Rep. Rob Bishop, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, has agreed to hold a field hearing in Maine to hear residents' opinions on whether a national monument should be designated on privately owned land abutting Baxter State Park.
The Utah Republican has scheduled the hearing for June 1 at 2 p.m. in the East Millinocket Town Office.
While the congressman in his announcement said the Obama administration's consideration of designating land offered by Elliotsville Plantation comes in "complete disregard for local residents, businesses, and elected officials," support for the monument has been voiced by a number of organizations and residents.
The Bangor newspaper has endorsed the idea, as have voters in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, and the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. Sen. Angus King, after meeting with National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis and proponents of the project last weekend, has dropped his absolute opposition to the concept.
"I'm not prepared to say ... no to something that will have a positive contribution...," the senator said Monday.
U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin requested the hearing. The Republican represents the state's sprawling 2nd District, where voters polled 67 percent in favor of the monument.
According to a story on Maine Public Radio, Rep. Poliquin wasn't sure the general public would be given a chance to speak at the hearing. Instead, speakers most likely will be chosen ahead of the meeting, he said.
“We’re sure some will represent our recreational jobs in the state of Maine like the snowmobiling folks, some will represent our loggers or our truckers. Some folks will represent those in the wood products industries,” the congressman said.
Proponents of the national monument proposal say it will provide a $100 million investment into a region that has suffered economically with the downfall of the logging and pulp industries.
Comments
This article contains a number of great examples of the methods commonly used by Rep Bishop to ensure that only his opinions or those who agree with him are heard at public meetings. He has no qualms at all about fibbing just a little, or even a lot, so that whatever comes out is slanted in the direction he supports. He has no interest whatsoever in hearing anything from the other side.
In this article alone, we find that the Congressman seeks to limit comments and shape opinion by:
Claiming that "the Obama administration's consideration of designating land offered by Elliotsville Plantation comes in "complete disregard for local residents, businesses, and elected officials," despite the fact that "2nd District, where voters polled 67 percent in favor of the monument.
It's obvious that Bishop isn't alone in employing tactics that will permit only selected opinions to be presented when we read: "Rep. Poliquin wasn't sure the general public would be given a chance to speak at the hearing. Instead, speakers most likely will be chosen ahead of the meeting, he said." Bishop's "townhalls" are shams because all questions or comments must be submitted on index cards so they may be screened before the meeting. Only those selected by his staffers may be read. Anyone "disrupting" the meeting by trying to speak without approval is usually escorted out. So much for the First Amendment.
As far as I know now, Bishop is running unopposed in Utah's First Congressional District this year. Gerrymandering has made it almost impossible for anyone else to defeat him.
The most proximate communities to the proposed monument have individually voted 2 -1 against the proposal. There is firm and compelling feeling against it. This has remained consistent for 30 years.
Rob Bishop, Utah's District 1 Congressman, receives 93% of his campaign contributions from out of state. Here's cartoonist Val Bagley's take on that news as he asks "When Is A Bishop A Pawn?:
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4109989-155/bagley-cartoon-when-is-a-bishop