[StAnDeliver]

"Firstly, I do believe that there are communities that simply have to pack up. For example, coal is NEVER, NEVER coming back. The people who mined it need to deal with it. The people who CAUSED the collapse (i.e., the Uniparty) needed to create a good labor environment and improve the (once excellent) mobility of the US workforce so that they can move to where there are jobs."

That is the SINGULARLY F*CKING DUMBEST THING I've ever read on FreeRepublic. You did it. Congrats. Not the Buchananites, not the Tedlims, nothing but YOU. In 16 years here, NOTHING HAS EVEN COME CLOSE TO HOW STUPID YOU ARE. Even Bobo's admin is not that anti-intellectual, and freely admit that COAL IS NUMBER ONE IN THE UNITED STATES:

What is U.S. electricity generation by energy source?

In 2015, the United States generated about 4 trillion kilowatthours of electricity. About 67% of the electricity generated was from fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum).

Major energy sources and percent share of total U.S. electricity generation in 2015:

• Coal = 33%
• Natural gas = 33%
• Nuclear = 20%
• Hydropower = 6%
• Other renewables = 7%
  • Biomass = 1.6%
  • Geothermal = 0.4%
  • Solar = 0.6%
  • Wind = 4.7%

[The Antiyuppie]

You know, I’m actually on your side, in spite of your behavior. Please read my posts thoroughly.

[The Antiyuppie]

Nobody is denying that coal is #1...for now. But in KY/WV, it’s not coming back because most of it is played out, it’s not particularly clean and other than it’s location, its at a price disadvantage to western coal, where they can basically open-pit mine it (pretty safely, too). And, as my other post pointed out, there simply won’t be any new coal plants built with the evll spectre of a Democratic administration never more than four years away. Obama killed its future, dead. Which is just about the only campaign promise that he kept, unfortunately.

[Dave W]

Yuppie is correct. Coal is not coming back. Coal used to produce over 50% of our energy needs when Obama became president. Through persistence and quiet regulating, Obama has been very effective at trying to reduce our dependence on coal.

Coal is dead in many ways. Our exports to China are down 50%, too, due to their plunging economy.

Those workers will need to move if they want any kind of future. Elections have consequences.