Courier-Journal: McConnell Lacks Leadership On Coal-Mining Safety

Once again, Mitch McConnell has pushed the interests of his fat-cat campaign contributors while ignoring the needs of Kentucky's conservatives. This time, its playing games with the lives of our hard-working coal miners:

Still dying for coal

It is clear why miners resist getting tested for the disease. Their jobs pay very well, in a region where decent paychecks are very hard to come by. These men fear failing to provide for their families more than they fear gasping and coughing themselves to an early grave...

But Kentucky's GOP delegation -- led by Sen. Mitch McConnell, whose wife, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, is responsible for federal mining regulation -- has failed to take any kind of leadership role, except to promote taxpayer handouts for coal-to-fuel projects that are technically unready, environmentally short-sighted and loaded with hidden human costs.