Wouldn’t 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.
Obama said he would bankrupt coal companies and he is. If you are surprised, you are a moron.
Obama said he would stand with muslims and he has.
Obama said he would fundamentally change America and he has.
He is doing exactly what he said he would do and stupid people act all shocked.
If you voted for Obama, especially if you voted for him twice, you are an enemy of America.
Could anyone tell me where the Republican majority is in either House of Congress?? We have too many McCains and Lindsay Grahams, full of bile for any conservatives and full of grandiose plans for fighting in obscure foreign countries for some unworthy cause while ignoring the plight of their fellow citizens created by this Administration.
Looks like the Capital has district 12 right where it wants them.
One of the major focuses of Lyndon Johnson’s war on poverty was the Appalachian region. Billions of federal dollars have been poured into the region through anti-poverty programs and billions more have been infused into the region by long time Senator Robert Byrd using his power in the Senate to move entire federal agencies and departments out of DC into his home state of West Virginia. Despite all of this effort, the region remains poor.
It isn’t only energy policy hurting Appalachia. Thanks to the free trade policies of the last 25 years, the textile mills, apparel sewing operations, cabinet and furniture making factories, and consumer goods assembly operations that once offered undereducated and unskilled workers in the region a chance to climb the economic ladder are now located in Asia and Central America. Recent “free trade” legislation passed by Congress allowing US chickens to be processed in China means the poultry processing operations in the mountain region will be shutting down and moving offshore meaning thousands more low skilled Appalachian workers will become jobless.
Federal policies have a real impact on people. In the case of Appalachia, the people are invisible and have few advocates. They don’t riot, there are no Jessie Jackson’s and Al Sharptons talking about their condition. The northeastern and west coast liberal establishment is obsessed with the plight of minorities and immigrants so they ignore the suffering of poor whites a few thousand miles from their comfortable homes. To the progressive elites, Appalachia is a weekend at the Greenbriar or a ride down the Blue Ridge Parkway.
#whitelivesdontmatter
Wonder if the UMW are still big supporters of the Democrat party?
Hoss
I have visited WV about once a week since early August. The state is in terrible shape.
First, closing mines has meant the loss of jobs directly for miners. Then the companies servicing the mines have lost their customers and their sales. A company selling for instance tires for mining equipment is in trouble. So is the mining equipment company. There are numerous small manufacturers producing very specially designed mining equipment that no longer have enough sales to survive
It was written that the State was no longer collecting enough of the coal severance tax to make ends meet. The loss of that revenue can not be recovered by taxing another source because the primary other sources are gone or floundering. The problem becomes for all elected officials down the chain, how does one manage the reduction and cessation of government when there is such a chatostrospic hit to tax revenue.
My work there is over but on my last visit week before last, there was a major piece about schools. Aside from the fact the state has a serious reduction in available funds, the schools in most districts are experiencing loss of students. The families are leaving and their kids go away. This leaves schools with out the money that is paid per head by the state. In several counties where the population loss is greatest, the schools must remain open with fewer students to operate while the operational overhead remains near constant.
West Virginia is in a terrible mess. I am amazed that the state has not sent a hit squad to Washington to end the problem
5.56mm
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.
Night Comes to the Cumberlands.....again.
Thanks Barak.
“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.
While working last night, I heard Michael Savage say that Soros’ is buying into coal big time. ?
And this is a surprise because..?
Appalachia is home to a lot of blue collar white people. Not anyone that Barky considers human.
#BitterClingersDon’tMatter
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.