Sen Kerry on Mine Safety.

[globalvillage]

I'm watching CNN and they just showed Sen Kerry answering a reporter's question re mine safety. Followed by Geo Allen saying 'nah, don't need it' (paraphrase). Anyone hear this? Is it new?
Maybe it's old file stuff. I haven't seen anything anywhere else.

Damn that guy is busy.

[MH1]

1. Wow, wish I'd seen it.

As you might've guessed from my post at FFBB about the Sago disaster, this is pretty important to me. Hopefully it'll be covered online somewhere too.

[globalvillage]

2. I checked google news, nothing.

There was a clip of the Senator talking to a reporter about how we have to improve mine safety regulations, followed by Allen saying we shouldn't overregulate.
I only saw it once, but that's what I got from it.
Nothing on CNN website.

OK, they're talking mine safety again now. Maybe they'll replay it.

[whometense]

3. I've been blogging about it too

it's currently the most egregious example of where administration policies are leading us all, and it really pisses me off.

Not trying to be a smartass here - the coal miners, unfortunately, are being forced to play the role of the canary, and it just sucks. If there was anyone around who didn't figure out from Katrina's aftermath what these felons are up to, three mine disters in three weeks ought to clue them in.

[globalvillage]

4. Deaths push calls for mine safety overhaul

There is a Senate hearing tomorrow. It doesn't say which subcommittee.

Deaths push calls for mine safety overhaul


JAN. 22 7:56 P.M. ET In death, 14 West Virginia coal miners have achieved something that just a month ago seemed an unlikely goal: Labor, industry and lawmakers are united in demanding that a dangerous subterranean occupation be made safer.

One day after the bodies of two missing miners were found in Aracoma Coal's Alma No. 1 mine at Melville, Gov. Joe Manchin was crafting legislation that he wanted lawmakers to approve by Monday night.

"I wish we would have done it sooner," Manchin told The Associated Press on Sunday. "I know we would have saved lives in these last two tragedies."

<snip>

A Senate Appropriations subcommittee scheduled hearings on mine safety Monday, and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., who chairs the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee, which oversees mine safety, also planned a hearing.

Associated Press writers Sue Lindsey, Lawrence Messina and Kelley Schoonover contributed to this report.


http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8FA2JI81.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db

[JI7]

5. i sometimes wonder about this

i think it's important that people get that Katrina, the coal miner deaths, etc are a result of what the Republican Party is about. it's not just about the incompetence of the figurehead in the white house.

all one has to do is look at how the party is defending the administration on all of these things. the lack of outrage from them says a lot about the party.

[whometense]

7. Look what the

Memory Hole dragged up: http://www.thememoryhole.org/labor/msha_criminal_proceedings.pdf

[TayTay]

6. Ack, yuck, Allen alert.

First they show a nice clip of Sen. Kerry who reasonably talks about the need to make sure that the miners are as safe as can be when they go to their jobs. Then Sen. Barfbag comes on and says, well, we have to make sure that we keep the regulations in check because they might make the coal too expensive.

Way to go Barfie! Keep those ridiculous comments coming. You are model of human compassion and respect for the rights of labor. (NOT!)

Oh my gawd, what a complete jerk.

[whometense]

8. btw, anyone watching the Senate

mine safety hearing on c-span2?

Holy crap. What an exercise in mealy-mouthed hypocrisy (I'm speaking of the management speakers). Can't wait till Sen. Byrd gets a chance to talk. Specter seems pretty out-of-patience.