Coal Mines Managed By Stickler Had DOUBLE National Average Injuries

[KittyWampus]

Stickler is a former coal industry insider...

This summer and fall, Bush used backdoor recess appointments to put the pair in charge of the two agencies without Senate approval.

Stickler’s recess appointment to MSHA was a slap in the face to the families who lost husbands, fathers, brothers and sons in the Sago Mine disaster and other deadly mine incidents this year that have resulted in 45 coal miner deaths, the highest since 1995. Several of the deceased miners’ families have urged Bush not to appoint Stickler because of his safety track record as coal industry executive. The injury rates at coal mines Stickler managed from 1989 to 1996 were double the national average, according to statistics assembled by the Mine Workers before Stickler’s appointment to head the Pennsylvania Bureau of Deep Mine Safety.

Twice, the Senate refused to confirm Stickler to the MSHA post.

During his confirmation hearings, Stickler said he believed the then-current mine safety laws were adequate and did not need strengthening. This spring, when coal mine deaths stood at 33—at the time the highest number killed on the job in a full year since 2001—Congress passed legislation to strengthen and improve mine safety.

http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/11/15/bush-re-nomination-of-stickler-decamp-not-a-bipartisan-move/

[madrchsod]

1. "managed"?

ignored would be the right word in this case

[AtomicKitten]

2. "a heck of a job"

oy vey

[KittyWampus]

3. kick

[spanone]

4. bu$h* should be help personally responsible for the mining deaths

he appointed this 'heck of a job' stickler as a recess appointment. twice a REPUBLICAN congress turned him down on the basis of his poor safety record as a mining exec, so our fucking brilliant president gave him the job anyway.

CRIMINAL