E. coli conservatism killing six more?

Consider the coal mine collapse in Huntington, Utah.

Some of you might have seen the bizarre press conference in which owner Bob Murray ranted and raved about the evil United Mine Workers. He was playing defense, because the Mine Workers were blaming him. One of his house specialties is "retreat mining"—in which even the last little bit of coal that form the pillars that support the mine roof is pulled away in a fit of desperate greed. Some say that caused the cave-in—unless you believe Murray, who says it was force majeur: a sudden earthquake that you might think others in the surrounding area would have noticed.

“The Lord has already decided whether they’re alive or dead,” he told the press. “But it’s up to Bob Murray and my management to get access to them as quickly as we can.”

Who is this strange megalomaniac? A poster child for the E. coli conservatives, he's the guy who, in 2002, when officials of the Mine Safety Administration confronted him about his mines' poor safety conditions, shrieked at them to lay off or he would tell Labor Secretary Elaine Chao to fire them. Chao, of course, is married to Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY). According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, Murray bellowed, "Mitch McConnell calls me one of the five finest men in America, and the last I checked, he was sleeping with your boss."

The Herald-Leader—in a great article, by the way; any blog aficionados who think newspapers can't bring the mojo any more should read it— explained the backstory behind the exchange thus: "When it comes to workplace-related issues such as mine safety, the McConnell-Chao marriage presents an intriguing target for industry donors. At the Labor Department, Chao has taken what some reports say is a relaxed attitude toward the regulation of coal mines and an approach that labor unions perceive as hostile.... One undisputed fact is that by Oct. 12, the number of U.S. mining deaths for 2006 had climbed to 62 -- up 41 percent from this time in 2005, the worst fatality rate in the last five years. Some MSHA officials talk of being pressured to go soft even when they uncover serious problems."

Well then.

Murray has called Hillary Clinton "anti-American" for saying she would "appoint people who actually care about workers' rights and workers' safety." He told Congress his safety record "is one of the best in the coal industry anywhere"—upon which Senator Boxer pulled out an article showing injury rates in two of his mines were a quarter higher than the national average. "Union propaganda," he harrumphed.

Another of his mines in central Utah was cited for 116
"significant and substantial" violations that are considered serious enough
to cause injury or death since January of 2004. That's the one that has just entombed six brave men. They are 2,000 feet from the closest access point, 1,500 feet underground. Rescue workers have only made 310 feet of headway as of tonight. Pray for them, if you're religious. And for the evil Bob Murray's immortal soul.

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