Coal's Newest Push

Whereas coal is a high-funded lobby, and other alternative fuels (which truly are environmentally friendly) have nary a penny to spare on politicians' campaigns, you see this feeding-frenzy on Capitol Hill.

The article plays balance very well, pitting coal-backed dollar-sign glazed looks, that sound CHA-CHING with every blink, studies against academic studies over the costs of handing the coal-industry a gift-bag of billions. Take a look at what is driving this political process:

One of the most vociferous champions of coal-to-liquid fuels is the Southern States Energy Board, a group organized by governors from 16 states. Last year, the group published a study, which cost $500,000, that concluded that coal-to-liquid fuel could and should replace almost one-third of imported oil by 2030.

As it happens, the coal industry supplied much of the financing for the study and subsequent marketing. Peabody Energy contributed about $150,000 and the National Mining Association added $50,000, officials at the Southern States Energy Board said.

The inducements under discussion would not only subsidize up to 10 coal-to-liquid plants, but also guarantee a minimum market through long-term contracts with the Air Force and minimum prices for at least some producers.

The push is to give coal companies billions of dollars so that they can use a highly expensive process that also mentioned in the article itself, it still produces more carbon emissions as regular diesel.

The process itself is called the Fischer-Tropsch which makes synthetic diesel from coal. It is a great process for countries who are fighting a major war and does not have access to oil or are isolated countries from the international community. But America is neither of these, and this energy independence plan is supposed to be the plan for America to finally move away from carbon-producing energy.

But this all this money is being given away for the coal-capitalists, capitalizing on a corrupted political system and lack of competition in lobbying rather than ideas. Classic American Capitalism. This is not a long-term solution for America, but as long as the dollar-signs glitter as gold, you'll have a salesman saying they have exactly what you need. Of course with the dollar signs, Washington politicians, tongues-wagging, will be eager to shore up campaign coffers and make sure that the right groups at home know who is "creating" their short-term well-being.

And for people in West Virginia, we face the same dynamic of years past. Rep. Nick Joe Rahall, a big underwriter for this true exercise in governmental waste, is pushing strenuously for big coal's big give-away. Big Coal operators will get their money fromt the Federal Government, we might see an uptick in the economy for WV. Then the economy moves on as the expense in capital and environmental, West Virginians are left with a newly abandoned coal-fields, polluted streams and flatter mountains. Exactly what we need.