6 WV counties now in "great depression"

[andy4theherd]

http://wvmetronews.com/2016/08/29/w...-in-great-depression-at-senate-field-hearing/


Deskins said six counties in West Virginia are currently undergoing a “great depression” of their own due to enormous job losses.

“Boone County, for example, had 55 percent of it’s jobs in coal before recent events,” he said. “Now Boone has lost around 70 percent of it’s coal jobs. Very, very difficult time for the community.”

Now, fewer than 20 percent of the jobs in Boone County are coal jobs.

“That’s startling in and of itself,” Capito said. “And we see that.”

Deskins also included McDowell, Wyoming, Mingo, Clay, and Logan as part of the “great depression” counties.

“Those job losses, those output losses, have been heavily concentrated in southern West Virginia and especially in six counties,” Deskins said. “We have six counties that have lost between 25 percent and 33 percent of their jobs just over the last few years.”

maybe Dtard should visit and tell them about how well the economy is doing...

 

[raleighherdfan]

Obama (Clinton) success!!!

 

[herdit44]

http://wvmetronews.com/2016/08/29/w...-in-great-depression-at-senate-field-hearing/


Deskins said six counties in West Virginia are currently undergoing a “great depression” of their own due to enormous job losses.

“Boone County, for example, had 55 percent of it’s jobs in coal before recent events,” he said. “Now Boone has lost around 70 percent of it’s coal jobs. Very, very difficult time for the community.”

Now, fewer than 20 percent of the jobs in Boone County are coal jobs.

“That’s startling in and of itself,” Capito said. “And we see that.”

Deskins also included McDowell, Wyoming, Mingo, Clay, and Logan as part of the “great depression” counties.

“Those job losses, those output losses, have been heavily concentrated in southern West Virginia and especially in six counties,” Deskins said. “We have six counties that have lost between 25 percent and 33 percent of their jobs just over the last few years.”

maybe Dtard should visit and tell them about how well the economy is doing...

how do you fix it though? i mean during jfk's campaign through wv almost 60 years ago, it was talked about how these counties, mcdowell in particular, were the poorest in the country.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

how do you fix it though? i mean during jfk's campaign through wv almost 60 years ago, it was talked about how these counties, mcdowell in particular, were the poorest in the country.

You do something radical. You can re-train the miners to code or do other tasks, but until there is industry there to support them it's worthless.

The area has been poor for generations.

You do radical things like legalize pot and go ALL IN on it, building marijuana horticulture programs and farms down there. You put in some huge nuclear power plant or nuclear waste site or some other project where no other area wants it due to NIMBY phenomenon. You realize you're in a position where things will only get worse, so you accept "risky" non-coal endavors to try to stem the tide.

Even with a coal-friendly political environment, those places are not coming back to that level of employment unless radical change happens.

 

[herdit44]

You do something radical. You can re-train the miners to code or do other tasks, but until there is industry there to support them it's worthless.

The area has been poor for generations.

You do radical things like legalize pot and go ALL IN on it, building marijuana horticulture programs and farms down there. You put in some huge nuclear power plant or nuclear waste site or some other project where no other area wants it due to NIMBY phenomenon. You realize you're in a position where things will only get worse, so you accept "risky" non-coal endavors to try to stem the tide.

Even with a coal-friendly political environment, those places are not coming back to that level of employment unless radical change happens.

i agree with you 100%, just too many people don't see it that way.

 

[GeauxHerd]

I say legalize pot and cash in down there. Its good growing zones

 

[-CarlHungus-]

I say legalize pot and cash in down there. Its good growing zones

It seems so obvious and this is the one time in recent history that something even semi-viable seems possible for that region...but it's not happening that I can tell.

In classic WV fashion we'll just wait until Ohio or KY legalize it and get a head start on it then we'll want it.

They've got a huge unemployed labor force down there ready to work for pennies on the dollar as compared to other parts of the country. I know nothing about growing (or smoking pot) but people online suggest the climate is good for growing the stuff.

 

[extragreen]

You do something radical. You can re-train the miners to code or do other tasks, but until there is industry there to support them it's worthless.

The area has been poor for generations.

