Farmers rallying with their tractors may conjure images of protests against an unjust government. The circumstances behind the Lansing tractor rally which took place yesterday are more complicated than that. The Lansing rally was organized by Republican State Reps. Jennifer Wortz and Luke Meerman. Their target? Environmental regulations that keep Michigan’s water clean and safe. Lobbying for dirtier water to please corporate interests is nothing new for the GOP. Still, attacks on environmental regulations are only becoming more common under Trump.
Lansing Tractor Rally Prioritizes Dirtying Water
The Lansing tractor rally coincided with a Michigan House Oversight Committee hearing on agriculture regulation. That’s no coincidence. While people across the country demand meaningful change from their representatives at town halls, the Michigan GOP has other priorities. Though the state has enough problems without tainting its own water supply, that apparently won’t stop its politicians from selling their constituents out. Pretending to advocate for rural communities only to undermine them unfortunately isn’t new either.
A Reddit post by u/Drunk_Redneck about the Lansing tractor rally drew outcries from many frustrated with the GOP’s actions. “If they had their way, our water sheds and rivers would be full of fertilizers and manure,” said one commenter. It’s the responsibility of corporations to work with the environment, not the other way around. Another highlighted the state’s ongoing sewage struggles, saying,
There is already a severe lack of regulation/oversight regarding the sewage systems in Michigan. We really do have a lot of work to do to ensure clean fresh water and non-toxic land in Michigan.
The Lansing tractor rally shows how committed Republicans are to advancing corporate interests, even ahead of the planet’s health. At a time of secret police abductions, college protest crackdowns, and deportations without due process, being pro-pollution too is definitely a choice. If there’s good news, it’s that Michiganders are also making their voices heard, both against Trump and the Michigan GOP. There’s a way to care for the environment as well as farmers, but muddying the water probably isn’t it.
