Rand Paul "No one will apply for dangerous jobs"

[Joanne98]

In April, two miners were killed at the Dotiki Mine in Western Kentucky after the mine’s roof collapsed. The non-union mine had been cited for 840 safety violations by federal inspectors since 2009, and the Kentucky Office of Mine Safety and Licensing issued 31 orders to close sections of the mine or to shut down equipment during the same period. But when asked about the incident, Kentucky’s Republican Senate candidate, Rand Paul, said “maybe sometimes accidents happen.” And as it turns out, Paul doesn’t believe that the federal government has any responsibility at all to set safety standards to protect mine workers:

“The bottom line is: I’m not an expert, so don’t give me the power in Washington to be making rules,” Paul said at a recent campaign stop in response to questions about April’s deadly mining explosion in West Virginia…“You live here, and you have to work in the mines. You’d try to make good rules to protect your people here. If you don’t, I’m thinking that no one will apply for those jobs.”

As Amanda Terkel pointed out, a bunch of dirty coal groups lobbying for looser regulations have banded together to form a 527 to elect industry-friendly Republicans. One of the candidates they intend to back is, of course, Rand Paul. The Wonk Room takes a further look at how Paul’s positions favor law-breaking corporations over the safety of workers.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/02/paul-mine-safety/

[Webster Green]

1. What a dumb ass.

Someone has to have the authority to stop the operation if the owner decides to save a few bucks by not fixing his piece of shit ventilation system.

Even if the mines are as safe as possible, the miners should be getting hazardous duty pay. You know, like $60 an hour or something. I'm guessing they don't make near that.

[doc03]

2. I think they make at least $30 an hour plus benefits

so they may make $60 an hour all totaled. I know a retired management miner that works as a consultant for $1.00 a minute.

[Mopar151]

3. All depends on where you work

Non-union make a lot less than that. And I'd like to know where you get your cost-of -benefit figures.

[doc03]

5. Many Non-Union mines pay more in wages than the Union

mines, companies are willing to pay more to keep the Union out. As far as figures I didn't give any figures I said they (may) make $60 an hour with benefits. I know the company I worked for liked to claim our benefits nearly matched our wages every time a contract came up. Of course they always inflate those numbers buy forcing people to work tons of overtime. Miners don't do bad, they make $60000 to $100000 depending on how much overtime they work. I worked in a steel mill represented by the USW, the other steel company in the area had a independent (company) Union. They always sat back and worked overtime out the ass until our strike was over and we signed a contract then got more than us across the board, just to keep the USW out. Don't get me wrong they deserve whatever they get, I could have gone into the mines but that is not for me. Steelmaking is actually more hazardous work than mining we just get knocked off one at a time and don't make the national news.

[66 dmhlt]

10. But every so often he says something worthwhile ...

[rrneck]

4. A giant spinning vortex of arrogant stupidity. nt

[roxiejules]

6. Oh, sure no one will apply for those jobs....

Rand is right, no one would apply for those jobs IF there were any other decent paying ones.

It is the gotcha game, heh?

[era veteran]

7. There are never any other jobs and all the wealth stolen

and taken out of state for generations. What happens when the coal is gone or finally gets replaced? Mineral wealth is the main ingredient in a fucked up society. Rand is a carpetbagger. Let us elect a Kentuckian or someone who cares about the place. Oldest mountains in the world.

[roxiejules]

8. Does Kentucky get any money for the minerals....

or do we just let the corporations have it for next to nothing?

Kinda like we do with oil...

[era veteran]

9. Yes, there was a coal severance tax started in 1972

In theory it is 4.5% of the value but the state 'gives' back a lot in tax breaks to King Coal and uses it to do coaly things like in the name of economic development KY uses coal severance funds to subsidize a new wave of coal related industry – the conversion of coal to a gaseous or liquid fuel. From Lexington Herald-Leader 1/10/2010 :" In 2009, MACED published a report showing that the coal industry takes $115 million more from Kentucky's state government annually in services and programs than it contributes in taxes, due in part to the tax breaks." Also : "The coal industry spent more than $1 million on state political donations in recent years and $255,145 to lobby the last two legislative sessions. Top Kentucky lawmakers own coal mines, hold white-collar posts at coal companies or otherwise do private business with coal. Gov. Steve Beshear joined coal lobbyists in the capital last winter for the unveiling of Kentucky's Friends of Coal license plate." Thanks a lot Gov. So in answer to your question Next to nothing. Later, R ... just got home from work, going to bed.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/01/10/1089613/coal-gets-big-tax-breaks-in-kentucky.html#ixzz0vWRHgRp0

[roxiejules]

11. Tax breaks for coal companies that take more than they give

Thanks for this info - how ridiculous to give tax breaks to an industry that takes more than it contributes to the State.

Grrrr.....

[era veteran]

12. This is a visual piss off point driving in KY

Always seems to be on the biggest SUV's & P/U Trucks. Gets an official salute from me. - Kentucky's Friends of Coal license plate- I don't have & will spare you the image.

[roxiejules]

17. Thought you might like this link...

Did you see this today at Common Dreams?

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/08/03-9

[era veteran]

20. No I had not, good info, thanks

[Jackpine Radical]

18. Well, shucks if those mountains are the oldest in the world,

I'd say they're about worn out by now anyway, so what the hell?

[era veteran]

19. Like me, old and in the way

and there is all that up and down stuff.

[Turbineguy]

13. Felony Stupid

So if a Miner dies, free-market forces come into play. If enough Miners die, the free-market will correct the wage structure to compensate Miners for the risk.

The mine owner simply does the calculation between the cost of safety and the costs of the dead Miner. But with market forces in play the owner could not spend money on safety because he was paying so much for people to work in his dangerous mine. The Miner of course makes a choice. He can work in the mine or starve. Since the two choices arrive at the same end, it's OK.

From Dr. Strangelove: "..... Ten to twenty million killed, tops!.... Depending on the breaks!"

[bergie321]

14. "don’t give me the power in Washington"

OK we won't.

[Hawkowl]

15. Not stupidty, CRUELTY

Oh he's not stupid. He is a sadistic mother fucking son of a bitch. So the choice is watch your family starve to death slowly or play Russian roulette on an oil rig, or in a coal mine.

Goddamn this motherfucker to hell.

[Alcibiades]

16. Thecy can sell some stock

instead of doing those jobs.

It was thanks in no small part to the mining industry's contribution to the fatalities racked up by US corporations that, first the Bureau of Mines, and later, the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Acts, and OSHA, were established.

Number of Documented Mine Disasters
(5 or more deaths) Historic Period Coal Mines Metal and Nonmetal Mines Total
Through 1875 19 4 23
1876-1900 101 17 118
1901-1925 305 51 356
1926-1950 147 23 170
1951-1975 35 9 44
1976-present 18 1 18

Does anyone want to go back to the good old days before federal safety regulation? Rand Paul might, but I'm not sure the folks who work in the mines in Kentucky do.



OK, the Monongah disaster was in West Virgina, but the coffins tell the story plainly enough.