Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Walker budget hands ag water regulation to friendly ag dep't.

Walker's proposed budget further accelerates some of the environmental dysfunctions and penalties which have become his trademark ever since his first few days as Governor when he short-circuited a wetlands-filling permit near Lambeau Field so a campaign donor could get busy building a development.

Keeping feedlot and other water-polluters' regulation inside his "chamber of commerce mentality" Department of Natural Resources wasn't a big enough pro-business conflict-of-interest for right-wing Gov. Scott Walker, so he's pretending to enact a reform by giving that regulation to the state agency that promotes agriculture - - Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Big Ag has been throwing its considerable weight around Madison for sometime, having successfully enlisted right-wing GOP Attorney General Brad Schimel into the corporate cause.

Trust me - - the big cattle feeding operations who have admitted some culpability in groundwater pollution are going to love this change.

Any Poli Sci-Fi 101 freshman student, any just-hired intern knows that having a agency that promotes businesses while also regulating them in the public interest is a set-up for failure.

That's why, for example, the Federal government has a National Transportation Safety Board to investigate aviation accidents and recommend public safety recommendations separate from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Walker's budget also again raises park fees, made necessary by his having stripped out parks operation funding, so the parks are further open to business 'sponsorships' and, ultimately, private sector use and management.
    

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