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From the Right by Ed Farnan

Murray Energy, the canary in the mineshaft for America and its source of power

Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2012 at 02:17 PM

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Robert Murray, CEO of Murray Energy, Americas largest privately owned coal company, has been a strong and articulate defender of his industry.

Murray has over 3,000 employees and their families, who depend on his leadership and good judgment for their livelihoods. Countless thousands of other jobs depend on support industries that rely on the shipping, handling and processing of what he produces……Millions of Americans depend on Murray Energy to light and heat their homes for a modest price.

Mr. Murray is a frequent guest on television shows who seek him out for his business acumen & expertise on what it takes to keep Americas economic engine fueled.…. he has never shied away from speaking his mind.

Mr. Murray and I have been communicating over the future of America’s energy industry and what can be done to keep America’s energy prices affordable.

I was taken by surprise when Mr. Murray sent me an email with an excerpt from his private staff meeting held yesterday. What I read within alarmed me, because he is a strong, steady, intelligent leader, whose history is not one of making knee jerk reactions.

On the corner of the attached email was a note to me in his handwriting, telling me to feel free to use this information as I feel fit to do. As a result I have decided to post it in its entirety and share it with my fellow Americans.

In a sign of the gravity that Mr. Murray feels America has come to, he accompanied the notes of his meeting with a prayer, which I will also post.

What I foresee in America

Staff Meeting November 7, 2012

1. Drastically reduced economic activity

2. Reduced electric power consumption

3. Drastically reduced coal markets w/worse coal pricing

4. Total destruction of the coal industry by 2030

5. Enactment of 12 EPA regs alone, by the Obama Administration

6. Per Sen Imhoffe: 3 regs on greenhouse gas, MACT & coal ash will cost USA 600 billion

7. Likely a carbon tax will be forced to subsidize the government and “receivers” (Obama supporters) in the total destruction of the coal industry, as early as 2030.

8. All coal companies are performing drastically worse than their CEO’s and boards want to report and this is understandable with their concerns for stock prices/refinancing.

9. Most public companies will not be able to continue to emphasize any positive they had, while avoiding the negatives in their statements and opinions.

10. The markets will soon take away this ability from these public CEO’s/directors

11. Of course private companies will abandon this industry

12. We must prepare for this today and we cannot bleed cash waiting for competitors to be eliminated.

13. We must totally go into survival mode and generate all of the cash that we can from whatever we have left that can help us.

14. We must tear down all structures of Murray Energy and reassemble them.

15. While putting Murray Energy into a survival mode, I will be fighting allegations from radical Obama supporters, that you know are blatantly false and were inspired only to shut down opposition to them on behalf of our employees, your area and our country.

16. We must be passionate and austere in all that we do.

Robert E. Murray

Chairman, President and CEO

My Prayer

Dear Lord:

The American people have made their choice. They have decided America must change its course, away from the principles of our founders….And away from the idea of individual freedom and individual responsibility….Away from capitalism, economic responsibility and personal acceptance.

America is no longer America. We are a country in favor of redistribution, national weakness and reduced standard of living and lower levels of personal freedom.

My regret Lord is that our young people, including those in my own family, never will know what America was like, or could have been. They will pay the price in their reduced standard of living and most especially, reduced freedom.

The takers outvoted the producers. In response to this I have turned to my Bible and in II Peter, Chapter 1 vs. 4-9 it says: “To faith we are to add goodness; to goodness, knowledge; to knowledge, self control, perseverance; to perseverance; godliness; to godliness, kindness; to brotherly kindness, love.

Lord please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corporation for the decisions we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any enterprises that you have helped us build. We ask for your guidance in this drastic time with the drastic decisions that will be made to have any hope of our survival as an American business enterprise.

Amen

Robert Murray

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24 comments

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Monsoonman | Nov 10, 2012, 10:00 PM EST

Can't correct typo in previous post...Shd have said: I wonder why your govt isn't going for 100% wind/solar by 2020, instead of just 20%? Could it be they see how other countries are teetering on insolvency because they've let the hard left pour all of their resources into green energy...and it doesn't work? 29% is just enough to play havoc w/your utility bills and semi cripple yr economy. 100% wind/solar will make you all hunter gatherers again

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Monsoonman | Nov 10, 2012, 09:04 PM EST

Considering you have few major dammed rivers it's probably safe to assume most of the energy Oz has as of now, is from coal fired power plants. Wonder why your govt is setting a goal of 100% power from wind/solar by 2020 since we are in such a climate crisis? Do you suppose your own govt will try to kill the coal industry like the US govt is doing to its own?...What do you think your power bill will be in 2020?

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seanomelb | Nov 10, 2012, 05:49 PM EST

Mman the government target is 20% wind/solar by 2020. I'm not sure what percentage of power is from dams.But the majority is coal fired.

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Monsoonman | Nov 08, 2012, 07:58 PM EST

Question Lad: Where does oz get most of its power from? Are you bravelu marching forward and getting the majority of your power from wind and sun?...didn't think so

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seanomelb | Nov 08, 2012, 07:53 PM EST

Mman we have an emissions trading scheme here in Australia and the coal industry is still competitive. We also have a mining profit tax and we are still No.12 in the world economy listing. We also have universal health and a new universal dental scheme. Maybe you and Edincali should listen less to the fear and smear campaign and what the people wish. BTW corporate tax is 30% in Australia.There is a change(worldwide) in energy needs and where the energy comes from. No more can the US use half the worlds supply of oil as the needs of other countries energy needs increase. Take the brave step Mman and Ed move forward and embrace a brave new world. America will do it with or without you, so join the new world and throw away the old soiled hymn book.

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Monsoonman | Nov 08, 2012, 07:20 PM EST

Lad...You don't know the assault that americas energy sector is under by the epa/obama. Even when coal tries to export overseas it costs billions extra to fight the greens/epa

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seanomelb | Nov 08, 2012, 07:18 PM EST

post pulled????

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seanomelb | Nov 08, 2012, 07:17 PM EST

A pathetic cry from a man who obviously cannot make it in a free market economy. I was reading an article by an economist who stated that the coal industry(USA) must export and not rely on a shrinking home market. India,China and other Asian nations are buying coal from Australia and Australia as Australia uses less coal. Australia is building new ports to accommodate demand. Export or die Mr. Murray and stop playing the blame game.

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ceceann | Nov 08, 2012, 06:27 PM EST

It is hard to be optomistic since it is obvious that we will be, at least, 4 more years behind in our recovery but I do believe in the American entrepeneureal spirit to make lemonade out of lemons. Hopefully, Mr Murray is young enough to see the country turn around and financially secure enough to weather the storm. I am sure his employees are not and once again, this administration's policies hurt the hard working middle class.

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