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!”
Board of Peace demands Netanyahu cease Gaza airstrikes as Israel refuses to comply with peace plan
Denmark’s military conscription ‘expanded and strengthened’ as tensions mount with DC and Moscow
Growing Number of Conservatives Turn on DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin Over Soft ‘Immigration Reform’ Rhetoric
FIRST ON FOX: Trump to open direct line with military families in ground-up readiness push
Outrage over noncitizens allegedly voting in elections ignites probe into Garden State Dems
To Secure AG Job, Blanche Kills off Anti-Weaponization Fund Designed to Compensate Victims of Gov’t Witch Hunts, Like Most J6ers
Nancy Guthrie ransom notes release follows Unabomber ‘precedent’ that cracked case, expert says
SEE IT: Dashcam shows Florida trooper chasing alleged street takeover suspect at 140 mph
Chris ‘Fredo’ Cuomo Tries Playing Tough Guy for Anthony Fauci, Gets Nuked By Social Media
WNBA Head Coach Protests Sophie Cunningham with ‘Trans Kids’ Shirt During Game
Trump can declare Iran victory now and withdraw troops, former counterterror official argues
Races to watch in Michigan as establishment Democrats face off against challenges on their left flank
Top Trump ally warns super PAC bankrolled by Dem billionaire is meddling in his GOP primary
Trump v. Smithsonian: A timeline of how the White House fight over ‘woke’ history unfolded
First showdown in race for Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat puts GOP hopefuls to the test
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.
Board of Peace demands Netanyahu cease Gaza airstrikes as Israel refuses to comply with peace plan
Denmark’s military conscription ‘expanded and strengthened’ as tensions mount with DC and Moscow
Growing Number of Conservatives Turn on DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin Over Soft ‘Immigration Reform’ Rhetoric
FIRST ON FOX: Trump to open direct line with military families in ground-up readiness push
Outrage over noncitizens allegedly voting in elections ignites probe into Garden State Dems
To Secure AG Job, Blanche Kills off Anti-Weaponization Fund Designed to Compensate Victims of Gov’t Witch Hunts, Like Most J6ers
Nancy Guthrie ransom notes release follows Unabomber ‘precedent’ that cracked case, expert says
SEE IT: Dashcam shows Florida trooper chasing alleged street takeover suspect at 140 mph
Chris ‘Fredo’ Cuomo Tries Playing Tough Guy for Anthony Fauci, Gets Nuked By Social Media
WNBA Head Coach Protests Sophie Cunningham with ‘Trans Kids’ Shirt During Game
Trump can declare Iran victory now and withdraw troops, former counterterror official argues
Races to watch in Michigan as establishment Democrats face off against challenges on their left flank
Top Trump ally warns super PAC bankrolled by Dem billionaire is meddling in his GOP primary
Trump v. Smithsonian: A timeline of how the White House fight over ‘woke’ history unfolded
First showdown in race for Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat puts GOP hopefuls to the test
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.
