Reply #11: I'll be honest with my loyalties here.

[Brickbat]

While I hate to see some competition sprouting up, my bread and butter is paid for by the Minnesota taconite industry. I live in Northeastern Minnesota and am directly affected by debates over mining vs. the environment. I've seen taconite mines and the towns they can build and swum and fished for trout in the lakes formed after the earth reclaims a pit. I've seen towns trying to support schools and viable Main Streets on year-round tourism, and it isn't pretty. I'm a union member in a union household.

That's where I'm coming from.