Richard Hendricksen, Democrat, State Representative.

Communication is the Key

One of the most serious roadblocks for our state legislators to overcome is the lack of communication between them in Lansing. I am told that unprecedented feuding between the two political parties is occurring in our state capital, thus significantly lowering the effectiveness of economic, educational, and environmental legislation. A political insider tells me it is the worst level of communication “ever” among the legislators. I am stunned and bewildered at this statement. How can it be, that such elected officials will not talk or cannot talk or cannot find the path to one another? It seems to me to be a betrayal of the people who elected them.

For me, if the above situation is true, how does it affect my candidacy? I must find ways to communicate. I will invite other legislators to my camp near Big Bay. I will show them the proposed sulfide mining site, and explain the purity of the Salmon Trout River. I will show them other camps. I will visit their communities and listen to their concerns. I will build a relationship of give and take. I will suggest ideas…of which I am always full. I will respect their territory, yet politely partake in its concerns. I will explain all details about my Four Parks proposal. I will explain the history and numbers of such a proposal. I will show them some of our inland lakes, rivers, waterfalls and Lake Superior shoreline.

Back and forth we will go. I will listen to their ideas, and share my ideas with them and explain our way of life. I see the lack of communication among legislators as a critical challenge to overcome. I must communicate effectively and equitably with all legislators in the House. Once that happens in the House, then the Senate is another matter.

Communication with you is also an important priority. As I make my way along the campaign trail, I am learning every day about you, the people I hope to represent. Thank you for taking the time to communicate with me and to trust me with your concerns, which include waste in government, prisons, schools, colleges, deception and greed everywhere. Lies or mistruths also bother you, as well as frustration as to what we have become as a nation.

Indifference may not be an issue to you, but it is all around us like a cancer, and I see it expressed in various ways. I do not mean to be rude in telling you the following, but self-centeredness is also a problem I see in some people, and I see it generally everywhere, which disturbs me. We as a nation will continue to slide downward if we cannot think beyond ourselves. This includes candidates for this office.

I think change must start with straight-forward communication, which you are reading right here and now, from me. My weakness may be that our government is so sick that I will be rendered useless with straight talk. I may have to sit back and be quiet, but I will try.


Sulfide Mining is much more than a Single Issue

One of the most important issues within sulfide mining is our constitutional right to vote or that philosophical core principle therein. Therefore, my apparent one-issue platform now is two issues: the right to vote (socioeconomic study) and secondly sulfide mining. Actually, there are more issues connected to sulfide mining, including being honest about it, that is, acknowledging its validity as an issue, rather than dancing around the controversy. Another issue is sisu. So now we’re up to 4 issues… not that other issues like schools and our elders and drug costs and our vets aren’t important. On and on… My Four Parks idea brings up a fifth issue in my apparent one-issue candidacy.

The above is my perception of sulfide mining. Let other candidate's positions be known. Persons, including the Mining Journal editor, have called me a one-issue candidate…I just can't agree. You would think the newspaper might pursue some sort of truth, just maybe on this election. It's unfair and misleading to categorize or pigeon hole candidates.

Maybe I have done a poor job of saying who I am so late in the campaign; for this I am sorry. But no one with experience has come forward to assist me in my efforts. As a political beginner, it's hard to battle wide-spread deception, which I preceive surrounding the sulfide mining issue. Why am I the only candidate to address sulfide mining as the problem that it is? Am I the only one to see that the emperor wears no clothes? Am I seeing wrong, or do the other candidates have blinders on?

We have local issues versus state-wide issues. Local is timber, sulfide mining, Four Parks, while state-wide is teaching, elders, health care, etc.

This August 8th, please vote for me. My persistent and trusting nature will be an asset in Lansing for you, the people, as we face the challenges ahead. If you don’t trust you don’t receive.


“Whatever may be the limitations which trammel inquiry elsewhere, we believe
that the great State University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that
continual sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth will be found.”
—Report of Board of Regents—1894
——Bascom Hall plaque placed by Class of 1910