Coal Dustification

   Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says the government will give $30 million to help revive the coal industry.
   "The Trump Administration is working every day to help America's coal industry, its workers, and their communities," Ross announced., as part of a "government-wide effort" to renew areas "hardest hit by misguided regulations."
   Ross praised the Administration for reversing regulations, eliminating rules that "would have shackled" the U.S. economy, and blocking the government's "needless war on coal."
   It's good that government enact policies to help miners displace by long declines in the coal industry. But to assume that $30 million will revive the use of coal in America after decades of decline is at best unrealistic and at worst a coverup for a plan to reward political donations by coal barons.
   Meanwhile, Trumpsters look to slash many more millions of dollars from social welfare programs that would help not only needy coal miners but also millions more Americans.
   Moreover, the $30 million will be available largely to communities, regions, investors, as well as "workforce development and re-employment opportunities." How about helping workers directly, rather than through more government and private sector mavens?

   And by the way, the resident copy editor/nitpicker notes that the Commerce Department's news release cites "locally-driven efforts in coal country." But -ly adverbs never take a hyphen. There's no need, because such an adverb is always by its nature connected to the word that follows.