Gov. Extraction State wants meeting with President Obama

by: Carnacki

Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 08:41:30 AM EDT

On the one hand Extraction State Gov. Joe Manchin tells those with concerns about potential disasters from mountaintop removal and other coal mining practices to just trust the regulators and on the other hand he constantly rails against regulators trying to do their jobs. So when Manchin wants a "sit down" with President Obama to talk about West Virginia coal, shouldn't he at least read up on the studies about the positive and negative consequences of being an extraction state so he'll be fully prepared?

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Joe Manchin is angling for a sit-down with President Barack Obama over his administration's stance on climate change and its pursuit of cap-and-trade legislation.

Manchin told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his state has a role to play as the nation considers cutting energy sources that affect the climate.

snip

"Coal is going to be our primary provider of electricity for the next 30 years. That's the practical reality,'' Manchin said. "West Virginia is very much willing to be involved and play a responsible role.''

The word "responsible" is key. When I look at videos like this, I don't see how anyone can call the devastation wrought upon our state in the name of King Coal as "responsible."