RIP, Robert Murray.
There was a television interview that H. Clinton did where she sit down at a conference room table with coal miners from West Virginia (or Pennsylvania, I can't remember). She got tongue-tied trying to respond to a voter who asked her what her plans were for replacing his family's source of income. She couldn't/wouldn't answer his very basic, primal question. This was a couple of months before the 2016 election and I knew, right then and there, that HWSNBN was going to win. I was so disappointed.
I was just as encouraged recently when J. Biden actually said at the last debate that America needed to transition off of fossil fuels. Stand down, Texas. Y'all all know this is true in your heart of hearts and mind of minds. To say otherwise is nothing but frustrated coal rolling based on your personal need to keep up your truck payments and your daily commute into Eagle Ford.
The original coal barons are long dead. Their fourth-generation children are now leaving the planet. How many generations are supposed to be taken care of by their original innovators? The time has come for fossil fuel companies to disappear, or at least remove their talons from the arteries of government and the human race.
I have nothing against generations of families continuing to thrive off of their ancestor's knowledge and acumen. We are living in a time though when these families' source of wealth is infringing on the entire SPECIES' right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is a copyright extension that is stifling creativity while also generating enormous costs for our continued survival.
Will we all die if HWSNBN is re-elected? No. Will we reach an absolute point of no return if J. Biden doesn't win today? No.
Is it irresponsible of us to continue to promote the use of fossil fuels and not actively engage in a JUST TRANSITION that keeps today's families well-employed and our society moving forward into the future? You bet.
One candidate is protecting a way of life that mirrors his generational parasitism. The other respects the needs of working families and understands what is needed for the human race to continue to evolve well into the far future.
Mother Earth will go on with or without us. History will show when, or if, we woke up to the decision to stick around or not.
"How green was my Valley then, and the Valley of them that have gone."
Even Huw Morgan knew when it was time to leave.
Best of luck to all of us.
—from a third-generation coal miner's grandson, whose father decided that the Air Force and Vietnam was a better choice than following his father down into the mines of West Virginia.
Postscript, in the early morning hours after the election.
Yet another Grade A Texas winner. This particular victor is now a Railroad Commissioner, because in Texas our oil and gas industry is regulated by the “Railroad” commission.
I ran for this office to serve the people of Texas, and help rebuild the oil and gas industry which should be important to all Texans. Regardless of extreme attacks from leftists who want to put thousands of oilfield workers out of work, we will remain focused on finding ways to create jobs and keep our economy ever improving for Texas.—Jim Wright, ref:https://www.statesman.com/news/20200826/gop-candidate-for-state-oil-and-gas-regulatory-agency-faces-fraud-accusations
If there’s one thing that doesn’t need to be rebuilt, it’s the oil and gas industry.
A Just Transition is really a Must Transition. WIthout the “Just”, no amount of climate science is going to dissuade anyone. They’ll just strip down and drill naked, slather on the sunscreen, and start growing oranges in Alaska—all about the peanuts now (and forever).
Looks like from West Virginia to Texas, too many of us are still Asleep At The Wheel.
With all due love and respect to Ray Benson.