Governor Manchin Makes His Move

In a move that is bound to get the attention of national news media, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin has announced his intention to give every full time state worker a $500 bonus.

Most states have laid off public employees due to rash overspending on wasteful programs and unwise raises of public salaries. West Virginia adhered to a much more conservative line by doing unexciting things such as shoring up pension funds and courageously refusing to raise salaries when the economy dove into recession.

However, lottery proceeds remained good and revenue from coal continues to give the state a relatively robust bottom line. The state ended up with more revenue than projected. If the governor has his way, half will go to full time state workers and the rest goes into the emergency reserve funds.

Whether or not Governor Manchin intended this result, this action (unless it somehow backfires) will propel him into the national spotlight. As California still wonders if it can open schools this fall, West Virginia not only refused to lay off employees, but will extend bonuses. West Virginia had to make tough and courageous cost cutting decisions to get to this point, but it was certainly helped by the balanced budget requirement of our constitution and Republican fights against any raising of taxes. Responsible cuts and refusals to bow to political pressures from the teacher unions helped to get us here.

Should Obama continue with his magical mystery tour of a presidency, Manchin could emerge as a strong contender for the Democratic nomination in 2012. Incumbents, such as Ford in 1976 and Lynson Johnson in 1968, are not automatically handed renomination when they have not satisfied the voters in their own party. Manchin certainly better resembles the Democratic Party of Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy than those who are leading it today.

I am not saying that Manchin would be a better choice for president than a Republican who will stick to our tried and true principles, but he does make me wish that if the Democrats were fated to win the presidency in 08, they would have nominated him instead what we have now.