Mining Bill Rushed Before Governor's Office, State Senate Goes Democratic

Republicans roll out their plan to turn over state waterways, Bad River Band wild rice growing areas and your Constitutional rights to enjoy them to polluters and special interests.

It's the Big Sellout.

Even though the US Army Corps of Engineers, with a major role to play in mining and other project-approval in Wisconsin. has warned the Walker administration in writing to go slow on major mining and other permit approval changes.

And the Bad River Band has met with Walker to express its opposition.

“The Band’s position on proposed iron mining legislation is that such legislation should be based on sound science and sound legal principles,” said [Tribal Council chair Mike] Wiggins.

“The Band opposes the proposals that were included in LRB 2035, which was leaked to the public in early 2011, to streamline and weaken the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (“DNR”) permitting process.”

Anybody listening?

Yet the rush to approve a bill to ease mining approvals comes after a mere one hearing in Madison - - plus a lot of talk about the need for thoughtful, careful study - - and also after a wasted, so-called Special Session on jobs the Legislature just closed after taking action on many non-jobs bills, including carrying concealed weapons into the Capitol, teaching abstinence in sex-ed classes and selling packed alcoholic beverages as early as 6 a.m.

The Legislature is simply following Walker's fear-driven orders, as he told the legislature a few weeks ago to hurry up, as the Journal Sentinel reported.

Does anyone still wonder why Walker, Scott Fitzgerald and the others are facing recall wrath?