Senate To Hold Hearing On Utah Mine Collapse: Murray And Stickler Invited To Testify »
Posted by: Alexia 1 year agoThe United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies will meet in open session at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 in Room SD- 124, Dirksen Senate Office Building.
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Charlson1 year ago
Have you been listening to the news? Since Bush became president, he's eroded many of the laws and regulations that protected workers from unneccessary risks. He appointed a man who was an executive in a mining company that had numerous safety violations to the government position as head of mining. And did this when Congress was in recess, because most of the legislature including the majority of Republicans were against his nomination. And since 2000 we have had a tragic rise in mining accidents that has caused the deaths of many miners.
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joeblowe1 year ago
You should take a moment to consider the possibility that perhaps, just perhaps, sometimes it really IS GWB's fault. His sneaky, underhanded appointment of this guy (that the Senate wouldn't approve) during a recess puts the blame for anything that happens on this guy's watch right squarely on GWB's shoulders. No getting around it. If this guy is incompetent, it REALLY IS GWB's fault. Sorry, you loose this one.
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nostalgia1 year ago
EVERY state has a state mining inspection team
Every state can pass mine safety laws that are more stringent than Federal law - just not more lax than Federal law
I want to know what the state of Utah has been doing
I want to know why state mining inspectors failed
Think the state is going to have a hearing too?
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NelsonR1 year ago
Charlson - Don't you love it when these Republicans see no wrong from their pious party. Your comments and the news goes over their heads like Iraq. I think we should now call the conservative Republicans not elephants but ostriches with their heads buried in the dirt.
Bush is the chief ostrich, he cackles.
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goodgrief1 year ago
OMG - My family were coal miners for generations. This is just like New Orleans. Decades of abuse by self-serving politicians is what's to blame here. Y'all act like history is defined as what happened yesterday
As for the tragic rise in accidents - guess what - it coincides with a steep increase in the rate of mining coal.
If you want REAL comparisons, use percentages.
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beachboy60001 year ago
Actually mining deaths are at historic lows. It's between 3 and 4 per 100,000. In 2006 there were 37 miners killed in accidents on the job. By contrast there were 25 CEO's killed on the job. Hmmmmmmmmm
Mining is dangerous but its as safe as its ever been. But hey, dont let facts get in the way when you can just blame Bush.
http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cftb0218.pdf
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MajJohn1 year ago
How true, just as in many other issues, more bla bla bla and nothing constructive gets done.
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NelsonR1 year ago
When you take away support pillars, which yes was approved by the mine bureau, it is similar to removing the studding from your home. It will collapse so this mine owner who keeps making sure the word "seismic event" entwines and stays within his rhetoric while he is really and truthfully doing a Republican speech of lies and innuendoes. The only seismic event was him removing the only coal supports to reap a larger return on his investment. Human lives be damned, like Iraq, plod ahead and maybe a miracle on forty second street will be a repeat.
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liberals_belong_in_mental_institutions1 year ago
nelson, I completely agree with you that there was no "seismic" event which took place in the mine in Utah. The US Geological Survey said there was NO seismic activity anywhere near that area when the mine collapsed. And THEY are the experts. Obviously the owner is trying to cover his ass and he will get his.
BUT:
"he is really and truthfully doing a Republican speech of lies and innuendoes..."
"Human lives be damned, like Iraq..."
------------------
It is just IMPOSSIBLE for your kind to say ANYTHING or comment on any story without getting that anti-bush-I-hate-republicans jab in there. Why can you not just stick to the story and leave the hateful rhetoric out of it? Why must you politicize EVERYTHING? It is PATHETIC and DISGUSTING!
YOU sir, are a COMPLETE DICK!
(and I mean that in the NICEST possible way)
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NelsonR1 year ago
Liberals - All facets of your and my life are endowed with one abiding truth, insanity is not acceptable. I will always include Iraq within all post since Iraq is the most relevant topic of lunacy that is unrestricted in its depth. The war continues day in and day out, both Iraqi and American lives are lost with innocents maimed for life, Why?
This is plain and simple, Aggression by America. This is not who we are suppose to be!! So in conclusion, my rightful Anti-Bush rhetoric will continue until this man leaves office and does drugs without America suffering.
By the way, I have never derided any past president, including Richard Nixon until Bush arrived on the scene. So please do not think my opinion is consistent, Bush is one big turkey in disguise of an educated person, more like arrogance, without conscience, unwavering since he knows best and he would never admit a mistake. These are character flaws and America may wake up one day to reality.
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ibstilyn1 year ago
tell you what..it's been 7 years--the republicans need to retire the Clinton-got-a-bj-blue dress-with-a-stain jab every chance they get. Why can't you realize that Bush is 100 times worse.. he is PATHETIC and DISGUSTING.
You sir , are a complete CHENEY
(and I mean that in the DICKIEST way possible)
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darth-chris1 year ago
What would the "it" be that you are talking and laughing about? I have yet to see anyone on here say that the collapse was Bush's fault. What HAS been laid at Bush's feet, correctly, is the loosening of safety restrictions and the recess appointment of the Mine and Health Safety Inspector. A man who was twice rejected by a Republican controlled Congress that expressed concern about his own mine safety record.
Bush went to the Republican controlled Congress, which has rubber-stamped almost everything, and THEY didn't want this guy in the job. Bush ignored them and appointed him anyway. Anything that this guy did wrong is ultimately Bush's responsibility.
So what exactly is funny about all that?
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william-sire1 year ago
(("I have yet to see anyone on here say that the collapse was Bush's fault.")) Just because they haven't chosen those specific words doesn't mean they haven't said it. Please let's not engage in the useless practice of insulting my intelligence. You are blaming George Bush!!!
