Republicans seem to think that Democrats’ half-hearted push for a climate bill will be a hot issue in coal country.
Politico reports that Rs are trying to “leverage the tremendous economic anxieties surrounding the future of an industry that is a vital part of their states’ economies.” A would-be Representative, Spike Maynard, kicked off his campaign with this odd third-person applause line, “If you vote for Spike Maynard, you’re voting for your job and to mine coal. If you’re against me, you’re voting against your job and against mining coal.”
Let’s keep coal mining in perspective — this isn’t really about jobs. While coal mining companies do pretty well in the state, very few people actually work for them. As you can see in the chart below, just five percent of the state’s workers are employed by the mining industry! I would be willing to bet that most West Virginians — and certainly most outsiders — overestimate the number of coal mining jobs in the state. I blame Loretta Lynn.
Politico link via @drgrist
[...] Ain't About the Jobs: Coal Country Anxiety? Only 5% of WV Employed by Coal Industry (Inventing [...]