Of the many things being revealed as a consequence of the mining tragedy in the Appalachians two things stand out. One, there are claims the local media would not report on mining violations, worker conditions and human rights violations related to the coal industry their readers are so dependent upon for a living. Two, there was a concerted effort on the part of the mining industry and Massey Energy to keep alternative employment industries out of the area thereby keeping the local workforce dependent and beholden to the coal mine to feed their families.
Unions that once looked out for miner safety are busted and workers threatened if they try to organize. Whistle blowers can kiss their jobs goodbye. So with no other jobs, no union and a media complicit in maintaining the status quo and ongoing misery, these miners and their families are literally slaves to the industry.
One of the reasons I am mentioning all this is that I heard of a couple of small but clean industries over the last couple of years that wanted to settle in Coos County and would have provided about 40 jobs between the two of them. Yesterday, I was told of yet another such industry, again small, but between just these three they would have brought as many jobs as ORC and without ‘fluffing’ already healthy and producing timber property.
In each case, I am told, SCDC and FONSI are alleged to have discouraged these companies from siting in Coos County, instead promoting dirty industries like LNG and strip mining. Until now, I couldn’t imagine any logical reason why that would be true, after all none of these industries would interfere with ORC or Jordan Cove, but after hearing these reports about the politics in West Virginia and controlling the work force, I am beginning to get a picture of what might be happening here.
My personal opinion is that if everyone was happily employed in work they loved and had the security of a roof over their heads and food on the table, no one in Coos County would want to see a dormant LNG facility sitting around the bay for twenty years waiting for a shipment or live with a strip mine operation in our designated coastal zone. Is it possible that SCDC and FONSI feel that way too?
Massey also donated heavily to politicians that supported deregulation of the industry. SCDC/FONSI is also very involved in local politics supporting what they consider to be pro-business candidates.
When I have some time to do the research and confirm what I have been told about SCDC/FONSI I will attempt to post the details here but to be fair I do believe they have been responsible for bringing about a couple of small local business ventures.
This video of Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy is very telling about how he views the common worker. Maybe we have this kind of thinking going on here as well.
Ed Schultz talks more about the mining violations and the consequences of no union support for these workers.
Did you all see Clarks’ “Editorial” today folks? The man has no professional ethics whatsoever. Shame on him, and the lemmings he employs. People too desperate to speak the truth to power, every damn one of them. I’m almost embarrased for them.
News my sorry old arse.
He’s not only not reporting news, he’s bitch-slapping every citizen who has questioned this project from day one.
My comment on Alexander Richs’ stenography skills regarding a study funded entirely by Bob Braddock to see if an LNG tanker will damage fish.
To Alexander Rich.
How many of these bogus reports do you have to copy before The Port of Coos Bay gives YOU a $60,000.00 job?
Looks like that’s the way it works here now. Not even trying to hide it.
Clark is obviously already on the payroll, in my opinion.
Essentially the media are making decisions on behalf of the people when they omit information or spin it. They are assuming they, the media, know best. They are assuming, we the reader, aren’t capable of making critical decisions. They think we are stupid.
This is not the role of ethical media and is counter to a healthy democracy and a healthy local economy.
Am part of a panel discussion today in Albany focusing on green job creation and sustainable local economies. One of the recurrent themes is the role media plays in perpetuating bad economic practices.
Deliberately thwarting alternative jobs is only possible with the complicity of media. One has to ask why contribute to the push for dirty jobs over clean jobs… as ‘deep throat’ famously said ‘follow the money’. There is a dark story here and I am grateful to have the help of fearless researchers to unearth a dark little secret.
Bingo! Disastrously stupid decisions hits the nail on the head. It’s all about disastrously stupid self interests.
Came across this earlier:
The survival of a democratic republic requires a well-informed electorate. A deliberately disinformed, propagandized electorate will support — as we have already seen, and continue to see — disastrously stupid decisions.
We have to get away from corporate-dominated news, this nation cannot continue to operate like this. It’s dangerous as hell.
Have now received emails of four other small businesses pushed away by the SCDC/FONSI crowd. That brings the total to seven beginning from about 1999 forward. This is a pervasive problem and not uncommon in economically depressed areas… keep the workforce desperate and they will agree to anything.
Generally there is a lot of palm greasing associated with this behavior including but not limited to corporate welfare and what is called ‘rent seeking behavior’ on the part of big companies coming in promising jobs!
Just based upon a cursory look at the SCDC, et al, track record, I say they need to go.
Sorry, I forgot to say, without a free,open, properly functioning press, it’s impossible to expose the truth. And we have none.
I thank you M for having the courage to post this. Those of us who deliberatly chose to move here, settle here, some raise our children here have a vested interest in seeing the area thrive. I’m catching heat at another blog as we speak for criticizing “their” beloved home place. I understand that. But at some point one HAS to look around and say, what the hell? You won’t find another coastal area along the West Coast that is languishing like this one is. I mean it, friends and family, to a person, of mine look around and ask me, what is wrong here? Why isn’t something going on? Anything? You do have to wonder don’t you? Millions and millions for unneeded, unused airports, pipelines,LNG ghost plants, railroads to no where. And schools are closing, and unemployment spirals in spite of all this taxpayer money. Why? And more than that, why are the people who ask so vilified?
SOMEONE WANTS THIS COUNTY TO STAY EXACTLY AS IT IS.In these situations, I always ask, “where’s the money going?”.
Bingo.