re: #84 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

It is also their near-religious belief that if we simply eliminate pesky government environmental, health and safety regulations, coal will suddenly become more competitive and those lost jobs will miraculously return…offering high pay and benefits but without the need of labor unions to secure them.

Jeez louise, back when I was young (ok, 1960s-1970s) wildcat strikes in coal country were definitely a thing and something I picked up on reading my local newspaper daily. (Yes, I was that weird eight year old who waited for the afternoon paper.) Holy shit, the reason the miners even had what they had was regular striking to continue to secure those owner concessions, safety improvements and benefits. If I, California born, lived all my life in the western US know this, then how come people in coal country don’t remember this???