Bush II; Day 480: My recurring question: how pro-business do we need to be?

Every now and then I blog about this question: how pro-business do we need to be? I say this as an entrepreneur and small business owner. I say this as someone who has paid a lotta taxes in my life. The only union I ever belonged to was Actor's Equity and AFTRA back in my New York starving artist days. I'm, contrary to the belief of some, no socialist or communist. But I do believe in fairness and priorities, and I don't believe you can give all the breaks in the world to businesses and not sacrifice somewhere else.

I think it's far from certain that the Bush Administration's desire to foster "more cooperative relations" with the mining industry has resulted in reduced mining safety. but there's plenty of things to make you go hmmm in the afore-linked NY Times article.

This one may be the most jaw-dropping:
Fines have been reduced in the last few years, but even those fines levied are not being properly handled. When they become delinquent they are supposed to be turned over to the Treasury Department within 180 days. Seems that they haven't turned over any delinquent accounts in over two years. Why, you ask? "Mr. Fillpot also said delinquent cases had not moved to the Treasury Department since 2003 because of computer problems. He could not say when the problems would be corrected. "

Um, can I send my S.O. the programmer over to help 'em out or something? how about the Tech Support guy from Saturday Night Live? Moooove...Mine Safety and Health Administration officials! You clearly aren't up to the job.