Crown Hydro Turning to Class Warfare? Or is the Downtown Riverfront Part of The Bizzaro World?

From Finance & Commerce (article behind a paywall):

“Do Democratic progressive values stand for anything in this town when the haves — the Democrats living on the gold coast of the Mississippi — have decided to pull up the drawbridge when it comes to commitments to clean energy?”

- Tim Keane, Crown Hydro lobbyist

http://finance-commerce.com/2011/07/crown-hydro-hopes-to-bypass-minneapolis-parks-board/

Being new to this issue - I first became aware of this long running fiasco this spring - my opinion of this project has been formed by recent events.  I've researched the public record, attended Park Board meetings, and discussed the project with residents and elected officials.  After months of research I can't shake the feeling that this whole situation is taking place in the Bizzaro World.

Consider:

- It has been reported in the Star Tribune that the person behind Crown Hydro is a supporter of Tea Party leader Michelle Bachmann, and held a fundraiser at his Lake Minnetonka mansion (which is in foreclosure).  Doesn't forclosure mean one is living beyond their means? Oops, "fiscal responsibility" only applies to the other guys, my bad.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/120660474.html

- The Republican sponsors of legislation to take away public land for the benefit of Crown Hydro want to use "Big Gubment" to take away "local control" from regular folk like Joe the Plumber.  Yep, there are plumbers who live on the Minneapolis Riverfront.  In fact, there are people from every walk of life and income levels who call the Riverfront their home.

- The folks with Crown Hydro seem to have a sense of "entitlement" to our parkland.  Do they really expect a free pass from the normal policies, approvals and requirements that every other Twin Cities developer must adhere to?  Is Crown Hydro part of some "protected class"?

- Oh yeah, and "entitlement" to $5.1 million in "subsidies"  - a give away of Minnesota residents hard earned money through, wait for it...wait for it..."redistribution of wealth".  Tea, er, Republican Party "values"?

- Clean, green energy has become the mantra for this project.  Last time I checked, the Republican Party believes climate change is a conspiracy fosted on us by "tree hugging socialists".

Which brings us back to the quote at the beginning of this article.  Now "rich liberals" are engaged in "class warfare" against...um...other liberals?  There can be only one explanation.  Like every other big issue ever contemplated, the answer comes from the Seinfeld show.  The Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront has been sucked into the vortex of the Bizzaro World.  Don't believe me?  Watch the video below and it will all make sense:

Update on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 12:49PM by David Tinjum

Another quote from the Finance & Commerce article:

Keane, an old hand at legislative politics, said that a major irony during legislative debate gives him the feeling of “Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole.” To wit:

DFLers have been slamming a renewable clean-energy effort, and Republicans are supporting a move to subvert local control.

I've had this feeling all along, kudos to Mr. Keane for being the first to come out and just tell it like it is.