Did small government ideology play a part in the Mine collapse?

[WalterMitty]

Ah, you do realized that the starting salary is $40,000 a year, with benefits.

Well, that sounds like a reasonable living in the wilds of West Virginia, though if the risk of death is this high, I would think about double that would be better.

great!  but who would pay?

um.  you realize that  this would result in higher energy costs.  the poors that you care about so much would be stuck with the bill.

do you understand economics at all?

[David S]

Ah, you do realized that the starting salary is $40,000 a year, with benefits.

Well, that sounds like a reasonable living in the wilds of West Virginia, though if the risk of death is this high, I would think about double that would be better.

Once you increase the cost of coal by doing that, the coal consumers may decide to buy cheaper imported coal thereby putting the W Virginia miners out of business.

[opebo]

Ah, you do realized that the starting salary is $40,000 a year, with benefits.

Well, that sounds like a reasonable living in the wilds of West Virginia, though if the risk of death is this high, I would think about double that would be better.

great!  but who would pay?

um.  you realize that  this would result in higher energy costs.  the poors that you care about so much would be stuck with the bill.

do you understand economics at all?

Yes, Waltermitty, of course I do.   The poors need not be 'stuck with the bill', as one would simply tax the rich in order to give them money, which would more than compensate for any increase in energy costs.

As for the imported coal, David S., presumably one would have to impose a tarrif which would reflect the fact that said coal was produced by slave labour.