Diane Sawyer report on Appalachian Poverty (Louisville, Pikeville: lower-class, renting, income tax)

[timelesschild]

Originally Posted by Coach_B

where did you get that info? Usually the populations with the highest level of education in the US are democrats.

That's been a really successful propaganda campaign, hasn't it? Too bad it isn't true.

[nawog]

Back to the topic.

Even though you might be afraid the report damages KY's education, don't you think it will be worth it if it helps the children? I read somewhere Sawyer did a similar story on children in poverty in PA and they benefited.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by Coach_B

where did you get that info? Usually the populations with the highest level of education in the US are democrats.

Come on down to Houston and I will be glad to prove you wrong on that one!!!!!!! I'd be glad to take you to Obama land here....

[timelesschild]

Originally Posted by Davart

You are not going to do that until the people of the reagion have something greater to shoot for than working at a box store, fast food joint or the mines, the areas needs industry, all areas of Kentucky needs industry and until industry can stay in this country and actually make a profit. (i.e. lower corporate taxes and left industry killing regulations) the situation of poor areas, not just in Kentucky but nation wide will remain.

Portions of the government have killed the middle class dream by running quality jobs out of the country. You either need the money to become a Dr or lawyer or learn to say "you want fries with that?" that it pretty much your choices in many areas.

I know what you're saying, Dave, HOWEVER.....The actual residents of an area (any area) need to get busy and make things happen, NOT wait until some factory feels like moving in.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by timelesschild

That's been a really successful propaganda campaign, hasn't it? Too bad it isn't true.

It's a waste of time, they have all been brain washed...

[nawog]

Originally Posted by Houston3

It's a waste of time, they have all been brain washed...

by Limbaugh? Hannity? MSNBC? Hollywood? The Pope? Ted Haggard? Santa Claus? Obama? Todd Palin? Lizard People?

[Miss Blue]

Originally Posted by Blue Grass Fever

Does your grandson work in a union coal mine? If so, he's lucky....

The trend nowadays, especially around Cumberland, Benham and Lynch is coal companies are starting "sister co.'s" and paying coal miners 14 dollars an hour with little or no benefits and a high turn-over rate to boot doesn't help with safety matters either.

No, he does not work for a Union mine..The coal companies now days provide more than the Union can or cares to negotiate for..I am not trashing the Unions by any means..My fil was an organizer for the UMWA for many years in this County and over the State line in Va..That was years ago, when there were many small independent mines and before the MSHA safety laws came into being..When we first got married (1961) we spent about a year in this area and I spent time on picket lines for my FIL and on behalf of other family and friends...Some of the big Company's do lease some of their coal to other operators, but I don't think they have anything to do with the running of the mine beyond that... in most cases..
Some do not understand that the safety laws are enforced by MSHA with help from the Unions , the miners and others..Those safety laws are strictly enforced and upgraded almost every time there is an accident and most certainly after a fatality..A mine foreman can spend a lot of time in prison for not following standard safety laws, for filing false reports or for demanding someone venture beyond the last line of roof support...

[censusdata]

It most American cities the middle and upper class suburbs go Republican by a large margin, the inner city minority and white granola areas go Democrat.

[timelesschild]

Originally Posted by censusdata

It most American cities the middle and upper class suburbs go Republican by a large margin, the inner city minority and white granola areas go Democrat.

Thanks census, that is a much fairer (and more accurate) representation.

I think there are good people in both parties - when people claim that all the intelligence (or education or virtue) belongs to a single party, it comes across as ridiculous.

[nawog]

Originally Posted by Miss Blue

No, he does not work for a Union mine..The coal companies now days provide more than the Union can or cares to negotiate for..I am not trashing the Unions by any means..My fil was an organizer for the UMWA for many years in this County and over the State line in Va..That was years ago, when there were many small independent mines and before the MSHA safety laws came into being..When we first got married (1961) we spent about a year in this area and I spent time on picket lines for my FIL and on behalf of other family and friends...Some of the big Company's do lease some of their coal to other operators, but I don't think they have anything to do with the running of the mine beyond that... in most cases..
Some do not understand that the safety laws are enforced by MSHA with help from the Unions , the miners and others..Those safety laws are strictly enforced and upgraded almost every time there is an accident and most certainly after a fatality..A mine foreman can spend a lot of time in prison for not following standard safety laws, for filing false reports or for demanding someone venture beyond the last line of roof support...

Thanks for the info!

I was wondering about the health of the mine workers when Sawyer brought it up. Nobody seemed to answer. The young miner who ate junk food, drank soda and and smoked while suffering from GERD wasn't exactly a good representative of suffering problems due to working in the mine.