The perpetual disaster: President Obama is breaking hearts in Appalachia by virtually ignoring mountaintop removal coal mining, according to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Here in the Bluegrass, the Kentucky Resources Council agrees that while baby steps have been taken to curb the horrendous environmental and societal impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining, Obama is falling far short of what’s necessary. Read KRC Director Tom FitzGerald’s take here.
Kablammy won’t die: In a dramatic confirmation of the political theory of scaring the living shit out of people who don’t read much, requests for conceal and carry gun permits are skyrocketing amid fears the Obama administration — specifically Attorney General Eric Holder — plans to curb gun ownership rights. In other news, abortions are down amid news that the Obama administration is pro-choice — you know, as a last resort.
People like Trey Grayson: And they want him in politics. The Republican Secretary of State has raised more than $600,000 for a bid for U.S. Senate. That’s more than double what incumbent Sen. Jim Bunning pulled in the first quarter. Can you say soft coup?
Kentucky’s gettin’ weatherized: The U.S. Department of Energy announced $153 million in new funding for states’ new energy-efficiency programs, as well as $288 million for weatherization programs. Kentucky’s getting just over $49 million: $21 for the State Energy Program and $28.3 to make homes and businesses more energy efficient by keeping those drafty days to a minimum.
Oh, energy!: Manufacturers will lose big time under the Obama administration’s new climate change and energy initiative, passed last week by the House, according to this story in the Manufacturing and Technology E-Journal. On the other side of the theoretical fence, the president says it’ll lead to a boom in the efficiency sector of the economy (forgive me for that term, but what’s better?), which will begin hiring some of those unfortunate folks making our unemployment rates so high of late. Meanwhile, in the Bluegrass, LG&E says consumer and business costs for energy would jump pretty significantly by 2020. When do we stop complaining and accept the fact that we’re not getting lights and A/C and computers and all that without paying a true cost?