A) Yes the song is about the miners strike
B) Mr Empathy as allways Lyle,I got news for you Mr Bright New Jobs, apparantly Ive driven around your glorious new future state more then you have,because most of it is an impoverished S-hole. Some bright and glorious future. I love guys who are doing well off,saying a job(if your lucky) working at the Cracker Barrell so you can barely make payments on your double wide is a great and glorious future. Has it ever occured to you to look at it from the other guys point of view? Gee I worked my ass off for ten years at a union job,and even if it wasnt a fast track to the good life,it paid the bills,now Im trying to get by on what I make washing dishes at the truck stop?
Goes to show,those that view the entire world in terms of dollars and cents,usually dont have any sense.