Iron Mine Permitting in WI, or how Sen. Fitzgerald acts like fool for King George
Most Americans know little more than the July 4th date, place of adoption and preamble to the Congress’ Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. But, that document includes a list of grievances that summed to tyranny and rationalized what was to become a revolutionary war for independence. Grievances that the corporatist republican member of the Wisconsin legislature seem to have forgotten.
Among the grievances against the government of King George, was the habit of making public meetings difficult to attend, by calling them in distant places, and/or by dissolving the meetings altogether when they threatened opposition to the King’s interests. If you look just below the preamble you'll find these grievances among the Founders 'Top 5'.
Yet, under the leadership of Scott Fitzgerald, the Republicans in Madison are promoting abuses just like those of King George V with respect to permitting of the huge open pit iron mine in Ashland (northernmost Wisconsin, think Lake Superior).
The public hearings required by law were moved to Platteville (southwestern Wisconsin--think Iowa), a distant place from the impact of the mining. The intent was clearly to make it too uncomfortable (i.e. costly and time consuming) for participation by citizens who would actually live in the immediate vicinity of the mining impacts.
As opposition grew over a move that would have enraged authors and signers of the founding document of our nation, Fitzgerald simply acted again like King George, cancelled the public hearings altogether and fast tracked an even worse mining industry cribbed bill that has already been widely opposed across the state.
I admit to being nonplussed as to how the tea-party republicans and the legislators they elected all claimed to be defenders of the principles of the
founding of the nation, and yet, who once in control of Wisconsin’s institutions of elected government have reverted to the tyrannical habits of King George.