Democrats: Canaries in the Coal Mine. Literally.

When the whistle blows each morning
And I walk down in that cold, dark mine
I say a prayer to my dear Savior
Please let me see the sunshine one more time.
— Dwight Yoakam

As our heart go out to the families of the twelve men killed in the Sago Mine this week, it is important to understand how Bush and the Republicans have diminished mining safety, increasing the likelihood of these disasters. Here are a few mine safety facts underreported by the mainstream media.

• The Sago mine, owned by International Coal Group, had 208 citations in 2005 but has been fined only $24,155.
  
• 96 of the 208 citations were rated “significant and substantial” by MSHA.
  
• 16 workers were injured on the job at Sago in 2005, twice as many as the year before.
  
• There were only 68 citations against the Sago mine in 2004.
  
• The Bush administration cut 170 positions from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
  
• The Bush Administration has not proposed a single new mine-safety standard or rule during its tenure.
  
• Bush appointed Richard Stickler head of MSHA despite his terrible mine management safety record with double the worker injury rates of the national average.
  
• Under the Bush administration, the federal government no longer routinely publishes its mine-inspection findings.
  

This is more than just a tragedy — it is a crime. The Republicans have proven that mining safety is not a high priority. This is Katrina all over again, except now the incompetence is not on national TV.

On the other hand, Democrats like Governor Mark Warner of Virginia are the real canaries in the coal mine. In February Warner signed H.B. 2573, which strengthened Virginia’s mine safety laws.

Top Photo:Coal Miners loading into the mantrip at Upper Big Branch Mine, Vest Virginia in June 27, 1996. Library of Congress Photo by Lyntha Scott Eiler.

Sources:
Administration Neglected Coal Mining Safety
Owner of W. Va. mine with trapped miners also runs in 6 E. Ky.
Governor Warner Signs Mine Safety Legislation
Look at Mining Safety Regulation
The Bush Administration's FY 2006 Budget : Worker Safety and Health Programs