During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised the Coal Miners that he would see that jobs for them increased. Not sure what planet this man is living on but even school children should realize the day of booming coal mines is over. The entire world is seeking clean fuel and utilizing natural gas. Coal Mining jobs will soon be obsolete.
The fate of the miners
Coal miners today come from a legacy where several generations before them worked the mines.
This is the only life many in states such as West Virginia and Kentucky have ever known. Times are changing and technology is playing a part. According to an article in The New York Times, things look pretty bad for those who are used to making their living digging in the mines. Coal is now responsible for producing only one-third of the electricity in the United States. And the jobs that Donald Trump promised to bring back are no longer in existence.
The article further states that in Decatur Il. technology is also replacing the need for humans in the mining industry. They are now using trucks that drive themselves.
The use of autonomous vehicles and drills is decreasing the number of jobs that men and women used to do. Donald Trump has deceived the miners and given them false hope of a future. Instead, the president should be finding methods to help these men obtain skills so they can find other work.
Donald Trump puts a spin on the facts
On Facebook, people are posting that the President has brought back 45,000 jobs to the coal mines. There is no evidence to back up this statement. There is a report of one facility that is reopening on June 8th. It is the Acosta Coal Mine in western Pennsylvania. The irony is there will only be about 70-100 new jobs. That's a far cry from the 50,000 that is being reported.
Our president obviously is still in campaign mode and has deceived the miners who voted for him. When he was running for elected office he said whatever he thought would get him votes. Now he is saying whatever he can to give the false impression he will fulfill all his campaign promises.
To everything, there is a season and the season for mining coal is behind us, and it is not coming back. Those who had previously been employed in that profession will need to look for another line of work.
This is a harsh truth about the world we live in today. Technology is changing at record speeds and affecting life as we know it. Those who can go along for the ride will do so and those who do not adjust will be left behind.
Unfortunately, technology does not take into account the decades of coal mining in this nation or that human beings need a profession in order to feed their families. And our president does not seem to care that his deceptions hurt the very people who voted for him. The Trump effect is in full force and this time the miners are paying the price.