United Mine Workers of America President arrested while protesting Barack Obama’s energy policies
Last Thursday the President of the United Mine Workers of America, Cecil Roberts, and several others were arrested while protesting Barack Obama’s energy policies.
Of course it goes without saying but I will say it anyway; this union supported Barack Obama in his bid for the White House.
Here is more:
It’s unlikely that United Mine Workers of America president Cecil Roberts thought he would be arrested protesting the energy policies of the very politician his union supported in 2008. But things have come full circle for coal miners, who now see President Obama’s climate agenda threatening their livelihoods.
Roberts and other UMWA members were arrested Thursday marching through Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, towards the federal building the Environmental Protection Agency was holding field hearings for a new rule that could very well force more coal mines and plants to shut down.
Roberts was leading about 5,000 coal miners, their families and supporters to show the EPA that coal miners, boilermakers, electric workers and other unions did not support the Obama administration’s new regulations limiting carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants.
“This was an expression by the leadership of the union and the solidarity for our members when our jobs are on the line … it’s what it’s all about,” Roberts said while being arrested.
“We were willing to go to jail to show the government that this is a serious issue within our union and the jobs that it affects,” Caputo told the Register-Herald. “We painted a vivid picture of who this rule is going to affect.”
Of course Barack Obama is simply making good on a campaign promise because he promised to put the coal industry out of business when he was running for president. Cecil Roberts said they painted a “vivid picture” with this protest, well so did Barack Obama when he was running for president:
I would like to feel a sense of schadenfreude but the loss of jobs is nothing to take pleasure in even when it proves I was right, what I really feel is pissed off that these people did not listen to Barack Obama or those of us who warned people that this was going to happen–but we are just haters right Mister President?
Maybe they should have listened to what Barack Obama actually said rather than follow blindly what the union leaders told them. Sometimes you just have to learn the hard way, it is sad really…
America's Watchtower 
Reblogged this on Nevada State Personnel Watch.
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Thank you.
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This is a tough one. I’ve got a buddy in WV who won’t talk to me because he’s so committed to the coal industry. He’d be opposed to free power because it would put coal miners out of business, and he’s opposed to attempts to increase green power for that reason. The WV economy is heavily coal-dependent, and he’s not willing to entertain the idea that transforming the state’s economy is a necessity at this point.
It’s tough because of the necessity balancing the legitimate economic needs of a group of Americans against the legitimate environmental needs of the nation.
By the way, I note that West Virginia voted rather convincingly for Mr. Romney in 2012, so its members may have ignored their union’s leadership anyway and voted their pocketbooks.
I also find it interesting that the GOP has been very successful at persuading Dems to vote for Republican candidates for other than pocketbook issues. Will the party now be recommending a wholesale return to voting on pocketbook issues, or will that be true only for coal miners and the obscenely wealthy?
As always, take good care and may God bless us all!
TGY
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I am interested in what the GOP strategy will be as well, right now they don’t really have one. It seems they are just hoping Obama’s poll numbers stay down so that people will vote for them. Not much of a strategy in my opinion.
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Reblogged this on Dead Citizen's Rights Society.
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Thank you.
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Reblogged this on Freedom Is Just Another Word….
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Thank you.
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Cecil’s messiah finally keeps a campaign promise and the man protests. What did he expect when Barack promised to shut down the coal industry increased UMW membership?And why would he express solidarity for his union’s membership rather than the promise keeper in chief? Cecil you looked your gift horse in the mouth and he bit you in the ass.
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he probably thought this was campaign rhetoric, or perhaps he thought the Congress would never let Obama get away with this. He probably didn’t foresee Obama using the EPA to accomplish his goal.
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