This is a video documenting a conversation between Shirl LaBarre of Hayward, WI and what must be a tree face come to life. The production values are laughable but that isn't really the story here.
Friends of Wisconsin know that we're in a world of pain with our current governor, Old Dead Eyes Walker, and his corrupt state legislature and Supreme Court. We're currently fighting off a second iteration of a mining bill, written by the mining company Gogebic Taconite, and sure to pass the Assembly although not necessarily the Senate even with a Republican majority.
Shirl is a good buddy with the folks at Gogebic Taconite, so it isn't too surprising to see her hawking the benefits of mining up in the North Woods of Wisconsin. They financed her failed attempt to win an Assembly seat. She's seen as a pretty fringy wannabe politician and advocate for all things teabaggery. She also led the failed recall against Bob Jauch, the Democrat representing the district.
At issue here is a mine that would despoil the headwaters of the Bad River, where the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa live. Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins, Jr is an eloquent and able spokesperson for the interests of the tribe. The Talking Tree Face refers to Chairman Wiggins as a "twig amongst our many branches" in its best Tonto voice.
Both Blue Cheddar and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal have weighed in on this, but it deserves a wide audience so that Shirl and mining advocates such as she can be shamed and mocked as much as possible.
This is the Wisconsin we live in. Every day is a sad day in some way.