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Top Trump aide: Coal doesn't make 'much sense anymore'

poweRob

poweRob

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Is this a part of the "Art of the Deal?"


Top Trump aide: Coal doesn't make 'much sense anymore'

"For those miners, get ready because you're going to be working your asses off," Trump said in a May 2016 speech in front of a crowd holding up "Trump digs coal" signs.

"Coal doesn't even make that much sense anymore as a feedstock," Gary Cohn said, aboard Air Force One on Thursday, referring to raw materials that get converted into a fuel.
Cohn, who serves as director of the White House National Economic Council, instead praised natural gas as "such a cleaner fuel" -- and one that America has become an "abundant producer of."

While Trump rarely talks up the potential of renewable energy, Cohn sounds like a fan.

"If you think about how solar and how much wind power we've created in the United States, we can be a manufacturing powerhouse and still be environmentally friendly," Cohn said.​

Renewables you say? Coal makes no sense anymore you say?
 
It's hard to deny the trend.....and the trend is toward renewable energy.
 
poweRob said:
Is this a part of the "Art of the Deal?"


Top Trump aide: Coal doesn't make 'much sense anymore'

"For those miners, get ready because you're going to be working your asses off," Trump said in a May 2016 speech in front of a crowd holding up "Trump digs coal" signs.

"Coal doesn't even make that much sense anymore as a feedstock," Gary Cohn said, aboard Air Force One on Thursday, referring to raw materials that get converted into a fuel.
Cohn, who serves as director of the White House National Economic Council, instead praised natural gas as "such a cleaner fuel" -- and one that America has become an "abundant producer of."

While Trump rarely talks up the potential of renewable energy, Cohn sounds like a fan.

"If you think about how solar and how much wind power we've created in the United States, we can be a manufacturing powerhouse and still be environmentally friendly," Cohn said.​

Renewables you say? Coal makes no sense anymore you say?
Click to expand...

Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.

For instance, we get cheaper goods from trade agreements...at the cost of manufacturing jobs here in the USA and sweat shop, near slave labor overseas. But hey, we love those little plastic items and "cheap" clothes right?

Too bad there is no alternative employment for our growing population.
 
"Cohn, who serves as director of the White House National Economic Council, instead praised natural gas as "such a cleaner fuel" -- and one that America has become an "abundant producer of."

Yep, let's get those job retraining programs going for Appalachia and elsewhere. The manufacturing jobs will not come back in any significant number.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.

For instance, we get cheaper goods from trade agreements...at the cost of manufacturing jobs here in the USA and sweat shop, near slave labor overseas. But hey, we love those little plastic items and "cheap" clothes right?

Too bad there is no alternative employment for our growing population.
Click to expand...

Are you for government subsidies for the coal industry?
Because there's the answer for you.
 
RickJames3000 said:
Are you for government subsidies for the coal industry?
Because there's the answer for you.
Click to expand...

Lets not forget farm subsidies originally designed to help small farmers diversify crops, but used today by conglomerates like Monsanto instead.

Go ahead and miss the point as usual. There are millions of Americans facing a job crunch with massive competition for fewer real opportunities as it is.

Something all those people who went to college accruing major student loan debt to get a degree in underwater basket weaving, or women's studies, etc., are finding out in the current job market.

Places like West Virginia and Appalachia have no other industry, and some people actually want to work and earn a living rather then live on a the dole.

No jobs? Expect a flood of new mouths to feed rushing to cities in hopes of something that isn't there.
 
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Captain Adverse said:
Lets not forget farm subsidies originally designed to help small farmers diversify crops, but used today by conglomerates like Monsanto instead.

Go ahead and miss the point as usual. There are millions of Americans facing a job crunch with massive competition as it is.

Place like West Virginia and Appalachia have no other industry, and some people actually want to work and earn a living rather then live on a the dole.
Click to expand...

It's a big country.
Time to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and adapt!

There are job openings in renewable energy.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.

For instance, we get cheaper goods from trade agreements...at the cost of manufacturing jobs here in the USA and sweat shop, near slave labor overseas. But hey, we love those little plastic items and "cheap" clothes right?

Too bad there is no alternative employment for our growing population.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it sucks, but are we going to stop progress because of it? Are we going to damage the planet? It's just not worth it to prop up this industry because they are fading out technologically and damaging the environment.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.

For instance, we get cheaper goods from trade agreements...at the cost of manufacturing jobs here in the USA and sweat shop, near slave labor overseas. But hey, we love those little plastic items and "cheap" clothes right?

