The Daily Sandwich

"We have to learn the lesson that intellectual honesty is fundamental for everything we cherish." -Sir Karl Popper

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Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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Thursday, January 05, 2006

On the tragedy in West Virginia

When I first heard about the deaths of a dozen miners, I had an unpleasant feeling of deja vu. This is the second time that Bush has found himself talking about the heroic efforts of those committed to saving the lives of trapped miners. But it's been at least twice that Bush has cut funding for mine safety during his term in office-- to the tune of more than $8 million.

One of the most frustrating experiences of my trip home for Christmas was hearing the free market mantra being ladled up as a catch-all excuse for the current state of the nation. Hey, that's just how corporations work-- they increase the bottom line. Well, it's also true that the public reacts to corporate amorality by protesting, boycotting, and otherwise pressuring companies into adopting more socially responsible policies. Yet my Republican family members would pretend that such opposition is somehow 'anti-capitalist.' Hypocritical, of course, but where are Bush Republicans supposed to turn these days, except to paint the rest of us as "Commies"?

But my point here is the frightening degree to which the administration has promoted not just a free market economy, but an economy in which oversight, accountability and criticism are actually squelched. And the Sago mine tragedy is a perfect example.

Here's how Faux News chose to portray the simple facts of the matter:

JACK SPADARO, FORMER DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MINE ACADEMY: We know from the record that the mine, in particular in the past year, has been cited over 180 times for violations of federal mine health and safety law and regulations. And about 90 of those violations were called serious and substantial violations of the law. So we know that it was a very unsafe mine and that there were serious problems with mine ventilation and roof control.

COLMES: Are you saying that these men should not have been allowed to go down there?

SPADARO: Yes, sir.

COLMES: You're saying this mine should not have been open?

SPADARO: This mine should have been closed. And there were too many serious violations. And the record is very clear.

COLMES: Why was it open then? If you, as a safety expert, feels it should not have been, why was it open?

SPADARO: I think it's because of the current Bush administration's policies toward mine operators and their reluctance to take the strong enforcement action that's sometimes necessary. And that often involves closing a mine.

SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: Jack, let's not politicize this! I mean, already, what do you want, to blame George Bush with this? Is that where you're headed with this political question? I don't think this is the time to go into that.

There certainly are issues. This mine was cited for over 200 violations, 46 during an 11-week period late in the year. They've been fined thousands of dollars. But I can't see an instance where it was recommended that they close it.

SPADARO: Well, actually, there were three orders to close portions of the mine that were issued in the October to the December period. And there has been a significant change since the Bush administration took over, the enforcement of mine safety and health.

And I can speak to that, because I worked in the agency, and I talk with people every day who tell me that, in recent years, and particularly in recent months, there's been a reluctance on the part of the top management at the Mine Safety and Health Administration...

HANNITY: All right, you've got a political...

On and on it goes. Dissent won't be tolerated, and the news is no longer about the facts of the case but promoting one's own political agenda. Time to re-watch Network.

posted by Matt Sandwich | 5:42 PM