The debate between the iron mine versus the welfare of the waters of the regional watershed will not abate. The two sides are polarized in their positions. As it stands, we will no longer be able to see what the world would look like if our alternative is not taken. We need the mine because we are poor, and it is our salvation or, If it is built, we will lose everything . Let us leave that alternative alone for a second and look at the process.
Why are we in our present condition?
The entire world has been shaken to the core because of greed so bad that makes the Holland Tulip Bubble look like fun. Yes, that is right, 1624 people of Holland thought that the Tulip was the most prized possession; the illusion grew until it busted. As all illusions, they do not leave much behind. In another misguided illusion, during the nineties I heard intelligent men and women talk about real estate increasing its value forever. That was the lie that was sold and resold by cunning banking institutions that knew better. At the "so-called" end of that debacle, which ensues, we still have to pay for it. The banks were saved. The institutions of investment that brought this illusion of world-collapse were saved, and saved without penalty or restructure. A Bad- Boy is taken to Macy's so he will behave better.
How is it that we pay for this illusion?
The United States has had the answer since 1973. You see, between 1973 and 1989 Milton Friedman and the School of Chicago economics went to Chile and implemented a deregulated system. It is called, "balance the budget on the backs of the working class and poor." They privatized welfare, roll -backed the unions, and deregulated the market, without the voice or the vote of the people. The Chilean President Augustus Pinochet was a dictator, but he was our dictator. The plan given to the Chilean President included a reduction of the money supply, gutting government spending and the privatization of government services. Do these ideas sound familiar? Are we being treated like a third world government? The answer is no, not a third world government, just a third world people. We are going to pay for their illusion. We will not tax those that the governor envies, or companies more powerful than the people. We, the working class, will pay for their illusions and their trip to Macy's.
To mine or not to mine, we still have the question.
I do not have an answer, but I do have a question. When you have something that somebody else wants badly, desires, covets: aren't you supposed to be the strong one in the dialogue? They have machines but we have the ore. Their machines are of no use without ore. Their machines will get old and new modern ones will be made - and they will still want the ore.
We in northern Wisconsin did not create the real estate bubble, yet the government and big business want us to respond with guilt and penitence and thank them for their attention. I understand the difficulty for businesses during a downturn. My own small business went belly- up during the Reagan trickle-down economics era.
But if business and commerce want to investigate the mining possibilities in northern Wisconsin, please understand that it is our region that you are dealing with. I ask the governor to please have decorum; don't trip over yourself to please commerce. Please don't sell your constituents in the north so cheaply. It is they, big business, that want what we have. In time of great conflict the citizens have shared in responsibility to fulfill a need. Like many of my neighbors, my uncle was in Okinawa, a brother fought in Vietnam, nephews were in the Middle East. We have all taken on burdens to help the greater good.
But this is not a conflict of that proportion. In the future, in a period of great international stress, we may need these same resources that are not renewable.
In a period of world need we may need to respond with vertical national economic growth as opposed to our present situation of just trying to simply please the international market. The current market and our leaders have us supplying the world with raw material.
So much of this seems so good for America: we have the greatest bread basket in the world and even our woods will oaken in 60 years. But, at this moment, is it worth it? The iron ore will not grow back. We will never be able to use it again.
Luis Salas
Ashland
