Gentleman Jim writes again. So do I.

From: “Gentleman Jim”
To: “harrywelty”
Cc:
Sent: Saturday April 25 2020 5:26:31PM
Subject: Re: We finally Agree

I’m always gentlemanly Harry. Always.

I am a straight shooter and those threatened by my intelligence find me thorny.

Copper-nickel mining today is not like it was 50-100 years ago. I live with the water. I drink the water. I don’t piss in the water. I don’t throw waste in the water like the Democrat controlled WLSSD and the City of Duluth Street Department, also Democrat controlled.

I support the coal miners and their families, the people that work in the low cost coal-fired power plants and the coke/steel plants. I support spending on clean coal technology by stopping the subsidies for wind mills and solar panels. Have you ever been inside a taconite plant? Go once and then tell me how the hell windmills and solar panels are going to provide electricity to run those power shovels, crushers, grinding mills, balling drums, kilns and all the drive motors. The same goes for paper mills and OSB plants. Can’t be done.

We’ll be OK with PolyMet and Twin Metals. Just as long as the Steelworkers Union doesn’t get in there and fuck things up. They are a part of the reason the Minntac Mine is polluting the Dark River watershed. U. S. Steel is and always has been a bad actor. The Steelworkers Union knows what I know about the dikes and the process, but they have told their members in essence to shut up because they cut a deal with management to get concessions the union bosses wanted but don’t directly benefit the rank & file workers. More dues money for the Democrat party. Whose the real polluters here?

As Always,

Gentleman Jim (and honest too)

My slightly less patient reply to Gentlemen Jim’s second email:

Jim, here are a half dozen statements of yours italicized and my thoughts about them.

I’m always gentlemanly Harry. Always.

Define “gentlemanly.”

I am a straight shooter and those threatened by my intelligence find me thorny.

‘”Straight shooter?” As far as saying what you mean I agree. Hitting the mark? I have my doubts. You took a lot of shots at me and I’m still standing. threatened by [your] intelligence? Maybe. Or maybe just threatened by your aggressive argument or worse.

Copper-nickel mining today is not like it was 50-100 years ago. I believe that. Taconite mining isn’t like iron ore mining. But Iron ore mining released iron from oxygen. It was rust mining That’s not what copper binds with and not what will be released as copper is purified.

I live with the water. I drink the water. I don’t piss in the water. A lot of people would say the same thing of themselves. I don’t throw waste in the water like the Democrat controlled WLSSD and the City of Duluth Street Department , If Republicans were in charge of the WLSSD they would do no differently. And there are a lot of people who treat water casually like the great plains farmers who have been draining the great aquifers dry for decades. …also Democrat controlled. I don’t have any vendettas against Democrats. I believe you do.

I support the coal miners and their families, the people that work in the low cost coal-fired power plants Pollution is a cost deferred to the future. And from the standpoint of defending coal miners you have Sen. Mitch McConnell who has spent great effort to protect mine owners who have deliberately put miners at risk. and the coke/steel plants. I support spending on clean coal technology This is a pipe dream like selling America on recycling plastic that has never been attempted because its unprofitable. …by stopping the subsidies for wind mills and solar panels. Subsidies for wind mills and solar panels have helped make that technology competitive with coal. And how about farm subsidies to corn growers for their ethanol? Are you going to join Trump in killing those subsidies? Have you ever been inside a taconite plant? Go once and then tell me how the hell windmills and solar panels are going to provide electricity to run those power shovels, crushers, grinding mills, balling drums, kilns and all the drive motors. The same goes for paper mills and OSB plants. Can’t be done. Not today. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done tomorrow. And coal fired plants are not being closed overnight. The one thing Republicans used to be good at was cost benefit analysis. Texas must still have a little of that because their independent electrical grid helped make fortunes for windmill owners.

We’ll be OK with PolyMet and Twin Metals. Maybe and until I take the time to study it like you say you have I’m not denying this. Just as long as the Steelworkers Union doesn’t get in there and fuck things up. They are a part of the reason the Minntac Mine is polluting the Dark River watershed. U. S. Steel is and always has been a bad actor. The Steelworkers Union knows what I know about the dikes and the process, but they have told their members in essence to shut up because they cut a deal with management to get concessions the union bosses wanted but don’t directly benefit the rank & file workers. More dues money for the Democrat party. People trying to save their jobs are famously short sighted – unions and management. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that you have put your finger on a truth here that doesn’t in the least benefit any politician to try to clean up. That could be true of me as well. In life you have to pick your fights. If what you say is true that would be a big fight that might not be winnable. If you are right good for you for being a “straight shooter.” Whose the real polluters here? Everyone I know is a real polluter

As Always,

Gentleman Jim (and honest too)

P.S. returning to your salutation: I’m always gentlemanly Harry. Always.

Just because an African-American president has acted against your instincts to save and or extend mining jobs doesn’t mean you can call him an “N” and still be considered gentlemanly. You knew I felt this way and you sent me three or four emails with that word spelled out. If you think miners and working men have gotten the short end of the stick its nothing compared to what N’s have suffered every generation since they were sailed in their own shit to be sold into slavery. They are still getting it. As far as I can tell you have no problem with that so long as your allies give you the thriving white working man’s economy that you have stuck up for since the 1970’s. Your man Trump has been childishly targeting every action Obama had a hand in. It almost makes the Steele Report’s golden shower story seem credible. And every one of the laid off thirty million from the last month would have had health insurance courtesy of the Democrats had it not been for Trump and the Republican Congress which still have no plan for insuring people. Those Republicans are your people now. They are not mine.

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