Rand Paul: Death of workers worth low cost of coal production

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   Texasbetaposted 12 years ago

   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/0 … 45840.html
   
   This is just another example of what makes up the GOP. Increase the profits of the corporations, regardless of the health of the workers, the land involved, the overall economy, the global implications, anything...no matter what, just get more money to the energy execs.

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      Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Nice twist.
      
      IF the people don't want black lung, then why the hell are they working as coal miners?
      
      (insert the obligatory rebuttal: "it's their only option!"... to which I reply:)
      
      Nonsense - I'm sure just about every one of those coal miners has a car and can afford enough gas to drive to a new location with different jobs. So, coal mining is NOT "their only option".

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         bgamallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         It is either coal mining or McDonalds. These men have families to support. I can't believe you don't understand this Evan. In these areas, it is the biggest industry and the areas are poor otherwise.

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         Texasbetaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         You aren't taking into consideration the actual circumstances. Have you ever been to Kentucky? Go into one of those towns my man. Most don't even have a McDonalds, and their school systems would make your stomach get upset. They aren't educated, and you obviously haven't struggled ever in life, because I can personally attest that not everyone has the money to up and move. A great number of people live in the environment where they have enough money to buy gas to go back to work for 2 more days, and eat a sandwich a day while they do it. Sorry man, but you aren't from a struggling world like most of the rest of us. We don't vacation in Japan for college...we live in a real world of strife and struggle.

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         Texasbetaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Get in the truck and do what? Go to the next town? Where do they sleep? What do they pay for the hotel with? Rent an apartment? You have to be kidding...that means they have to have enough excess money to pay for their current living space in the original town, the trip, AND the rent on the next town. Dude, you don't live in this world. Have you ever gone 3 days without eating...because you didn't have the money to get food? You aren't from this world bro...you have no idea.

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            Texasbetaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Nothing? Really? You know, this gets annoying...every time you get called out, you bail. Answer the question dude! Show that you understand struggle, which is what most of us live with daily. I'll venture to say you were a spoiled little kid who parents paid for anything he wanted, including going to school in Japan. You talk about coal miners. Dude, who the hell are you? What do you know about working people other than what your Pauls tell you? When did you go hungry, not have money to drive to a job interview, have only 2 job options in your town and no family wealth to help you get a place in another town, clothes for the interview, and 12 years of real education to answer their questions? Go back to Japan.

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      bgamallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I can't imagine Ron Paul saying this. Rand Paul is a lunatic.

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   Ron Montgomeryposted 12 years ago

   
   
   
   Not to worry.  The invisible hand is always there to protect us.  It worked in the gulf, it will work in the mines.

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      Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      ...and yet, the root cause of the BP oil spill was the government incentives in place...

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         lovemychrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         No, it was Haliburton's shoddy cementing....which the gvt allowed.

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            Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            the reason they were that far out to see was because of government incentive put in place during the CLINTON administration.
            
            (psst, the democrats were helping oil companies as well!!)

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               lovemychrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               That has nothing to do with Haliburton's shoddy product..for which I'm sure they charged top dollar.

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         Ron Montgomeryposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         And unicorns copulating with yettis are the root cause of bigfoot.
         
         See?  I can make crazy stuff up just like you can.

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         Texasbetaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         That was the root cause? The government caused BP to use a faulty pc of machinery, bribe the regulators for the last 3 years, then hire 2 of them after their year contract was over, knowingly not change equipment they knew wouldn't work if something went wrong to keep overhead down? Again Evan...this is where I get this stuff from. How do I not call you a shill for corporations when you won't place blame on anyone but the government?

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   mikelongposted 12 years ago

   If only Paul and his family would head to the mines and start harvesting coal themselves...
   
   Let it be Rand's son with black lung, and then we would see where he really stands...  At this point, I don't see him as anything but a political opportunist...

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      Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with Paul full-heartedly.
      
      If the people don't want the black lung, then why the hell are they coal miners?
      
      they should be asking for more money.

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         John Holdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Hobson's choice.

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            Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            HAHAH!! I knew someone would say it. - I even rebutted the argument while you were typing it!! HAHAHAhahaah
            
            You're telling me that these people don't have access to a bus? or gasoline? or anything that can move them to a city where non-coal mining jobs are being offered? Really?
            
