A New Beginning for Coal

In the last decade, coal mining in America has plummeted. This decline is attributed to a number of factors, including improvements in alternative energy sources (most notably solar and wind) and stricter pollution regulations. Coal mining jobs have also been undercut by automation, with giant trucks that automatically load coal onto trains taking the place of hundreds of workers.

As cities worry about how to diversify their economies away from this disappearing sector, Trump’s plan for reviving American coal mines might offer some hope for communities and the economy - if it can be done at all.

President Trump recently proposed a plan for revitalizing coal. Though a part of his larger campaign to revitalize American manufacturing, this plan is rather complex and, some say, misguided. The proposal calls for tax breaks for energy companies and the use of public funds to establish an infrastructure bank that would lend taxpayer money to coal companies in exchange for their opening coal mines and/or expansions. The plan's not as simple as it sounds: Not all U.S. coal will be mined with taxpayer dollars, so much of the money would come from the U.S. Export Import Bank, which lends money to companies that export American products. And in the past, when coal companies have had trouble borrowing money from banks, it’s been because of high risk.

Because the plan runs counter to regulations designed to protect the environment and greenhouse gas emissions, it’s a popular target for criticism. Even Donald Trump Jr. has suggested that mining isn't all that profitable anymore because of automation; while he suggested that his father would find a way to make it profitable anyway, he said his father was interested in “protecting the jobs of workers so they can feed their families.”

Coal's popularity with Trump supporters also may have more to do with the president’s personality than his policy. The industry was often accused of being dirty and rough; when Trump became the face of the U.S. coal industry, he seemed to embrace that stigma. And, who can question his energy policy? Coal provides 14 percent of America’s electricity, so it is no wonder that his plan was compared to “another promise for coal” in an article about TrumpCare (which would lead to cuts in Medicaid and other social programs).

Critics of the plan, like Tom Steyer, called it “patently absurd and a clear indication that Trump has no real understanding of climate change - or the economics of coal.”

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Follow, Share, Reblog, Like, Link to face book, Twitter etc. ..... ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Tags: Donald Trump Coal Mining Industry Revive American Manufacturing Keep Cleaner With Coal Solar And Wind Power Alternative Energy . . . → Read More: A New Beginning for Coal : https://factsrevealed.com/a-new-beginning-for-coal/ Trump’s Plan for Reviving American Coal Mines is Criticized as a “Bad Deal” | The Daily Caller ARTICLE STARTIn the last decade, coal mining in America has plummeted. This decline is attributed to a number of factors, including improvements in alternative energy sources (most notably solar and wind) and stricter pollution regulations. Coal mining jobs have also been undercut by automation, with giant trucks that automatically load coal onto trains taking the place of hundreds of workers.As cities worry about how to diversify their economies away from this disappearing sector, Trump’s plan for reviving American coal mines might offer some hope for communities and the economy - if it can be done at all.President Trump recently proposed a plan for revitalizing coal. Though a part of his larger campaign to revitalize American manufacturing, this plan is rather complex and, some say, misguided. The proposal calls for tax breaks for energy companies and the use of public funds to establish an infrastructure bank that would lend taxpayer money to coal companies in exchange for their opening coal mines and/or expansions. The plan's not as simple as it sounds: Not all U.S. coal will be mined with taxpayer dollars, so much of the money would come from the U.S. Export Import Bank, which lends money to companies that export American products. And in the past, when coal companies have had trouble borrowing money from banks, it’s been because of high risk.Because the plan runs counter to regulations designed to protect the environment and greenhouse gas emissions, it’s a popular target for criticism. Even Donald Trump Jr. has suggested that mining isn't all that profitable anymore because of automation; while he suggested that his father would find a way to make it profitable anyway, he said his father was interested in “protecting the jobs of workers so they can feed their families.”Coal's popularity with Trump supporters also may have more to do with the president’s personality than his policy. The industry was often accused of being dirty and rough; when Trump became the face of the U.S. coal industry, he seemed to embrace that stigma. And, who can question his energy policy? Coal provides 14 percent of America’s electricity, so it is no wonder that his plan was compared to “another promise for coal” in an article about TrumpCare (which would lead to cuts in Medicaid and other social programs).Critics of the plan, like Tom Steyer, called it “patently absurd and a clear indication that Trump has no real understanding of climate change - or the economics of coal.”ARTICLE END]Advertisements: TweetARTICLE STARTWhat makes Trump appealing to the coal industry? Possibly because he is not a politician. President Trump was not a career politician and he did not spend the last twenty years working on a campaign to get elected to the White House. He also made a number of promises that could be worth listening too. One of them is saving coal jobs, which is something that the older generation can relate to. So what has Trump done for us?He wants to revive coal mining because it is part of his "America First" plan for revitalizing American manufacturing. It's an attempt to bring back the dying industry, especially when it comes to coal mining.

Conclusion

I saw the coal miners, young and old, standing in their hard hats. I was 12 then. They were there because of coal, a resource that has been part of their lives for so long, they cannot imagine life without it. I have seen the coal miners who have lost their jobs to energy companies and automation. What will happen to all these people? They need help to provide for themselves and their families. They need support in finding new jobs so they can feed and leave behind a better life for their kids.

Trump's plan is based on old strategies that did not work in the past or are not sustainable.