The Obama administration likes to deny there’s any “War on Coal,” but the numbers don’t lie. West Virginia, the heart of coal country, now has the lowest labor participation rates among all 50 states — less than 50% of people 16 and up are employed. It is the only state in the country with a labor participation rate below 50 percent. Market Watch reports:
West Virginia quietly passed the ignominious milestone of having less than half of its adult, civilian population in the workforce in November.
State data compiled by the Labor Department shows that West Virginia’s civilian labor participation rate has fallen to 49.8%, from 50% in October. The national rate in December was 62.7%.
The Mountain State is the only state in the history of the series, which goes back to 1976, to have fallen below 50%, though Mississippi at 50.8% isn’t far behind.
The fact that West Virginia fell below 50 percent for the first time in the history of the Labor Department measuring labor participation isn’t surprising. US coal companies let 7,700 employees go in 2012 then lost another 2,000 jobs before May 2013. None of these numbers include the pain suffered by communities supported by the coal industry.
These are the results of a coordinated from our government to end American coal, all from the same President Obama, who said “if somebody wants to build a coal powered plant it will bankrupt them” and Vice President Biden, who said “no coal plants here in America”.
While increased production of inexpensive natural gas certainly plays a role in the demand for coal, so too have new regulations. Without approval from Congress, this administration created new regulations attacking existing coal-fired power plants and essentially banning new high-tech coal-fired power plants. Policies like this could increase electricity rates by as much as 80%, hitting those who can least afford it the hardest.
West Virginia is feeling the heat from Obama’s anti-affordable energy policies; the rest of the country should take note of the canary in the coal mine.
Go find another job it’s not as hard as u think. Anyway if I choose topics on a heathy planet and be poor that be making somewhat decent money rotting the land away. Find out why EPA is trying to ban coal mines the answer lies there. I’m for EPA u guys can find new jobs. U guys don’t see the bigger picture. Maybe that’s why u ended up doing cheap labor for a living.
Hey bud go hug a tree. Bet you will moan whine and cry when you’re electricity bill triples and you start experiencing blackouts. There is no need to dog anyone for the profession they chose. Cheap labor? The cheap labor you speak of provides for people’s families. That same labor also supports the American economy. Not everyone can sit behind a desk, some people have to work to earn money, it’s the way of the world. Have fun with your manicures.
The electricity rates would go up all over the country, not just in coal states. I don’t know about you, but I cannot pay 80% more for electricity. What about those elderly and disabled, on fixed incomes? How can they pay the higher rates? Abolish the EPA.
Good paying jobs are hard to come by, these days. Plus, sometimes what one person considers quality of life is not the same as what your own idea might be. Living on the land you grew up on, and near those who love you means a lot. Mines were and are still necessary, even if you are a pinhead yuppie who thinks energy comes from walls. What makes that Apple product work? Electricity? Right, probably from coal. Solar is a pipe dream and forcing your elderly neighbors and the already down-trodden to pay 80% higher energy bills is cruel. EPA can go to hell. We already have the cleanest coal-based energy production of all the industrialized world. Tell China to adhere to the same standards as the USA and they will tell you what I’m going to tell you now Cody, “Get a clue.” You ought to tell the Good Idea Fairy that has your ear to shut up. The real world runs on energy, the cheaper the better, and it takes real men to deliver that power.
Coming from a twerp that is too lazy to even spell the word “you”, I’m not offended. But I used to work in coal mines all over the U.S. And let me tell you, it’s not a low paying job. All who were involved in coal made really good money. And sometimes the towns were comprised of nothing but coal workers and a few businesses to support them and their families.
Do your research nimrod. Coal is substantially more Eco friendly than even the process to build the batteries that go in the hybrid cars. I’m not saying we don’t need to go towards being greener but ruining the lives of tens of thousands is not the way to go.
Look at it this way. Coal is hard work. No matter how you put it someone busted their butts to keep YOUR lights on. But since your probably one of those liberal greenies, look at the opposite end of the spectrum.
This was all these people had to get what their families need. Much like what some people describe food stamps are. Let’s just take away those food stamps while we are at it since you know “it’s so easy to find another way” as you basically said about an area where the only decent paying jobs ARE the coal jobs.
Think before you speak dimwit. You are referring to a livelihood that for some people go for generations back. Is it a pretty business? No. But do beautiful families and oppurtunites arose from it? Yes.
Dude!!!! You need to check the facts before you post. You end coal mining…you end steal mill`s, aluminum smelters, a key ingredient in LIFE SAVING medication, etc. Etc. Etc…. you need to look up “THE COAL TREE”. It shows every product made from coal or a by-product of coal. You will be blown away by how much stuff you use every single day associated with coal. By the way… the emissions produced by the average number of cars on our roadways for one day…is higher than a week’s worth of coal based electricity…the amount produced by factory’s to make one freaking prius is higher than a month of coal fired electricity. The paycheck of one coal miner supports 7 up to 13 other people’s jobs depending on the area. To sum it up…you are an idiot. You are nothing but a sheep. Believing everything the government tells you.. you and others like you to need to wake up and get ALL the facts before opening your mouth or writing or typing anything. As to finding another job…there are entire regions of the US that turn into ghost towns when mining of any kind fall’s off. NAFTA has let all the factory work leave that could be produced cheaper in other country’s. So…find another job? Do you honestly think these men and women are choosing to be out of work? GET REAL MAN!! You don’t know what your talking about.
Coal is our most abundant fuel source. What is wrong with pursuing some research to make it cleaner, but the legislation won’t even allow for research. Just as they have with nuclear, the liberals in government sink money down alternative energy pits like Solyndra and LightSquared while ignoring what energy sources we already have. What is more, Obama, despite overwhelming support for Keystone, is preventing it from being built. This president doesn’t listen to citizens, he only listens to those who can afford to attend $30K a plate dinners.
