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!”
Obama’s star power gets a reality check from Black voters in crucial Senate race: ‘It’s a turn-off’
Biden judge rejects Obama CIA chief’s legal bid against Trump over one key problem
Watch: Dem Nominee Troy Jackson Tells Sen. Susan Collins to ‘Shut Up’ as Heckler Causes Debate Chaos
Breaking: Katie Zacharia Out as White House Press Secretary
Black civic group blasts Talarico campaign over canceled event: ‘Deeply disappointed’
Americans back Trump’s decision against livestreaming Nidal Hasan’s firing squad execution
Where to Get American-Made Ivermectin at a Price You Can’t Beat
Fox News Co-Host Accuses Kimberly Guilfoyle of NSFW Behavior, Claims She Was Guided by ‘Unrelenting Narcissism’
Democrats call for gun control after Oregon school shooter reportedly uses shotgun purchased by his mother
Pro-Israel Democrats, once seemingly politically invincible, are on the defensive
Rising Trump administration pressure on Cuba divides Hill Democrats
Trump’s Capitol Hill whisperer reveals secrets to president’s dealmaking as he heads for exit
CBS News Hit With $20 Million Lawsuit for Report on Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Suspected Florida Publix slasher walked free from court months earlier despite victim warnings
‘Brothers’ is an appealing showcase for Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey
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.
Obama’s star power gets a reality check from Black voters in crucial Senate race: ‘It’s a turn-off’
Biden judge rejects Obama CIA chief’s legal bid against Trump over one key problem
Watch: Dem Nominee Troy Jackson Tells Sen. Susan Collins to ‘Shut Up’ as Heckler Causes Debate Chaos
Breaking: Katie Zacharia Out as White House Press Secretary
Black civic group blasts Talarico campaign over canceled event: ‘Deeply disappointed’
Americans back Trump’s decision against livestreaming Nidal Hasan’s firing squad execution
Where to Get American-Made Ivermectin at a Price You Can’t Beat
Fox News Co-Host Accuses Kimberly Guilfoyle of NSFW Behavior, Claims She Was Guided by ‘Unrelenting Narcissism’
Democrats call for gun control after Oregon school shooter reportedly uses shotgun purchased by his mother
Pro-Israel Democrats, once seemingly politically invincible, are on the defensive
Rising Trump administration pressure on Cuba divides Hill Democrats
Trump’s Capitol Hill whisperer reveals secrets to president’s dealmaking as he heads for exit
CBS News Hit With $20 Million Lawsuit for Report on Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Suspected Florida Publix slasher walked free from court months earlier despite victim warnings
‘Brothers’ is an appealing showcase for Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey
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.
