Modern Life in Northern Minnesota
The next couple days will feature the thoughts of DFL candidates seeking to replace Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) in this unique northeastern Minnesota district. I’ll be talking to Cravaack in a couple weeks, but for those who seek an immediate counterpoint Cravaack has an op/ed in today’s Duluth News Tribune about Iron Range mining projects. I’ll be asking him about this during his interview.
By Aaron Brown A 21st century memoir of a place and a people: (Buy now on Amazon) -- The Iron Range is a string of blue collar towns along an iron formation in northern Minnesota, many of which ... Read More →
The Great Northern Radio Show features music, comedy & stories about modern life off the beaten path: Written, produced & hosted by Aaron J. Brown with a talented supporting cast and Minnesota musicians and guests. Each episode broadcasts from a different location. The next Great Northern Radio Show is Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 at 5 ... Read More →
“For those who seek an immediate counterpoint??”…what common sense arguement could be used against what Chip states?
I will be posting a lot of DFL opinions with these interviews and it will be a few weeks before I can talk to Rep. Cravaack. Coincidentally he had an op/ed today. So I posted this. You’re a smart guy. I think you knew what I meant.
Hmmm … “I like to say Minnesota is three things: timber, taconite, and tourism. To say we are pro-mining is quite an understatement.”
Gosh, good to know that we’ve finally lost that “Minnesota Nice — We Like It Here” image.
Yep, no reason to think about people … you know, the TAXPAYERS !
Nope, let’s just change that to “Minnesota — We’re Pro-Mining”.
Yet, reading Mr. Cravaack’s essay it sounds like environmental review should not be a preclude business expansion … help me out here, has Mr. Cravaack endorsed the same concept regarding the Keystone XL pipeline … you know, give time for environmental review ?
If you are going to ask Mr. Cravaack some questions, could you ask him to explain why he voted on Monday (Roll Call #6) FOR H R 1141, Rota Cultural and Natural Resources Study Act. The bill requires the Department of the Interior to study designating parts of the island of Rota, in the Northern Mariana Islands, as a national park ?
I don’t know much about Rota, but I presume that before Mr. Cravaack voted to spend TAXPAYER dollars, he would. I am not sure if Rota has taconite, but limestone and phosphate mining is more likely. The human population of Rota is in the range of gray wolf population in Minnesota and the size of the island is roughly 11 miles long and 3 miles wide.
So pretty small in physical size and population … and one that America claimed its stake on the island during WWII … it is currently a territory of the United States.
Sounds like a wonderful place, but one that very few Minnesota TAXPAYERS will ever see or for that much have ever heard of.
I also presume that Mr. Cravaack considered a few other factors before voting to spend TAXPAYER money — namely, the Department of Interior’s estimates that this study will cost approximately $250,000 to $300,000. And the testimony of Stephen Whitesell of the Dept. of Interior that “Priority should be given, however, to the 40 previously authorized studies for potential units of the National Park System, potential new National Heritage Areas, and potential additions to the National Trails System and National Wild and Scenic River System that have not yet been transmitted to Congress.”
Gosh, $250,000 for just a study (not to mention any actual construction costs) … for a territory … and the Interior Dept feels there are greater priorities … but REPRESENTATIVE CRAVAACK says SPEND ? ? ?
And this was not the only vote that Mr. Cravaack needs to explain. On Wednesday, Roll Call #10, the question was to authorize an estimated $400,000 on H R 1022, Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks Study Act. Once again, the Dept. of Interior did not feel that this was a priority, but REPRESENTATIVE CRAVAACK voted SPEND.
IMO, Mr. Cravaack and the Republican-managed Do-Nothing House have failed to address our needs, but what they do spend their time (and TAXPAYER dollars) on some pretty petty issues.