What Should Obama Do In West Virginia and Kentucky?

Though the nation's pundits have decided that the primary race is over, someone failed to get Clinton the memo -- she is determined to stay in to the bitter end.

The next primaries are in West Virginia and Kentucky, states where the number of poor whites is high and consequently the Obama campaign expects to get crushed; there's a good chance that even if Clinton dropped out tomorrow, she'd still beat Obama in those states.

West Virginia and Kentucky are the second and third highest coal-producing states. They have, respectively, the highest and second-highest number of people employed by the coal industry (PDF) -- indeed, together they represent 46% of total coal mine employment in the country.

Facing this situation, what should Obama do? Clinton showed with the gas tax farce that there is no pander to "hard-working Americans, white Americans" too crass or desperate. She's been wallowing in ham-handed conservative populism, downing shots, eulogizing her mill-working grandfather, and recounting her youthful fishing trips. Next week she'll probably show up in a WV coal mine swingin' a pick, shootin' small critters, and promising miners that she'll double their wages for the summer.

Should Obama try to keep up? Should he appeal to the economic and social anxieties of rural whites in WV and KY by promising that he'll take care of Big Coal and Big Coal will take care of them? He's already doing so in Kentucky.

Maybe there's another way, though. His response to Clinton's gas tax proposal was to reject it as a Washington gimmick that would offer the illusion of relief in the short-term -- long enough to get a politician into office -- but do nothing to address long-term energy issues. That rejection was coupled with a principled energy platform that would address those issues.

Why not try the same thing in WV and KY? Start by telling the truth: as president, he would stop the expansion of dirty coal. No new coal plants would be built unless they could fully sequester their greenhouse gas emissions. He would offer R&D money, loan guarantees, and subsidies to assist in the development of cost-effective carbon capture and sequestration, but it's likely to take at least 10-20 years, and when/if it exists, there's no guarantee it would be more than a small portion of our energy balance. In other words: there is going to be no coal boom in an Obama administration.

Even if Obama did nothing but continue the status quo, coal is getting more expensive, coal plants are falling by the wayside, and the number of jobs provided by coal is falling, as it has been for some time:

Regardless, coal has been no friend to WV or KY. The areas that mine coal are the ones where poverty is concentrated:

That's the truth politicians refuse to tell the people of WV and KY: the future is not in coal. Clinging to coal is clinging to a sinking ship.

Of course, it's crucial to couple this with a positive message. An Obama administration will not pander to poor Southern whites and then forget them in office. It will bring the resources of the federal government to bear on driving economic development in poor rural areas -- that means "green jobs," but more than just that. It means stimulating the development of other industries and revenue sources by spending on infrastructure, education, public works programs, and a decent social safety net. An Obama administration will try to pay these areas back for the sacrifices they've made in the name of providing the country with cheap electricity.

It probably wouldn't help him win WV or KY -- it's unlikely anything could -- but it might cement his nascent national reputation as a straight shooter who tells the difficult truths instead of pandering. Maybe he could defy conventional wisdom by treating rural white voters like adults, helping them plan a real path to economic health and sustainability rather than telling them fairy tales about the continuing viability of earth's dirtiest fuel.

From grist.org

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Comments

[oogabooga]

The answer to coal pollution is to put in filters at power plants. But the utilities, with their powerful lobbyists, fiercely resist calls to install pollution equipment, because it's too expensive. If so, how about giving the power plant owners a one-off tax break to put in the filters? Aside from that, I wonder why poor white people vote Republican? The Republicans wave the flag with one hand and pick their pocket with the other. Go figure.

[larmarch5]

I think he's playing it right. He's done some campaigning there and the people who support him or are open to him came and paid attention. There's no magic bullet for bigotry, and bigotry begets bigotry. He's smart to go to other places where there are large numbers of people who previously supported Hillary or the Repub drop-outs and now want to know more about him. It's best to use the resources for his general campaign. And the best part is that he's not going to loose 100%. He'll still pick up some delegates. The less he says about KKK country, the better.

[lisakaz2]

Do the best he can to connect with things Bu$hco has done to hurt the voters and how they need the changes he represents.

[Satch]

Hillary will pander to anyone who she thinks will vote for her.. In West Va. and Kentucky, you will not see a lot of white folk voting for Obama. Instead they listen to b*llsh*tters like Hillary Clinton who will say anything to try and get elected... They will promise you a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage. If she is elected you will not be able to pay for the high priced gas for that car or have the pot to piss in let alone a window to throw it out of...

[ahornick]

Would it be so terrible to have the government re-train miners to work above ground building solar panels and wind turbines? You could consider eliminating black lung disease an added benefit.

[tbone99]

I don't think he could do much more than promising them coal mines for their grandchildren to work in.

[Phylmom]

You've got to be kidding.

