Thomas McClintock actually said...

"the principal purpose of government is not to produce abundant water and power but rather to ration and manage shortages"

"It seems to me that is a pretty basic question if you are evaluating cost-effectiveness and particularly if you are giving any kind of serious consideration to cost-effectiveness. Don't you agree?"

"the last generation has dropped the objective of abundance as the principal objective of water and power policy and has instead moved now to rationing shortages."

"What is the justification for that?"