The problem for those blaming the coal industry's problems on the President is one small fact, natural gas is now much cheaper than coal.
and the biggies are switching over
Wall Street Journal, Dec 2011
NPR, July 2012
No one is blaming the president for the price of coal... People are blaming the president for cap and trade policies which are hampering businesses, and the use of coal...
Yes, natural gas is cheaper, but not always as readily abundant in certain areas which are right next to coal mines... and those coal mines employee thousands across this country... Yet, both Biden and Obama want to shut them down...
The article you posted, pointing out the benefits of fracking on dropping fuel prices, just underscores the problem here, with the president being an obstacle to a greater expansion of it...
However, I think you've gravely missed the point here... This isn't about coal... it's about the president's desire to have higher fuel prices to attempt to force people to use "green" fuel sources... Which is really hurting the economy and has an awful effect on people's cost of living...
Which makes it oh so easy to respond to, right?
1) It doesn't matter what Chu said in 2009... Since he was already appointed by Obama prior to that. Obama appointed the guy despite what he said in 2008, because he actually agrees with it... Anything after that would just be classified as trying to save face, or cover up for the real intentions...
2) It's miles and miles of useless space in North Dakota, Utah, etc. where private companies have offered good money to purchase a small section of those lands to frack on... The deals would be a very wise decision for a president who wants to cut fuel prices, have us less dependent on foreign sources of oil, and wants to stimulate the economy...
3) The president vetoed it... then says he was for it... then says he's against it... then says he's for it... It's this bogus game of trying to make it seem like he actually cares to get involved in lowering gasoline prices... when in actuality he does everything he can to prevent it... Once the next president signs the bill, there will be no problem getting approval to have the pipeline built, wherever it goes through...
4) No, Cash for Clunkers was pretty much a useless program, which actually benefited the foreign automakers at a time when it was meant to stimulate domestic auto sales... all for what equated to 1 mile on average saved nationally... ooooo aaaaaa There are far bigger fish to fry...
5) And...? And people shouldn't have to fork over $40K to buy a brand new car (that's also untested technology, that keeps having problems) to please the president's desires...
Most people can't afford any new car, nevermind a $40K car... People already own vehicles, or are still paying off vehicles that they have and need to drive to keep their existence... These vehicles are what they are, regardless of what the president wants them to drive, and by keeping fuel prices high, he's hurting these families...
6) Hmmm... I'm having trouble finding the part where I said he was humiliated... Perhaps you should read my original comment again...
"When asked at a speech he was giving what about fuel prices, he told people they need to buy more fuel efficient cars, instead of the large SUVs, when someone responded from the crowd, how can I get my family of 10 around in a SUV, he challenges the fact that the guy has 10 people in his family... then dodges the question..."
So you think the guy made up having 10 kids... If you're gonna make up a number of kids, you make up one thats a little more believable than 10... the guy probably had 10... but what does it matter how many kids he had? If he had more than 3, they don't fit in a hybrid sedan... They'd still need an SUV...
You missed the point, yet again... not shocking...
The president was trying to belittle people for driving SUVs but complaining about gas mileage... Yet, the questioner showed the real problem... The President's ignorance as to how real people actually live... There is no hybrid van that's out there at competitive prices on the market... Plus, replacing hybrid batteries and general maintenance over time actually doesn't save owners any money, but has actually been shown to cost owners more than the internal combustion engine... These people get the cars that they can afford... and guess what the president rides around in... SUVs!!!!!!
The president is just simply out of touch with reality on this issue... Just because fuel prices go high doesn't mean suddenly everyone has enough money to jump ship to new technology... People can't afford new technology... They have what they have, and it's mostly older and used cars... Because people are scraping by... Now they can't afford basic fuel for their existing cars as well... which is making them go broke just getting to and from work, or operating their equipment at work... That's his doing... all for trying to impress upon the general public his personal philosophy regarding energy useage...