Trump seeks to ax Appalachia economic programs, causing worry in coal country

[workinclasszero]

Trump seeks to ax Appalachia economic programs, causing worry in coal country
By Valerie Volcovici | PAINTSVILLE, Kentucky Fri Mar 17, 2017 | 6:53am EDT

President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating funding for economic development programs supporting laid-off coal miners and others in Appalachia, stirring fears in a region that supported him of another letdown on the heels of the coal industry’s collapse.

The 2018 budget proposal submitted to Congress by the White House on Thursday would cut funds to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The Washington-based organizations are charged with diversifying the economies of states like West Virginia and Kentucky to help them recover from coal’s decline.

The proposed cuts would save the federal government $340 million and come as the Republican president seeks to slash a wide array of federal programs and regulations to make way for increased military spending.

But they are perceived by some in Appalachia as a betrayal of his promises to help coal miners.

"Folks that live in Appalachia believe that the ARC belongs to them," said federal ARC Co-Chair Earl Gohl, bemoaning the proposed cut. "It's really their organization."

Four hundred of the 420 counties ARC operates in voted for Trump in November's election.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-budget-appalachia-idUSKBN16N2VF?il=0

[Zoonart]

1. ......".perceived by some as a betrayal." ??????????????

Wake the f*** up, people!

[workinclasszero]

4. Suckered by a republican con man

WTF are these idiots going to wake up to the fact that Trump and his party are going to strip them of their last dime and leave them dying in a ditch??

MAGA baby!!!!

[doc03]

2. Yea but they have their guns yee haw. nt

[OnDoutside]

3. Apparently clearing programs so when people want to use coal again, so it pushes people back to work

Where do you even start with this rubbish ?

[C_U_L8R]

5. And they get mad when we call them stupid.

Hey pal, look in the mirror next time before you vote.

[MineralMan]

6. Oh, Donald Trump has a solution for the coal miners.

It's the same solution he has for poor people, people of color, LGBT people, Native Americans and many other disadvantaged groups. He calls it his "Final Solution."

Don't worry. The Donald will solve all of your problems, once and for all.

[workinclasszero]

8. Well at least all the soon to be starving ex-miners in coal country

dying with treatable illness and no healthcare won't have to worry anymore about Hillary's emails. (shudder)

MAGA baby!

[yallerdawg]

7. Stabbed in the back.

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[workinclasszero]

9. The republicans favorite target area

for self hating working class republican voters!

Every.single.time!

Will they....FINALLY....learn this time that they are being played for fools by the republican party???

[HughBeaumont]

10. "I alone can fix it" That assrocket couldn't fix a cereal box prize.

Made Bed, Lie in it, and all that . . .

[n2doc]

11. Well they can all get those wonderful coal mining jobs with full bennies!

Right? Right!

I wonder if they will figure it out before they die.

[get the red out]

12. Crazy Repubs

I grew up in eastern Kentucky, (my accent is God-awful); and I have gotten so mad at people back there allowing themselves to be brainwashed by their preachers and RW media.

My coal miner grandfathers would have trusted tRump about as far as they could throw him! Rich Republican promising to help the working person? My elders would have cynically laughed their asses-off.

[Renew Deal]

13. They made their choice

[mercuryblues]

14. Clinton told them the truth

coal is not coming back, She laid out a plan that would help them transition into new industries. She would support this transition into a new way, every step of the way. We will tweak the ACA so it works better for you. Details and a plan.

Trump simply told them he would bring back their coal jobs. No details. No plan. just I will bring back your jobs. On day one I will repeal Obamacare.

They voted for benedict Donald and his minions down ticket.

In less than 2 months, they realize, hey wait. We will lose our coverage when Obamacare is gone. He has no plan on how to replace it with "bigger and better" Just do away with it completely.

trump then removed mane safety regulations, making their jobs even more dangerous. The only way that move will bring back jobs is when there is a collapse or explosion new workers will be needed to replace the dead ones.

Now he wants to eliminate the funding that will help them transition into new jobs.

Even after all of this only some realize they have been scammed.

I almost feel sorry for them. There is proof that he is a liar. There is proof that he doesn't give 2 shits about workers. His actions of the past 30 years tell a different story about trump than the promises he made on the campaign trail. They were told all of this and they either refused to fucking believe it or knew this and voted for him because he will ban Muslims, deport immigrants, cut "those people" off welfare.

What they did was cut off their noses to spite their face. They did this willingly and happily.

[workinclasszero]

15. Oh it's all on their heads for sure. Trump is a snake. They knew it when they embraced him

They put the entire government in the hands of the republican party.

They will reap a bitter and harsh fate for their stupidity.

And so will we dammit.