West Virginia lawmaker drinks bottled ‘coal slurry’ to highlight plight of his constituents.
West Virginia lawmaker drinks bottled ‘coal slurry’ to highlight plight of his constituents.
Yesterday, West Virginia State Senator Randy White (D), “introduced a bill on the senate floor that limits coal slurry sites from making changes to their permits until the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) releases its findings on whether the ground water in these areas is safe to drink.” To highlight the need for the DEP to release their findings quickly, White gave each of his colleagues bottles filled with water that he said had been contaminated by “coal slurry” — a common problem for West Virginian’s tap water. WSAZ News reports:
The senator tells WSAZ.com he wants other lawmakers to realize there are health concerns when it comes to drinking coal slurry water. He says lawmakers are elected to protect their constituents’ health and they need to be held accountable to make sure they’re doing just that.
White says if people have to drink water with coal slurry in it, lawmakers should have to drink it as well.
WSAZ explains that White later revealed that his “coal slurry” was actually a “safe concoction.” Watch WSAZ’s report:
(HT: Raw Replay)
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Tis the 21st century and we’re still using 19th century technology to power our infrastructure. Sad.
March 13th, 2009 at 3:06 pmWhite says if people have to drink water with coal slurry in it, lawmakers should have to drink it as well.
I like this! Let’s make it a trend: next, health care; no more on the government dole for lawmakers until everyone gets it.
Then, those who want a war will have to go and serve. No deferments.
And only GM crops to be offered in the cafeterias with antibiotic and hormone permeated milk, replete with the pus, to wash it down with. (served in a Bisphenol-A plastic bottle.) And a downer-cow steak for the main course.
March 13th, 2009 at 3:13 pmRead again RHF, it was just a harmless concoction he used to send a message.
Message would have been a lot more powerful had the concoction had arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and other fun metals in it.
March 13th, 2009 at 3:17 pmThat’s pretty hilarious; nice way to illustrate his point. You’re right though, brown acid, we shouldn’t be utilizing this outdated, destructive fuel source after all of our technological advancement.
Hopefully as we turn this economy around and actually focus on solving the deeper, systemic issues for why we’re in this situation, we can address these other problems along the way; they’re all interconnected. Obviously things like bad banking’s a good place to start, but there are other issues, like energy sources and global poverty, that have huge economic and geopolitical ramifications.
The Borgen Project (www.borgenproject.org) has some interesting insight into addressing the issues of global poverty, something we can remedy easily and sustainably.
Some interesting figures to ponder:
March 13th, 2009 at 3:26 pm$30 billion USD: The annual shortfall to end global poverty.
$550 billion USD: The annual US defense budget.
How is it that a West Virginia politician who is not in the Coal Industry’s pocket was able to get elected. There’s something seriously wrong in W.Va., and should be investigated immediately.
March 13th, 2009 at 3:29 pmAhhh, The Borgen Project has finally stopped using bots to post in every single thread.
March 13th, 2009 at 3:48 pmGood on you. Maybe with this new tact, you may get some actual traction and traffic. Heh
How very Erin Brockovich of him. Did anyone dare to drink it?
PEACE
March 13th, 2009 at 4:00 pmI think there was a similar scene in the movie “Erin Brockovich” where she offered glasses of water to the execs from the company that was polluting ground water for residents.
March 13th, 2009 at 4:01 pmspencer’s mom — we were on the same wave length!
No surprise there.
March 13th, 2009 at 4:01 pmShows his level of itteligence. Frickin stupid Moron. But since he is a State employee if he gets cancer 10 years from now the tax payers can pay his medical bills for him.
March 13th, 2009 at 4:24 pmThe people of W. VA have to drink this water, Mike. Who will pay their medical bills?
March 13th, 2009 at 4:27 pmThat is one way to get rid of the contaminated water from the coal plants. Better them than us drinking it.
March 13th, 2009 at 4:33 pmI am not giving the Borgn Project a penny until old Clint or whatever his name is explains this living on a vessel in Dutch harbor but not actually fishing thing…
March 13th, 2009 at 4:48 pmMike71654 Says: Shows his level of itteligence
You said itt!
March 13th, 2009 at 5:39 pmIf the senate weren’t actually loaded with people who apparently don’t empathize much, it would have been an unnecessary gesture. As it is, this little bit of theater might have an impact.
March 13th, 2009 at 6:32 pm…..the Senator then collapsed and died.
March 13th, 2009 at 7:01 pmDude, you were supposed to take it as an enema!
March 13th, 2009 at 8:56 pmMad props to Randy White for a great stunt. It takes huevos grandes for a WV pol to stand up to the coal industry.
-AF
March 14th, 2009 at 2:09 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
Lawmakers don’t want to drink coal slurry water nor do they want healthcare like the rest of us. They are quite happy with their socialized medicine God forbid I should have it though
March 14th, 2009 at 2:19 pm