Walker Guts the DNR like a deer.

Trump promises to do on a national level what Scott Walker is doing in Wisconsin. With little fanfare and no debate over the corporate plundering of OUR natural resources, anyone who believes in small government has given in to the inevitable. Rural Republican voters seem to think contaminated wells, crumbling roads and vanishing schools must be the normal, part of the changing landscape they can’t control.

After 6 years of total Republican dominance in the state, no one seems to seems to think the anger, frustration, and resentment they feel toward government might be coming from their own party.

But don’t worry, Scott Walker is just restoring the “balance” between jobs and the environment. Welcome the new DNR:

WSJ: On Wednesday, the department will announce a reorganization that was demanded by conservatives who control state government. Republican elected officials have already buffeted the department with loosened environmental regulations and budget cuts targeting scientists because they researched climate change, mine pollution and deer herd management measures that were sometimes unpopular.
 DNR shortcomings in hiring and training new workers came to light in June when a state audit linked them to flaws in DNR enforcement of laws aimed at preventing pollution of lakes, streams and drinking water.

Respected top manager, chief state forester Paul DeLong, announced in September that he was leaving. At least eight other DNR bureau- and division-level managers retired or took other jobs over the last two year … They include fisheries bureau chief Ron Bruch, facilities and land bureau director Steven Miller, chief legal counsel Tim Andryk, state parks and recreation director Dan Schuller, drinking water and ground water chief Jill Jonas, and deputy administrator for environmental management Eric Ebersberger. None of them commented publicly.
 Retired longtime wildlife management bureau chief Tom Hauge, 63, said he had seen enough of the proposals for his bureau to believe there would be major changes in managing deer and other wildlife.

Anyone looking for reasons DNR employees are retiring could also view a videotaped talk Stepp gave at a 2015 management seminar in Florida, Hauge said. Stepp told the group she had wanted to crawl in a hole after Walker appointed her in 2011 and she realized DNR employees were burned out, steeped in Earth Day values “and frankly weren’t real politically aligned with our new administration, most of them.”

A former liberal radio talk host who likes to ask the “follow-up question” at Democurmudgeon.blogspot.com