Elections Have Consequences (Coal Ash)

Back in 2014 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
sought a vote on his "saving coal jobs act"

He was immediately blocked by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) on behalf of Senate Democrats.

Now that Mitch and the Republicans control the Senate expect him to reintroduce this legislation once again. With that in mind I present the following video for your consideration."This new mini-documentary from Legal Progress showcases the real human impact of special interest money infiltrating judicial elections by featuring one North Carolina family’s story of how coal ash pollution has poisoned their community.

Since state and federal governments have failed to regulate coal ash as a hazardous waste, citizens’ only recourse to address the catastrophic environmental and health damages caused by the pollution is the judiciary. As detailed in a recent CAP report, however, there is a troubling correlation between North Carolina Supreme Court rulings and the success rates of firms that donate big to judicial candidates following the repeal of the state’s public financing system.

This raises concerns about corporate influence in judicial races – including corporate polluters like Duke Energy, which currently has billions of dollars at stake in North Carolina courts over its responsibility to keep toxic coal ash out of the state’s drinking water."
I think it's rather obvious how I feel about fossil fuels when alternatives are readily available. While Europe is going the other way we have now elected officials who most likely will sponsor and create a further dependency on fossil fuels and the corporations that profit from them. Thus, in my opinion, leaving the United States behind from where future energy technology is headed.

If the United States is to remain a world leader in technology we can't afford to be held back by political laws and policies aimed at supporting wall street profits for some well connected corporations. If we don't stay ahead of the curve other countries will step in that will. If this was how we went about our business here in the United States in the past we'd all still be riding horses and buggies & shoveling coal. Either we move on or be left behind.

I'm not sure that's what voters had in mind, but that's what they're going to get if McConnell gets his way on this issue.