Appalachian transition: Why coalfield residents need to help themselves diversify their economy

[Ykcutnek]

1. This is so true:

"Democrats are proposing crucial environmental protections, without likewise proposing programs to help the communities that would be hurt. And their celebratory response is like kicking someone when they are down."

Appalachia needed a bailout long before the first new regulation even went into effect. No one here is a "Friend of Coal," they're a friend of a paycheck and want good-paying jobs to replace the ones lost by cracking down on dirty energy. Why this wasn't made part of the climate change agenda at the White House doesn't make any sense. It also makes it even more difficult to be a Dem in the region or get people to vote that way. In other words: someone at the top doesn't know what the hell they're doing or just doesn't care. Appalachia has always been a convenient place to kick around and ignore by both parties.