That’s certainly a “change” all right, but not the kind of change I particularly believe in. It’s also rather at odds with the president’s campaign statements. Like this one for example:
He said the country also needs a forward-thinking energy policy, and he alluded to his disapproval of the coal mining process of mountaintop removal.
“We’re tearing up the Appalachian Mountains because of our dependence on fossil fuels,” he said, sparking loud applause.
Obama also said this at the same event:
When Appalachian Voices asked Senator Obama about MTR, and whether he supported or opposed strip mining, he (Obama) said:
“Strip-mining is an environmental disaster!”
The telegenic Presidential hopeful did not stop there. He went on to adress mountatintop removal by saying:
“We have to find more environmentally sound ways of mining coal, than simply blowing the tops off mountains.”
So let’s see: we have the backtrack on FISA; we have the stalling on DADT; we have the new-improved-changey-hopey Military Commissions (“now with less kangaroo!”); the pointless attempts to hide torture photos… have I missed anything?
And now we have more mountaintop removal, which not only destroys the appalachians, but destroys the working class and largely poor communities that live in the mountain hollers; pollutes rivers and streams; and fills in valleys with toxic sludge.
“Daddy won’t you take me back to Muhlenberg county/ down by the Green River where Paradise lay/ I’m sorry my son, but you’re too late in asking/ Mr. Obama’s EPA coal train just hauled it away.”
Not rockin’ President Obama lately. And this smacks of backlash against a region that, in general, didn’t vote for him.
The appearance, never mind the action itself, is ugly.
