Recess appointment of Richard Stickler .. Bush is so FUCKED !!!!

[snowbear]

Above two photos are from tonight -- --- The articles about Richard Stickler from a year ago are astounding!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If you do a Google search, you'll find countless articles about how Mr. Bush ignored the Congress, and despite his lousy safety record, slid Richard Stickler in on a recess appointment.

*** Sago Mine family members of miners who died in the disaster wrote to President Bush, urging him not to appoint Stickler to the important safety post.***

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

TPM Muckraker

Ignoring Senate, Bush Taps Mine Exec to be Safety Chief

By Justin Rood - October 20, 2006, 6:09 PM Ah, the magic of the presidency. The Senate has refused to confirm former coal company executive Richard Stickler as the head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). So, while they were out, Bush gave him a recess appointment to the post. MSHA exists to protect miners' well-being. Once a miner himself, Stickler spent most of his career above ground, much of it as an executive for companies like coal giant Massey Energy.

According to the Charleston Gazette, Stickler's mines had accident rates of twice the national average. A t a Senate hearing in March, Stickler explained that if U.S. mines were unsafe, it wasn't an "enforcement problem," merely a "compliance problem." His nomination was opposed by the United Mine Workers of America and the AFL-CIO, among others. Failing to win Senate approval earlier this year, the administration made Stickler a senior contract employee to the Department of Labor, working with mine safety issues. Bush first nominated Stickler after the Sago mine disaster in January.

... Yet look who he appointed:


From the White House homepage

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001852.php

[Double T]

1. Looks like Commander Pissy Pants is going to show everyone who is boss again.

If bush doesn't get what he wants from Congress, then he will slip it through during Congressional recess. It's going to be a long 17 months till he is gone.

[indepat]

30. And the pissy-assed Dem Congress might as well say stick in me one more time, for once

is never enough.

[Roland99]

56. Cuz he's The Decider. He decided $$ for him and his cronies is worth more than American lives.

[snowbear]

2. More .. From the Washington Monthly (way back when)

recently reported that West Virginia's governor has named a coal industry insider to head the state's mine safety agency. Now George W. Bush has done the same thing. He has given a recess appointment, avoiding confirmation, to Richard Stickler, to head the federal Mine Health and Safety Administration.

Why are Democrats like Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller upset about the Stickler appointment?

As a manager for Bethlehem Steel, Stickler presided over a mine that had injury rates double the national average.

When asked if any new mine laws were needed, he replied that none were necessary.

Has he heard about Sago?

[aquart]

3. Does Olbermann know it was a recess appointment?

[snowbear]

4. I only caught part of what Keith said... but the point is, once again Bush screwed up!

"Heckuva Job Richie"


--- ---

[snowbear]

5. Richard Stickler and Robert E. Murray are also going to be SCREWED

Stickler -------> <-------- Murray


------------------------------ (( )) ------------------------------

[Bluzmann57]

45. If it can be proven that Murray did nothing to prevent this

and that there were no earthquakes, he could easily go to prison for many many years. It's called murder. My MSHA trainer told us a story about two nineteen year old guys in Southern Illinois who were driving extremely large dump trucks at a mine without any training except how to shift them. They were told to drive in a dangerous situation, one which would almost be guaranteed to take their lives. It did, and the three owners were charged with murder. One turned himself in and the other two are still on the run, the last I heard. So even if Stickler isn't doing his job, I am certain that there are some MSHA inspectors who will. Goodbye Murray you garbage sucking pig. May you rot in prison and he'd better pray that there are no friends and/or relatives of the (presumably) dead miners in the Utah penal system. Fyi, MSHA.gov has, on their front page, a place to make anonymous reports about safety violations. I know because I have made one or two. And the problem was taken care of within a couple of days. So I know that MSHA inspectors take their jobs very seriously.

[aquart]

6. I just saw the video clip. Yeah. Keith knows.

I hope those murderous bastards die of any disease that cuts off your air and makes you feel like you are being smothered.

[snowbear]

7. The Governor of Utah is Live on CNN and just said....

"....and to Congress, let's find out what we need to do to ensure workplace safety!!


========== HELLO ============

The Congress tried TWICE to do something; Bush slid Stickler into the position when the Congress was in recess..


