Rescuers found the bodies Saturday of two West Virginia coal miners who disappeared after a conveyor belt caught fire deep inside a mine.

LINK:  http://www.cbc.ca/...

kos LINK:  http://www.dailykos.com/...

Another advisor for Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force?

"The miners became separated Thursday evening as their 12-member crew tried to escape a conveyor belt fire at Aracoma Coal's Alma No. 1 mine in Melville, about 100 kilometres southwest of Charleston. The rest of the crew and nine other miners working in a different section of the mine escaped unharmed.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin and U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller informed families of the deaths at a church prior to making the announcement, along with Don Blankenship, chairman of the mine's owner, Massey Energy."

Yesterday, davidkc wrote a diary that provided "back door" links to New York Times columnists Paul Krugman and Bob Herbert.  Since davidkc's diary had only 21 comments and 10 recommends, I think it was grossly overlooked.  (In case you didn't know, the bean-counters over at the Times have come up with "a pay to read opinion columns scheme" called "TimesSelect" for 50 bucks a year.)  Working with davidkc's Krugman link, I was able to create a generic bookmark to the Times' op-ed page.  After linking, just click on--or enter--the date, then click on "See All Articles in EDITORIAL DESK" link.  To read the Times' colunmists, you will have to scroll to last few links in the listing  (Unfortunately, no author names are listed.  So, if you click on David Brooks' column, quickly avert your eyes.)  It takes a few clicks, but the access is FREE.

So, a tip of the hat to davidkc.  Did the beancounters at the Times really think that with millions of internet users that their "wall" couldn't be hacked?

With March retail sales down, last week's decline in the stock market, and yesterday's report of a steep decline in housing starts, no amount of "cheerleading" by Treasury Secretary John Snow will revitalize the faith of the American consumer in "Bushonomics."  Because consumer spending drives two-thirds to three-quarters of the American economy, there are serious questions whether the consumer can continue to be the engine of growth in the economy.  With high consumer debt levels, under-employment, declining real wages, higher interest rates, and higher gasoline prices, the consumer may well be exhausted.  

And without strong consumer spending, the American economy could spiral downward into a recession. In fact, with the new bankruptcy legislation being signed into law today, the economy could suffer an effect similar to what the Smoot-Hartley Tariff Act did to the Great Depression 75 years ago.  

I don't know if it's a good thing, but NYT columnist Thomas Friedman has endorsed my meme ("A New Deal for a New Century").

In Friedman's latest column ...

(Emphasis added)

"A New Deal for a New Century" is the campaign slogan for the 2006, 2008 and beyond.  It is the slogan for universal health care, for a higher minimum wage, for fairer taxation, for fiscal sanity, for a more secure retirement, for economic growth, for a better America.

This is a story about the known and the unknown.  It is story about the rise to and fall from success.  It is a story about survivors.

Let's start with Richard Hatch.  Mr. Hatch was the first winner on the American television show "Survivor" back in the year 2000.  He was not exactly popular with viewers, but with his guile, resourcefulness, and alliance-making he won the "title" in the first season of "Survivor."  Today, Richard Hatch is under I.R.S. scrutiny for not paying taxes on his million-dollar "Survivor" prize. (Update: Mr. Hatch has now been convicted of tax evasion.)

Tom DeLay has an older, more-storied, tale.  But, Congressman DeLay's story begins about a decade earlier with two other congressmen.

The recent and ongoing battle over Social Security has rallied Democrats and the "Great Middle" to defend the most elemental part of the social compacts forged during the New Deal (and the Great Society).  But, playing defense by defending Social Security and the New Deal is not enough.  Democrats must reframe and expand the framing.  Democrats must have a positive goal and play offense.

That positive goal--and the larger issue--is "the quality of life."  And when it comes to the quality of life (QOL), the Democratic Party stands for improving the lives of the many; the Republican Party stands for the enriching of the few at the expense of the many.  On issue after issue, Republicans act to defend and expand the wealth and power of the few; they call that defense "support of individual rights" --in reality, it's class warfare.

Rant Alert:  After the jump, coherency may deteriorate greatly:

Some "experts" say that the American people--and their government--consume too much and save too little.  From record household debt that finances a house full of gadgets (and a garage of cars and fuel-thirsty off-road vehicles) to a federal government that spends too much, taxes inefficiently, and borrows too much from foreign central banks, it's not hard to understand the steep decline in the value of dollar over the past year.  Consume, consume, consume.  Spend, spend, spend.  What to do?