[tbone99]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/12/obama-pro-coal-ad-panders_n_101297.html

[randyjet]

I see that repearwo cannot read the resolution since it has a long list of reasons for the resolution. I would call that a pretty good form with lots of mention of the UN resolutions. The authorization allowed for enforcement of UN resolutions which of course included the re introduction of inspectors. It also allowed for the use of force if in Bush's opinion it was needed to protect the US or its forces. Bush had given assurances to all of the Senators that he would NOT use it as a blank check. At that time, it was a year into his term, and he had no track record of lying. It is rather bold to say to a new person with whom you have no experience to call him a liar.
The latitude was needed in case Iraq did a pre-emptive strike. What would you have the US do if Iraq attacked US forces in Kuwait? Sit back and cry? It is easy NOW to say Bush is a liar. Glad to see that others have such crystal balls that are infallible. Get Obama to lend his to Clinton.

[preatorius]

It is time to stop letting the corporate party (republicans) use up your vote on no issues. Vote for your economic interest and help get us out of the war.

Clinton has spent her whole career chasing money. Check out their tax returns for 2000. You will probabaly see Michelle Obama working for $50,000 at a hospital, while Bill was getting $100,000 for making "speeches" in a lttle South American nation called Columbia!!! When Obama was doing community organizing to remove asbestos from the homes of people in housing projects, and registering voters, Clinton was raking in the bucks as a partner in her patent law firm. He could barely pay his student loans, until he wrote those books.

Both attended ivy league schools. But Obama took the road less traveled for Ivy Leaguers. He chose to forego the big big law job, and chose instead to help others. This is because he truly knows what it is like to grow up poor, on public assistance, and to rely on scholarships to get an education.

[preatorius]

You people need to get over your priviledge status. Minorities have been voting for white men for years. Now it is your turn to vote for a bi-racial candidate and you want to take your toys and go home.
The minute Hillary saw that she wasn't supported overwhelmingly by African American voters, she dropped African Americans like a hot potato, and chased Latinos. Whe she didn't need Latinos anymore, she dropped them and started chasing working-class whites. (See her campaigns comments on Richardson.
"Look, I think that everyone has their endorsers," said senior Clinton strategist Mark Penn, adding-with a little huff-"I think New Mexico is a state that actually, we won." "The time that he could have been effective has long since passed," he continued, "I don't think it is a significant endorsement in this environment."

If elected, she wil make a half-hearted attempt at health care which will fail again, and then sell your jobs off in an expanded NAFTA aggreement with COLUMBIA (see post about Clinton and Penn and their Columbia ties) Do you think he got thouse millions making speeches in Columbia?
Don't be a pawn for these greedy people. How many millions do you really need anyway? Isn't $109,000,000 enough?

The only candidate who has really demonstrated through his life's work, that he cares about the poor is Obama.

[jesselee26]

obama has my vote, but like all the candidates, he's done his fair share of perpetuating the problem. what the people in these areas need, whether its popular in the beginning or not, is a chance to get in on a new industry. that is ALL there is, in these areas. there are no good schools. there is nothing but mining. it may be what they do, because it is where they're from... but if they were offered something new, perhaps these green jobs obama promises, they'd probably take him up on it. they know coal is a losing game. its just that that's the only game they have.

[Phylmom]

I hate to tell you this, but there are very few mining jobs. So obviously there must be something else.

[jesselee26]

welfare

[CindyV]

I was told by Obama supporters that they don't need us older, less educated whites to win the general election. They think they have a big enough coalition of minorities and young people. They are counting on Latinos voting for Obama if he selects Richardson as running mate. So I say to older, less educated whites, vote for Hillary now and write in her name on the ballot in November. Let's see if Obama really needs us or not.

[rockymthi]

Barack Obama in his 2004 speech at the Democratic convention said that we are not a red America, or a blue America, but a United States of America. Expand that to we are not black vs white, young vs old, degreed vs less educated. If you want to sit in the corner and whine and lick your wounds, this is America, and you can do that. However, it will not help our country, or the predicament we find ourselves in. I all the whiners unite and work with other grown-ups, WE can change the world!

[Ides]

Bitter much? Hillary lost, fair and square, and even with Michigan and Florida seated illegally and wrong-headedly she won't overtake him in the popular vote or delegate count without 67% of the remaining vote. Why? Because less-educated whites went for Obama over Hillary in almost a dozen states giving him a ridiculous lead over her. Now you want to take your ball home with you?

Obama is offering you the RIGHT solutions if you would take them. Hillary Clinton is offering you the WRONG solutions in an old, white, female package.

Go ahead and write the name in the ballot, it's your constitutional right, but rights are not by their very nature RIGHT.

[doyourownresearch]

It certainly sounds like WV is a state stuck in the past - wallowing in the bitterness of better days gone by. A great contrast is North Carolina and Pennsylvania - North Carolina embraced a new future and built the viability of their state, while Pennsylvania lost jobs, etc, but didn't advance itself - they hold out hope for their jobs to return. The options are to start looking forward or look back. This country seriously needs to look forward.

