Should coal mining be stopped until safety regulations are passed?

Since the Sago mine accident, a bill about safety regulations for coal mines has sat in Congress without passing. Simple measures like making it mandatory for miners to carry radio or telephone equipment to signal their location after mine collapses were included in this bill, yet it has been tabled and not passed. Also included was regulation of the different types of mining, regulating the retreat mining that removes coal pillars holding up the mine ceilings. Now we have another collapse, with six men missing, three rescuers dead, and several others injured. Passage of this bill might have saved these lives. Should all coal mining be halted until this bill is passed? Should the safety of miners be more important than profits for the mine owners?

Should coal mining be stopped until safety regulations are passed?
Winter is coming, do you want a coal shortage? Are you ready for heating and cooling bills 4 times what they are now? Just because there is a fishing accident, should we stop fishing? I know it is tragic, but the job is an important one, and good legislation needs to be passed, but this no time to panic.
Reply:People should start calling their congressman/woman, we all should help get this bill passed. So many people don't realize that coal is used for a large percent of our electric source.


My neighbor said she doesn't use a coal stove so it doesn't affect her. WOW


Some of these men have no choice but to go to work and keep quiet for fear of losing their jobs.





What if it where a member of your family, people would feel so much different rather than saying it's not my problem


It's still someones son, husband, father, uncle, brother.
Reply:We still rely heavily on coal. It would have a rapid effect on the economy. It could be interesting.
Reply:Of course not. Sounds like a liberal, knee-jerk, Hey-let's-sue-somebody Democrat solution to an issue that their litigation can do nothing about. Look out for the government trying to over-legislate the lives of the people.
Reply:No.
Reply:Sure- if you can get the laws of Nature to obey them...








It's a dangerous job done by brave people, regulation or not.
Reply:No, the most dangerous jobs in America are fishing, logging, and being an airplane pilot. Mining doesn't even rank in the top ten. I'd say that shows that we have really good safety standards for mining already.