Hey Bush:

[Lasher]

11. What an asshole.

Republican Governor John Huntsman Jr. trying to make it look like the Democratic-led congress should have done something. How handy that would be for him and Junior.

[Divine Discontent]

50. I wrote that governor

http://governor.utah.gov/goca/form_comment.html

"Your comment about Congress needing to make sure they do something to prevent accidents like the mine disaster (newest one) were off base.

President Bush did a RECESS APPOINTMENT of the guy that's in charge of safety - that's right - The CONGRESS didn't want the unqualified man, nor did the families of the SAGO mining disaster - but BUSH put him in when Congress went on recess.

You need to correct your statement!"

[Lasher]

55. Good for you.

But I figure Junior and his cronies told Governor Huntsman what to say.

[EVDebs]

37. GOP: A day late and a dollar short (actually decades and millions, but why quibble) eom

[kevinore]

52. I have a few suggestions

Declare the GOP leadership to be enemies of the state, hold the bush cabinet criminally responsible for the deaths of these and other miners, hold them responsible for the deaths of our soldiers, the unnecessary deaths in NOLA....

It is bu****** to suggest that the republicans are not the source of these problems. It is dishonest for clowns like this to wring their hands now. If they cannot stand up for the people, especially the people who bring food to the stores, ore from the earth, teach our children, clean our streets, then they have no DAMN business in government. When the permit, either through negligence, incompetence or deceit, the deaths of workers, when they refuse to protect workers from unscrupulous businessmen, screw them! Throw them out of office and hold them criminally negligent.

[Maraya1969]

53. I agree 100% with you. The republicans are responsible for the horror that is our

country now. Their obsession about gay marriage, abortion and tax breaks has allowed and caused unbelievable death and destruction in this country and around the world.

Welcome to DU kevinore.

[ClintonTyree]

8. K&R....

'gotta keep this kicked until the sleepy heads get out of bed.

[Nostradammit]

9. K&R

[tiptoe]

10. So unless * reneged, this 8/14 speculation was wrong: "Sen Reid traded wiretapping for a * promise..

not make recess appointments."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1589503

...and, pending response from Reid, post #6 by Peace Patriot may be in play: "I think it's pretty obvious that they traded wiretapping for Rove."

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. Unless we can tar and feather Rove and carry him out on a rail,

it's not much of a trade. The guy still has executive privilege and can still do us damage working on someone else's campaign.

[tiptoe]

23. (ahhh..2006)

The present tragedy highlights the disasterous "moral decisions" * irresponsibly makes.

No doubt there will be more disasters from President Fraud.

Elections: Fraud
9/11: Fraud (re-open 9/11 investigation and expose the "terror premise" for Iraq "war" & domestic spying www.ae911.org )
Iraq War: Fraud
Cronyism: Fraud
CIA outing: Treason

[calimary]

12. Hey look - another Brownie.

Yee-haw. Heckuva job. Wonder what bush has nicknamed him. Sticky, maybe?

Just adorable, wouldn't you say?

DAMN when can we get rid of these schmuck-pirates??????? WHEN is enough FINALLY ENOUGH????????

[Patiod]

38. Dammit calimary, you beat me to it

Earlier this afternoon, I sent an article from the Huffpo to my SO with the title "Heck of a Job, Sticky". Thought I was darn clever!

[calimary]

43. Great minds, and all that.

I think there were quite many of us here who thought the same thing at just about the same time.

[Hissyspit]

13. Even without that, the Rethug relaxation of mine safety enforcement means more slaughtered Americans

at the hands of Bush and his minions.

[tbyg52]

14. I thought Congress promised

to be in something that could be called "session" often enough to prevent this kind of crap....?!

[tanyev]

21. The appointment was made Oct 19, 2006.

Before this Congress even existed.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

15. Where is the fucking OUTRAGE?

[flpoljunkie]

17. Where is the f*cking media coverage? All we see is Robert Murray press conferences!

[Pacifist Patriot]

35. Bingo

[King Coal]

42. Poor Bob. No one understands him.

[tsuki]

16. How is Bush f**ked? He doesn't have to go down those mine

shafts. The Privileged don't get their hands dirty. They send the little people.

