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Right Out of Atlas Shrugged’..Exasperated AL Businessman Tell Feds – ‘I’m Just Quitting’
The Blaze ^ | 7-26-11 | Dave Urbanski

Posted on 07/26/2011 11:32:26 PM PDT by STARWISE

Complete title:

Right Out of Atlas Shrugged’: Hear an Exasperated Alabama Businessman Tell the Feds – ‘I’m Just Quitting’

***

Leaning against a wall during a recent Birmingham, Alabama, public hearing, Bryant listened to an overflow crowd pepper federal officials with concerns about businesses polluting the drinking water and causing cases of cancer.

After two hours, Bryant—a coal mine owner from Jasper—had heard enough and, in a moment being described as “right out of Atlas Shrugged,” took his turn at the microphone:

Audio .. (turn up volume)

(note from audio site: For readers of my website, this is the audio of Ronnie Bryant at a public meeting in Birmingham on July 20, 2011. The recording was made on my iPad just to have a record of correct quotes, so the audio quality is poor since it wasn't intended for broadcast purposes.)

Transcript:

Nearly every day without fail…men stream to these [mining] operations looking for work in Walker County. They can’t pay their mortgage.

They can’t pay their car note. They can’t feed their families. They don’t have health insurance. And as I stand here today, I just…you know…what’s the use?

I got a permit to open up an underground coal mine that would employ probably 125 people. They’d be paid wages from $50,000 to $150,000 a year. We would consume probably $50 million to $60 million in consumables a year, putting more men to work.

And my only idea today is to go home. What’s the use? I see these guys—I see them with tears in their eyes—looking for work. And if there’s so much opposition to these guys making a living, I feel like there’s no need in me putting out the effort to provide work for them.

So…basically what I’ve decided is not to open the mine. I’m just quitting. Thank you.”

The Blaze contacted Bryant, and he remains as resolute as he was at last week’s public hearing. To him, it’s just not worth the time, money, and regulatory hassle to open up a new mine—even one located in a remote area with less environmental impact.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: al; bureaucracy; businessman; coalmine; done; epa; insanity; regulations
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To: geologist

Amen.


81 posted on 07/27/2011 10:37:49 AM PDT by 444Flyer
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To: PGalt; jenk

That is awesome stuff right there. Will read more when I have more time, but what I have read is just excellent, a modern case study in why our economy is bogged down.


82 posted on 07/27/2011 10:39:16 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: FreedomPoster; All
That is awesome stuff right there. Will read more when I have more time, but what I have read is just excellent, a modern case study in why our economy is bogged down.

I agree 100%. I read the entire 24-part series a while ago...during the course of several days. Jenk did an OUTSTANDING job of showing an in depth study the tactics used by socialists/out-state activists/environmentalists/our own government agency-bureaucracy/czars. I posted on the state message board that if FReepers had an award, she would definitely deserve it.

83 posted on 07/27/2011 11:34:41 AM PDT by PGalt
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To: ravenwolf; volunbeer
No, its not socialism or corporations either. The answer is the fasces concept. The proper name is fascism. (No, not the NAZI or evil right-winger kind.) The early description of fascism was a strongly coordinated relationship between government and business. FDR absolutely loved the concept. And as we spiral into another Democratic President inspired economic depression, history seems to be repeating itself.

Corporate America is winning.... they already employ lawyers, accountants, and politicians to maintain compliance. The little guy who does it themselves does not stand a chance in today’s environment.

It appears to me that socialism is winning.

84 posted on 07/27/2011 1:28:16 PM PDT by XHogPilot
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To: volunbeer

GE pays no taxes and their CEO travels with the President and gets invited to advisory boards. The Government all but owns GM to support an unrealistic union wage structure. The same union that solely supports one political party.


I think the stock holders has to pay their share of tax, i have only been involved in one corporation and one company, the company was employee owned, ( we bought it )the individuals like me paid taxes just like every one else, and as far as the company was concerned, which was a multi million dollar company paid taxes if there was any profit which i don,t see how there could have been since the employees got the profit.

The corporation was the same way except i am sure they never made any profit.

I do not have any argument as far as some of the big corporations are concerned, i am sure there are one worlders or socialist or what ever you call them that are using the power of the corporations to get what they want.

My only objection is that people are using this well known fact to make capitalism look like an evil system when it is nothing more than a natural instinct for free men, since the beginning of civilization.


There is no clear seperation between government and private sector for certain large companies. Look at the revolving door between Goldman Sachs and the White House economic team. Why does Goldman Sachs do so well economically? I am sure they employ lots of smart people but one can’t deny that it helps when “your guys” are making the decisions that lead to so many of those profits.

I would not trust either one as far as i could throw a bull by the tail, they are not my guys, if we want to pass blame we need to put it where it should be,

The conservatives will vote to keep the democrat socialists out of the white house, and the liberals will vote for a democrat because they will promise to take away from the rich and give to the poor.

Both sides are a bunch of crooks, with exceptions but do all of the whiners go to the polls and vote? no, so many of them would not even know which one of the candidates was a republican and which one was a democrat.

Also, no one likes big Government but if you mention abolishing the I.R.S or the A.T.F people will look at you like you were crazy or will just ignore you. we need those to agency’s like we need leprosy, and a hell of a bunch more we don,t need.

As far as G.E and GMC not to mention others which i am sure there is and the government is concerned, maybe you just don,t realize how much i hate it.

We are on the same side there for sure.


85 posted on 07/27/2011 4:20:38 PM PDT by ravenwolf (Just a bit of the long list of proofs)
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To: XHogPilot

No, its not socialism or corporations either. The answer is the fasces concept. The proper name is fascism. (No, not the NAZI or evil right-winger kind.) The early description of fascism was a strongly coordinated relationship between government and business. FDR absolutely loved the concept. And as we spiral into another Democratic President inspired economic depression, history seems to be repeating itself.


You can call it what you like, i think the original definition would be satanism,and it all comes from the same place, socialism paved the way for communism in Russia and National Socialism and a dictator in Germany.

There are only two types of Government, one is Government by the people which this is supposed to be, and the other is Government over the people which this has become.

Names are many but it is either Freedom or tyranny. and i have no argument about you saying corporate America is winning unless it is being used to slur capitalism which is not a system but only a natural occurrence between free men.


86 posted on 07/27/2011 4:34:19 PM PDT by ravenwolf (Just a bit of the long list of proofs)
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