Posted on 08/20/2012 4:51:08 PM PDT by Kaslin
Over the weekend, hundreds of Ohio coal miners stood in line to get into a rally hosted by not pro-union President Obama, but by presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. After all, you can't unionize if you don't have a job.
Mitt Romney today stood in front of eastern Ohioans seemingly straight out of the mine — hard hats, smudged faces, and blue and gray uniforms — as he accused President Obama of “waging war” on coal.
On the outskirts of Beallsville, there’s no doubt that coal is king. Signs dot the rural roads: “Stop the war on coal. Fire Obama.” There were plenty of other hardhats in the crowd as they were bused in from another location.
On the campaign trail, Mr. Obama talks little about coal beyond mentioning use of cleaner coal as part of an all-of-the-above approach to the country’s energy needs. Coal-produced power represents about 80 percent of the electricity produced in Ohio.
“(Mr. Obama) says he’s for coal, but the regulation he’s putting on coal is making it basically impossible for us to mine the coal,” said Shawn Schoolcraft, of St. Clairsville, who has worked for two years as a roof-bolter at the deep mine Mr. Romney visited today.
Obama's policies have wiped out of hundreds of coal mining jobs just this year in Ohio.
OhioAmerican Energy, Inc. (“OhioAmerican”), a Subsidiary of Murray Energy Corporation (“Murray Energy”), today announced the closure of its coal mining operations near Brilliant, Jefferson County, Ohio.
Regulatory actions by President Barack Obama and his appointees and followers were cited as the entire reason. “Mr. Obama has already destroyed 83,000 megawatts of coal-fired electricity generation in America,” said Mr. Michael T. W. Carey, Vice President of Government Affairs for Murray Energy. “Electric prices in the recent PJM Interconnection monthly auction were bid up 800 percent (8 times) for 2015-2016 because of this,” he added.
“At its peak, OhioAmerican employed 239 local people in high-paying, well-benefited jobs,” said Mr. Stanley T. Piasecki, General Manager and Superintendent. “University studies show that our Mines can create up to eleven (11) secondary jobs in our communities, for store clerks, teachers, etc., to serve our direct employees. Thus, if one uses the eleven (11) to one (1) multiplier, the Obama Administration has destroyed 2,868 jobs in eastern Ohio with this forced Mine closure,” stated Mr. Piasecki.
“This is a sad day for all of us, and particularly Mr. Robert E. Murray, the Founder of OhioAmerican,” said Mr. Piasecki. “He is so distraught that he came to the Mine and personally announced the layoffs to each of the employees,” he added.
FLASHBACK: "When I was asked about coal earlier, under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessary skyrocket." "Coal power plants, natural gas, you name it, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was they would have to retrofit their operations, that will cost money."
Obama: My Plan Makes Electricity Rates Skyrocket
In the past several weeks, we have heard how Obama’s war on coal was hurting families in Kentucky and West Virginia. Why did conservative bloggers and news organizations leave Ohio coal miners out of the mix of people hurt by Obama’s war on coal?
So you have the Republican being celebrated as a friend of labor, over the Democrat.
And we lived to see it.
Thanks Kaslin.
I would like to think that they would not vote for Obama as their union bosses tell them to, but I am a bit skeptical.
Coal miners voting for Obama is even crazier than Jews who support him.
There is always the chance, though.
My, my, isn’t it interesting that the UMWA home site isn’t a campaign ad for the usurper like it was in 2008.
This is a powerful, vivid image in a state Romney must win. No doubt it will become a campaign commercial.
Romney has the right idea but, again as usual, he’s wimpy about. It’s not just coal mining, it’s coal fired power plants that are on his hit list.
There is even an interview with him saying “oh, we won’t stop anyone from opening a new coal fired power plant, we’ll just make it so expensive they’d go bankrupt.”
Get that interview Mitt. Make a commercial out of it and play in WV, VA, OH, PA, etc. Show the trend of not only higher gas prices but higher electrical rates.
Then MOCK the left by saying, “with Obama attacking all means of electrical production, where do we plug in the electric cars?” Point out solar and wind cannot POSSIBLY generate enough power to run a toaster.
Just as a vampire gets burned by the touch of a crucifix, Democrats get burned, shiver, shake and grimace even at the thought of voting for a Republican with a somewhat conservative platform.
(On the other hand, they feel euphoric when they blame George Bush for everything from ingrown toe nails to hurricanes and typhoons.)
IMHO
Until I moved to our little town on the Ohio River (I can see W. Virginia from my house, LOL), I really never gave much thought to Ohio miners either. One of my favorite sights is driving along State Route 7 (where we live) and seeing the coal barges going up and down stream. I’ve said that I wonder how much longer we’re going to be able to see that if Obama gets re-elected. Trust me, there’s plenty of rumbling around here to toss him out in November—which is why you won’t see him at a campaign event in southern OH w/the barges loaded w/coal in the background.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.