You do radical things like legalize pot and go ALL IN on it, building marijuana horticulture programs and farms down there. You put in some huge nuclear power plant or nuclear waste site or some other project where no other area wants it due to NIMBY phenomenon. You realize you're in a position where things will only get worse, so you accept "risky" non-coal endavors to try to stem the tide.

Even with a coal-friendly political environment, those places are not coming back to that level of employment unless radical change happens.

Omit the NIMBY stuff, and I'm with you on this.

 

[extragreen]

It seems so obvious and this is the one time in recent history that something even semi-viable seems possible for that region...but it's not happening that I can tell.

In classic WV fashion we'll just wait until Ohio or KY legalize it and get a head start on it then we'll want it.

They've got a huge unemployed labor force down there ready to work for pennies on the dollar as compared to other parts of the country. I know nothing about growing (or smoking pot) but people online suggest the climate is good for growing the stuff.

The number of marijuana plants destroyed in West Virginia ranged from 40,149 in 1998 to more than 189,000 in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The West Virginia State Police place a value of $2,000 on every plant, which means that the marijuana destroyed in 2012 had a “street value” of $378 million.

http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1501

 

[i am herdman]

The best thing is for the people that live there is to get out. Regardless of pot legalization or not. Pot legalization is just a temporary band aide.

There honestly is no economic viability for all those people living in some of those places anymore.

 

[extragreen]

The best thing is for the people that live there is to get out. Regardless of pot legalization or not. Pot legalization is just a temporary band aide.

There honestly is no economic viability for all those people living in some of those places anymore.

Marajuana legalization in WV would not be a band aid, it would be comparable to a full body cast. If the total taxes were 12%, the amount of tax revenue on what was confiscated would be over $45 million per year.

 

[Rock98Dog]

The $45MM is a fraction of the welfare given to the residents of those counties and a fraction of the coal excise tax they are used to getting to run the schools and local government.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

Simple legalization absolutely would be a band aid. I agree with that.

I'm talking full scale endorsed by the state and WVU/Marshall horticulture and production services. Eventually the pharmaceutical companies will start wanting in on the market when more states legalize it. If WV has the infrastructure set up to handle huge demand when Pfizer or whomever starts selling it or streamlining it then they will be ready to bid on projects that call for mass production of the stuff.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

I'm talking about the state legalizing it then making their own brand of reefer. Make it a WV state pride thing, like we make the best marijuana or whatever.

If you don't want it to be state run then make it hospitable to independent investors who want a pot business friendly environment where permits, etc can go quickly through so you can set up your own marijuana fields.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

It is wilderness that was never meant to support large numbers of people. Without coal hardly anyone would have lived there. This area was poor when I moved to WV in 1987 and it is still poor. It is going to remain that way no matter what politicians do.

 

[GreenDuke]

WV has been in recession (some areas depression) since June 20th,1863.

 

[i am herdman]

Marajuana legalization in WV would not be a band aid, it would be comparable to a full body cast. If the total taxes were 12%, the amount of tax revenue on what was confiscated would be over $45 million per year.

45 million is not jack crap.

 

[i am herdman]

You all forget pot is still illegal on the federal level. WV can legalize but it can't be used in interstate commerce.

So....

 

[andy4theherd]

think of all the money Mylan and the like would lose if people could grow a plant in their backyard instead of popping pills for all their ailments...

until the pro-Big Pharma boys are run out of the state capital it won't happen.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

You all forget pot is still illegal on the federal level. WV can legalize but it can't be used in interstate commerce.

So....

You're right, but it may not always be this way.

 

[Walden Pond]

The cat's not sick. It's dead.

Just like Creed's cat. On the night that it died for the second time. You want some advice my friend, you get in your car and YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF THAT TOWN!!!

 

[raleighherdfan]

think of all the money Mylan and the like would lose if people could grow a plant in their backyard instead of popping pills for all their ailments...

until the pro-Big Pharma boys are run out of the state capital it won't happen.

so your suggestion would be to put a few more actual tax payers out of work so an already out of work, non productive person can grow a pot plant?

In theory the inclination to "run out" Big (insert any politically disliked business sector here) evil business sounds justified......until you start to intellectually consider the average, individual lives tied to that business (that don't happen to be CEOs) who depend on that business for their own family's sustainment.