(Letter to the Editor - Graphic Illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

It is aggravating that we have so-called “news networks” spewing lies but now I have to be bombarded by the ads on the local news and on the few games I play on the computer. But according to the Center for Responsive Politics, “ONENATIONAMERICA Works to Avoid Disclosing its Funding.” This is the group that is posting constantly that West Virginia will lose 100,000 jobs because of the legislature IRA, which was passed and signed by President Joe Biden. They are asking people to contact Sen. Joe Manchin to repeal The Inflation Reduction Act.

Do people not know that there are less than 12,000 people working in mines or on mountain top mining? Of course, there are truck drivers, train and river barge drivers who are transporting the coal but that does not equal 88,000 workers. So what jobs will be lost?

Instead of running the ad they could use their money to help companies pay a living wage, help people get affordable housing, health care, healthy food, regardless of their gender identity, racial or ethnic origin. The churches and other organizations are working to help people get food, etc. But that is just a Band-aid not a solution to the problem. We need our state and national legislators to pass laws that favor workers and unions, give proper training and wages to law enforcement people, hire more people to work with children to help them with their mental health as well as their physical and intellectual development.

If the Right to Life people really cared about the life of a child, there would be no hungry people in WV or the country. They would be pushing for more regulations of air and water instead of less. They would be pushing legislators to stop supporting fossil fuels and follow the directions of Pope Francis who has said that we must protect out mother – the earth.

For too long the oil, gas and coal companies have been deceiving us concerning the damage to the earth’s atmosphere. They have spent money to deny that the climate is changing. Now when we have someone in the White House who wants to move us forward they are trying to indoctrinate the people that this will cause a loss of 100,000 jobs in WV. We need to move forward and invest in clean energy jobs. The coal miners, who are smart people, could learn to work with renewable energy and have a much safer work environment. They could work to save the earth for their grandchildren and future generations.

Margaret Meeker

Williamstown