Obama's War on Coal

[qwlauren35]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57472207-503544/has-obama-declared-a-war-on-coal/?tag=mncol;lst;1

This is a very old article, but I thought it was informative. I was phonebanking in Virginia today and talked to a Democrat who wasn't sure if she would vote for Obama because of the coal issue. Apparently this is also an issue in Ohio, and it's a big talking point for Romney and Ryan.

If I have the gist of this right, the EPA has put stiff regulations on coal, calling for plants to convert to "clean technology". Those that can't afford to switch end up closing, and people lose jobs. The regulations may save lives, but for those who lose their livelihoods despite being quite healthy, it's not acceptable.

Maybe I missed the discussions on DU about this, so I wanted to bring it up again, because I'm not sure what to say to the people in Virginia who are seeing unemployment due to a plant's inability (or unwillingness) to convert to "clean coal".

[doc03]

1. Coal employment and production is up under Obama. The war

on coal is cheap natural gas. Why install scrubbers on an out of date coal plant when they can build a new gas fired plant. The only coal mines in this part of Ohio that I know of closing are owned by Bob Murray. The UMW coal mines have been begging for qualified miners the last couple years. I know several people that have been hired in the mines the last couple years.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

2. It's the free market at work,

natural gas is cheaper than coal so the power plant owners are converting to burn gas,it is not President Obamas fault!

My Dad was a Coal Miner so I'm the last person in the world that would like to see Coal Miner's lose their jobs, but you have to live and die by the free market!

[strongermessage]

3. Signs everywhere in SW PA...

"Stop the war on coal, Fire Obama. I could just puke.

[wisteria]

6. Yes, yes, I have seen these signs all over and wondered what the issue was.

It is so frustrating living here. People are angry about what they don't have and what they have to pay out, but they keep voting for the very people who screw them over all the time and blame Democrats for their troubles.

[blazeKing]

4. The Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center

Employs LOTS of people and has given a major economic stimulus to SW Virginia. I studied this extensively in college in SW Virginia. While the emissions still aren't great, they are NOTHING like what has been down there before. Whole towns would be covered in soot and cancer and lung disease rates devastated communities. This went on for decades. It's just not worth it losing your life at 45 and hurting your kids to keep dirty coal plants around. A lot of surrounding areas had to pay the price for those plants too. Most notably the Clinch River Carbo plant. The EPA had to sue to get them to cut emissions. That plant really did a number on the people surrounding it before being forced to change. It still ranks 8th in the list of biggest polluters in VA.


There's nothing you can really say to change their minds. They are the ones that need to change, not Obama. There are jobs down there they can do to help feed and support their families. It's more of a tradition to them. But really, folks in SW Virginia see Obama as a foreigner. They weren't going to support him even if he supported coal. They voted for Clinton and that was it. They probably don't like Romney either, but he's white and supports coal now. That's the impression I got living there through Obama's election. The working people in Appalachia distrust him.

[doc03]

5. As it states in the link Romney has been on both sides of this

too. He even backed Cap and Trade when he was Governor of MS. He also stood outside a coal
fired power plant while Governor and said he will not support a plant or jobs that kills people.

[TexasBushwhacker]

7. Sometimes progress is painful

Some of the older coal burning plants probably do need to be shut down. Frankly, they probably needed to be shut down years ago. Unemployed coal miners aren't the first people to have to think about retraining for a new career. No one is guaranteed a life time of employment in the same career anymore. I'm going back to school at age 55. They can too.

[wisteria]

8. So true. I have had to do the same. n/t

[xtraxritical]

9. "Clean coal", what an absolute joke that is.

The burning of the coal is bad enough but how about strip mining and mountain top removal? These are most devastating to the environment.