Utah mine owner called Hillary "anti-American," and other gems (SL Tribune)

[Newsjock]

Source: Salt Lake Tribune

On TV and before Congress, mine owner railed against more regulation

WASHINGTON -- The president of the Utah mine where six miners are missing has been vocal against more regulation of the coal industry, even going as far as to call Sen. Hillary Clinton "anti-American" for suggesting the nation needed a president who is for workers' safety.

During an interview with Fox News' Neil Cavuto in May, Murray responded to a comment from Clinton, who asked a crowd whether they were ready for a president who is "pro-labor and will appoint people who actually care about workers' rights and workers' safety."

"Bob, do you view this rhetoric as pro-labor, anti-business, what?" Cavuto asked Murray.

"Absolutely not," Murray responded. "I view it as anti-American. These people should -- are misleading the American worker then they talk about jobs. These are the people advocating draconian global warming conditions that are going to drive American jobs to foreign countries and raise electric rates for everybody on fixed incomes."

... The Mine Safety and Health Administration has cited Murray's mine in central Utah with more than 300 violations since January 2004, including 118 "significant and substantial" violations that are considered serious enough to cause injury or death.

Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/ci_6564581

[BridgeTheGap]

1. They've tried that "anti-american" shit against labor

for many, many years.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. Did he voice his opinion on abortion and the war in Iraq?

Shouldn't this guy show some decorum at a time like this and focus uniquely on the rescue effort and the families of the trapped miners?

[durrrty libby]

18. No, but he talked about his lack of hair

[CTyankee]

3. Criminals Against Clinton

A whole new anti-Clinton group. And this guy is certainly a criminal for dissing the safety of workers who labor for his riches.

Well, I don't think Hillary, or any other Democrat, was thinking they would make headway in Utah...

[Justitia]

4. I consider union busting flagrantly "anti-American". -eom

[jdlh8894]

7. So now

An earthquake is political? Sorry, don't get the connection.

[Swede]

13. The cave in was so huge,they THOUGHT it was an earthquake.

So,yeah,it is political.

[Bluebear]

27. There was no earthquake, only a lot of "retreat mining" going on.

[jdlh8894]

29. And???

"retreat mining" has been going on since the 1800's.

[Bluebear]

30. Your big point was an earthquake was political

[KaptBunnyPants]

34. And somehow, other miners managed to do this without killing people.

Why are you defending this asshole? Do you work for him or are you related or something? This is a republican stooge who has constantly opposed government regulations designed to avoid accidents just like this, along with any environmental legislation which was necessary for coal mining. His mines are poorly rated for safety, and now one of the poorly run mines he is responsible for just collapsed with half a dozen workers inside. Seems kind of strange for a so called progressive to take the side of management in this case...

[Bluebear]

40. YOU SAID IT!

[KaptBunnyPants]

32. No earthquake, just a poorly run mine.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

5. Nothing more anti-American......

...than a guy who doesn't give a shit about people's safety, therefore leading to Americans being killed.

[bluethruandthru]

6. Gee, I never knew it was anti-American to support

worker safety? What a horrible thing to advocate! How dare any American worker expect to be safe on the job. That could end up costing their employer money! For Shame! :sarcasm:

[BlackVelvet04]

8. Since he also insists there was an earthquake I don't put much credence

in anything he has to say. The guy has gone over the edge.

[Warren DeMontague]

11. Typical Republican. It's always someone else's fault.

If the gays in San Franceeeeesco hadn't made God so angry, there wouldn'ta been an earthquake, even.

[PearliePoo2]

21. I saw him in a news clip

the earthquake did it, the earthquake did it.
He said if the miners are dead, they died instantly because the earthquake did it.
Scientists are saying "hold on a minute, not so fast". The mine's collapse might well be what registered on the richter scale.

[alstephenson]

9. In watching this guy on TV following the mine collapse...

..I thought he seemed a bit "unbalanced" - not politically, mentally. He gives me the creeps - now I know why!

[Warren DeMontague]

10. Dude, the draconian global warming conditions are coming whether you like it or not.

Yeah, I know. "Science" is just the French word for Satan.

This dude should be worrying about the guys he has trapped in his mine, and not Hillary Clinton.