[Wilber_Stool]

18. Look at the time line.

October 20, 2006. It was repubs that stopped the appointment.

[MaineDem]

19. K & R 'cause this is just way too important to let slide

Bush and his cronies are just plain disasters!

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. This is worse than Bush's Brownie and Katrina moment!

[loudsue]

28. I don't think so....the Brownie/Katrina disaster was much worse.

But when we're talking about the disasters the republicans have done to this country, it's really hard to gauge just how horrible one is from the other.

:kick:

[yardwork]

24. Look at Murray's hands - that man has never been in a mine in his life.

Look at those soft, white, carefully manicured hands. And the big diamond ring.

[LiberalEsto]

25. I thought Congress had a deal

with B*sh that he wouldn't do any recess appointments during this break.

Never trust a snake.

[myrna minx]

26. This was a recess appointment from last year.

It look like Congress was not going to appoint him, so King Bu$h appointed him. Another heckuva job!

[Patiod]

39. Even Arlen Specter was questioning this one

Since Sticky had done a BAD job as Pennsylvania's mining safety overlord. And before that, miners died at mines where he was overseeing safety.

[paulk]

27. the appointment was in 2006

under a Republican Senate... he couldn't even get this guy approved by his own team.

[AtomicKitten]

29. this reeks of Katrina

Not yet in quantity of loss of life - the "rescue" is still in progress - but because the set-up is the same with cronyism and epic incompetence the criteria for the recess appointment.

I'm waiting with bated breath for the MSM to do their job and really connect the dots.

[AzDar]

31. "Heckuva job, Sticky".....

:puke:

[Enrique]

40. lol

Sticky :-)

[Maraya1969]

32. Everything he touches turns to shit!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't even know what else to say.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Cameron27]

34. Did Bush even make a statement about this,

I mean the tragedy itself?

[EVDebs]

36. A modern-day version of Matewan, without the gunfire

John Sayles could do an update for Labor Day !

[seasat]

41. With a name like Dick STICKler, It's no wonder he couldn't get approved.

Even the name says * crony.

[Dj13Francis]

44. Another day

another scandal... If all the previous scandals and outrages haven't got this guy impeached, this isn't going to do it. This is business as usual for Bu$hco. Nothing new. This really sucks, but it's what we've all grown used to.

[Tab]

46. You wish.

I wish too.

But he has slid by MUCH worse stuff than this. Assuming it even gets publicized, I think it'll just add to general frustration, but this isn't a death knell. The conservative media outlets aren't going to say boo about this.

Sad, but regrettably true.

[1776Forever]

47. This is just too much - And he still has 30% approval rating - morons!!!!!!!!

:banghead: Shame Shame Shame! On all of these hypocrites and thugs!

[muffin1]

49. I know, I know...

No one seems to care. In fact, the last I heard, GWB was up to 32%. There was much hoo-hah about how his numbers are higher than the Democratic Congress. No one gives a shit... no one is paying attention. This is too disheartening.:-(

[defendandprotect]

48. Do we see anyone chasing Bush around asking about Stickler and the recess appt??? Nah --

[sofa king]

51. An interesting sidebar: more suspicious force-outs and firings.

It turns out that the owner of the Utah Mine, Bob Murray, was hauled before the MSHA in 2002. In typical Republican fashion, he responded reasonably, dropping the names of Mitch McConnell and Elaine Chao, and then pointing to two MSHA employees and saying,

"I will have your jobs. They are gone."

[Banned_Wagon]

54. Seriously. No really.. Are you serious?

Do you really believe that Bush is "So fucked"? I hardly doubt it? Do you think that this one "minor", or better yet, "Miner" incident is going to ruin this mother fuckers career?
After all the obstacles he has hit us with in the recent years? No man.. He is not the one that is fucked. WE ARE!

BTW :hi:

[GreenTea]

57. Corporate profits over workers safety-Lives are cheap-BushCo-Corporations overseeing themselves.

National Socialist American Corporate Party. Fascist - Nazi Party....Republicans!

Let's get it right.

[ripple]

58. What's with the white-out

on Robert E. Murray's hand?

Incredible tragedy. :cry: