Friday, December 9, 2011

New Assaults on Planet Earth, Courtesy the Republican Party of Wisconsin

Assembly Republicans in the State of Wisconsin have unveiled legislation to ease water protections, lighten restrictions on waste rock disposal, and demand the state Department of Natural Resources speed up its review processes.  Also included on this environmentally devastating bill, the elimination of the ability of citizens to challenge a DNR decision through a hearing process as a first step before a possible lawsuit in state court.

All of this is brought to you by the Republicans who are trying to push through Gogebic Taconite of Hurley, Wisconsin's plans to construct a $1.5 billion mine in portions of Iron and Ashland counties that would employ 700 workers.

The bill quickly came under attack from environmental groups.  Amber Meyer Smith, Director of Government Relations for Clean Wisconsin said, "I don't know how anyone could say with a straight face that this bill doesn't contain huge rollbacks to environmental laws and gut the public input process". 

Amber didn't realize she was dealing with Scott Walker, Jeff Fitzgerald, etc. (the usual yokels) who aren't capable of straight faces because they are as crooked as seven dollar bills.  They further aren't able to consider the negative effects of anything that smells like money.  Again, Republicans revere the almighty dollar at the expense of anything, and anyone else.  I wish I had a big pile of $100 bills I could burn on the capitol steps in Madison.  I would do it willingly, happily, and, I'm happy to admit, not quite virginally, because I've burned $100 bills before, to prove a point.  I think I have to be caught in the act to get arrested for that.  It is a crime; one I'd gladly commit over and over again, just to PI$$ off the rich.

These guys talk about the big boost for the economy of northern Wisconsin.  What they fail to mention is that this is some of the most pristine real estate in the State of Wisconsin.  The waters here are clean.  The air is pine scented and perfect.  The national forests are here, home to so many species you can't swing a cat up there without hitting, well, a cougar. 

I hope my sisters and brothers on the reservations and in the casinos up there will stand with me against this huge mining debacle that will only hurt the State of Wisconsin and its northwoods residents.  Thank the spirit in the sky that the native Americans will have plenty of voice and plenty of clout in this fight.  It doesn't make a bit of sense to sacrifice clean water, clean air, the destruction of wetlands and any natural resource for a few hundred jobs.  It's this kind of backward thinking that has us at the edge of destruction with global warning.  Do we have to jump on every bandwagon of misguided thought that rolls through the party of the rich without remorse?

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