Monsees letter: Fracking meeting
Idaho is not a democracy, but an oligarchy led by a deeply entrenched old boy network. Politicians spend half their workday on phones soliciting funds and talking to corporate lobbyists. Constituent petitions go unheeded. On Feb. 15, 2013, after Nov. 6, 2012 Luna laws were overturned, legislators passed a law ensuring great difficulty for a citizen referendum. Senior politicians like Sen. Brent Hill and Rep. Scott Bedke block bills from committee discussion or assign them to committees preventing likely passage. Senior party members can threaten junior legislators to not support bills. Legislators have spread misinformation to lull us into complacency. This has been done. This is not how democracy works.
Five bills speedily passed in 2015 support the wishes of Texas fracking company, Alta Mesa. A proposed bill would give Idaho state control of gas extraction on all land, negating cities and county rights. When fracking goes forward, property rights will be violated, home mortgages jeopardized, home values plummet, vast amounts of water taken, aquifers contaminated and we and our children will sicken from fracking chemicals.
A meeting March 7 at the Statehouse will discuss fracking. This could come to your neighborhood next. Our property will never be safe. Will we fight or are we sheep?
David Monsees, Boise
This story was originally published February 21, 2016 at 11:10 PM with the headline "Monsees letter: Fracking meeting."