Ken SchreinerHuntsman vs. Hatch on Crandall Canyon; Bush’s Balls Stuck in a Stickler
Utah’s governor says: “The federal mine safety system is broken. Congress needs to take a good look at this to make sure it never happens again.”
Utah’s senior U.S. Senator says: “Richard Stickler is a very competent MSHA official. He has done his best to see that the job is done right.”
Which one sounds closer to reality? Hatch needs to save face after approving of yet another bonehead Bush appointee while Huntsman is still furious for being ignored during the whole ordeal by both Stickler and Robert Murray, the lunatic mine owner. Also in this Tribune article, Huntsman slams Murray without naming him and double-talks about the feds’ performance but makes it clear things did not work out well and that there would be ramifications.
It must be pointed out that it was Stickler’s responsibility to control Murray and he didn’t do it. It was Stickler’s responsbility to save the miners without risking more lives and he didn’t do it. Murray’s nuts and he should have never been allowed to do whatever he wanted in that situation. If Bush had any balls, he’d call Stickler to Washington now, fire him and put someone in there to at least indicate the president cares about the lousy job performance of his worthless underlings. It’s clear Huntsman cares. It’s clear that Hatch is somewhere orbiting Mars right now.
August 23rd, 2007 at 4:09 pm
After multiple disasters, scandals, and other miscellaneous political and legal showdowns, it seems GWB believes that standing behind his appointed chronies is politically safer than to drop kick them into orbit as they should be.
What does that say about the neo-con-artists perception of the threat of a disgruntled public? That all depends on what they consider the positives in not scapegoating administrative morons (coughbrowniecough) in their risk assessment.
Politically calculated? Certainly. But, to what end?
It’s becoming very obvious that Huntsman is toeing the line to a certain extent so he’s still in good political standing when the music of his current office stops and he’s forced to look for the next chair, politically speaking.
Secretary Huntsman? Senator Huntsman? President Huntsman? To paraphrase John Dean, I hope Huntsman is a conservative with conscience.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Not to stick up for murray, but consider the total destruction of wages, borne on outsourcing and illegal immigration, and then look at who he can get to work in a coal mine. The 300 infractions? Ignored by everyone. We’re not going to shut down an energy producer in this day and age, are we? Then figure that doing the work and all the transport requires diesel, at what it costs today, while the populace continually whines about rising electricity prices.
Murray is our KOOK!! We all own a piece of the mine disaster. Considering the challenges that are continual and ever increasing from all angles, the guy was clearly overwhelmed.
He dug the holes for you after all, and if the mine doesn’t make money, the power just goes up in PRICE! Most people whine like puppies when their rates go up, this is the pathetic lot of our poor planning and an economy based on quarterly profits.
WE
OWN
IT!!
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:57 pm
I agree: The blood of those miners is also on our hands. I can’t think of a job that’s more absurd than coal mining. The way the current structure will change is when more of us start going elsewhere for our power and/or start using less of the bad stuff. But the power lobbyists and their lapdog politicians will make sure the transition is long, painful and expensive. The Bob Murrays are counting on us forgetting the whole disaster ever happened, which we will. Most of us will never make the connection between coal, mine safety, bad air and renewable energy. Those of us who have- like you, Glenn- can say we’re doing our part. Still, it’s little consolation knowing this is really all you can do to end this madness.
August 23rd, 2007 at 8:34 pm
You do it anyway, so you can live yourself.
The 21 yr old Camry with 25ok, pulled 44 mpg on a secondary road, up, down, and this way, that way. I don’t when I’ll get a hybrid, but when I do, they will likely be obtainable for 1500 bucks. Damn those Toyota people making efficient cars that seemingly last forever.
I’m going to get an electric bike. 15 cents to charge it, goes 35 miles, at 24 mph. What a deal.
August 23rd, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Ken you could charge yours from the system, as could I, then, as my panel has paid for itself (I live in an RV, and electricity off the grid comes from fuel burned in a genset, so the return is MUCH quicker) the bike will ride around for less money than it costs to keep necessary calories in my body. In other words FREE!!
How does that sound Muricah?
August 24th, 2007 at 6:48 am
Wow, Toyota would probably love to hear from you but they already have what it is probably the most vocal and loyal customer base of any company in the world, not to mention the highest quality product. We’ve already decided that our next car (ten years from now, maybe) will be electric so we can charge it from the panels. To think GM was so close with the EV1 ten years ago then scrapped it for political reasons (I hope you’ve seen “Who Killed the Electric Car”) is painful. There’s a whole line of new solar-powered products coming out that are perfect for our home because we have a broad southern-western exposure. The solar oven (go to my blog to see it) is just one of them. In the West, we have so many great power resources other than coal that we’re missing the boat developing and using. And all for political reasons. I hate politics. And people like Bob Murray are a pox.
August 24th, 2007 at 7:02 am
The “workers” world socialist web site, International Committee of the Fourth International, weighs in on the mine disaster. Some great details you may not be reading in Utah.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/aug2007/utah-a24.shtml
August 24th, 2007 at 7:07 am
Get the bike, they are cheaper than a good Mtn Bike, and oh what fun! Just be careful driving amongst the dinosaurs around town.
August 24th, 2007 at 7:09 am
Hi Cliff; What about the WSWS article gets it moderated?
August 24th, 2007 at 7:12 am
Ken and everyone, we must all accept that by and large we little people are the life support system for the pox. We are parasitized by a pox that is ever so willing to kill its hosts.
August 24th, 2007 at 8:25 am
And we’re seeing a classic example of it right now at Crandall Canyon. Buffalo Bob Murray will say anything, do anything and buy anybody to get what he wants. You think he’s going to change his modus operandi because a few miners got killed? He’s got guys in Mexico lined up to fill those jobs and the government knows it. Huntsman is right: this system is broken because guys like Murray run it while guys like Stickler are paid to stay out of their way.
August 24th, 2007 at 8:50 am
Check this out. Up in loggerland WA. Labor and industry(insurance) cost per hour for labor, for the very dangerous job, run about 12 dollars an hour.
It has come to my attention that a company Riegard lumber, has hired entirely mexican crews, and pays then SALARY! I’m sure it’s illegal and am reporting it today. Being on salary their hours working are unknown, and with the phony SS#s, and the need for jobs there is no complaining from a mexican.
Apart from this social abomination there is the reality that anyone obeying the law must compete with this maggotry. This is where we are heading. Someday we all may be crushed by ten million tons of bullshit. Better wake up fast. Time is, and may have RUN OUT!!
The crews work in extremely dangerous conditions, and can be made to work longer than the legally allowed time of 8 hours a day, 6 for fellers of trees, this is the State law.
Meanwhile, anyone that would pay wages, which range from 20-4o dollars an hour must compete with this new form of business practise. I’ll keep you posted.