Politicians win when they put the American People First

In the 1990's the Republican Party took control of the US Senate and House when they promised to put the needs of the American people first. Unfortunately once in power they forgot that there primary job was to take care of the nation first and not the special interest groups and the American voter took away their majority in the 2006 election.

The Democrats have not learned from the mistakes of the Republican Congress and are now putting the needs of the special interest ahead of the American people and the people are not happy. Some in the Democratic party are starting to realize that. Surprisingly extreme left wing group, MoveOn.org, is warning members they are loosing the energy argument. In an e@mail to supporters they wrote, "Here's the truth:Right now, progressives are losing this argument." They don't realize they are wrong, just that they are loosing the argument. I can tell them the reason they are loosing the argument is because they are WRONG!

Last week when Congress walked out on the American people without doing anything to help with the current energy crisis. Many in congress had had enough. Republicans have been staying in Washington protesting speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's choice to ignore the plight of the average American. American Solutions held a press conference at the capital on Wednesday.

Unlike the anti-energy elites that have a stranglehold on the Democratic Party, the American people clearly understand that laws of economics still apply. If you increase the supply of any product that price will drop. Drilling for more oil is only part of the answer, but it will bring oil prices down. Ironically Paris Hilton is right on energy policy, we need to move forward on all fronts. We need to drill now, but we also need to explore alternatives such as bio-fuels, wind and solar.

The Republican Party is on the side of the American people on energy policy and for any political party being on the American peoples side is the right place to be. The Republican party should not do what is right for the party, it should do what is right for the American people. If you do what is right for the American people, then it will automatically be what is correct for the party.

The Republican party has been the party of common sense. We used common sense solutions that helped the average American. We got away from the in the 1990's drunk with power. Now we have an opportunity to return to the core values of the American people and the party. Standing firm on drilling for our own oil to bring down fuel prices and help the American people is the right side of the issue.

Howell launches radio ad across district

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Gary Howell

Thursday, August 7, 2008 304-790-9292

Howell launches radio ad across district

Gary Howell, state Senate candidate in the 14th District, is launching a multi-county radio ad touting his belief in lower taxes, stronger education and protecting gun rights.

The ad will play on multiple stations and reach most voters across the seven-county district.

“I’m running an aggressive campaign to take my message directly to the voters,” said Howell. “As our campaign progresses, the citizens of Tucker, Preston, Taylor, Mineral, Barbour, Grant, and Monongalia counties will have a chance to talk with me personally and hear my message delivered in a variety of mediums.”

To listen to Gary’s ad, visit www.garyhowell2008.com

Realistic

West Virginia Congressman Nick Joe Rahall spent some time on the political hot seat recently, getting a good "grilling" series of questions from President George W. Bush about energy policy. The two spent quite some time together, but Rahall came away saying the president was "realistic" about the fact that a Democrat controlled Congress will not lift a finger to help America bring down the cost of energy.

Who is more realistic here? House Republicans stayed in session as House Democrats went on vacation. Republicans, including Shelley Moore Capito, remained in Washington to hammer home the point that Americans want action now. Our prosperity has traditionally come from inexpensive transportation. MoveOn.org has predictably protested the GOP determination to continue the debate in the absence of their opponents. Certainly images of this will end up on commercials this fall. Amazingly, Nancy Pelosi has taken a hard stance on the issue while encouraging House Democrats to show independence by publicly disagreeing with her. To Republicans energy is serious business. To Democrats it is yet another political game.

The Republican Party continues to show the American people its commitment to helping boost the economy (which by the way never went into recession as predicted) while bringing down the high cost of energy. Democrats continue to put the unlikely potential of environmental problems ahead of the real world trouble faced by Americans daily.

Nick Casey, chair of the West Virginia Democratic Party, must not be aware of his own party's reluctance to do anything. He criticized Senator John McCain's visit to the Marshall University football team, saying he should talk energy prices instead of football. Casey should explain that to House Democrats who refuse to move on energy and would rather go on vacation than even talk about the issue.

