Mining coal is dirty and dangerous work, but pays well — a coal miner typically earns between $80,000 and $120,000 a year. Not bad for blue collar work not requiring a college degree. But even before environmental regulation came along, coal mining jobs were being eliminated by automation, starting decades ago. And then came fracking, and cheap natural gas, the real culprit behind the recent collapse of the coal industry. America used to get half its electricity from coal, now it’s a third, and still declining, because coal can’t compete with abundant and cheap natural gas. Sorry, ex-miners, but voting for Trump won’t change that; you’re fracked anway. Meanwhile, you helped inflict a racist leader on the rest of us, and we’re probably not going to forget that the next time you need something from us. Read story here.
