Hey, Glenn Beck Club: Try Some Real Outrage... Over Hyperion and Gov. Rounds

My Google reader surprises me this afternoon by finally burping up a backlog of posts from Elk Point's Old Cranky, a South Dakotan with no good word to say about Hyperion or the Rounds Administration. In his latest post, he celebrates Hyperion's announcement that it is letting lapse half of the land options it holds in Union County. "6000 down and 6000 to go!"—I share Old Cranky's jubilation.

I also happily add his reasoning to the growing case that Hyperion will not build a refinery in Union County. One of his neighbors offers a very rational theory that buying up land options around Elk Point was just another ill-conceived business venture by Hyperion and its boss Al Huddleston. Hyperion can't build a refinery, but it gambles that maybe a real petro-player will buy the options from them to execute an actual project. The oil economy (and pipelines) go south, and Hyperion loses another bet. Brilliant!

More admirable is Old Cranky's genuine, concrete rage at the current South Dakota government that's been all hip-hip-hooray for this these pipe dreams. Unlike the Glenn Beck fan clubs that get their rage all tangled up in one entertainer's hyperbolic schtick and esoteric conspiracy theories, Old Cranky is ready to hold Governor Rounds and South Dakota's good old boys directly accountable for direct, demonstrable harm in our own backyards:

Governor Rounds... might have started this whole mess, but I’m here to tell you WE WILL FINISH IT! This isn’t over by a long shot, and when the last 6000 acres held hostage are released, then and only then will it start to be over. The worm is starting to turn and Hyperion is going to get bit right on their butt.

Never underestimate the power of the vote my friends. We will sweep them out of office and we will turn this government back to the people.

Somebody hand me a broom please.

I'll see you and your friends at the polls, Doug!

Up next: big essay and photo feature on TransCanada's Keystone pipeline, barreling through a family farm near you....