Heckuva Job, Brownie

Why is it that Bush nearly always manages to appoint the worst possible person for the job? It's not a rare thing or a matter of luck. He's good at it.

Three rescue workers have died and others were injured in another collapse at the Utah mine. I'm not going to harp on the many safety violations this particular mine was supposed to have had, because it's my understanding that violations could be as minor as a wrench laying out when it should have been put away. I do understand that safety rules are made because there is some risk involved, but I also know that when I was working in research labs at a University, it was a violation of safety rules to have a soda can in the lab, even if it were unopened, because it might indicate that people were eating in a room that contained (properly stored) chemicals. So, it's possible some of the safety violations were of that type. On the other hand, it does seem this particular mine owner has a problematic record.

But of course, if you're a "small government" proponent, you also won't care that the country's head of mine safety couldn't get approval for his position, so Georgie, as he did so many times, placed him on the job by recess appointment. And I say that about "small government" because the appointment seems to have been made in order, not to actually oversee mine safety, but to make sure that the government kept its nose out of mine owners' business.

The man who will oversee the federal government's investigation into the disaster that has trapped six workers in a Utah coal mine for over a week was twice rejected for his current job by senators concerned about his own safety record when he managed mines in the private sector.

President George W. Bush resorted to a recess appointment in October 2006 to anoint Richard Stickler as the nation's mine safety czar after it became clear he could not receive enough support even in a GOP-controlled Senate.

  Huffington Post

It's almost as if George has intended to bring down the house, so to speak, by making incompetence and unconcern the hallmark of his administration. Makes him feel among peers, I guess. At least, if he isn't actually trying to destroy everything this country has managed to build up, he couldn't do a much better job if he did try.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.