2001-03-21 - 20:00 MST

March 21, 2001

Wherewithal

Disheartening it is, so soon it happens. Overturn everything, bar none.

BLM may halt mining rules. Oh my, all mining will be totally dead to hear the moneybags talk if "Clean up" bonds be posted before mining begins. The forces of dough don't want to pay the costs which usually come out of taxpayer pockets. They apparently threw a hissy fit because Federal Officials might tinker with their ability to mine on public lands. Laws forcing "clean up bonds" could have forced the potash surface mines in Florida to be put back in order rather than being a series of muddy ponds -- of value to no one. It is the public I think that should be throwing hissy fits.

Stuart Sanderson; president of Colorado Mining Association, praised the BLM's action, saying the bond set-aside requirements and other parts of the regulations were unfair attacks on his industry. Ha, anybody in Colorado ever hear about the Summitville fiasco ? Anybody in this country ever passed by abandoned strip mines ? Most of us have and remember that we, John Q Public paid good tax money for the cleanup - if done - that should have been the responsibility of the mining company.

Oh my, that would cost too much. Yeah right !

Bush voids arsenic rule for water. The Bush administration on Tuesday rescinded a decision made three days before the end of Bill Clinton's presidency to require 3,000 communities to upgrade their water systems to protect against arsenic poisoning. The EPA seems to be waffling. Now they want to wait until it can further review the science and costs. Get that last word ? COSTS COSTS COSTS COSTS

At the tail end of this article by John Heilprin of the Associated Press is a paragraph, "Last week, Bush said he had changed his mind and decided against regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant contributing to global warming. And the Agriculture Department moved last week to lift Clinton administration orders banning logging and road building in about one-third of the nation's national forests.

The already weakened and ineffective OSHA is in the act too, the department supposed to insure protection for the working people are Bushed also. "President Bush on Tuesday signed a repeal of new workplace safety regulations, saying they posed "overwhelming compliance challenges" for BUSINESSES.

These rules were aimed at preventing carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and other health problems associated with repetitive motion, awkward postures, contact stress and the like. If such injuries were reported, adjustments to work stations would have been required.

Busiesses, which were given until October to comply, said the required changes would have cost (COST) them as much as $100 billion a year. Ha (divided by how many, with time lost and misery of the sufferers.)

Bush has asked Labor Secretary Elaine Chao to devise a cheaper way of addressing workplace safety.

Good grief, I worked in industry for years and the only safety control was mostly due to a union fighting for the right to work safely.

Stiffened up regulations on bankruptcy to tighten the control and make it more difficult for people to erase their debts in bankruptcy courts. Fine by me, if it would apply Equally to every person, company and political entity in our country with no bailouts by any agency using tax money ! ! ! !

Molly Ivins of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a few words about some Democrats backing down on campaign finance reform. This is a bit beyond my knowedge, so I will pass.

Further on she mentions, in regard to McCain and Finegold this: "It's about whether there are two political parties or one- The Money Party. Either the Democrats stand for something or they don't, and if they stand for for letting the current system of legalized bribery continue, then we're better off voting for Ralph Nader."

She continues, "The opportunity here for the D's is clear, particlarly since the Republicans are off to such an incredibly fast sprint-start in proving the case for McCain-Feingold."

She goes on, "Gee, what a record. Hard to see how the influence of campaign contributions on politics could get clearer than the credit-card industry's purchse of a harsher bankruptcy law, industry's purchase of the repeal of rules to prevent repetitive stress injuries and High George Dubya's 180 on carbon dioxide emissions."

Makes this old man chuckle, the credit card industry which mails out millions of "Pre-approved" applications for credit cards . . . . who will give a card I believe to a tomcat if the signature looks legal. Now wants to give the damn things away and then pay to have harsher controls on bankruptcy. Wow, here take this credit card and spend, spend then when you make a payment or two increase your credit limit - - - luring people to be foolish and go in over their head. What gets me is that the credit card industry seems to be wanting to play both ends against the middle. I don't have much sympathy for people who overspend, nor do I have sympathy for the companies and organizations that essentially go bankrupt and get bailed out with our tax dollars.

You know, "A billion here and a billion there and pretty soon you are talking serious money." Don't know who said it, but think it is the attitude of the politicians that it is only a little bit of tax money after all. I feel even the honest ones (the ones that stay bought) are working to put us peons back into slavery or nearly so.

So I read the paper today -- barf -- barf. Even the Comics couldn't take the bad taste out of this opinionated old man's mouth.

To progress to the disadvantage of the weaker and poorer it just takes the Wherewithal . . . . . . .

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