Horizon Natural Resources decision: How to win West Virginia

[Radical Activist]

So how does a Democrat with a strong environmental record like Kerry win over West Virginia coal miners threatened by clean air laws? THIS is how:
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/rednews/2004/08/10/build/top/TOP002.html

If Kerry makes a big stink about this the coal miners will know that Bush and the Republicans are NOT on their side and that Kerry will stand up for them.

From the article:

Union officials claim the case involving Horizon is the latest in a growing number of bankruptcies involving energy, airline and steel firms where companies have used bankruptcy laws to eliminate or reduce pension and retirement benefits that had been gained through labor negotiations.

United Mine Workers of America International President Cecil Roberts wasted little time in blasting the decision.

"What a complete and utter travesty of justice. If this decision doesn't cause America's working families to start looking around at who is running this country and which direction we are headed then I fear for our nation," Roberts said. "These workers did absolutely nothing wrong. They worked hard, did what was expected and accepted lower wages for the promise of health care. But look where that got them. They've been left high and dry."

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. Kerry does not neglect coal in his energy plan.

In fact, it was a point of attack for some environmental purists. But pragmatically, I don't think we can ignore how much of our energy does come from coal, nor can we ignore the fact that it is one of our most plentiful energy sources. Common sense tells me that sooner or later, virtually all fossil fuels on the planet will be burned. It certainly makes sense also that we should work as hard as we can now to develop the cleanest ways to do so.

[Radical Activist]

2. Democrat=clean air act=I lose my job

That's the association of many coal miners, and with good reason. I'm talking about combating that and if Kerry is going to win West Virginia then he'll need to do something about that perception.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. False perceptions can only be countered with the truth.

The reality is that coal is an abundant domestic fuel that is used to produce more than one-half of our electric power.

Make Coal Part Of The 21st Century Technology Solution. The Kerry-Edwards plan will ensure a role for this abundant domestic energy source and support the families and communities that depend on it. Coal can be part of the solution to the energy and environmental challenges we face, but we need to:

* Forge new ways to draw cleaner power from coal
* Provide leadership to lower the four leading power plant emissions - nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, mercury, and carbon dioxide - through flexible, multi-emission mechanisms.
* Invest $10 billion over the next decade - a fivefold increase in funding - to transform the current generation of older coal plants to cleaner and more efficient coal-fired power plants.

http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/energy/technology.html