Editor,

Now that the dust has cleared from the election of 2008 it is now time to ask a question of some of our representatives at the local, state, and national levels. I am writing directly to the people of coal producing states.

So many of my representatives from my own state of West Virginia came out early in support of the Obama/Biden ticket that was heralding about the coming of "change." Well in the final days of the campaign the "change" was foretold and pending doom was on the horizon about the future of coal.

Biden let things slip when he told the woman about no more coal. Obama spoke of this earlier about bankrupting the coal power plants.

What more do you need to know? I am focusing on this one issue, not the mess on Wall Street or the 401Ks and such. Don't we as citizens of coal producing states realize how much we all receive from the coal industry? Talking about shooting ourselves in the foot! In these coal producing states do we not know what is connected to coal?

Case in point: I know of a man that was a coal miner, a retired miner at that, who was asked the day of the election who he voted for? His answer, Obama. After hearing this he was then asked, "Didn't you hear what he was going to do with coal power plants?" "Yeah, he said, "I am a Democrat first." With comments like that, I just don't get it in this day and time.

I appreciate what coal and coal miners have done for us. But I would really like to know what our political representatives think now. Why is no one now questioning our politicians at the local, state, and national levels about their thoughts and judgment on this one narrow subject? They are from coal producing states and should be held accountable for their endorsements and see how they now feel about seeing the coal industry on the verge of decline even more. Better still, what kind of fight are they going to wage when coal is attacked from the top of the government down through a one-sided congress ... God help us all!

Michael J. Honaker

Logan