Rush Ignorantly Wonders ‘Where Was The Union’ At Non-Union Mine Disaster
Last Friday, Rush Limbaugh asked why a coal miner union didn’t protect the 29 miners who were killed when Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, WV, exploded under unsafe conditions:
Was there no union responsibility for improving mine safety? Where was the union here? Where was the union? The union is generally holding these companies up demanding all kinds of safety. Why were these miners continuing to work in what apparently was an unsafe atmosphere?
Listen here:
There’s a simple reason the union didn’t protect the miners: the Upper Big Branch Mine, like nearly all of the mines under Massey CEO Don Blankenship’s control, is non-union. In fact, the United Mine Workers of America (UMW) “tried three times to organize the Upper Big Branch mine, but even with getting nearly 70 percent of workers to sign cards saying they wanted to vote for a union, Blankenship personally met with workers to threaten them with closing down the mine and losing their jobs if they voted for a union.”
Blankenship rose in Massey’s ranks by breaking its union mines in the 1980s. Blankenship said then that busting unions is “invaluable” to profits, as non-union companies can “sell coal cheaper and drive union coal out of business.”
Union mines have a significantly better safety record than non-union mines especially for major disasters, as union miners can refuse unsafe work and report dangerous conditions without fear of retaliation. In addition to preventing Blankenship-style intimidation, the proposed Employee Free Choice Act would increase whistleblower protections for non-union and union workers alike. Under Blankenship’s direction, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Mining Association have spent millions to oppose passage of such legislation for worker rights, comparing it to a “firestorm bordering on Armageddon.”
Immediately following the tragedy, the UMW sent trained support personnel to the disaster site. “We are all brothers and sisters in the coalfields at times like this,” UMW President Cecil Roberts said in a statement offering the assistance, which was refused by Massey company officials.
What did he 'lie' about? Legit questions from the quotes you provided.
I don't see Limbaugh claiming 'the union represented the mine workers at this mine' anywhere...in your article, or elsewhere...like the transcripts at Rush's site.
You never disappoint. His whole rant was that the union did nothing to protect the miners. Since there was no union, his point is specious, intended to deceive.
What did he 'lie' about? Be specific. His whole rant was that the union did nothing to protect the miners.
I really have to wonder about what universe some people (like Rush and his clones/fans) dwell in when they blame the union leadership for not enforcing mine safety in a non-union mine--and a mine where the CEO fought mine safety regulations and recorded violations at every turn.
Yup, if unventilated methane was to blame, it certainly was the fault of the union people who didn't represent workers there, while the mine's CEO, who was responsible for following regulations but decided to roll the dice on other people's lives, is a paragon of virtue at the tea party soiree.
I haven't blamed anyone. I just asked a simple question.
Where in this article did Rush 'lie'? Should be very easy if he 'lied' to cut and paste the quote.
This is like the ridiculous claim 'Bush lied about Iraq WMD's' when every person on the planet BEFORE the invasion said 'Iraq has WMD's'. For example, every Democrat Presidential 'ticket' since 1992 featured a Dem that claimed this, BEFORE the invasion.
Where in this article did Rush 'lie'? Should be very easy if he 'lied' to cut and paste the quote.
He claimed that the Union did nothing Boofer. That was a lie.
This is like the ridiculous claim 'Bush lied about Iraq WMD's' when every person on the planet BEFORE the invasion said 'Iraq has WMD's'.
Your hyperbole aside because the people actually charged witb making sure that Iraq had no WMD's said that Iraq had no WMD's, your hero, Boy Blunder, repeating a lie didn't suddenly make it truth.
He claimed that the Union did nothing Boofer. That was a lie.
The union didn't do anything, so how is that a lie? Maybe he was mistaken about the union being in a position to do anything, but he still didn't lie.
Your hyperbole aside because the people actually charged witb making sure that Iraq had no WMD's said that Iraq had no WMD's, your hero, Boy Blunder, repeating a lie didn;t suddenly make it truth.
Not only bullshit, but unintelligible bullshit. It's pretty early in the day to be hitting the bottle, isn't it?
None of them can quote a lie in what Limbaugh said. Just like they can't claim Bush lied about WMD's, because he said the same thing both Clinton's stated, Kerry stated, Gore stated, Biden stated, Lieberman stated, every nation on the planet INCLUDING IRAQ AND IRAN STATED.
I don't bother with the assertion 'Bush is your hero' my leg humping anti groupie's insanity isn't worth it. Others that are occasionally more rational here (occasionally) know what I was saying about Bush's second term in 2006, and what I've said since. It was a disaster on multiple levels, from playing not to lose in Iraq between 04 - 06 to the insane bailout of failed business models, to the insane Federal spending and growth of government overall.
The fact Obama has doubled and tripled those concerns of mine over what Bush did isn't lost on them. They just try to distract from that basic math.
Anyway, nobody can quote 'a lie' in this monologue. If they could, given how I irritate em, they've have done so within minutes of my asking for one, just one, 'quote' that supports the assertion.
Anyway, nobody can quote 'a lie' in this monologue.
He didn't lie, he was being deceitful. Which should bother you but of course it doesn't or else you wouldn't focus on minutia that allows you to avoid admitting you don't care about the truth either.
Now you can dismiss this whole Rush issue because a poster on a website used the word 'lie' instead of 'deceive'.
Because you don't see a problem with using deceit to achieve imaginary victories on the internet. And Rush doesn't see a problem with using deceit to make buckets of money. The icing on his cake is seeing assholes like you defend him, not to mention ponying up money to view his fucking website, LOL.
If they could, given how I irritate em,
It's not just you, and it's definitely not anything you do (well). It's all assholes that irritate.
They very well could have, I haven't looked into it. Rush deals in deceit. Whether he crosses the line to lying doesn't really make any difference to me. I can't believe people bother listening to him.
Sometimes I do to see what he's saying until I can't take it anymore. Doesn't take long these days. I used to love listening to him in the late 90's or so, when he'd do those enviro updates with chainsaws going in the background. I liked it because it would piss the greenies off. But even then it was obvious he was full of shit and a political lightweight.
All his guest hosts back then were way better than he was.
Union miners have the right to refuse to work under unsafe conditions. The UMW is on the record prior to this tragedy specifically citing Massey's operations as unsafe.
