Friday, January 17, 2014

Walker Still Pushing To Sell Our Land To Foreign Interests

In the last budget, Scott Walker had wanted to include a part that would allow him to ignore the 127 year ban of foreign ownership of more than 640 acres of Wisconsin land.  Only the severity of the backlash on this scheme caused him and his Teapublicans to back off.  For a little while anyway.

State Representative Andy Jorgensen is calling the Teapublicans for trying to sneak this bad idea in again, hoping no one would notice:
“Outrage over this idea forced Republicans to drop it from the budget, and I don’t think public sentiment has changed,” said Jorgensen. “Now, Republicans are trying to, quietly, lift the ban on foreign ownership. But, I believe we should not jeopardize Wisconsin’s heritage and our precious natural resources for a quick buck.”

Jorgensen notes that a lift on the foreign ownership ban could result in countries like China swooping in and buying up big chunks of prime Wisconsin farmland. As foreign companies work the soil, they could cut Wisconsin farm families right out of the agricultural industry – and damage our economy, for years and years to come.

“I grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, and families like mine value our state’s farming tradition,” said Jorgensen. “Instead of thinking about the short-term gain of a land sale or a happy donor, Republicans should be thinking about what folks want the future of Wisconsin to look like.”

Jorgensen, who sits on the Assembly Committee on Organization, voted against the Republican request for an official opinion from Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on the state statute which outlines the foreign ownership ban.

“I don’t have a crystal ball, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Attorney General – also a Republican – finds a way to make the ban unenforceable,” said Jorgensen. “Then, Wisconsin land will be up for sale to the highest bidder, no matter where that bidder comes from or how they plan to use the land.”
With Walker, there isn't anything - or anyone - that he considers not to be for sale.

As the saying goes, he's the king of guy that would steal Christ from the cross and come back for the nails.

3 comments:

  1. Have you seen this? http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/nw-wisconsin/Nearly-1B-Budget-Surplus-in-Wisconsin-240631531.html
    What about the 500 mil Walker's kicked down the road and the money he's cut out of the public school budget? Why isn't the real story being told?

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  2. Because the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel no longer practices journalism.

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  3. timber and mineral lands

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