Too bad there is no alternative employment for our growing population.
Click to expand...

A government program could be created specifically to retrain them for other jobs.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.

For instance, we get cheaper goods from trade agreements...at the cost of manufacturing jobs here in the USA and sweat shop, near slave labor overseas. But hey, we love those little plastic items and "cheap" clothes right?

Too bad there is no alternative employment for our growing population.
Click to expand...

So, a libertarian arguing against the free hand of capitalism. The world is so upside-down right now.

Cardinal said:
A government program could be created specifically to retrain them for other jobs.
Click to expand...

Yes, and there is where I like liberalism. Not "hand-outs" but a like investment to give those hurt a boost up...
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.

For instance, we get cheaper goods from trade agreements...at the cost of manufacturing jobs here in the USA and sweat shop, near slave labor overseas. But hey, we love those little plastic items and "cheap" clothes right?

Too bad there is no alternative employment for our growing population.
Click to expand...
There are 65,000 coal workers and 600,000 solar workers. Last month we lost 60,000 retail jobs. There is an over-emphasis on the importance of coal. The U.S. can afford to just pay the coal workers a set amount for life and move off of coal being a policy setting issue.
 
Many of you are completely missing the point. Even my dog knows that coal is getting it's ass kicked due to cleaner and cheaper forms of producing energy. The point was Trump promised the coal miners he'd get their jobs back and they voted for him for it. Now he's changed his position 180 degrees like he has on many things, and could care less about the miners.
 
upsideguy said:
So, a libertarian arguing against the free hand of capitalism. The world is so upside-down right now.

Yes, and there is where I like liberalism. Not "hand-outs" but a like investment to give those hurt a boost up...
Click to expand...

I've never believed in a "free hand of capitalism," which I've always labled "rapacious capitalism." I've always advocated the reasoned hand of enlightened capitalism.

Greed is not good. Profit is good; self-advancement is good; being all one can be on one's own merit is good.

But one can still become rich without hoarding wealth...pay a little back to those who work for you, because happy workers are more productive and loyal. Take care of your customer's because happy customers will keep coming back for more.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?
Click to expand...

Hillary Clinton had the answer, but they went with the candidate who told them what they wanted to hear rather than the truth.
 
Captain Adverse said:
I've never believed in a "free hand of capitalism," which I've always labled "rapacious capitalism." I've always advocated the reasoned hand of enlightened capitalism.

Greed is not good. Profit is good; self-advancement is good; being all one can be on one's own merit is good.

But one can still become rich without hoarding wealth...pay a little back to those who work for you, because happy workers are more productive and loyal. Take care of your customer's because happy customers will keep coming back for more.
Click to expand...

On that sir, I agree.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.

For instance, we get cheaper goods from trade agreements...at the cost of manufacturing jobs here in the USA and sweat shop, near slave labor overseas. But hey, we love those little plastic items and "cheap" clothes right?

Too bad there is no alternative employment for our growing population.
Click to expand...

nobody is preaching utopia ideas here. Coal isn't coming back because it's not so economical anymore. And even if it does, the days of giong down into a mine for coal are all but over. They are mountain-topping for coal anymore and that requires less employment.

I agree that there needs to be a focus on helping those regions get more jobs but you can't deal with the republicans on that because the instant pushback is that its not the job of the federal government to do anything like that.
 
poweRob said:
nobody is preaching utopia ideas here. Coal isn't coming back because it's not so economical anymore. And even if it does, the days of giong down into a mine for coal are all but over. They are mountain-topping for coal anymore and that requires less employment.

I agree that there needs to be a focus on helping those regions get more jobs but you can't deal with the republicans on that because the instant pushback is that its not the job of the federal government to do anything like that.
Click to expand...

That is my essential point. Those regions have no other real avenues for employment. Coal is the major resource and has been the backbone of those economies for generations.

I have no problem with environmental improvement options, in fact I support this.

The problem is, we tend to go for the quick advantage without taking the consequences on large segments of our society and the economy itself into consideration.

Look what happened to the "rust belt" and how they responded in the last election.

If you are going to effect change, be prepared to fix the problems created too.
 
Captain Adverse said:
That is my essential point. Those regions have no other real avenues for employment. Coal is the major resource and has been the backbone of those economies for generations.

I have no problem with environmental improvement options, in fact I support this.

The problem is, we tend to go for the quick advantage without taking the consequences on large segments of our society and the economy itself into consideration.

Look what happened to the "rust belt" and how they responded in the last election.

