(From the must-read Daily Yonder: Big Coal not so big anymore)
With at least 25 workers confirmed dead in yesterday's explosion in West Virginia, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis is promising to learn something from this tragedy:
"As we hear of more heartbreak from Whitesville, our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends, loved ones, neighbors and co-workers. Twenty-five hardworking men died needlessly in a mine yesterday. I pledge that their deaths will not be in vain. The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration will investigate this tragedy, and take action. Miners should never have to sacrifice their lives for their livelihood."
That quote comes from Ken Ward Jr.'s invaluable Coal Tattoo blog at the Charleston Gazette. (Ward walked us through the news last night.) Other great sources include the local Register-Herald and the Daily Yonder's energy coverage. In February, the Daily Yonder picked up on reports that coal mining companies were fighting thousands of safety violations.
The Daily Yonder has also been challenging the assumption that coal interests are big enough to get what they want from Washington. If people wanted to "vote their jobs," the Yonder writes, they'd vote for higher taxes -- since government jobs in some corners of coal country outpace mining by two to one. The fall of coal has nothing to do with a perceived Democratic war on coal:
Coal is losing employees in the eastern mountains, but not because of any war. Coal is a shrinking part of the economy in Appalachia, both because the industry is efficient and because reserves are falling.
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For the following, to say that the timing is poor is an understatement and that at this time our thoughts should be with the miners and their families but I just have to say that Ken Ward, Jr. is cutie-hawtness!! You have to get him on the TeeVees live!
Tonight your guest Jeff Biggers said something like, The Companies always see Regulations as a drain on profits, they dont see it as an issue of their employee's lives, or American Lives.
Thats not an exact quote but its close enough, unfortunately he's making a fundemental mistake. Never assume anyone worth more than a Million Dollars thinks your a Human Being if your not. There are some good ones, like the Kennedy's and Ross Perot; but when we see towns ruined by shipping jobs over seas, and those folks paid enough to starve more slowly. When we see Toxins dumped in the Drinking Water of the Maquiladoras Opposite Brownsville Texas.
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/31/us/rash-of-brain-defects-in-newborns-disturbs-border-city-in-texas.html?pagewanted=1 ; The Bottom line is simple, they dont care, I am afraid I have come to the conclusion large numbers of the Management Class look at you or I, and they dont see a human being, they see an expendable worker bee, but be used up as cheaply as possible.
Personally I think this is a huge part of the Anger, and fear they have sowed on the Issue of Health care. Blessings, BB.
http://www.dailyestimate.com/article.asp?id=19188