Trump seeks to ax Appalachia economic programs, causing worry in coal country
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.
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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.
But they are perceived by some in Appalachia as a betrayal of his promises to help coal miners. . .
They are. He just plain fucking lied to them and does not care that he did. He conned them. Hoodwinked them. Played them like a carnival barker and they, to their (and our) loss, believed his bullshit. He never intended to help them even when he was saying he was going to. He was lying to them right to their faces. Baldfaced lies like he told all over America. No presidential candidate in American history has told so many flat out lies while running and since being elected. He is pathological. It is a sickness in him. Given a choice between telling an obvious truth or an obvious lie, Donald Trump will always tell the obvious lie.
But Trump is going to bring all those coal jobs back...So what's the problem. /s
Ironically, the people who Trump's policies are screwing over the most are some of his most enthusiastic supporters: blue collar workers in industrial states...coal miners...etc.
Great song, one of my favorites! This, too, is appropriate!
This makes me so angry. Kick them while they're down, why don't you, Trump?
Coal mining is pretty dead in the water. There's not much coal left, and they're all looking to Trump to bring the good coal times back. What should have happened is that the coal mines should have been required to build infrastructure-- that would have helped them all. As it is, there are a few fairly prosperous coal towns left, and they all have 4 lane bypasses around them. You can whiz on by the town, but to get from town to town, you're back on the narrow, winding, dangerous two lane roads...
Yes, these people voted for him, thinking it would help them. My God have pity on them, because they'll not get any help here under this administration!
Liberals don't get it conservatives want less from government not more. They want control of their earnings not government theft of their wages.
Accordingly then, are you saying that the Appalachian coal miners who voted for Trump and are now upset with this cut, are actually Liberals?
Yeah, they're liberal socialist takers. They dared to take a paycheck for working in the mines and not giving any of it to Dean. The only mistake the coal miners made was believing Trump's lies. They actually thought he was going to help them, but now that they need help, they've become worthless takers.