29 thoughts on “Gogebic Taconite calls it quits in Wisconsin

  1. Don’t let the door hit you on the a$$ back to Flori-duhhhh on the way back.

    Look, we don’t oppose mines being started, despite what the right-wing liars want dimwits to believe. But there’s a right way to do it that protects our great natural resources in the Northwoods, and giving away the farm to an out-of-state, anti-worker business wasn’t it.

    The fact that Fitzgerald didn’t allow the Jauch-Schultz compromise to come up for a vote proves that the Number 1 goal was not “getting a mine started,” but instead paying off their contributors at Gogebic with a sweetheart deal that would leave most Wisconsinites (and espeically those up in Ashland County) holding the bag, with long-term damage. The WisDEMS need to pound this point mercilessly.

  2. This is a set-up.

    With an estimated 200 billion dollars of iron ore in the Penokee Range, no one goes home after a one vote loss in the senate.

    I hope everyone still has Tim Carpenters phone number handy. And Dale Schultz’s.

  3. This is a set-up.

    With an estimated 200 billion dollars of iron ore in the Penokee Range no one goes home after only a one vote loss in the senate.

    I hope everyone still has Tim Carpenters phone number handy. And Dale Schultz’s.

  4. Consider the way judges and the entire state government is controlled by mining interests in West Virginia. We don’t need any mining company that expects that kind of control of our Wisconsin government. If a company can respect our people and our process, fine. If they insist on changing our process and cutting our people out of government hearings, good riddance!

  5. It’s never been more clear about how much liberals hate private sector job creation. This
    Is on you. You own this. When northern residents complain about no job opportunities, you explain to them what you did.

    1. This wasn’t liberal versus conservative, FMSN. It was right versus wrong. But thanks for revealing the knee-jerk nature of your view of things.

      I suspect that your feelings are hurt more by the fact that the days of the Fitzgerald’s cramming their agenda down the throats of Wisconsinites appear to be over than anything else.

      Maybe they’re won’t be a mine up there. Maybe they’re will. At the very least, though, it won’t involve the political payoff to a Fitzgerald ally that was clearly in the works here.

      Sorry that that disappoints you.

  6. I don’t want a mine up there either but if one is going to be eventually built there then grant the rights for doing so to a company with a good track record of respecting the land & its people & that will adhere to Wisconsin’s fair rules & regulations for mining. Also put it up for competitive bid & finally let the people of WI vote on it to make the final decision.

  7. This is a set-up.

    With an estimated 200 billion dollars worth of iron ore in the Penokee Range, no one’s going to just take their ball and go home.

    Better keep Tim Carpenters telephone number handy. Dale Schultz’s too.

  8. Set up or not, it gives lie to the Republican meme that Democrats are “controlled by unions.” I like that!

  9. Time to concider an environmentally friendly state owned mine with the profits remaining here. Call it socialism if you like, but I would call it freedom from capitalism.

  10. A state owned mine how are you planning on paying for this mine Leo? You must not be a really good lefty you do not have gov build the mine, you let the private company build the mine and then you nationalize it that is how it is done. See Cuba or Venezuela etc

    So if all the Capitalist leave Wisconsin how do you plan to pay for your workers paradise if there are no taxpayers left. That is the problem you are addicted to the tax money from all these evil corporations I no longer live in Wis so I actually hope you get your freedom from capitalism I would love to see Wisconsin turn into another Illinois you all deserve to ride the sinking Wisconsin ship to the bottom.

      1. I think you left Lenny speechless, Steve.

        That one went right to the ‘nads, huh, Lenny?

  11. must have been a great business model……can’t get my way so I won’t play!

  12. The business model is simple, Wisconsin democrats don’t want our union jobs, at union wage scales, so we will go a little farther north to the much friendlier confines of upper Michigan and invest billions of dollars there.
    Same old job killing, do nothing Democrats.

    1. There was a proposal on the table that would’ve let the mine go forward, and Team Fitzgerald took a big ol’ GOP dump on it:

      As the discussion came to an end, Rep. Mason named the political elephant in the room and cut to the heart of the matter: “You have one proposal with bipartisan support, and another that has bipartisan objection. If it’s really not about the rhetoric, why not look at the bipartisan bill that could actually pass?”

      Neither Vos nor Darling answered. None of the other ten Republicans on the committee said a single word during the six-hour session.

  13. kim, kim, kim… the business model must have been so week that they are willing to walk away from billions of dollars because of a few environmental safeguards and and a more realistic timeline to approve, funny. This whole thing smells like a set up.

  14. Sorry conservatives but this is all on you no matter how you spin it. If the Republicans had passed the Wisconsin Way Mining Reform Act, Gogebic Taconite would have gotten what they wanted to open the mine, and Wisconsin would have been able to keep its environmental protections.

    The Republicans just threw away jobs for ideological reasons. Simple as that.

  15. One major fact omitted from all of your politically motivated excuse making: all proposals put forward that had supposed “bi-partisan” support included provisions that would have made Gtac walk away even if passed.

    The last “compromise” would have required Gtac to pay$2 million for staff to prepare a mining permit in addition to $5 million in upfront guaranteed payments in lieu of property taxes.
    A $7 million dollar tax without any guarantee the permit would even be approved!!!
    Proof that a not-so conservative Republican and the Democrats could care less about creating jobs in Wisconsin and has absolutely nothing to due with environmental concerns since none were addressed in the so called “compromise”.

    1. Don’t squeeze that hypothetical too hard, you’ll crush it’s tiny little skull.

      1. Nothing hypothetical about it, liberals claim they opposed the mine due to environmental concerns. If that were true, the compromise they put forth would have addressed these environmental concerns.
        This is nothing more than political game playing at the expense of high paying union jobs for Wisconsinites.

        1. It’s entirely hypothetical. The GOP passed on the compromise, and the company picked up its ball at went home. Everything else is conjecture.

  16. You guys are getting off track here. What I suspect and what Steve Carlson stated is that this is a ploy. I could be wrong. But look at the recent past.

    First and foremost- The bill’s not dead. It just hasn’t passed.
    Recall the first few weeks Walker was in office. All the tricky manipulations, short or quasi-legal notices, locked Capitol entry doors and midnight votes.

    Remember that Fitzgerald dismanteled the Senate committee he’d formed to move this bill forward when things were not moving in the direction he and his keepers liked.

    Then there’s the Tim Carpenter play card. Don’t think he’s getting plenty of calls from “potential financial backers” if he lays nice and votes with the Republican party? You’d be a fool if you didn’t believe it. I’d be watching this one under the microscope. Keep calling and writing this BIG TIME guys so he doesn’t cave.

    The press release from Gogebic Taconite CEO Bill Williams? What CEO writes a press release like that? Ever. You don’t burn bridges. You express disappointment….. That threw up a huge red flag in my mind.

    Given everything you’ve observed over the past year, all the dirty tricks, secret meetings, minimum public notice of being called to the floor, the 2:00 am legislative sessions…..
    You don’t think the FitzWalker boys are still working on pulling this off?

    Stop dancing until you KNOW the witch is dead.

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