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The nation’s response to tragedies such as Number 9 had always been the same: prayers, an outpouring of sympathy for the widows and children, toothless coal-mining safety legislation, and a return to the collective amnesia that allowed things in the mines to go on as they always had.

This is very similar to what happens after gun deaths.

Tragic story. My grandpa and uncles from my mother's side were all coal miners. None of them lived a long life, in fact my grandpa died with just 60 years and one uncle with 55.

This is what Trump wants to reopen, bargaining votes from depressed regions and bringing death. Not just for these poor people. But for the rest of the world that will have to endure more coal.

A radical solution needs to be put in place instead. These are some of the strongest and most resilient people in the world. They can learn any job and they just want work. But there needs to be a viable alternative.

Stop trading lives for votes.

Last I checked, no radical solution is needed. Fracked natural gas is quickly eroding coal demand. Wind and solar have contributed, but not as much. Despite lighter regulations, coal isn't rebounding.[0]

> These are some of the strongest and most resilient people in the world. They can learn any job and they just want work.

You hit the nail on the head there. Most miners don't have any particular allegiance to coal. They just want a good job to support their families.

[0] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/us/politics/trump-coal-in...

What you're suggesting isn't even radical. It's more or less capitalism - if coal would weaken without government intervention, perhaps it should.

Instead, what we're seeing is socialism being enjoyed by the people who own coal companies, but rugged individualism for the miners.