Thank you for writing about this. My father’s family are from there and my cousin lost his home in Jenkins, KY in Letcher County and others with extensive damage. I know the Whitesburg, Hazard, Jenkins and Pikeville area well. It is a perfect storm the combined results from strip mining and mountaintop removal mining with climate change that is responsible for the severity of the floods. These are proud and hardworking people who have been and continue to be the victims of the coal industry. Here is a link to a wonderful WAPO article detailing the damage done by strip mining and mountaintop removal mining and the reforestation efforts going on. Nothing will change politically. No one really cares about poor people and never will. By the time it affects the rich, it will be too late.
Thanks for this--and the link. It's really terrible. The one thing I would say is that Andy Beshear, the governor, seems to be working around the clock to help people, and you have got to wonder why a state that elected. Democratic governor could not find a Democrat to effectively challenge Rand Paul. Or an Evan McMullin type.
Although Beshear had a significant level of popularity prior to the election, I agree with those who believe it was more a vote against Bevin. I do believe in tipping points, and in my heart I am hoping Booker is poised on the cusp of one. The problem with that is you just can't predict them. Booker is laying an impressive foundation and these kinds of changes happen at a glacial pace. As you already know, It is important to lay the ground and make the run even if you know you won't win this time. Booker appears to be more successful than others in building coalitions out of factions whose divisions are fomented by those in power. Also important is a candidate who understands the culture of poverty and the learned helplessness to which people in poverty are habituated. It is this last point that has me baffled by JD Vance and his betrayal of the people he purports to help.
JD Vance is literally an empty suit, who is transitioning poorly from the primary season. He appears to know almost nothing he needs to know to campaign in a general election.
Agreed. I would love to meet with JD for a conversation about our shared experiences in Appalachia and the midwest and our successes outside of them. I want to know how he can so easily betray the poor and working class.
Forgot to add that I believe Rand Paul will not be unseated by any moderate dem or independent so the best we have is to let Booker till the ground and hope that we still have a democracy by the time the crop comes in.
Thank you for writing about this. My father’s family are from there and my cousin lost his home in Jenkins, KY in Letcher County and others with extensive damage. I know the Whitesburg, Hazard, Jenkins and Pikeville area well. It is a perfect storm the combined results from strip mining and mountaintop removal mining with climate change that is responsible for the severity of the floods. These are proud and hardworking people who have been and continue to be the victims of the coal industry. Here is a link to a wonderful WAPO article detailing the damage done by strip mining and mountaintop removal mining and the reforestation efforts going on. Nothing will change politically. No one really cares about poor people and never will. By the time it affects the rich, it will be too late.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/lifestyle/magazine/appalachia-kentucky-reforestation/
Thanks for this--and the link. It's really terrible. The one thing I would say is that Andy Beshear, the governor, seems to be working around the clock to help people, and you have got to wonder why a state that elected. Democratic governor could not find a Democrat to effectively challenge Rand Paul. Or an Evan McMullin type.
Although Beshear had a significant level of popularity prior to the election, I agree with those who believe it was more a vote against Bevin. I do believe in tipping points, and in my heart I am hoping Booker is poised on the cusp of one. The problem with that is you just can't predict them. Booker is laying an impressive foundation and these kinds of changes happen at a glacial pace. As you already know, It is important to lay the ground and make the run even if you know you won't win this time. Booker appears to be more successful than others in building coalitions out of factions whose divisions are fomented by those in power. Also important is a candidate who understands the culture of poverty and the learned helplessness to which people in poverty are habituated. It is this last point that has me baffled by JD Vance and his betrayal of the people he purports to help.
JD Vance is literally an empty suit, who is transitioning poorly from the primary season. He appears to know almost nothing he needs to know to campaign in a general election.
Agreed. I would love to meet with JD for a conversation about our shared experiences in Appalachia and the midwest and our successes outside of them. I want to know how he can so easily betray the poor and working class.
Forgot to add that I believe Rand Paul will not be unseated by any moderate dem or independent so the best we have is to let Booker till the ground and hope that we still have a democracy by the time the crop comes in.