For all the bluster from "conservatives" (they aren't when you look at how much money they spend & how tax cuts for people making millions per year are more important than balancing the budget) about pushing coal the actual facts are clearly going the other way. Red states like Texas, Kansas and Wyoming have a growing percentage of their energy needs coming from solar and wind. Drive the interstate through Wyoming and its especially obvious. Fracking means more oil production which has mean more natural gas which is far cheaper than coal. In 10-15 years I'll bet solar and wind will provide more energy than natural gas. Nat gas, solar and wind are cheaper than coal. What's wrong with consumers paying less for energy?  Heck, even the coal museum in Kentucky recently converted to solar! For people who say they care about coal miners they'd be better off encouraging manufacturing of solar, wind and batteries (electric cars) in former coal areas than saying they're bringing back coal jobs.