Why are more miners getting killed when fewer mines are open? Here’s a clue: The position for chief of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration was vacant until August 22. That’s when White House adviser (and former Rick Santorum staffer) Wayne Palmer was put in as acting secretary.
Now, I know this is going to surprise you, but Palmer has no experience with mining or health and safety. In other words, he’s perfect! In other words, things have gone down hill since August -- when no one was running the show.
But what about the miners? Well, we got bad news.
A rash of fatal coal mining accidents in the Ohio Valley region pushed the nation’s total number of mining deaths to a level not seen since 2015, sparking concern among safety advocates.
Mine safety experts say this spike in fatal accidents is troubling because it comes at a time when far fewer miners are working compared with recent years, and during a presidential administration pressing to rapidly increase coal production and roll back regulations.
Rule #1: When you vote against your interest, and the guy on the other side is a criminal, expect to get hurt.
Rule #2: All you guys in coal company who love this guy who says he loves you? You really should read the articles in Playboy. If you did, you would see this gem from an interview with Donnie in 1990.
The money quote?
What satisfaction, exactly, do you get out of doing a deal?
I love the creative process. I do what I do out of pure enjoyment. Hopefully, nobody does it better. There’s a beauty to making a great deal. It’s my canvas. And I like painting it.
I like the challenge and tell the story of the coal miner’s son. The coal miner gets black-lung disease, his son gets it, then his son . If I had been the son of a coal miner, I would have left the damn mines. But most people don’t have the imagination–or whatever–to leave their mine. They don’t have “it.”
Which is?
“It” is an ability to become an entrepreneur, a great athlete, a great writer. You’re either born with it or you’re not.
So, just to be clear. Trump loves coal miners because they’re a punchline! Why? Miners are losers who lack imagination. Why? Because they are inferior people. That’s not my opinion. That’s the opinion of the guy whose administration is treating every job like an entry-level position. But don’t worry, they are filling the positions with the BEST people. Believe me, they’re gonna take care of you guys!
Yeah, Just like the mob “takes care” of their employees when problems arise.
On Sept. 2, the White House announced the president’s intent to appoint a former West Virginia coal company executive to the top MSHA post. David Zatezalo was a top executive at Rhino Resources, which operates mines in West Virginia and Kentucky.
The company was the focus of MSHA scrutiny following what regulators called a pattern of violations and a miner’s death at one mine and allegations of interference in mine inspections at another.
If that leaves you feeling a bit uncomfortable, you should go with your gut. Last year was the safest in the country’s coal mining history, with eight fatalities. This year’s fatalities, however, match the total from 2015, a year when there were nearly 25,000 more people employed by coal companies, according to MSHA data. I’m sure Don will point out the silver lining here. “We hit a new high!”
Happy labor day!