and a new era of american energy has begun. [ applause ] politicians and bureaucrats in washington, dc have crippled our nation s economy and west virginia s economy without regard to the impact that it has on people s utility bills, the impact that it has on jobs and hard working americans. right here in west virginia, they pushed mining companies to the breaking point and jeopardized thousands of good paying jobs and cut off a brighter future for countless west virginia families. it s heartbreaking to think west virginia has lost more than a third of its mining jobs over the last few years alone with over 130 mines shut down since 2009. folks, that s not right.
we had a great conversation. we talked with these job creators here in west virginia about the president s pro business agenda, less regulations, fair trade, better infrastructure, and renewed focus on american energy. and i heard again, from these west virginia small business owners about the tneed to repea and replace obamacare. they told me about obamacare stands in the way and stifles growth. it s a burden not just to job creators but the american people. folks, frankly, every promise of obamacare has been broken. you remember what they were. seven years ago, after obamacare was signed into law, they said, if you like your doctor, you can keep them. not true. they said, if you like your health plan, you could keep it, not true. we were all told the cost of health insurance would go down. that wasn t true either.
he with ju we just had great conversation. we talked with these job dreecrr about less regulation, lower taxes, fair trade, better infrastructure and renewed focus on american energy. and i heard again from these west virginia small business owners about the need to repeal and replace obamacare. they told me how obamacare stands in the qway and stifles growth. it s a burden to job creator and to the american people. and i frankly i wasn t surprised to hear it. because every promise of obamacare has been broken. you all remember what they were. seven years ago after obamacare was signed in to law, they told us if you like your from, you can keep him. not true. they said if you like your health plan, you can keep it. not true. we were all told the cost of health insurance would go down.
and a new era of american energy has begun. foe far too long, politicians and bureaucrats in washington, d.c. have crippled our nation s economy and crippled west virginia s economy. without regard to the impact that it has on people s utility bills, the impact that it has on jobs of hard work americans. right here in west virginia, they pushed mining companies to the breaking point, they jeopardized thousands of good paying jobs and cut off a brighter future for countless families. items hart bre it s heart breaking to think that west virginia lost more than a third of its mining jobs. that over 130 mines have been shut down since 2009.
it s already 2012 in some parts of the world. this is sidney, australia where a million people watched a massive fireworks display. in new zealand revelers turned out in auckland but heavy rain forced other cities to cancel outdoor celebrations. in syria, huge crowds are turning out across the country again today, an activist network based in syria says at least nine protesters died today killed in clashing with security forces. two opposition groups there reached a deal a few hours ago making a plan that charts a course for democracy in case syria s president steps down. back in this country, customer complaints pushed verizon to drop its plan to start charging that $2 fee to pay bills. the nation s largest wireless company wanted to charge the extra couple bucks for one time payments online or by phone, but customers raised a stink and it didn t take long for verizon to listen up and drop the idea. we re going to be following the republican contenders, live in iowa to