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!”
Trump calls Nobel committee’s decision an ‘indelible stain’ on Norway: ‘A disgraceful and embarrassing decision’
Trump rallies New York crowd for Republican Bruce Blakeman’s bid to replace Gov. Kathy Hochul
Multiple College Football Games Rescheduled as Hurricane Isaias Approaches
James Talarico resurfaces after extended absence as his campaign pushes back
Scottish School Rebrands Christmas Cards to ‘Winter Cards’ Citing ‘Inclusivity’ Concerns
Louisiana Doc Arrested for Allegedly Watching, Refusing to Help Drowning Child for at Least 5 Minutes Straight
Graphic: Bloodied TV Star Says Hollywood Is ‘Not Safe’ After He’s Robbed and Beaten
Obama the Slave Driver: Workers at Presidential Library Unionizing as Wages Frozen, Time Off Cut, and Health Care Costs Rise
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin Reveals the Truth About Illegal Alien Shot by ICE in NYC, Points Finger at Mamdani and Hochul
DeSantis presses reluctant Floridians for swift evacuations as Hurricane Isaias strengthens
‘Trans girls need guns’: Terrorism inquiry puts supporter of leftist gun community behind bars
Texas think tank accuses Houston parent coalition of using ‘socialist’ tactics to push radical agenda
‘SNL’ writer’s missing sister case leads homicide detectives to Joshua Tree months after family’s murder claim
Culture clash laid bare as violent Somali gangs grip suburban communities: ‘These kids are different’
Letitia James stumped by debate question while GOP rival delivers ‘zinger for the ages’
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.
Trump calls Nobel committee’s decision an ‘indelible stain’ on Norway: ‘A disgraceful and embarrassing decision’
Trump rallies New York crowd for Republican Bruce Blakeman’s bid to replace Gov. Kathy Hochul
Multiple College Football Games Rescheduled as Hurricane Isaias Approaches
James Talarico resurfaces after extended absence as his campaign pushes back
Scottish School Rebrands Christmas Cards to ‘Winter Cards’ Citing ‘Inclusivity’ Concerns
Louisiana Doc Arrested for Allegedly Watching, Refusing to Help Drowning Child for at Least 5 Minutes Straight
Graphic: Bloodied TV Star Says Hollywood Is ‘Not Safe’ After He’s Robbed and Beaten
Obama the Slave Driver: Workers at Presidential Library Unionizing as Wages Frozen, Time Off Cut, and Health Care Costs Rise
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin Reveals the Truth About Illegal Alien Shot by ICE in NYC, Points Finger at Mamdani and Hochul
DeSantis presses reluctant Floridians for swift evacuations as Hurricane Isaias strengthens
‘Trans girls need guns’: Terrorism inquiry puts supporter of leftist gun community behind bars
Texas think tank accuses Houston parent coalition of using ‘socialist’ tactics to push radical agenda
‘SNL’ writer’s missing sister case leads homicide detectives to Joshua Tree months after family’s murder claim
Culture clash laid bare as violent Somali gangs grip suburban communities: ‘These kids are different’
Letitia James stumped by debate question while GOP rival delivers ‘zinger for the ages’
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.
