Biden takes on Dems' 'Mission Impossible': Revitalizing coal country

[brooklynite]

Politico

After years of watching their standing erode in energy-producing states, Democrats under President Joe Biden have accepted the challenge that’s vexed them for a decade: convincing fossil fuel workers that they will still be okay even if their current jobs evaporate as the nation embraces a climate change-friendly economy.

Democrats have a term for their vision — “Just Transition” — and hope it might succeed in the same places where previous attempts to focus on economic transition have failed. In 2016, Hillary Clinton tried to tout a transition economy in West Virginia, only to produce the most toxic sound bite of her ill-fated campaign, when she appeared to gloat at the notion of Democratic policies taking away coal miners’ jobs.

But even as Biden’s infrastructure bill touches on many policies that energy states say they will need to withstand job losses — including retooling defunct factories — they have yet to show much progress in winning the hearts and minds of people in places it would directly affect. Even some key allies acknowledge that Democrats haven’t yet landed on a coherent, persuasive message.

“They’ve got a long way to go to convince people that what could happen will actually be positive for them,” said Phil Smith, spokesperson for the United Mine Workers of America, a labor group for coal miners. “Because right now, they don’t believe that.”

Its hard to convince people to give up a job they're comfortable with.

[tonedevil]

1. You can't sell if no one's buying...

I'm sure buggy whip manufacturers were comfortable making buggy whips, but they no longer had a market when transportation changed from animal power to internal combustion.
Coal mining is not going to make a comeback. If those working in that industry persist they will be competing for an increasingly shrinking pool of jobs. They are now or soon to be unemployed and if they keep their heads in the sand may be unemployable in the near future.

[brooklynite]

2. "Coal mining is not going to make a comeback"

But until it shuts down completely, people will want to work in the mines.

[tonedevil]

4. There are less and less mines to work in.

In ten years I doubt there will be 10% of what is being done now. If you've been mining for 10 or 20 years you can maybe keep working until black-lung catches up. If you are just starting or thinking about starting in coal mining you are a self-destructive idiot if you don't get ready to do something else.

[Phoenix61]

3. Wheelwrights felt the same way about the car.

I think that would be a good place to start. An add showing how upset the wheelwrights were then on to the guys shoveling coal on the train, candle makers replaced by electricity etc. There’s a million examples. It’s about taking the fear out of change and shifting it to excitement. Requires some finesse but defiantly doable.

[keithbvadu2]

5. But isn't the coal industry already back?

But isn't the coal industry already back?

Trump promised.

Donald's supporters:::::: "Promises made! Promises kept!"

[mcar]

6. Financially comfortable, perhaps

And since these states work to keep their kids ignorant and uneducated, they may think it's their only choice.

But the fact that Black Lung Disease still exists tells us everything about these "careers."

I'm from Scranton, PA, and the local hospitals had Black Lung clinics up until, at the very least, 20 years ago.

We were at a state park in West Virginia 6-7 years ago - nothing around us but nature. It was spectacular.

We stopped at a gas station/convenience store to pick up a few things. A young man was there buying a 6-pack. He was so covered in coal dust, I was stunned. He wasn't out of his 20s, in my estimation.

We read about it, but we don't realize it's real until we see it.