[emilyg]

14. Yes Sir. Amen.

[spanone]

12. unions were formed because of fuckheads like murray

[RufusTFirefly]

15. Post removed by me

[LuckyLib]

16. He needs to shut up and get those guys out of there. Loosen those purse strings and bring in the

equipment and person-power necessary to get the job done.

[Maestro]

17. And why does this not surprise me.

Sacrifice workers for the mighty dollar. He'll get up in front of cameras and feign concern when in actuality his concern is that he knows he's been caught probably for not taking proper precautions and of course, the fact that it looks like he may have hired undocumented workers to exploit.

[Enrique]

19. the guy sounds like a cartoon character

one in particular

[MLFerrell]

20. Indeed.

[UnyieldingHierophant]

22. Robert Murray is a real dip-shit...ain't he?

[XOKCowboy]

23. He was in CYOA mode big time during that presser

He's in big trouble and he knows it. He blasted the government mining regulatory boards (even though they've been gutted under Bush he's been cited 300+ times since 2004) and of course the United Mine Workers. Oh and don't forget the earthquake monitors are against him too. Oh and the media is biased.

This guy is like Tom Delay. He wants to employ slave labor with no oversight or safety regs to enrich his bottom line and figures that it's his right to do so. Sorry buddy. This is barely still America. Nice work though showing the world what the face of the Right Wing looks like.

[spinbaby]

24. He has a history of threatening safety inspectors

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1533383&mesg_id=1533998

[PearliePoo2]

28. CYOA exactly

he started out his presser singing his own praises, that's for sure.
His statement was so weird and off the wall, the news people were saying it's very unusual and strange.
You're right, he knows he is in deep shit.
It will all come out eventually despite his pre-emptive "spin".

[lpbk2713]

25. Conditions at this mine and others were allowed to deteriorate under six years ....

of the corrupt BushCo Regime. The rethugs' only policy was to wink and look the other way.

[SoonerPride]

33. Soon, very soon, everything will collapse. Bridges, mines, buildings, the economy.

All of it.

Plop.

Poof.

And the richest move somewhere else that still has a working electical grid and running water.

Dubai, perhaps.

[lpbk2713]

35. Or Paraguay ........ n/t

[sandnsea]

26. Yet the mine expert praised the mine

I wish I could remember the name, but on MSNBC yesterday there was some supposed mine expert who said this was a big operation so the miners would have all the best safety gear bla bla bla. So anybody who watched yesterday would have no idea from our illustrious media that the owner is just another corporate crook who will put anybody at risk to make a buck.

[KaptBunnyPants]

31. This was my favorite part.

"These are the people advocating draconian global warming conditions that are going to drive American jobs to foreign countries and raise electric rates for everybody on fixed incomes."

So the man from the party of free trade and deregulation has a heart which is just bleeding sympathy for us poor folk on fixed incomes? I have a suggestion - get your Republican buddies to stop sending their jobs to china and jacking up the rate for basic utilities 300% after each attempt to improve the "efficiency" of an already well functioning system by opening it up to the "market". They were charging 150 dollars a month to air condition a small apartment until the courts stopped them in Texas. Villainous bastard trying to feign concern for the people he victimizes. Coal - dangerous to mine, poisonous to burn, and getting it means enriching assholes like this.

[MODemocrat]

36. No doubt, a republican at work

That's akin to calling us who want the bloodshed to stop in Iraq, unpatriotic. Sometimes it makes we wonder whether or not these people are of sound mind! :evilgrin: :crazy: :crazy: :shrug:

[eleny]

37. I just watched a clip of him on MSNBC

He talked about how if the men were dead, god already decided that. He appeared to me like a Dickens character. A blustering creep.

[Odin2005]

38. It's shit like this that made me into a socialist.

ANY economic system that treats people like disposable cogs in a machine who's sole purpose in society is as a means for the rich to get richer instead of treating people as individuals that deserve to be treated as ends in themselves is immoral. I am not a cog that can be disposed of when worn out, I AM A HUMAN BEING!

[marmar]

39. Why are these right wing corporate fascists always such exaggerated stereotypes....

of exactly what we stereotype them to be?

[lebkuchen]

41. Some Americans are so fucking stupid--their own worst enemy

I'm on my way to see some now, carrying along a few liters of the best "anti-depressant" my paycheck can afford.