So, how do we fix West Virginia?

So, how do we fix West Virginia?

Trump talks up bringing back coal, but the free market dictates that natural gas will out-compete it at every turn. Hell, even some of the renewable energy sources are starting to get more economical. And as for bringing back jobs, I can imagine his policies slowing down the rate of job-loss from offshoring, but I can't imagine it reversing the rate so hard that West Virginia's economy actually rebounds from it.

So, do we transform West Virginia's economy into some kind of finance-industry-focused place with low taxes and favourable laws? Increase government jobs? Infrastructure spending? Regear the state into an agricultural economy that grows foods and manufactures foodstuffs?

Put sterilizing chemicals in their water supply, then turn the entire state into a national park.

You ever talk about my state again and I'll personally lynch you myself.

Would make a good re-education camp for east coast liberals.

West Virginia's shit.

Come at me m8

OH YOU DONE DID IT NOW. HEHEHE

Fcuker. Truth is, we're just a simple country folk. Please leave us alone.

Mate, I have no problem with West Virginia. I understand the struggles of coal country better than most coastal liberals; hell, my own town's factories rust away as more and more manufacturing jobs go elsewhere and as the overseas demand for natural resources that we can supply goes down.

The only reason I needled you in is because you over-reacted to a simple, neutrally-phrased question in my OP. That is - how does one fix West Virginia - more specifically, how does one address its ailing economy and declining living standards in a day and age where coal is no longer king?

>want to improve your state
>go back to coal
Pick one. WV should be focused on future energy, not outdated methods

Maybe it doesn't need to be fixed? Maybe people need to wake up and smell the coffee. Coal can only go so far. By implying we need coal to survive could perhaps be creating a problem.