Seein' and fightin' like a State, quick post

I cannot help but point out a story by Emily Green, ("the screw turns", Feb 24), about the administrative reversal in Nevada on the pumping plans, that were struck down a few weeks ago by the Nevada Supreme Court. ChanceofRain also provides more background here, on that original decision by the courts. Update: the Governor (NV) has promised not to protect the SNWA.* This simply underlines what I've been thinking for months - the "state" as some conceptual and abstract boogeyman does not exist, it is riddled with contradictions, and in this case it is the separation of powers (executive-judiciary) that are stake. The state does not "see" subjects as a single entity, the state simply uses different hands to make different decisions (sometimes blindly). I'm thinking of Devi, the Hindu Goddess, with multiple arms in this scenario. Maybe that's unfair to her (no blasphemy intended). *And it gets even more confusing when private interests (sure, read "capital") become involved in efforts that have to do with water governance -- check out Aquadoc's latest entry on the role of Intel in helping Sandia develop an Avatar-based water modeling program for the Middle Rio Grande.

So, who governs (theory: the executive)? Who makes the rules (theory: the legislature)? And who gets to interpret those rules for administration (theory: the judiciary)? Still confused? You should be.
* added 2.26.10 - epp

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