[UltravioletCatastrophe]

CindyV--I am interested in healthy differences of opinion. I have reviewed your record of postings and it is obvious that your mind was made up long ago. You can blame "encounters" with Obama supporters on the net blogs or in person if this helps you feel vindicated. Obama himself has only spoken out for a higher morality in government. I initially supported Hillary simply because I felt I knew her. I am not some entrenched partison. I would vote for anybody that could turn this country around. Experience has never been required when you look at many great leaders. George Washington was a failed general (by many accounts) who capitalized by good fortune on weather and enemy mistakes. He--a farmer, turned general, turned farmer, turned president--was a great president. Neither am I placing a blind bet--compare how the 2 candidates have run and managed their campaigns. Compare the grace with which controversies were handled.

[belief08]

And, I guess you always listen to what you are told. How do you know if they were actually an Obama supporter, you're conversating on a website, you don't know who is behind the keyboard. Just like I'm not sure that your comment is not a bait to incite these people to turn against Obama. This divisiveness is sooo ridiculous, our main goal is to take back this country from the Repugs and big business and put it in the hands of the American people.

We don't need another 4 years of Bush politics, look at our economy, look at the high cost of gas & heating oil, look at the high costs for healthcare & education , look at all the foreclosed homes, look at all the job layoffs and we are headed for another senseless war as Bush, Clinton and McCain began baiting Iran with their aggressive comments against Iran. We are going to end living like a third world country devastated by war. We need to build our country back to it's original status of power, before we goad this nuclear laden countries into another war. Look at Russia they are showing off their brand new weapons, we need to think before we react, we can't always be the bully in every situation. This is why we are considered intruders.

[belief08]

Continued'

We have to make a change and make it substantial this year, Barrack Obama is that change. He doesn't have ties to Washington machine, he has a fresh set of eyes, ideas, he has wisdom, he is for the people. Transparency is his platform, look at what we a finding out about congress today. Things deemed confidential weren't so confidential. We don't need another 4 years of closed door policies. Give Obama a chance we have the option of voting different in 4 years. We gave Bush 8 years and look where we are today. What has experience really taught us by this term and all others. The Clinton's had 7 1/2 years, they claim we had a surplus when they left office, how do we know that, because they said so. We saw nothing in writing.

We are all one under the eyes of God. We all showed that when we banned together during 9/11, I saw African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian Native American helping one another, I saw no division at that point. I could write a book on why we need this change at this point in time. Please think about this. I can't afford big business or another war, can you?

[veracity]

Obama could remind West Virginia voters about the Battle of Blair Mountain, & how coal operators used corrupt sheriffs & hird goons to crush attempts of miners to organize (unionize) for safe and healthy conditions, & to provide for their families. Over the course of three years, dozens of working miners lost their lives to violence at the hands of the mine owner's enforcers, including "the largest organized armed uprising in American labor history" which led directly to the long overdue "labor laws currently in effect in the United States of America."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain

Senator Obama could point out that when Grover Norquist (& other Righties) talk about "Taking the federal governent and shrinking it until it is small enough to DROWN IN A BATHTUB" - he is talking about President Bush flying Air Force 1 to Republican photo-ops, as the FEDERAL dikes and levees failed, drowning New Orleans.

While the people of The Netherlands (Holland) , working _together_ under their NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, have built dikes and levees against the North Sea tha DWARF any such projects here in America.

According to Grover Norquist, George Bush, Dick Cheney, & other right-wing Republicans (and their somnolent, complicit DLC "Democrat" "opposition" "leaders"), Americans should EXPECT to settle for SECOND BEST, because the sole purpose of American goverment is to safeguard the wealth and riches of the top 2% ??

NO! We are all in this together, the DROWNING of New Orleans cost WHITE JOBS, & African-American jobs alike!

[AuntSally]

Excellent Post, David...

Coal is the past. Obama should be upfront with coal mining communities about this. But it's clear coal isn't going away instantly. We'll be using it for the next 2-3 decades at some level. Plenty of work there for those in the jobs to work them to retirement.

But we absolutely should not be bringing a new generation of workers into coal.

We need to develop renewables, we need to move away from coal, and we need to mitigate the economic impact to those communities who make their living from coal. Done right, there's no reason these efforts can't proceed in concert.

[purplestategal]

I like the suggestion. It's the best use of two barrels of lemons Obama has to deal with.

[PennP]

Me too. Without knowing a lot about the technical aspects of the energy/coal issues, the idea makes great sense, and it's the kind of thing I could easily hear coming from Obama.

[JackLivigni]

I think the real question is what is KY and WV going to do with KY and WV. Beyond the fact that it is unlikely that a Democrat could win these states, I must confess that it is hard to not talk down and to paint in broad strokes.

I think the Obama supporters in these States are the strongest, though they may not be numerous; and they have our appreciation and admiration!

[scooperss]

HUH? Both US senators are dems and so is the governor.

[tkk]

Bill Clinton won these states.