".... earlier this year when the Bush administration proposed cutting the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) by $7 million. The administration defended the 6-percent reduction by noting the number of coal mines has been decreasing. Yet coal mining fatalities have gone up for three years in a row. There were 42 mining fatalities in 2001, 29 in 1998. In March, Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, maintained the funding cut would cause a 25 percent reduction in the government's mine-safety inspection workforce. As of March, 612 federal mine inspectors were responsible for enforcing safety regulations in 25 states, and there were signs the system has not been functioning well.Think Progress has more on Shrub's neglect
Wall Street Journal - 70% would oppose Alito if he would overturn Roe
However, nearly 70% of those surveyed in the online poll of 1,961 adults would oppose Judge Alito's confirmation if they thought he would vote to make abortion illegal.
The biggest corruption scandal to infect Congress in a generation took down one of the best-connected lobbyists in Washington yesterday. The questions echoing around the capital were what other careers -- and what other familiar ways of doing business -- are endangered.Talk about Must See TV. Letterman as you've never seen him before. You can actually feel the utter dislike Letterman has for O'Liely. You've gotta watch this:
"But Republicans worry about two possibilities. The first is that Abramoff, known for his close ties to DeLay, mostly implicates Republicans as a result of his plea agreement. That could shift public attitudes sharply against the GOP. 'People are uneasy about what else is out there,' said one GOP strategist who requested anonymity to speak more candidly about the possible political fallout."
"I Have The Feeling About 60% Of What You Say Is Crap": Letterman To O'Reilly...
What's even better is what Big O'Liely had to say about Letterman in 2001
The late-night program hosted by David Letterman is the toughest interview show on television.
That's because Mr. Letterman is a smart guy who can spot a phony with telescopic accuracy and expects his guests to bring something to the table. If a guest begins to sink on this show, the bottom is a long way down.
2 comments:
I heard Steve Earle once discussing from the stage mining disasters. There had recently been a "heroic" mine rescue of some sort. Earle pointed out that the rescuers certainly did a fine job, but that the real heroes are the generations of union workers who had to fight tooth and nail, risking literally life and limb, to force mine owners into even minimum safety regulations. As he pointed out, the rescue equipment would not even have been available, on site or not, if it were up to the mine owners. Unions and union workers are the true heroes of mine rescues.
Here's is an update to this story.
Former director of National Mine Academy blames Bush admin. over the Sago Mine disaster
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/01/05.html#a6586
Post a Comment