Former Vice President Joe Biden urged displaced coal miners to take up coding and computer programming on Monday during a campaign swing through New Hampshire.
Biden, who recently claimed that blue-collar job losses should not stand in the way of a greener economy, made the comment while discussing his plans for expanding “jobs of the future” if elected in 2020. The former vice president, in particular, suggested retraining programs were the key for workers in industries hardest hit by globalization and increased environmental regulations, especially those in the coal mines of Appalachia.
“Anybody who can go down 3,000 feet in a mine can sure as hell learn to program as well,” Biden told an audience in Derry, New Hampshire. “Anybody who can throw coal into a furnace can learn how to program, for God’s sake!”
Military reveals just how much turkey shipped globally to ensure American troops enjoy Thanksgiving meal
Ex-FBI special agent explains Afghan vetting failures in wake of National Guard ambush: ‘Ticking time bomb’
Colombian president claims Trump’s Venezuela fight is ‘about oil’ instead of drugs
Biden administration’s Afghan refugee vetting vows resurface after DC attack: ‘Care to circle back?’
Liberal Women Role Play as Illegals, Teach Volunteers How to Impede ICE
Bill Maher Calls Out Liberals Who Are Angry with Trump-Voting Relatives Just in Time for Thanksgiving
France announces new military service program to address Russian threat to Europe
Shifting Thanksgiving traditions reflect broader political, economic and cultural divides
Why Thanksgiving Is the One American Holiday the Left Can’t Stand
Days Before National Guardsmen Shot, Dem Senator Said Troops Deployed in Cities May Soon Fire on Civilians
Who is the DC National Guardsmen shooting suspect? What to know about Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal
Trump admin set to let protected status for 350,000 Haitian migrants expire in February
Parents Sue District After School Forced Daughter to Share Bed with ‘Trans’ Male Student on Trip
How the White House turkey pardon became an American tradition
California Democrats push pet projects despite $12 billion deficit blamed on Trump
The former vice president’s comments come only weeks after he pledged at the sixth Democrat primary debate to “sacrifice” economic growth and potentially “displace thousands or hundreds of thousands of blue-collar workers” in the interests of a “greener economy.”
“The answer is yes because the opportunity for those workers to transition to high paying jobs is real,” Biden told the audience.
Regardless of the former vice president’s claim, job retraining and other transitionary programs for displaced workers have mostly failed to live up to their promise. Retraining programs are often a poor fit for blue-collar workers, an overwhelming majority of whom tend to be older and lack a college education, in terms of skill set and technological literacy. Even more troubling is that the jobs eligible for retraining often are either in short supply in areas hardest hit by globalization and automation, or pay significantly less than those initially displaced.
For instance, the average pay a coal miner can expect to make, under a contract negotiated by the United Mine Workers of America union, “comes out to at least $61,650 a year, and closer to $85,000 a year with overtime.” This does not include healthcare, pension, and other benefits usually offered by such jobs. Meanwhile, the jobs available after workforce retraining generally tend to be lower-paid hourly wage positions.
Military reveals just how much turkey shipped globally to ensure American troops enjoy Thanksgiving meal
Ex-FBI special agent explains Afghan vetting failures in wake of National Guard ambush: ‘Ticking time bomb’
Colombian president claims Trump’s Venezuela fight is ‘about oil’ instead of drugs
Biden administration’s Afghan refugee vetting vows resurface after DC attack: ‘Care to circle back?’
Liberal Women Role Play as Illegals, Teach Volunteers How to Impede ICE
Bill Maher Calls Out Liberals Who Are Angry with Trump-Voting Relatives Just in Time for Thanksgiving
France announces new military service program to address Russian threat to Europe
Shifting Thanksgiving traditions reflect broader political, economic and cultural divides
Why Thanksgiving Is the One American Holiday the Left Can’t Stand
Days Before National Guardsmen Shot, Dem Senator Said Troops Deployed in Cities May Soon Fire on Civilians
Who is the DC National Guardsmen shooting suspect? What to know about Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal
Trump admin set to let protected status for 350,000 Haitian migrants expire in February
Parents Sue District After School Forced Daughter to Share Bed with ‘Trans’ Male Student on Trip
How the White House turkey pardon became an American tradition
California Democrats push pet projects despite $12 billion deficit blamed on Trump
Biden, himself, should be aware of such circumstances. A study measuring the impact of retraining programs, both existing ones and those began under the Obama administration, found that while they helped enrollees find work faster, there was little proof such programs led individuals to jobs of equal or higher wage to those they lost.
Despite such evidence, Biden has not only continued touting the idea of job retraining, but has also promised to ban energy sources such as coal, fracking, and other fossil fuels if elected president—to the detriment of millions of workers in those fields.
Story cited here.