Buddy I made 60k last year in a area that the average house hold income is 20k. I do what I do to support my family and give them a comfortable life style. Yea I could go work in a gas station and make 8 bucks a hour and lose everything I have worked my ass off for, for the last 11 years or I can take my coal covered hands and broke down body back to work tomorrow so uninformed people like you can post your opinion on a website.I choose the latter and hope you realize what all coal does for this country.
Go find another job? Seriously?? You simply don’t understand. That’s all there is to do in a lot of places that have lost work in the coal mines. For instance my home town, where my family has lived for generations the largest employers are Walmart and the Schools. Without wages there is no walmart nor will there be kids to go to school. Sell out and move you say? Who will buy their homes when there are not jobs around to make the house payment with?? You are extremely ignorant to the plight these people face and I believe its highly possible you’re also too stupid to understand any of this anyway but I feel better having said it.
As long as the Coal Burning plants have Scrubbers, what’s the problem? Why stop a source of energy that we need & helps so many to eke out a living? Let the market control clean coal burning so as Coal Producing States may continue to help their residence survive & prosper. Eventually Coal will live out its usefulness with new and better Technology to produce Energy, Heat & Light.
Good paying jobs are hard to come by, these days. Plus, sometimes what one person considers quality of life is not the same as what your own idea might be. Living on the land you grew up on, and near those who love you means a lot. Mines were and are still necessary, even if you are a pinhead yuppie who thinks energy comes from walls. What makes that Apple product work? Electricity? Right, probably from coal. Solar is a pipe dream and forcing your elderly neighbors and the already down-trodden to pay 80% higher energy bills is cruel. EPA can go to hell. We already have the cleanest coal-based energy production of all the industrialized world. Tell China to adhere to the same standards as the USA and they will tell you what I’m going to tell you now Cody, “Get a clue.” You ought to tell the Good Idea Fairy that has your ear to shut up. The real world runs on energy, the cheaper the better, and it takes real men to deliver that power.
His agenda is stifling this country thru out business. Energy sector is spiraling out of control and if we are not careful will be very hard to recover. Say what you want but these low low oil prices are not the saving grace for all.
I don’t know anything about the coal industry but I hate that Obama is causing so many people lose there jobs ! Especially when it’s a job that is the only industry the people know !!! Hope this changes America is not what it use to be !!! All these environmental people are making the economy worse ! We need jobs not more unemployed people ! We need to keep the jobs we already have !!!
It’s another crony scam by Obama. He do all he can to destroy an industry and set it up to be bought by one of his crony capital friends like Warren Buffet. Then when they have it locked up there will be a new discovery that makes it better than sliced bread and it’ll be under new management, but the price will double. The whole global warming scam is about getting control and trillions in carbon credit trading and has nothing to do with the environment. But there are a lot of stupid gullible people who can’t see past their nore. Here is an image. The blue is our atmosphere. The yellow is the natural CO2. The red is how much mankind has added. Kinda puts it all in perspective. You think maybe we are being scammed… damn right we are. http://www.waynemcmichael.com/TEMP/co21.jpg
Ok to all that support hybrids and solar first off you are using a really bad harmful chemical in these transactions I.e. batteries in a prius. These batteries need to be disposed of eventually kinda like nuclear waste it’s not nice stuff nickel cadmium or the newer, nickel metal hydride, what do you think lithium batteries well be like to get rid of. First off coal is not that bad here, alot of our plants have catalysts and don’t give off that much emissions. Solar on the other hand yes the capturing of dollar energy is a great idea, but do you have any idea of what the processes entails making a panel and the energy used. Doubt ful plus these dollar farms are going up everywhere taking green life away ie farms and other such production, you week see were gonna find out that 1 were alerting the landscape so much were gonna have far more global warming from not having the plant life absorbing the co2 and having these black panels just adding heat back to the atmosphere…. but hey it’s another great idea from humans they never fuck up the planet!
Sorry for the misspelling swype is a pain in the ass
steam coal produces 25 million BTUs of heat per ton. A ton of steam coal fits easily in a pickup. It takes 10,000 cubit ft. of natural gas to produce the same. Gas may be cleaner to burn but more has to be burned to produce the same amount of heat. Burning more cost more. Wind and solar technology is years behind being able to produce enough to make any real difference, no matter what anyone says they are doing in some far away country. Electricity will be rashend and brown outs will be common if we continue down the path we are on now. The info structure to supply natural gas to everyone isn’t in place.
Was wanting to comment on this but after reading I feel the point has been made if we could just get the idiots like that guy out of the Whitehouse I worked in the mines for ten years just at the end to keep getting laid off but was fortunate enough to find a decent job outside of the mines but would love to go back and could but just like so many how long would it last wish the best to all those who have lost their job
With the war on coal we as miner that have been layoff can’t find job here at home!I live in Richland VA . l am now going to have to uproot my wife an kidsmove 5 to 6 hour away from our home just to get a job. It not fair to our families! All we want is a halfway decent life. And here in these mountains coal mining is all we have. Proud to be a 5th generation coal miner!
Who ever the idiot was that said go find a different job dies not know what they are talking about. There about ready no jobs stupid. Come and feed and clothe our children.
Hey Cody Gilbert! Go to hell bud. Yeah it’s not as easy as you think in rural coal regions to find jobs. I’m a coal miner have been since I was 19. I do not have a college education, Im married, recently bought a house, hand have a child on the way. Now how am I supposed to support my family if you and your kind wanna get rid of coal? Nothing pays good around here except for coal mines so, you and your hippie friends can go somewhere else of you don’t like coal!