Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Conservative Amnesia

GOP conservative legislators and Gov. Scott Walker are forging ahead with a bill that would exempt iron mine operators from current environmental protections in Wisconsin law, and allow the dumping of excavation rock and ground cover by the hundreds of millions of tons into bodies of water and on land elsewhere near the Bad River Lake Superior in Northern Wisconsin that will surely lead to lead to the formation of acid mine drainage.

Somehow these conservatives forgot or gloss over the fact that the word "conserve" is the preservation-centered root of the name of their political philosophy and actions on its behalf, and is also the root of the word "conservation' - - a rather substantial contradiction, don't you think, since the bill's goal is to speed along a mine unlike anything in the state that will remove a range of hills and replace it with a broad open pit mine about a half-mile wide, 1,000 feet deep and up to 22 miles long.

You'd think conservatives - - true to their foundation and loyal to its principle - - would be leading the charge for Wisconsin water and land conservation, as did, for example, the former GOP Governor Warren Knowles, when he partnered with former Democratic Governor Gaylord Nelson to create the state's stewardship fund.

The fund keeps land and water access in the public domain, conserving unspoiled Wisconsin for future generations and today's active conservationists - - hunters, anglers, hikers, farmers and other respectful neighbors.

Conservatives unconcerned about conservation.

Sounds like a political movement in search of a more accurate name, or a reboot to its origins.

Cross-posted at Purple Wisconsin.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great Post!
Repeat the lie
Repeat the lie
Repeat the lie

A veteran who's oppose to open pit mining said...

I've heard lots of speakers at lots of venues speak about the impact of this proposed mine in Ashland and Iron County.

i've read article after article about mining and it's impact. It's impact to the communities to the environment, to federal treaties, to international treaties and compacts.

But there are some voices missing. Why is it that there is little or no public voice coming from our federal legislators? Why are they not showing up at the public venues in support of their constituents?

When I say public venues I mean open town hall meetings where all constituents feel welcome to speak.

For example the large hearing that took place in Ashland at AmericInn with 200 residents speaking pro and con. Or at any of the many hearings and listening sessions at the Ashland Visitors Center.

What I do not mean is the small "protected" venues of local veterans (VFW) halls. Speaking to the choir as they say.

There was a time when our federal legislators would meet with their constituents in open town hall events.

In the pass I have attended town hall meetings and other public meetings where Senator Feingold and Congressman Obey where present and accessible.

Where is Senator Johnson and Congressman Duffy? They do realize that they are obligated to represent ALL of the constituents in their districts. Not just those who agree with them.

I find it extremely disheartening that Congressman Duffy found this region a good place to live, raise a family and climb the ladder to his current office yet now has nothing to say publicly about open pit mining.

Maybe that is because he picked up his family and moved them from ground zero for open pit mining.

His family is safe from having to worry about the environmental impacts on their health.

So at the very least I would ask Congressman Duffy to answer this question.

Would he be willing to subject his family to the potential health risks of open pit mining in his former "hometown" Ashland Wisconsin?

What about our kids and our health and our environment and our life style Sean?

Anonymous said...

"They do realize that they are obligated to represent ALL of the constituents in their districts. Not just those who agree with them."

I'm sure it was rhetorical, but no they don't.