State Senator Bob Jauch appears to relish his role in the current political landscape. He is courting Governor's Walker favor and has found a new best friend, Wisconsin Mining Association leader Tim Sullivan.
State Senator Bob Jauch appears to relish his role in the current political landscape. Whether this role has been self-appointed or he has been anointed by Democratic Party leaders to continue the discussion of responsible mining makes little difference. Jauch's focus is now on the "Bob Jauch I factor" rather than what is best for the woods, water, and wildlife. His mission to obliterate years and years of resource protection has become troublesome for Democrats both locally and statewide. This Jauch Factor may well compromise candidates in the upcoming recalls and elections. Given the history of political party patronage it will be difficult for party members to distance themselves from Jauch and equally difficult for Democratic candidates to define “responsible mining legislation.” Even Bob Jauch is at a loss to come clean with a definition. At this point the same scenario comes up, mining companies need assurances that their permit applications will pass and the same scenario seems to be coming out of the Jauch/Walker camp in that a special session should not be called until consensus has been reached and a bill will be passed. This "consensus document" is essentially moves the whole discussion to the back rooms where our big money operatives work the best. The framers and promoters of this consensus document process apparently sign on to the following, "We agree that the review should focus on ways to improve the predictability and certainty of the regulatory process. Between the two legislative proposals there is already a sufficient foundation for reasonable compromise. It will take a third party to solidify this compromise. Simply put, this is just a bunch of crap. More deal cutting and spin doctoring behind closed doors away from the public's scrutiny.
Jauch’s obsession to seek “responsible mining laws” only surfaced after a mining company showed interest in mining in the Penokees. At the time a mining company made promises that they would abide by Wisconsin’s strict mining laws. Later another spokesperson for this same company smugly tried to tell us there are hundreds of areas like the Penokees and the Bad River Watershed in Northern Wisconsin. These are the people Bob Jauch wants to government to attract to our Northwoods!
Explanations or excuses for the Jauch Factor abound. Whatever his motivation is, his message is misguided. Yes, there are those who will stick with him and unfortunately will become angry with those who do not. Alliances will be strained; relationships between and among many who stood side by side to protect the Penokees will be tested. Whatever the motivation may be, the Jauch Factor, is snatching defeat from the hands of victory in defeating AB426.
WE have been questioning Jauch's good judgment dating back to his call for and support of the ill-fated Senate Committee on Mines . His Praise for Senator Neal Kedzie further eroded confidence in Jauch's good judgment. In addition, Jauch actually was in agreement with the position supported by WMC (Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce) in September of 2011.
Meeting with Walker to allegedly discuss another special session of the legislature to once try once again to promote mining company interests and promoting Wisconsin Mining Association and former Bucyrus executive Tim Sullivan as the go to man for reinvigorating the “responsible mining” legislation creates an additional dilemma for the Democratic Party. Tim Sullivan is a non-paid advisor helping Walker to further the Walker vision of what Wisconsin should become. Unions, teachers, public employees, and many other irate Wisconsinites will expect Democratic candidates and the party for an explanation of the Jauch Factor.
Yes, this is a dilemma for the Democrats and the questions put forth to the candidates from WE are very simple:
1. How will you respond to Jauch’s call for responsible mining legislation and protect the Penokee Hills, the Waters of the Bad River, and the rights of the Ojibwe Nation?
2. What is your definition of responsible mining?
3. Will you support establishing the Penokees and the Bad River Watershed as No Mine zone!
Closer to home our candidates and Bob will be asked to do the same. Any discussion of responsible mining translates as a threat to Penokee Hills and the waters that flow through this immense water shed, the homeland of our Ojibwe friends and neighbors, and into Lake Superior. This is an area that is truly unique and tis has been affirmed by thousands who have through the region.
So far two Democrats have joined the Jauch, Walker, Sullivan, and GTac crowd as they maneuver for another shot at the Penokees. Senator Tim Cullen, who tried to capture the moment and become the democrat’s candidate for governor, has all but apologized for his part in voting down AB 426. In fact he goes so far as to the mining companies only wanted to streamline the process “without repealing environmental standards”. Another of Bob’s democratic allies lost his job as Milwaukee as the city treasurer. Senator Tim Carpenter had received a salary $141,000 and come change as the elected city treasurer. This augmented his salary of a little less than the $50,000 paid to state senators. Seems that Tim’s vote against AB426 may be a factor – and then maybe Tim just was not a good treasurer as another Democratic State Senator, Spencer Coggs, defeated him. Now Coggs gets the $141,000+ that will augment his senate salary.
Given the dynamics of cash, power, and prestige, Jauch should now have Cullen, Carpenter, and possibly Coggs to offer to Walker in his effort to place the idea of responsible mining on the table. And he has his new best friend, Tim Sullivan, to help him if he needs political guidance and direction.
Bob reports, “ All of us (Bob, Senator Dale Shultz and Governor Scott Walker) agree that Tim Sullivan, the chair of the Wisconsin Mining Association, would be a very credible individual who could facilitate the dialogue. We have all maintained ongoing conversations with Tim and are comfortable with his grasp of the issues. Most importantly, we are confident that he could reach out and work well with a diverse group of stake holders who would be committed to recommending a consensus document.” Tim Sullivan. Sullivan is a non-paid advisor helping Walker to further the Walker vision of what Wisconsin should become.
WE think this is a behind the closed doors wheelin’ and dealin’ that got us in the mess in the first place. Now the discussion will focus on a “consensus document” and responsible mining will disappear from the public debate.
Senator Jauch's actions are defended as “part of a democratic plan to give democrats a better shot at recalling Walker” others suggest that this effort will help elect a democratic governor (which by the way this whole foolish idea to strip mine in the Penokees began under a Democrat – Jim Doyle) and there are many who believe he is on the right track and in the end the Homeland of the Ojibwe Nation will be safe, the waters protected, and the Penokees will not be scarred by mining. These explanations are just fumbling excuses to defend Jauch's as he puts the Bad River Watershed and the Bad River Nation homeland in harm's way.
Tinkering with the laws that have not been gutted by Walker and his gang, need to be left alone. After all, Manufacturers and Commerce, Gtac, the bankers, foreign investors, and the Milwaukee industrial giants have learned the need for loopholes, variances, and waivers if the Penokee Hills and the Bad River Watershed are going to be destroyed forever.WE suspect it is the loopholes, waivers, and variances that will provide the basis for building a “consensus document”.
What happened to
transparency and open government? What happened to public input? Has Wisconsin
politics become removed from the people and turned over to a few politicians
and those with money? This interest in a special session is at best confusing as it may well become more of the same. Bob and the Walker have agreed that it "would not make sense to call a special session unless there was a compromise that could engender majority support in the Assembly and Senate." is this transparency and good government, is this the Wisconsin Way Jauch was touting a mere three weeks ago? The Wisconsin Way, responsible mining, and now "consensus document" all lead us down the path of diluting our current resource protection laws. Is this good judgement?