Friday, January 13, 2006

Bush Administration Ultimately Responsible for Sago Mine Tragedy

I said, the Bush Administration is ultimately responsible for the Sago mining accident. Just so we're clear.

It seems a bit ridiculous to believe the President could somehow be responsible for what happened to the workers at the Sago Mine. But I feel it's true. And if you consider my point, I think you'll agree.

Probes are currently be conducted to determined exactly what happened. An explosion in a closed section of the mine, possibly a lightning strike, everything is being considered.
Some have pointed to the sloppy safety record at the mine stretching back years, but the place has changed ownership so many times it will be hard to pin fault on any one organization.

No, blame rests on those who continue to pursue an economic policy based on a fossil fuel infrastructure.

In this country we still burn things to get our energy. Despite the ability to make energy from sunshine, wind and hydroelectric, digging giant holes to extract dirty rocks and sludge to burn is the best method we can think of.
We put meager resources toward the expansion of renewable sources of energy and instead pursue international cooperation on technologies that advance the further reinforcement of the status quo.
Today's SUV gets about the same mileage as Henry Ford's original Model-T. Electric cars are shunned, solar panels and wind turbines are mocked for being aesthetically displeasing by groups claiming to serve the public good.

Then 12 guys die in a coal mine, hundreds of feet beneath the earth. Where only worms and grubs survive these guys give their lives to dig up rocks so the rest of us can burn them for energy.
In the ground. In a coal mine. That's where these guys go to make a living.

Am I the only person appalled by this notion? The fact we continue to use centuries old technology, the burning of coal, to generate electricity in the 21st Century is absolutely shameful.

They say in West Virginia, where jobs are scarce, mining jobs are the best there is for a family man.
I say anyone who thinks that's acceptable for the United States of America is not a patriot. And anyone who thinks it makes good economic sense to keep doing what we've always been doing is a turkey...