DFL Central Committee meeting today: Resolution 54 is soundly defeated.

[RedWedge]

Last edited Sat Dec 10, 2016, 05:48 PM - Edit history (1)

Vote was not to table indefinitely, the question was called and the resolution was defeated. This is the "sulfide mining resolution"; its defeat means taking a stand against "sulfide mining" will not be in the action agenda. I support the defeat of the resolution.

[guillaumeb]

1. Is this the sulfide mining in the Lake Superior area

that has the potential to poison the wild rice collection areas for the Ojibway peoples?

And do you have a link to something?

[RedWedge]

3. It's on Twitter.

Here's a tweet from Stassen-Berger at the PiPress:

https://twitter.com/RachelSB/status/807691982181167106

[RedWedge]

8. Here's the story.

http://www.twincities.com/2016/12/10/minnesota-dfl-rejects-anti-sulfide-mining-move/

Hundreds of Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activists gathered Saturday in a suburban high school auditorium, heard about Democrats’ overwhelming failure to woo rural voters and took a step they believe could help win them back.

At the state central committee meeting in Lakeville, the delegates overwhelmingly rejected a long simmering move oppose sulfide ore mining. The resolution and similar moves have bubbled up through the DFL party for years and years in reaction to PolyMet Mining Corp. proposal to bring copper-nickel mining to northern Minnesota.

“We do not want to see our party divided and taking a position against mining or agriculture or manufacturing or industry or tourism. Let us all just simply unite,” Democratic U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan said, pleading with the nearly 300 activists to reject the anti-mining resolution. Nolan, who was just re-elected to represent northeastern Minnesota in the U.S. House, spoke on behalf of Sens. Al Franken, Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Tim Walz in opposing the resolution.

The issue, which appeared in some form before Democrats before without finality, had divided labor from environmentalists and urban and rural voters, leaving bitter feelings in the void.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Anytime one mines any type of Sulfide

the potenial for environmental damage is a given.

[RedWedge]

4. Yep.

Resolution 54 was poorly written and, IMO, resolutions that are against things shouldn't be in either the action agenda or platform.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Generallly,we would flag those at the District Level

when we proof the Resolutions from the Caucus's. Our Committee would get some real interesting ones from time to time.

[RedWedge]

6. I argued vociferously against sending it along, but of course it was introduced all over.

I served on the state platform committee a couple of terms. Crazy-making. Now that I'm not, though, I'm back to saying at our county convention, "Just send it on to district -- they'll take care of it there."

[Wellstone ruled]

7. How times have changed.

We spent twelve hours on a Saturday going through District 6 resolutions in 2000 and after Ventura's Stinking up the State,you knew there were going to be hundreds. That was our last year in Minny and the loss of District 6,can't imagine what it looks like now.

[RedWedge]

9. I've been there too, going through the resolutions for hours, trying to combine and reconcile them

while staying true to the writers' intentions. It's a thankless job but helps build the bones of what the party stands for. And yes, it's definitely worse when the Republicans are in charge.

[Wellstone ruled]

10. Must thank you for taking the time away from

your other commitments. Everyone should participate in the Process known as Government. Downside is,it gets addictive for many of us.

[RedWedge]

11. That is the truth! And thank you for your work!