If the United States were to increase fuel taxes, would America's demand for petroleum to run our vehicles and our industry lessen?  Would greater fuel taxes cause fewer dollars go into coffers of oppressive regimes or to fund terrorists?  Could taxing Americans more be the key to creating President Bush's vision of democracy and freedom around the world?

These questions were prompted by red herring's recent diary, "Friedman Gets It Right on Energy Independence."  The diary discusses the column "No Mullah Left Behind" by New York Times' Thomas Friedman, in which Friedman makes the connection between America's addiction to petroleum and the funding of oppressive regimes and terrorism.

If Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist is unable to swear in President George W. Bush for a second term, who will preform the swearing in?  And will the choice tell us anything about Bush policy and judicial issues, such as future appointments?  

Will it be a uniting choice or a divisive one?

If Bush is true to form, it will be Scalia.

Are you tired of your consumer dollar coming back to bite you?  Here's a chance to stop that "blowback."

According to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Political Money Line campaign finance tracking service, the top-giving corporate political action committees (PACS) favored Republican candidates 10-to-1.  See article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/26/politics/main657844

One of the five most Republican-leaning corporate PACs during the 2004 election cycle was the PAC of Flowers Industries, a bakery company, based in Thomasville, Ga.  The Flowers Industries PAC contributed all of their $131,500 to GOP candidates.  Up until April 2003, Flowers Industries owned Mrs. Smith's Bakeries--famous for their frozen pies.  

While you may be able to continue to enjoy your pumpkin pie without political guilt, here is the brands page for Flowers:  http://www.flowersfoods.com/ourbrands.asp

Let's burn their toast.

With DemFromCT posting the interesting Die Zeit article about the next four years -- http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/24/8552/9215 -- I think there is a need for another diary section:  "Alternative POV on America."  This section could range the from foreign press to Mother Jones Online-type publications.

So what do you think?  Are you interested in POV sources and stories other than the standard POV provided "the American corporate media lapdogs."

This afternoon, my answering machine received a call from Franklin Graham, son of Billy, (pre-recorded).  He urged me to vote according to my Christian values.  It was paid for by the Republican National Committee.  Obviously, Karl Rove is quite happy subverting the separation between church and state.  Two days ago, Michael W. Smith, a Christian songwriter and singer (who knew), (also pre-recorded) urged me to defend marriage by voting Republican.  Again, paid for by the RNC.

I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, one of those "information elite areas" described by Texiera and Judis.  Another 50 miles to the west, the Pennsylvania "bible belt" rules--but not here.  The RNC doesn't know the Philadelphia suburbs or doesn't have a brain!

I, and my wife, will crawl across broken glass to vote against Bush and for Kerry!

My wife is a bit of a history buff.  He points out that "the crusades" failed.

George W. Bush's history of debate victories has occurred when he was on the offensive as the challenger.  

His first two debates with John Kerry has shown that "playing defense" can be a lot tougher.  With Kerry playing a well-managed offense (RE: pro football's West Coast Offense), and with an effective execution, the victory should be Kerry's.  

Bush had a hard time defending his foreign policy (read Iraq).  He should have an equally hard time defending his domestic policies (the economy, health care, jobs, tax cuts, medicare drug bill, etc.).

I think this explains the Kerry campaign's pre-debate confidence.

Back in the year 1968, when the Vietnam war was raging, a sitting President, Democrat Lyndon Johnson, did not win relection.  He chose not to run.  The Presidency changed party hands, when Americans elected Republican Richard Nixon.

Twelve years later, 1980, incumbent President Jimmy Carter lost to Ronald Reagan.  Some pundits at the time said that the country had swung to the right.

Another twelve years later, 1992, incumbent President George H. W. Bush was defeated by Bill Clinton in a three-way race -- much to the dismay of conservatives.

And here it is another twelve years on, 2004, and incumbent President George W. Bush is in a close battle with Senator John Kerry for the Presidency.

Will Mr. Bush end the pattern and triumph, or will Mr. Kerry ride the wave to victory?

Taken the arrogance -- and the record -- of the Bush administration, I sure hope that the Republicans have "jumped the shark."