A construction worker in Texas is three times more likely to die on the job than a construction worker in any other state. Texas is ranked number one for deaths of construction workers, with California coming in second (with twice as many actual construction workers). This has been some pretty big news locally the last few weeks, owing to some recent construction worker deaths in downtown Austin, and it finally got the attention of the federal government. They are sending in more inspectors and getting a little fussy about the situation.

What was Governor Perry’s response?

“Let free enterprise reign, and be wary of over-regulation.”

“I think by and large we have the appropriate oversight to keep our citizens safe.”

“I probably put that [more construction worker deaths than any other state] to the cause of we build more things than anybody else. It’s like saying Texas has more cars than anybody else, because we’ve got a lot of people.”

And his response to the Labor Department sending in more inspectors specifically?

“Great. I hope they’ll send more assistance to secure our border as well. The federal government has been an abject failure in supporting Texas in places it needs to be spending dollars.”

As a wife of someone who works in a construction-related field, all I have to say to Perry is kiss my ass. I’m sure it is no skin off his nose that construction workers in Texas are dying when they needn’t. The fact that Texas is #1 in construction worker deaths doesn’t worry him at all. I doubt he even knows anyone who works in the field, though I bet he knows plenty of people like Mike Stearns who had this to say about it:

“All that regulation adds to your overhead and you can’t operate at a profit.”

Yes, yes … the almighty need for profit! Who needs safety regulations? What does it matter if some people die, because companies don’t want to follow existing safety regulations? It’s not anyone they know, so it doesn’t matter. All that matters is getting to do what you want, when you want, and how you want in the process of making as much money as possible. If a few people die, well, that’s just the cost of business, isn’t it?

So to Governor Perry and all the construction big-wigs who think having oversight and safety regulations that are followed and keep people safe are bad for their business … human life is more important than making a few extra bucks on your projects.

And KISS MY ASS!!!