If you are going to effect change, be prepared to fix the problems created too.
Click to expand...

What do you propose? The federal government step in and make jobs for them? Is so, How? Subsidize buggy whip factories the likes of subsidizing coal?
 
poweRob said:
What do you propose? The federal government step in and make jobs for them? Is so, How? Subsidize buggy whip factories the likes of subsidizing coal?
Click to expand...

Not make jobs, no.

But set up retraining programs, perhaps for other mining work, or even work in the new technologies. Meanwhile paying wages for their "work" to learn the new skills...but only for so long as they are truly applying themselves to the successful completion of the re-training program.

Better than simply adding more people to the welfare rolls.

It disturbs me that people always look forward and say "more jobs for our kids," forgetting the adults who have nowehere to go and no training to compete for the jobs created by the new technology.
 
Last edited:
Captain Adverse said:
Not make jobs, no.

But set up retraining programs, perhaps for other mining work, or even work in the new technologies. Meanwhile paying wages for their "work" to learn the new skills...but only for so long as they are truly applying themselves to the successful completion of the re-training program.

Better than simply adding more people to the welfare rolls.

It disturbs me that people always look forward and say "more jobs for our kids," forgetting the adults who have nowehere to go and no training to compete for the jobs created by the new technology.
Click to expand...

You are sounding like a dem with the federal funding for retraining programs and whatnot.

Any other people at any other time doing any other work... they are generally faced with the GOP saying, "Well if there are no jobs where you are at, then move". But when it comes to coal, we need to do something for them. I find this inconsistency interesting.
 
poweRob said:
Is this a part of the "Art of the Deal?"


Top Trump aide: Coal doesn't make 'much sense anymore'

"For those miners, get ready because you're going to be working your asses off," Trump said in a May 2016 speech in front of a crowd holding up "Trump digs coal" signs.

"Coal doesn't even make that much sense anymore as a feedstock," Gary Cohn said, aboard Air Force One on Thursday, referring to raw materials that get converted into a fuel.
Cohn, who serves as director of the White House National Economic Council, instead praised natural gas as "such a cleaner fuel" -- and one that America has become an "abundant producer of."

While Trump rarely talks up the potential of renewable energy, Cohn sounds like a fan.

"If you think about how solar and how much wind power we've created in the United States, we can be a manufacturing powerhouse and still be environmentally friendly," Cohn said.​

Renewables you say? Coal makes no sense anymore you say?
Click to expand...

And there's a lot of concern in coal country about losing health insurance. Trump will fire Cohn this week!
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.
Click to expand...

No, it seems you have a problem with what we call 'life'.

There are winners and loser no matter what happens, and it has nothing to do whatsoever with 'utopian ideals'.

Coal is dirty and not renewable. Those who stake their futures on it aren't likely to have much of one.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Well, I am all for the environment...but what to do about those 65,000 coal miners located around the USA, nearly 40,000 of them located in West Virginia and the Appalachia region?

https://www.eia.gov/coal/annual/pdf/table14.pdf

See, my problem with utopian ideas is that some people make it and some people lose out.

For instance, we get cheaper goods from trade agreements...at the cost of manufacturing jobs here in the USA and sweat shop, near slave labor overseas. But hey, we love those little plastic items and "cheap" clothes right?

Too bad there is no alternative employment for our growing population.
Click to expand...

I mean whale blubber stopped being a product at some point and whalers lost most of their jobs. **** happens. Hell, I fly planes for a living and computers'll probably replace me eventually.
 
poweRob said:
Is this a part of the "Art of the Deal?"


Top Trump aide: Coal doesn't make 'much sense anymore'

"For those miners, get ready because you're going to be working your asses off," Trump said in a May 2016 speech in front of a crowd holding up "Trump digs coal" signs.

"Coal doesn't even make that much sense anymore as a feedstock," Gary Cohn said, aboard Air Force One on Thursday, referring to raw materials that get converted into a fuel.
Cohn, who serves as director of the White House National Economic Council, instead praised natural gas as "such a cleaner fuel" -- and one that America has become an "abundant producer of."

While Trump rarely talks up the potential of renewable energy, Cohn sounds like a fan.

"If you think about how solar and how much wind power we've created in the United States, we can be a manufacturing powerhouse and still be environmentally friendly," Cohn said.​

Renewables you say? Coal makes no sense anymore you say?
Click to expand...

:lol: I guess it's safe for them to say that now that the election is over and the dummies' votes have all been counted.
 
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