            Give me a break. You know that's BS.
            
            The obvious, and correct, answer is that the people WILLINGLY CHOOSE TO WORK THERE because they think that their chances of dying from the black lung are low enough to still be worth working there. They VALUE their work and the pay they get MORE than they value the chance to get Black Lung.
            
            Nice try.

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               John Holdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               I do know that in the much, much, smaller UK there are miners who lost their jobs when the UK mining industry was closed down 25 years ago have not worked since.
               Many of those who did find work found low paid jobs in service industries, shelf stacking in super markets, assembly work and the like.
               
               Some choice.

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         Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Do you support ANY workplace safety regulations? Seems to me your doctrinaire approach, like a broken record, always has only one answer NO REGULATION! You ignore a long history of regulations which were democratically adopted to deal with serious problems. What do you think about Johnson & Johnson's recent payment of a $70 million fine after admitting that it bribed European doctors to use its products?
         
         http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/busin … f=business
         
         Officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission said that Johnson & Johnson’s bribes might have harmed public health in several European countries. For years, the company tried to hide its illegal activities by “using sham contracts, off-shore companies and slush funds to cover its tracks,” said Robert Khuzami, director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s division of enforcement.
         
         The case is the latest in a string of criminal investigations into illegal marketing practices by drug and device makers. Companies have repeatedly settled allegations that they paid kickbacks to doctors in the United States to induce them to prescribe drugs for, or implant medical devices in, patients who are unaware of their doctors’ financial incentives.

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            Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            no GOVERNMENT regulation.
            
            Let the people work it out on their own. Get some insurance companies involved - i'm sure that health insurers covering workers would enjoy having safer work conditions for the workers.
            
            boom, the problem is solved voluntarily without the need for nincumpoops in washington.
            
            what do i think about the bribes? I think I sure as hell am NOT going to get diagnosed by a European doctor, and now I will be less likely to use Johnson and Johnson.
            
            ta-da. they punished themselves.

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               Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               That's ridiculous. You are, in effect, dogmatically rejecting 300 years of democratically adopted laws and regulations. How do you feel about speed limits and traffic lights? Child labor laws? Air traffic controls at busy airports? The market is good at allocating resources, but rules and mechanisms to enforce them are required for markets to function efficiently in the public interest.

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         Texasbetaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         They can't...because people like you have taken away their collective bargaining rights.

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         Wesman Todd Shawposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Because there is no other place to work.

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   Moderndayslaveposted 12 years ago

   Rand Paul is riding his fathers coat tails and should not be linked to his father.

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      Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      they have similar views.
      
      I agree with him on this one - why do the people keep working in the coal mines if they know it'll kill them?
      
      Paul's view is "if it's so bad, then why do the people still work there". But the article makes it sound like "I want to save money for the oil companies".
      
      So... it's just another form of character assassination.

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         Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         "why do the people keep working in the coal mines if they know it'll kill them?"
         
         To support themselves and their families?

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            Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            so, in other words, they value that specific job (as opposed to other jobs that they could look for) more than the risk?
            
            And the coal mines are providing them that job?
            
            ... how are the coal mines evil?

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               Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               "How are the coal mines evil?"
               
               Of course the coal mines aren't evil. But the people and companies who violate mine safety rules to increase their profits are evil.

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               Texasbetaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               You are a privileged guy, who obviously hasn't struggled in his life, or lived in an environment where you have 2 or 3 options for the rest of your life. Dude, you literally have no place making comments about these people. You are basically saying, "Let them eat cake."

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      lovemychrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I WISH they had said that to me!
      EVERY time my daughters got in trouble, they always linked them to me!! dammit, LOL.

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   Onusonusposted 12 years ago

   Woah, I just stepped in a bunch of left wing propoganda.
   
   

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   Moderndayslaveposted 12 years ago

   Thanks so much from the Young Republicans club.People are amazing creatures and will do whatever is necesary to survive,if that means going into the earth to work,thats what they do.My employer is a diehard republican and will get away as cheaply as he can.To make a stand and say"I'm not going to work" is akin to quitting the job period.I am supporting 4 on my one paycheck so the consequences are disasterous.My advice to you is Wake Up

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