In my experience, wetlands are drained to destroy natural ecosystems so that real estate developers can pave over the land for their own personal gain. Makes a perfect metaphor for the current situation.

But alas, the propagandists have been too effective at capturing that term to mean destroying the “deep state” (whatever that means at any given moment).

Draining the wetlands, straightening rivers is apt enough.

Provided people understand just why these are bad ideas that increase flood damage, savagely reduce biodiversity, remove buffers against storm surges, destroy filters that capture wastes and toxins.

In general these are stupid decisions.