Interesting Military Statistics

Thanks to Anne Palmer who sent me a link to a report recently put out by the Federation of American Scientists. This is a non partisan group that often publishes on the internet some fascinating material on the militaries of the world, among other topics.

Some of the numbers that one sees are very interesting. In the three year span that opened the Clinton Administration, 3,328 American service personnel lost their lives. These represented the worst three years of losses during his presidency. Incidentally, this was the high tide of post Cold War budget cutting as well. The highest three years of US military casualties during the George W. Bush Administration in this report (which only extends to 2006) number 5,489. So yes the Bush administration's number is higher; however we must remember that we were fighting a tenacious enemy on two separate fronts in the Bush years.

Amazingly in the top three years of accident related deaths, the Clinton Administration's worst three years totalled 1,714 while Bush's presidency saw 1,825. In time of war, one would expect higher levels of stress and long term deployments to lead to more accidents. They have, but not by a substantially higher number. The figures for self-inflicted incidents are eye opening as well. The media has continually reminded us that our forces are in a seriously strained condition. Undoubtedly the horrors of war do take their toll on each man or woman exposed to them. However, the top three years of self-inflicted incidents during Clinton's term total 718 while Bush's top three years in the study were 579. Almost 150 fewer than in Clinton's first three years of office.

These numbers do not say anything personally about Bill Clinton; however since Democrats including his wife have continually bashed the military's performance at war under Bush, it is worthwhile to listen to what they tell us. Under George W. Bush the military has shown itself to be at a peak of efficiency and effectiveness. This is the result of the pride shown by each serviceman and the leadership demonstrated by officers as well as the determination to see the job finished correctly and effectively.

The report can be read in its entirety at the link below.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf

********************************************************************

Every day we see Barack Obama shoot himself in the foot. Now he needs to explain why tapping into the strategic oil reserve is a good method to lower gas prices and alleviate suffering now, but tapping into the massive pools off our coastlines and under ANWAR will do no good for decades. Simply put, Obama has figured out that he must deal with John McCain's arguments of substance in some fashion.

Mineral County Republican Candidates Support the Farming Community

Republican candidates in Mineral County support the Ag community by purchasing champion livestock last week at the Mineral County Fair. Above, from left, Sheriff candidate Paul Sabin, Assessor Rose Ann Main, Senate candidate Gary Howell, Delegate Bob Schadler, Amanda Michael, Del. Alan Evans, and Sen. Dave Sypolt with Michael's reserve champion feeder calf. Below, the same group poses with Brent Ebert after purchasing Ebert's reserve champion sheep. Both animals were donated back and reauctioned, and the money given to a 4-H college scholarship fund.

2 West Virginia Congressman vote to keep fuel prices at record levels

While many across the country have canceled vacations due to high fuel cost, Congress decided to take a 5-week vacation of its own. The reason was to avoid solving the high fuel cost problem. The answer is simple; drill for more oil domestically. 71% of the nation now agrees that drilling for our own oil is a good idea.

Many in Congress claim that drilling will not lower the cost of oil. Consider that oil prices in countries that drill for their own oil are the lowest in the world and those that do not are the highest in the world. The laws of Economics are simple. If you increase supply and demand remains the same the price will drop.

Obama made the comment that we all need to inflate our tires to save more fuel. It is true that properly inflated tires will increase fuel mileage, but that is about the equivalent of trying to irrigate the desert with a garden hose. We are dealing with a Congress that doesn’t live like you and I. They do not understand that families are having to make choices on whether or not to go on vacation or buy back to school supplies.

House Vote #566; to leave Washington for a vacation without taking any action to lower fuel prices breaks down like this for the West Virginia delegation.

Aye WV-1 Mollohan, Alan [D]

Nay WV-2 Capito, Shelley [R]

Aye WV-3 Rahall, Nick [D]

Only Representative Capito wanted to stay to vote on a package to lower fuel cost to West Virginians and she had this to say, ““With high energy costs placing such a heavy burden on the lives of West Virginians, it is incredibly frustrating that this Congress has been unwilling to even have open debate on a comprehensive solution.” We must remember when we go to the polls who is with us and who is against us.