Posted on 11/02/2008 3:29:53 PM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
CHARLESTON - At least one state coal industry leader said he was shocked by comments Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made earlier this year concerning his plan to aggressively charge polluters for carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
"What I've said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else's out there," Obama said in a Jan. 17 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle that was made public today first on the Web site newsbusters.org, which calls itself "the leader in documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias." The story later was linked on The Drudge Report.
An audio excerpt from the interview can be found at YouTube.
"I was the first to call for a 100 percent auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter," Obama continued. "That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.
"So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted."
Calls and e-mails to West Virginia Obama campaign officials seeking comment for this story were not returned as of Sunday evening.
According to the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training, the coal industry provides about 40,000 direct jobs in the state, including those for miners, mine contractors, coal preparation plant employees and mine supply company workers.
West Virginia is the second largest coal-producing state in the country behind Wyoming and accounts for about 15 percent of all coal production in the United States. The Mountain State leads the nation in underground coal production and leads the nation in coal exports with over 50 million tons shipped to 23 countries. West Virginia accounts for about half of U.S. coal exports.
In addition, the coal industry pays about $70 million in property taxes in the state annually, and the Coal Severance Tax adds about $214 million into West Virginia's economy. The coal industry payroll in the state is nearly $2 billion per year, and coal is responsible for more than $3.5 billion annually in the gross state product.
"The only thing I've said with respect to coal, I haven't been some coal booster," Obama said in the San Francisco Chronicle interview. "What I have said is that for us to take coal off the table as an ideological matter as opposed to saying if technology allows us to use coal in a clean way, we should pursue it."
The senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association called Obama's comments "unbelievable."
"His comments are unfortunate," Chris Hamilton said Sunday, "and really reflect a very uninformed voice and perspective to coal specifically and energy generally."
Hamilton noted other times Obama and vice presidential candidate Joe Biden have made seemingly anti-coal statements.
"In Ohio recently, when Joe Biden said 'not here' about building coal-fired power plants -- this is exactly what will happen," Hamilton said. "Financing won't be directed here. It will all go aboard for plants elsewhere in the world. The United Sates is importing more coal today from Indonesia, South Africa and Colombia than we ever have.
"If we're going to create a situation where coal-fired power plants are at that much of a disadvantage, there will be new ones built. But as Biden said, just not here."
Republican presidential candidate John McCain's state director said Obama's statements are troubling, especially for West Virginians.
"I think this clearly shows the attitude the Obama-Biden ticket has toward coal," Ben Beakes said Sunday. "Rhetoric is cheap, but behind closed doors what they tell their supporters - that's what we have to take as gospel.
"They're definitely not friends of coal."
Beakes noted other examples of Obama and Biden making seemingly anti-coal statements, such as in February when Obama said he'd like to tax "dirty energy" such as coal and natural gas.
"And their cohorts in Congress make similar statements," Beakes said. "(Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid (D-Nevada) said this summer that 'coal makes us sick.'
"This is an attitude and view that, to me, shows their hatred of coal. And therefore, their view would cost West Virginians thousands upon thousands of jobs."
Beakes touted McCain's view toward coal.
"John McCain has embraced coal," Beakes said. "He doesn't agree with everything in the coal industry, but his view of coal is positive. He will make it part of his energy policy. He's met with leaders in the coal industry and let them know that. He's sought advice from coal industry leaders.
"McCain understands that coal supports about 49 percent of our electricity in this country. He'll continue to make coal important. He wants to reduce our foreign dependency on oil."
Hamilton also said the Obama campaign needs to find varied sources for coal and energy advice.
"If they're victorious Tuesday, they'd better go to someone other than Al Gore on energy and environmental matters," he said. "They've tipped the balance way -- unnecessarily so -- toward protecting the environment."
I hear doors slamming on o’BOMBER in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Now I know why McCain is polling so well in southeastern Ohio. Keep it coming John!
One of the DUmmy threads reported robocalls in PA on this topic.
If so, I say great!
Forget the robocalls, will all the titans in the Coal Industry and related Industies be handing out fliers to all employees tomorrow? That will have a bigger impact.
It'd take 10 years to get a nuke plant up and running or more. Natural gas is out of the question as they won't let you drill for it in the US. Ditto oil.
* The Real McCain Record on Coal
John McCain has engaged in a long-term attack on coal and coal miner's jobs for years. Get the facts here.
* McCain ads: Not coming clean on coal
McCain-Palin ads on Barack Obama's position on clean coal not true, according to the nonpartisan Factcheck.org.
* Obama talks about coal VIDEO: Barack Obama talks about clean coal in Lebanon, Va.
Get the damn commercials out in coal country Monday.
Yep!!!!
El Rushbo will be ALL OVER this tomorrow morning and that can’t hurt. He has a huge number of listeners in coal producing States.
Obama said in the San Francisco Chronicle interview. “What I have said is that for us to take coal off the table as an ideological matter as opposed to saying if technology allows us to use coal in a clean way, we should pursue it.”
Just like Obama said in the last debate, he supports nuclear energy as long as it’s safe. Well, he will decide nuclear energy isn’t safe and coal isn’t clean and there you go.
Of couse, the same thing on taxes. Obama will ultimately come on TV and say that he’s lowering taxes for the middle class as he promised. Only then will find out that the middle class cuts off at $50k. Every body else gets a tax increase. The funny thing will be all the dems on TV defending Obama for keeping his word.
This is UNBELIEVABLE- even Drudge has the link up and the page for the article is down- someone needs to call tha paper- what the hell happened to this article?
I swear- this is getting beyond belief.
NO, they won't go bankrupt, the cost of the fines will just be passed on to the consumers. US. Just another spread the wealth around scheme by Barrak the Bastard.
This could be the November surprise. Nothing like the last minute.
Oh well, in the socialist republic of Obama you can forget about work, success, your country’s future and all of that nonsense and just collect a check!
For the US to import coal is absolute insanity.
This should cause eastern PA, OH, WV, VA, TN, and an entire chemical and power industry to rise up in arms against this man.
Obama is as dangerous as everyone says he is!
Whatever it takes. There are so many MAJOR red flags with Obama, and finally maybe this one will stick.
yup. Rushbo will make hay out of Obamam’s coal comments. lol
Starting to get picked up by MSM:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=as.wTY1nJKPI&refer=home
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/02/republicans-play-coal-card-pa-oh/
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/11/02/palin-attacks-obama-on-coal-production/
0bambi's comments about our use of energy would cause other countries' projected thoughts to force limits on our behavior, to wit:
We can't drive our SUVs and you know, eat as much as we want and keep our homes on, you know, 72 degrees at all times, and whether we're livin' in the desert or we're livin' in the tundra and then just expect that every other country's gonna say, "OK, you guys just keep on using 25% of the world's energy even though you only account for 3% of the population and we'll be fine, don't worry about us."
0bambi would destroy the US, no question about it!
HF
bump
This is today’s gift. I expect an even bigger and better gift tomorrow. We’re down to the last 72 hours, the time period the McCain team thinks elections are won/lost. Still large numbers of undecideds. This will drive them to McCain.
Now you know why Obama was so insistent on getting his voters to the polls early.
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