veneer of truly following the law that requires open government.  Our public servants make private deals with rich people and then railroad it with kabuki theater. I consider most of the public meetings held related to development in Berkeley to be based on a core of corrupt practices:  they pretty much see public meetings as a way to get activists off their backs.

Corrupt. Like in the movie Chinatown. And in this historic drought, the water corruption of Los Angeles' past seemed like a timely selection.