With all of the recent mining fatalities, we can only wonder what type of anti-environmental bill Bush is about to propose next, especially now that the public has attained sympathy for miners and the risks they face. More convenient manipulation of the American public by the Bush Administration. Even though Bush neglected to protect miner safety, as demonstrated below, he certainty didn't neglect the people at the top who make all of the money- the industry CEOs. After all, he has a lot ot pay them back for.
"The mining industry gave over $5.6 million to Republicans through the 2000 election cycle. Bush alone received at least $300,000 from the mining industry. James H. Harless, the 83-year-old West Virginia coal baron, described the BAD as the most coal-friendly administration ever. In return, Bush eased mountaintop mining regulations and allowed more waste to be dumped in local waterways. Bush's EPA instituted regulations now allow coal companies to pollute local streams and waterways with tons of dirt, rock and debris from mountaintop mining. There has also been a 60% decline in federal fines against industrial polluters since 2000. This is a 14 year low." -BROKEN NATION
Bush will have a much easier time convincing the public to allow his anti-environmental pro-industry bills if the public sees the blue-collar people who work in the industry and risk their lives, in lieu of tsuperiorityate face of the exceutives in the industry. More innocent American lives at the expense of big industry.
"President Bush issued a perfunctory statement on Tuesday, saying the nation was praying for the men and pledging federal help in the effort to bring them out alive. "May God bless those who are trapped below the earth," he said.
The hypocrisy of Bush's remarks is highlighted by the role of his administration in gutting mine safety inspections and promoting the downsizing, deregulation and unliprofiteereering that have contributed to this tragedy.
There have been 149 fatalities in mine accidents nationwide and 38 in West Virginia in the last five years, including 27 miners who died in underground accidents in West Virginia. Despite the dangerous conditions, economic desperation continues to drive workers into the occupation.
Bush named former Massey Energy official Stsubleaseoleski to the MSHA review commission that decides all legal matters under the federal Mine Act. The current MSHA chief is Richard Sickler, a former manager of Beth Energy mines." -Jerry Isaacs http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/jan2006/sago-j04.shtml
The Bush Record on Protecting Mine Worker Safety http://www.democracyforknoxville.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=133
The Bush Record on Protecting Mine Worker Safety
The accident that trapped nine miners in Western Pennsylvania in July highlights a major problem of increased coal-mining deaths. According to the New York Times, “the mine workers union and Democratic lawmakers have said that lax enforcement by the Bush Administration is partly to blame for the increase.” A look at the Bush budget on mine safety shows some contributing factors:
INSPECTOR GENERAL IDENTIFIES MAJOR PROBLEMS – Report Urges More Resources: The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General indicated in its Semiannual Report to the Congress, October 1, 2001 – March 31, 2002 that “MSHA is unable to complete statutorily mandated inspections of Metal/Nonmetal mine operations because of the rapid growth in mine operations, reductions in the numbers of inspectors, and shifts toward compliance assistance.” Ironically, the Administration has not requested additional inspectors for Metal/Nonmetal Mines.
BUSH FIRST BUDGET CUTS – Ignoring IG Report, Bush Slashes Enforcement: President Bush proposed an overall cut to MSHA staffing levels for the FY 2002 budget. That proposal included a shift of some enforcement resources from Coal Mine to Metal/Non-Metal safety and health activities. The Congress restored the proposed cuts. However, as was the case with OSHA, the Department of Labor neglected to fill many vacant positions throughout 2001, thus reducing the overall enforcement activities.
BUSH SECOND BUDGET CUTS – Continuing to Slash: The President’s FY 2003 Budget proposed an overall 6 percent cut of MSHA resources and a shift of enforcement resources from Coal to Metal/Non-Metal Mine safety and health activities.
BUSH ENFORCEMENT RECORD – Ignoring Repeated Violations: At the “Jim Walters Resources mine in Brookwood, Ala., 55 miles southwest of Birmingham, 13 miners died last September in an explosion. At the time, the mine had 31 outstanding violations, and government inspectors had not returned to determine whether they had been corrected.” [New York Times, 7/26/2002]
BUSH ADMINISTRATION JUSTIFICATION – Resorts to Citing Statistics From 100 Years Ago: To justify its massive budget cuts, the Bush Administration resorted to comparing the mine fatality rate with rates all the way back to 1900 – when the common cold could kill someone. “The Bush administration's chief official on mine safety, David D. Lauriski, defended the administration's enforcement record and noted that the number of coal deaths was far lower than in decades past. The 42 deaths in 2001 were far below the 153 in 1981 and 294 in 1961. In fact, in every year from 1900 to 1945, the number of coal mining deaths exceeded 1,000, and in many years there were more than 2,000.” [New York Times, 7/26/2002]
http://www.davidsirota.com/mineworkers.doc
Also see these sites:
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=4612
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ed31_democrats/rel1406.html
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/04/coal-mining/
