Many in this corner of coal country blamed Obama-era regulations on their demise, so when a candidate named Donald Trump promised to end a so-called "war on coal," they were ready to believe… But thanks largely to free-market forces, more coal-fired power plants have been deactivated in Trump's first two years in office then in Obama's entire first term.
Good news, coal is still losing ground to cleaner energy sources and the pace of its demise in the US has increased under Trump.
It could be said that the last thing anyone should want is the Anti-Midas Trump advocating for your cause. But with the even more poisonous silica conditions in modern mines running low on coal deposits (silica is from the rock they have to go through now to get at the scarcer coal), it could be argued that Trump’s incompetence, laziness, and ineffectual advocacy for his supporters in coal country is the biggest favor to coal miner’s families that they could receive. Afterall, it’s the wives and children of Trump voting coal miners who have to put their lives on hold and their finances on the line to help these sick and slowly dying black lung infested men. Lord knows the mining companies and the GOP don’t care.
So again, thank you Donald Trump for being the most incompetent businessman in America and for advocating almost unilaterally for evil industry crooks. Your ineffectual lameness is making America greater, at least in some sectors.
