Obama’s Appalachian Tragedy

Wall Street Journal ^ | Nov. 30, 2015 | PAUL H. TICE

[OpusatFR]

“Could anyone tell me where the Republican majority is in either House of Congress??”

Do you still believe there are two distinct political parties in government?

There is one congress doing the work for the lobbyists, corporations and billionaires worldwide.

The electorate has little say and less power over what occurs in this country.

[blaveda]

Great post!

[uglybiker]

What does he care? It's not like he's ever going to lower himself to actually talk to......those people.

[M Kehoe]

EVERYTHING 0bama and his administration touches turns to sh!t.

5.56mm

[The_Media_never_lie]

The State of southeast US is littered with abandoned coal plants, many of which had 30+ additional years of useful life. Burning coal, due to the scrubbers, and anti pollution technology had never been cleaner! What snake oil salesman has convinced regulators to make them uneconomical by the regulatory fiat of deeming CO2 a pollutant?

It just doesn't make sense to rush into the destruction of these plants. There is a huge economic cost. No wonder the economy is so shaky and the recovery so lacking. There has been a double whammy of Obamacare, the largest tax increase in history, and the scrapping of viable power plants due to radical green ideology.

[nclaurel]

Sad for WV but no mention of southeastern KY. WV has more operating mines currently than Southeastern KY where all mines are closed. We just spent Thanksgiving with family there and the poverty is on a scale of 3rd world. The towns of Cumberland, Benham and Lynch are in desperate shape. Everyone who can use other skills has or is moving away. These are proud, hardworking people who deserve so much better than Obama has foisted on them.

[tanknetter]

The unemployed coal miners should be grateful for the Obamacare subsidies and Medicaid expansion that allows them to be liberated from the drudgery of manual labor. And STFU.

[randita]

Two of the most powerful men in WV are Rats - Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and US Sen. Joe Manchin. Those two are turncoats. They talk a good game when it’s election season, then betray their constituents when they are in office.

WV has scenic beauty and natural resources surpassed by only a few other states in the US, yet there are pockets of institutionalized poverty which have persisted for generations.

Obama’s War on Coal is hammering in the last nails on WV’s economic coffin.

[tet68]

Night Comes to the Cumberlands.....again.

Thanks Barak.

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

My family was and some still are in the coal business and I tell you it did not start with Zero, it started in 1970, I was there. I am one of the few remaining miners that saw what went down, start to finish. The folks that could leave did. The problem is they love the mountains and our way of life.

You would be very surprised at the various skills that a coal miner must have to do the job and keep from getting killed. For instance I am a private pilot, certified electrician, first aid instructor among many other skills and certifications. I am going back to my forefathers country next year. I will ride out there whatever may come and be laid to rest there. I hate the flat lands and don’t much like those that live there. As we say back home when insulted by someone calling us hillbillies, They jist don’t know no better.

I am not aiming this at you, you made good points. It is just that no one really leaves the mountains, we may be gone 30 years as I have but when asked where our home is we will always reply with the name of some small town no one ever heard of as still being our home.

[SharpRightTurn]

“The local unemployment rates for counties in the southern part of the state reach nearly 13%”

That’s probably about 33% when you count real unemployment, not the phony numbers cooked up by the Dept. of Labor using their special Obummer sauce.

[EQAndyBuzz]

The goal of communism is a two class society. Those that have and those that have not. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the middle class pays for it until they are also poor. Then the ones who have it but cannot hold onto it then become the new funding vehicle.

Wash, rinse and repeat until there is nothing left, then the rich go into hiding because someone from the lower class decided enough is enough. Then that person becomes rich and the process starts all over again.

[Jonah Hex]

I hear ya. I'm staying in Tidewater for my wife's sake, but if she passes before I do (God forbid), I'm outta here and in a cabin back in the hills.

[buckalfa]

"Wouldnt this be the time to remove half of the West Virginia population and resettle them in forty-nine other states? It seems obvious that they are in some mood of desperation where they need to be forced refugees on other states."

___________________________________________________________

Well Charlotte NC has the largest population of West Virginians of any city in the nation. Coal employment has been in decline since 1950 and WV has experienced serious out migration as working age people leave the state to find work. The sad thing, WV's political leadership has failed to address issues that would diversify the economy. Things like education and infrastructure. I guess poverty begets poverty and the resident's either like it or vote with their feet.

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

I learned all I needed to know in my first semester of college. My English or writing professor was a recent grad from UC Berkley. We spent 10 minutes doing what we were supposed to and 90% listening to the wonders of communism. I think he was surprised when no one bit. You see we all knew folks that came from nothing and became people worth 100 mill or more and this was early 70’s money.

[Boowhoknew]

While working last night, I heard Michael Savage say that Soros’ is buying into coal big time. ?

[thackney]

Thanks for the info.

[Pelham]

And this is a surprise because..?

Appalachia is home to a lot of blue collar white people. Not anyone that Barky considers human.

[TADSLOS]

#BitterClingersDon’tMatter

[Gotteskrieger]

I live in WV. You wouldn’t believe the hatred most people here have for obozo. Joe manchin is doing OK though. He just bought a home on the river for 700 large.