Most likely there is no one to blame. But you will never hear that coming from your side,
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highlandmedic1 year ago
Lawyers and politicians all over the country are just rubbing their hands together with glee!! "Fresh meat, more lawsuits, more regulations, a scapegoat...man, it just don't get no better'n this!!"
Maybe, just maybe, if they do their jobs REALLY well, we'll next be worrying about all those unemployed coal miners and wondering why our lights won't turn on. That'll give the talking heads a whole new career...oops, I forgot we need power to run your TV. Maybe we'd better all go back to the farm and live like our great-great grandparents...oops, forgot that we turned all the decent farm land into subdivisions and malls. Gee, maybe we're really up the creek!!
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Denie1 year ago
This has to be one of the top ten brain-dead post I've ever read.
A guy that goes by "liberals belong in mental institutions" fails to see the irony in posting the following...
"It is just IMPOSSIBLE for your kind to say ANYTHING or comment on any story without getting that anti-bush-I-hate-republicans jab in there. Why can you not just stick to the story and leave the hateful rhetoric out of it? Why must you politicize EVERYTHING? It is PATHETIC and DISGUSTING! YOU sir, are a COMPLETE DICK!"
I don't want to call you stupid, LBIMI, but you couldn't pour water out of a boot with instructions on the bottom of the heel!
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chadillac191 year ago
Ah yes for all of Bushes shortcomings as a president i do not believe that i will blame this one on him. He has done a lot of things that make me question his thought process. But then again he is a good ol boy so you really cant blame him for not hiring speech writers that over indulge themselves in words the man cant get a grip on how to say. lol. But anyway i think more then anything the man that owns the mines is the one at fault he has had repeated instances that he has not met codes and still he is allowed to run the operations as nothing is wrong. but that is all i have to say at this point. please say what you like that is just the way i feel at the moment
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quackpot1 year ago
Mr. Bush's administration has essentially demolished the Mine Health and Safety Acadamy(MHSA, a branch of the Department of Labor). Some of the Bush Administration actions:
--cutting budget of MHSA and the number of inspectors
--replacing the head of MHSA, who was an advocate of the miners, with an an advocate of the mine owners.
--refusing a congressional proposal to increase fines for violations.
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Sandmn1 year ago
Maybe they should do what everyone else seems to be doing, and ignore the congressional subpoenas. Congress doesn't seem to mind and aren't we getting used to these guys ignoring the law.
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fishifanb1 year ago
While these deaths are tragic people seem to ignore that mining is dangerous work. It is just plain ignorant to assume that there should never be deaths or that when there are it means that somebody has committed a crime.
Just like driving a car, we must recognize that by doing so we are risking our lives. Precautions can lower the risk but it is still there.
Its the same with mining, safety precautions can reduce the risk to what is deemed an acceptable level but the possibility for catastrophe can never be reduced to zero.
It kind of reminds me of the shuttle disasters. What do you expect when you go strapping people to rockets. Some of them will inevitably die. But when it happens people run around enraged as if this outcome were unthinkable.
My thoughts and prayers do go out to the miners families. I only hope, and expect, that provisions have been made for their support in the absence of their loved ones.
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Hobe1 year ago
'Senate To Hold Hearing On Utah Mine Collapse: Murray Andâ;¦'
Simon. You seem Very confused on the mining Tragedy....
The Greedy Owner spent more time on Camera telling everyone how he is doing all that can be done to free the Miners... In reality there were many positive actions that could be taken too numerous to mention... He appeared to be trying to Protect His Mining Interest at the expense of the Miners and their Families.
To bring Our sitting President into this picture exposes the Bias, Misleading, true Agenda of the Kool-Aid Drinkers.. This exposes the Ignorant shallow thinking against all Americans, especially the President Bush Heaters.. When this happens, the writer looses all creditability and is seldom taken seriously...
Rule, Understand the issue before making Foolish comments, if one cannot comprehend the topic have, an intelligent adult explain it.
It's really not that hard, and You may not sound as Stupid.
You can do it, Good luck.
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melwss1 year ago
I'm a coal miner with Fireboss certification. It's my job to check the mine for unsafe conditions. Why blame Bush for the Crandall Canyon catastrophe? I think it's wrong to blame one for anothers actions. If MSHA approved this specific mining plan, it is in their hands, if they didn't, the consequences lie in the hands of Bob Murray.
Retreat mining is a MUST. Coal is brittle and breaks easily. The coal left behind is slowly breaking and crumbling apart, and the weight of the mountain is on a grade. With the crumbling coal and the grade you can only mine so deep, SAFELY. At that point the mine needs to be closed, this is when retreat mining is done. The weight is, and will continue to break the remaning coal apart until finally there is a massive cave in.
cont...
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melwss1 year ago
cont...
In retreat mining the amount of weight that is able to collapse to the ground is controlled to a small area at a time, minimizing the size of the mountain bump. Men go ahead of the retreat and clean out machinery, water lines, power lines and trash etc. safely because the weight of an entire mountian is coming slowly to the ground. Then you have load bearing pillars, the barrier pillars. You NEVER mine barrier pillars as you will always have a massive uncontrolled cave in. Much the same way your house would collapse if you removed the load bearing wall in the basement. These pillars are meant to crush out, in time, after the retreat mining operation is complete and the workers are long gone.
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aniokly1 year ago
Oh, Please. No one cares what the Hillbilly *hore Hopper did in the Blue dress. If he hadn't lied about it, under oath, in a court of law. He is the one eternally stained, not the Blue dress. And his reputation as a pervert will prevent his wife from being elected President.
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Submitted By:
Alexia
Documentary filmmaker, interactive mediaist, with a background in theatre and writing. Avid non-fiction reader.
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