What Bush does:
- cuts funding for mine safety enforcement by $15 million.
- mans the Mine Safety and Health Administration with people more concerned with corporate mining interests than the safety of the workers it's supposed to protect.
- cuts 170 positions from MSHA.
Then the tragic deaths of 12 Sago mine workers happened this weekend.
What Bush says:
- "We send our prayers and heartfelt condolences to the loved ones whose hearts are broken."
- "We ask that the good lord comfort them in their time of need."
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NOTE: The Sago Mine has a lengthy history of serious safety violations. In the past year, Sago's been cited for 180 of 'em. Over half of those violations were considered by inspectors to be "significant and substantial", meaning they could seriously impact the health and safety of workers.
Some of these violations resulted in fines to the mine owners. Most were less than $200/violation. None was more than $1000.
In light of the deaths over the weekend, take heart however. White House spokesman Scott McClellan says the Bush administration has proposed a four-fold increase in fines for violations of Mine Safety and Health Administration regulations! That should reassure all of us mine safety has just been increased four-fold.
2 comments:
All of these after-the-fact/after-the-death prayers (miners, soldiers, collateral damage) remind me of the Republican definition of life: It begins at conception and ends at birth... Cut out the safeguards and "bureaucrats" and appoint cronies representing industry. When people die, say a prayer and talk tough about jail time. I know it's a strech but go with it and it will lead you to the Bushies' "philosophy."
Eljoven
I posted on the stats today too, mind boggling, the violations and the indifference.
Now they care? Its a joke, a transparent short lived joke.
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