I listened to the bit of his Senate floor speech on the topic. He babbled about how energy is changing, everything is changing, we need to change, etc. A complete imbecile, and a Democrat Senator (I know, redundant).
West Virginians understandably worry that a way of life and the dignity of a job is at stake. Change and uncertainty in the coal industry is unsettling and nothing new. But it is unsettling. My fear is that concerns are also being fueled by the narrow view of others with divergent views and motivations, one that denies the inevitability of change in the energy industry and unfairly--and I feel this strongly--leaves coal miners in the dust.
In other words, I'll let the EPA throw coal miners out of work now so that they don't "get left in the dust" by their denialist employers later.
Scare tactics are a cynical waste of time, money, and worst of all, coal miners' hopes. Coal miners buy into all the television they hear, are controlled by it, have large salaries. So in a sense they are stuck where they are, happily funded but without a place to look forward to. But sadly these days, coal operators have closed themselves off from any other opposing voices and almost none has the courage to speak out for change --any kind of change --even though it has been staring them in the face for decades. They have known about it. They have ignored it.
Translation: my constituents are a bunch of stupid and overpaid pigs. Their employers are not courageous like yours truly
Third, the shift to a lower carbon economy is not going away. It is a disservice--a terrible disservice--to coal miners and their families to pretend it is, to tell them everything can be as it was. It can't be. That is over. Coal companies deny that we need to do anything to address climate change , despite the established scientific consensus and mounting national desire--including in West Virginia--for a cleaner, healthier environment.
Translation: my constituents are commiting crimes against humanity with every stroke of the pick. And look how grimy they are!
Here's Bab's Boxer right afterwards:
Madam President, before Senator Rockefeller leaves, I wish to take 30 seconds to say something. I believe that when the next historians write the book about leadership, courage, and integrity in the Senate, this speech will be featured in that book. I am so proud of the Senator from West Virginia.