Paul fuels ignorance on coal

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, in his May 3 commentary, seems to want to crank up Kentuckians’ voter participation by the old method of proclaiming that some thing or group in America, on Earth or in the known or unknown universe has it out for this state’s economy.

Paul seems to be reluctant to tell it straight up to folks in the coal mining regions that America and most of the world are capitalistic societies where price and cost matter because there is a bottom line. Today, coal is more expensive than gas, oil and nuclear.

Besides that, coal miners who have an Industrial Age nobility about them don’t want to see their kids and grandchildren working in coal, and they won’t be, because any mining that will be going on in 20 years will be automated.

Getting a good education is the best way up and out. Good jobs today almost need a master’s degree and that is not happening in Kentucky. There is a limit to how much the government can spend to keep a coal miner happy. Look at it this way: Coal replaced firewood; do you want to go back to firewood? No.

Paul should go to the back of the classroom.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 7:20 PM with the headline "Paul fuels ignorance on coal."