The Mining Disaster

I was coming back from lunch today and I hear on the Ed Shultz Show on the radio that the CEO of Massey made $19.7 million in 2008.  I was so disgusted I had to wait about 30 min. before I could eat the sandwich I had just bought.  I have family in West Virginia.  I have family that have died from Black Lung.  The only reason I don't live in West Virginia is because my dad left there as a teen to get away from the coal mines.  I feel for these people as if they are all my family.  Of course, as a child of God, they are all my family.  It just makes me sick to hear the stories about all the safety violations and the greed this company has. 
And people would rather put their lives in the hands of the private sector instead of the government?  This is what happens when you let corporations do what they want. 
A friend said to me today that mining is a dangerous thing.  Well, yes it is.  My grandfather lost his sight in a mining accident.  It doesn't have to kill 25 people in one big explosion though.  I heard yesterday that 3 people a day die from black lung.  I saw a documentary where the miners don't wear the masks they are given.  I forget why, but I remember thinking it was a fixable problem. 
Sure it would be easy to say "Let's quit mining coal."  Of course we can't just quit, too much of our country is run by coal.  But, why can't we start finding other cleaner, safer forms of energy?  What happened to the good ol' American inovation?  All the progress and advances made in the early 20th century?  Why can't we do the same now?  Why do we have to keep things the same?  I'll tell you why.  It's because of greed.  All these people living high on the hog on the backs of the rest of us.  These CEO's and others high up in corporations making millions & millions of dollars at the expense of everyone else.  OK, don't get me wrong.  I'm all for going out for the almighty dollar and making a profit, but holy cow!  How many millions do you need?  At least Bill & Melinda Gates and some others are helping people with their millions.  How much of that is to save on paying taxes, I shudder to think.  And yes, I believe in tax deductions, but when I'm paying 25% and some of these rich people aren't paying anything...  that's just wrong.  We should all be paying our fair share.  The country wouldn't have such a deficit if everyone paid their taxes.  And if the government wouldn't be so wasteful with what they do have.
I have gone on quite a rampage here.  I am so fed up with greed & hypocracy and the stupid people that think this is all ok.  Selfish greedy hypocrites.  They all make me sick.