Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, in an unprecedented and dictatorial move, has dissolved the special committee he established when he didn't like the 99%-pro-industry bill it drafted and sent matters as defined by the Assembly instead to the Joint Committee On Finance.
That's where mining interests and their legislative lackeys will get the quick hearing and special-interest approvals they need - - with the public shut out and steamrolled - - for an industry-written bill that eliminates waterways' protections and erases public hearings on mining applications.
These people are killing democracy in advance of recalls they know will cost them the Senate and Governor's office.
This abuse of power on a scale of procedural deceit is equal to Scott Walker's elimination of public employee collective bargaining planned quietly, then tucked into a "budget repair bill" as a so-called "modest proposal."
From a compliant Sen. Kedzie's office today:
Sen. Kedzie: Statement on Senate Select Committee on Mining JobsAdditionally, Fitzgerald has cancelled the committee's planned hearing in Platteville on Friday, and his office throw his support behind the Assembly bill:
2/15/2012
Contact: Sen. Neal Kedzie
(608) 266-2635
A few months ago, a decision was made to create a special committee to review and discuss issues relating to Wisconsin’s mining law.
Today, a decision has been made which reflects the majority of members in the Senate Republican caucus to change course and move the Assembly legislation and a Senate companion bill through another standing committee. As a caucus, we need to move forward on this issue before the legislative session comes to a close.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 15, 2012 Contact: Andrew Welhouse: 608‐266‐5660The Journal Sentinel says these eight Republican Senators endorsed Fitzgerald's move:
Sen. Fitzgerald Refers Mining Bill to JFC
Madison, WI... In an effort to ensure that mining legislation can pass before the end of the session, Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R‐Juneau) announced today that he is dissolving the Senate Select Committee on Mining Jobs and referring the Assembly mining bill to the Joint Finance Committee.
In a memo to legislators, Sen. Pam Galloway (R-Wausau) said, “given that the Assembly bill has been carefully vetted by the (Department of Natural Resources), federal agencies, several stakeholders, lawmakers, and the public alike, now is the time to move this reasonable legislation forward so we can create thousands of mining jobs in Wisconsin.”Vetted by the public - - after the Assembly shut the Chippewa Bad River band out of the process, and the Army Corps of Engineers warned the Governor and Legislature not to short-circuit existing permit review procedures?
In addition to Fitzgerald and Galloway, also signing on to the Assembly version of the bill were: Leah Vukmir of Wauwatosa, Rich Zipperer of Pewaukee, Van Wanggaard of Racine, Alberta Darling of River Hills, Frank Lasee of De Pere , Mary Lazich of New Berlin and Joe Leibham of Sheboygan.
Yes, this is a crisis and extends a year of misery for people and the land in Wisconsin.
Sen. Fitzgerald seems to be going off the deep end. There's a lot of fear in that man's heart, and it's coming out in every action he takes.
ReplyDeleteFrom madison.com, Dale Schultz is not on board with Fritz. Let's hope he stays there.
ReplyDeleteI think the Senate was afeared it wouldn't have the votes necessary to pass the only-slightly-less-extremely-vile Senate version. They didn't want to give citizens and the tribes more time or opportunity to voice opposition (which they planned to ignore anyway)that will be picked up by statewide and national media. They deserve the full shitstorm that is headed their way.
ReplyDeletePoliticians today no longer have to worry about what the public thinks about what they do.
ReplyDeleteFor one, there is too much static and distraction out there in the corporate mass media for people to pay close enough attention.
But most importantly, the financial rewards. including long-term career rewards, for party leaders and for elected legislators and other elected officials, make it eminently "reasonable" for politicians to parley their public servant positions into far more lucrative enterprises serving the needs of the corporate "donors" and other "benefactors".
If any of those politicians who know how to get along famously with the powers-that-be, happens to be thrown out of office by the electors, (s)he will find mighty soft cushions on which to land, both public and private.
Lobbyists, corporate executives, corporation lawyers and publicists, all get far greater remuneration for their efforts (not to mention job security) than do elected officials.
And their "blind party loyalty" will also be amply rewarded with plum political appointments, if they choose that alternative.
The only practical reason for someone driven by ambition and greed to remain in public office more than one or two terms is to rise higher on the ladder of inside influence and public recognition, and thus increase the eventual price of punching his ticket.
In other words, politicians, and the party leaders, are not being as foolish and out of touch and self-destructive as shocked and amazed liberals, and spokesmen for the other party, seem to think.
It is unwise to ascribe treacherous behavior in politicians to insanity or to irrational, out-of-control behavior.
Their treachery is just good business - as long as business (in the "person" of corporations and the super-rich) controls government.
The reason that politicians immediately and angrily deny, and get deeply offended, when (or if) you breath a word in their presence about corruption in government and legalized bribery, it's because you have hit them right where their bread is buttered and where their personal future is at stake.
And that brings us right back to "Corporations v. Persons - the Struggle that will Define the 21st Century".
Brilliantly stated, Clyde Winter.
ReplyDelete