Rand Paul: Regulating Black Lung Could Be Too Pricey For Big Coal

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Rand Paul: Regulating Black Lung Could Be Too Pricey For Big Coal

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/07/rand-paul-black-lung-big-coal_n_845840.html



WASHINGTON -- With American miners still succumbing to black lung disease, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has proposed a plan to reduce the number of such deaths through the stricter regulation of mining sites. But at a congressional committee meeting last week, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voiced concern that the new regulations may not be worth the cost to coal companies -- even though pockets of his state have been designated black lung “hot spots” by the federal government.

In a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, Paul also asserted that the number of black lung cases has been on the decline. But according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in recent years such incidences have in fact been on the rise in certain areas of coal country.

"Every regulation doesn't save lives," Paul said in the hearing, later adding that the regulations so far have done a “pretty good job” of reducing black lung. "There is a point or a balancing act between when a regulation becomes burdensome enough that our energy production is stifled. We have to assess the costs of regulation and whether they save lives."

“I thought it was outrageous,” said Stephen Sanders, director of the Appalachian Citizens' Law Center, a Kentucky-based non-profit that supports black lung prevention regulations and other mine safety causes. “What he’s suggesting is to keep the cost of coal down we would jeopardize the health of coal miners.”

[Turbineguy]

1. After all,

those Miners are volunteers.....

[Drale]

2. In my opinion that is a reason for force regulation down their throats

[tridim]

3. Someone please lock Rand Paul in a coal mine for a few weeks.

RW Libertarians can (and should) suck it.

[Angry Dragon]

7. +1000 ...... or better have his wife work the mines

[aquart]

14. I like your plan. But let's call it an in-depth inspection tour.

[Hugabear]

17. Good idea...if only we could throw all teabaggers into a coal mine

n/t

[drm604]

4. My grandfather had black lung.

Asshole.

[crazylikafox]

28. My father & grandfather both died of Black Lung. FU Rand Paul.

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[Initech]

5. I wonder how much Massey Energy is paying him to say that.

[Dappleganger]

12. +10000

[Blue_Tires]

26. Massey essentially bankrolled his campaign

[hifiguy]

6. There really aren't words to truly express

how much I hate people like this asshat and his ilk. Clearly this pig went into Repuke politics because he lacked the necessary personal integrity to pimp sheep.
:mad: :puke: :wtf: :grr:

[FiveGoodMen]

8. I wish someone would stomp HIS head!

[gatorboy]

9. I loved his hit, "West End Girls".

[Dappleganger]

10. Maybe if he was a real doctor instead of a self-annointed one,

Rand might actually appreciate the science of health studies.

[upi402]

11. Sociopath or whore?

pick one

[eppur_se_muova]

22. Why only one? nt

[Scuba]

30. I can't decide. Can I say "both"?

[KamaAina]

13. Right at the anniversary of the Montcoal tragedy

You stay classy, Sen. Paul. :eyes:

[KamaAina]

15. I think Paul has black brain disease

it may be caused by wearing that bird's nest on top of his head all the time.

[rasputin1952]

16. I don't genererally wish for bad things to hapen to to people...

but Rand Paul's head needs to just implode...and shoved into a shallow grave...the man is an idiot.

[Warpy]

18. I'd love to grab that little punk by the scruff of the neck

and send him down that hole for a 10 hour shift. Let him eat coal dust and deal with the fact that anything goes badly wrong, he's already buried.

[GodlessBiker]

19. He just thinks a certain number of deaths is acceptable. Anti-human pig.

[Jefferson23]

20. I would like to see a poll directed at his constituents asking what they

think about his ideas..how they interpret them.

[ejpoeta]

21. here is my suggestion.... i suggest we move congress to the bottom of a coal mine.

they can do their business there. i mean, what harm is there.... they probably spend less time there than a miner does. it's so safe! come on!

[ddeclue]

23. It would be better if we would allow children to mine it too..

:eyes:

[supernova]

24. You couldn't pay me any $$$ to see him as a Doc

He's an eye doc at that. he just doesn't care about people.

[PVnRT]

25. A self-licensed eye doctor at that

[Modern_Matthew]

27. Sigh. Tell that to my grandpa who has black lung and wasn't compensated due to a corrupt lawyer. nt

[Bake]

29. As a Kentuckian, there are no words strong enough to express my loathing of Rand Paul

Nor my embarrassment that my state elected that fool.

Bake

[pacalo]

31. Republicans value corporate profits over the concern of workers' health. Black lung is an awful way

to die.

[Lugnut]

32. My dad died from anthrasilicosis.

Bite me, Rand. :mad: