--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The coal industry in West Virginia, when…" description: "\"The coal industry in West Virginia, when it is down, people can't buy cars; people can't eat in restaurants. Everything suffers.\" — Richard Ojeda" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/richard-ojeda-8448_coal_the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when_2187788.jpg" --- # The coal industry in West Virginia, when it is down… ![“The coal industry in West Virginia, when it is down, people can't buy cars; people can't eat in restaurants. Everything suffers.” quote by Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/richard-ojeda-8448_coal_the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when_2187788.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/richard-ojeda-8448_coal_the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when_2187788.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/richard-ojeda-8448_coal_the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when_2187788.jpg) > “The coal industry in West Virginia, when it is down, people can't buy cars; people can't eat in restaurants. Everything suffers.” [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When the coal sector collapses, local economies suffer as workers lose income and spending drops across businesses. **In simple terms:** Coal shutdown hurts local economy. Key Takeaway Address economic diversification. Themes economy employment community industry policy Mood concerned urgent Type political economic When to use this quote - Local government planning - business strategy - social services - community advocacy Key Concepts Resource dependency regional development economic resilience Questions to Reflect On - What diversification steps can be taken? - How can communities support displaced workers? A Different Perspective Alternative industries may not replace lost wages quickly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [West virginia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west-virginia/) ## Related quotes > [But my family is connected to coal. There's hardly anybody in West Virginia that doesn't have a connection to the coal industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-jean-swearengin/but-my-family-is-connected-to-coal-there-s-hardly-anybody-in-west/) [Paula Jean Swearengin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-jean-swearengin/) > [The coal miners are working. But there's more than just coal miners in West Virginia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/the-coal-miners-are-working-but-there-s-more-than-just-coal-miners-in/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [There are really only two stories the coal industry tells: "Coal keeps the lights on, and by implication, you'll live in medieval, soul-shattering darkness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/there-are-really-only-two-stories-the-coal-industry-tells-coal-keeps/) [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/) > [I like coal. I'm going to make sure we can continue to burn clean coal. People in the coal industry feel like it's getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-like-coal-i-m-going-to-make-sure-we-can-continue-to-burn-clean-coal/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Entering 2015, the coal industry clearly continues to face significant challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/entering-2015-the-coal-industry-clearly-continues-to-face-significant/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Wind has the potential to produce many, many more jobs per kilowatt hour than coal. But the coal industry has tremendous political clout on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/wind-has-the-potential-to-produce-many-many-more-jobs-per-kilowatt/) [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/) > [I, for one - despite being a pretty solid climate hawk, I am extremely sympathetic to West Virginia and its coal-country needs. I lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/i-for-one-despite-being-a-pretty-solid-climate-hawk-i-am-extremely-2/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [It may be too late for West Virginia to save itself from the ravages of Big Coal. But it's not too late for America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/it-may-be-too-late-for-west-virginia-to-save-itself-from-the-ravages/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [Imposing excessive new regulations, or closing coal-fired power plants, would produce few health or environmental benefits. But it would exact huge costs on society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-driessen/imposing-excessive-new-regulations-or-closing-coal-fired-power-plants/) [Paul Driessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-driessen/) > [“I couldn’t describe the smells of West Virginia, even if I tried. It has something to do with the leaves composting in the woods,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-day-gilbert/i-couldn-t-describe-the-smells-of-west-virginia-even-if-i-tried-it/) [Heather Day Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-day-gilbert/) > [I, for one, despite being a pretty solid climate hawk, I am extremely sympathetic to West Virginia and its coal-country needs. I lived there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/i-for-one-despite-being-a-pretty-solid-climate-hawk-i-am-extremely/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [I was born here in West Virginia, though I spent a little time in North Carolina when my step-dad got laid off from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-jean-swearengin/i-was-born-here-in-west-virginia-though-i-spent-a-little-time-in/) [Paula Jean Swearengin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-jean-swearengin/) > [My father was in the coal business in West Virginia. Both dad and mother were, however, originally from Massachusetts; New England, to them, meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knowles/my-father-was-in-the-coal-business-in-west-virginia-both-dad-and/) [John Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knowles/) > [We have to stop letting people come in here and make millionaires and billionaires of themselves off of West Virginia while West Virginia remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/we-have-to-stop-letting-people-come-in-here-and-make-millionaires-and/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [If you look at Middle America and the reason why it's so red is because the Democratic Party cannot relate to them. They definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/if-you-look-at-middle-america-and-the-reason-why-it-s-so-red-is/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) ## More by Richard Ojeda > [I've got Republican people from all over that have contacted and said, 'Look, we're going to support you,' because I say what needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/i-ve-got-republican-people-from-all-over-that-have-contacted-and-said/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [Take care of your working-class citizens, and your working-class citizens will take care of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/take-care-of-your-working-class-citizens-and-your-working-class/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [I was raised here in Logan County, where I was blessed to be in a family that had over 200 years of United Mine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/i-was-raised-here-in-logan-county-where-i-was-blessed-to-be-in-a/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [Get rid of Betsy DeVos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/get-rid-of-betsy-devos/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [I hate the idea of telling a woman what to do with her body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/i-hate-the-idea-of-telling-a-woman-what-to-do-with-her-body/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [We must look for leaders who have exhibited a lifetime of service to their communities and have proven that their intention is to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/we-must-look-for-leaders-who-have-exhibited-a-lifetime-of-service-to/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [I spent 24 years in the United States Army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/i-spent-24-years-in-the-united-states-army/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [If I'm stone-cold crazy because I have a hard time going to sleep at night because we have kids that go to bed hungry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/if-i-m-stone-cold-crazy-because-i-have-a-hard-time-going-to-sleep-at/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [When I hear Ivanka Trump saying how she looks forward to working side by side with Gen. Kelly - a guy who's got 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/when-i-hear-ivanka-trump-saying-how-she-looks-forward-to-working-side/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [If you don't have a seat at the table, you're on the menu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/if-you-don-t-have-a-seat-at-the-table-you-re-on-the-menu/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [I'm trying to fight so that people can have better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/i-m-trying-to-fight-so-that-people-can-have-better/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [Unions have been under attack for quite some time, and I think a lot of the jobs that we need to create in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/unions-have-been-under-attack-for-quite-some-time-and-i-think-a-lot/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [I'm a stubborn individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/i-m-a-stubborn-individual/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [I'm nothing but a ball of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/i-m-nothing-but-a-ball-of-energy/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [If all we've got is the dirt poor and the filthy rich, the dirt poor would eat the filthy rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/if-all-we-ve-got-is-the-dirt-poor-and-the-filthy-rich-the-dirt-poor/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) [Explore all 80 Richard Ojeda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) ## More Coal quotes > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The only difference between black coal and a precious diamond is the amount of pressure it endured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/the-only-difference-between-black-coal-and-a-precious-diamond-is-the/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who were involved in the struggle knew why they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/in-that-sense-i-became-politicized-because-the-people-in-the-coal/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [Dusty, dark, cold, and hard, coal has no beauty of its own, but when it is consummated by fire it is beautiful and becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederica-mathewes-green/dusty-dark-cold-and-hard-coal-has-no-beauty-of-its-own-but-when-it-is/) [Frederica Mathewes-Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederica-mathewes-green/) > [a TEN-YEAR-OLD lad in Indianapolis who was arrested for picking up coal along the side of railroad tracks is now in jail. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-jones/a-ten-year-old-lad-in-indianapolis-who-was-arrested-for-picking-up/) Mother Jones > [Coal is the moral choice, particularly for the developing world... The model for the world right now should be Australia. Australia gets it. Scientifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-morano/coal-is-the-moral-choice-particularly-for-the-developing-world-the/) Marc Morano > [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I remember being very influenced by 'Taxi Driver', and also Tommy Lee Jones in 'Coal Miner's Daughter' a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rockwell/i-remember-being-very-influenced-by-taxi-driver-and-also-tommy-lee/) [Sam Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rockwell/) > [I have visited sweatshops, factories, and crowded slums. If I could not see it, I could smell it. The foundation of society is laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-have-visited-sweatshops-factories-and-crowded-slums-if-i-could-not/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Shakespeare doesn't belong to the past. If his material is valid, it is valid now. It's like coal. The only meaningfulness of a piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/shakespeare-doesn-t-belong-to-the-past-if-his-material-is-valid-it-is/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [Coal is My Worst Nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-chu/coal-is-my-worst-nightmare/) [Steven Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-chu/) > [America is the Saudi Arabia of coal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/america-is-the-saudi-arabia-of-coal/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“...those others - they're looking for trends - subjects to catch a spark - but I have you - a coal from God's altar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/those-others-they-re-looking-for-trends-subjects-to-catch-a-spark-but/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [We're not going to be living in a world of abundant coal power in a hundred years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/we-re-not-going-to-be-living-in-a-world-of-abundant-coal-power-in-a/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) Browse all 720 Coal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The coal industry in West Virginia, when it is down, people can't buy cars; people can't eat in restaurants. Everything suffers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Ojeda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when-it-is-down-people-can-t-buy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when-it-is-down-people-can-t-buy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/richard-ojeda-8448_coal_the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when_2187788.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/richard-ojeda-8448_coal_the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when_2187788.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/richard-ojeda-8448_coal_the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when_2187788.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The coal industry in West Virginia, when it is down, people can't buy cars; people can't eat in restaurants…” — Richard Ojeda", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Ojeda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The coal industry in West Virginia,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when-it-is-down-people-can-t-buy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/the-coal-industry-in-west-virginia-when-it-is-down-people-can-t-buy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```