West Virginia Tea Parties April 15th

The Official list of tax day tea parties can be found at this location.

http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/west-virginia/

Please make sure to attend one of the tea parties on the official list.

Only one West Virginian voted the right way

Obama's budget moving us towards socialism went 233 for and 196 against the House approved a $3.6 trillion budget plan that includes a deficit of $1.2 trillion.

Democrats — Mollohan, Yes; Rahall, Yes

Republicans — Capito, No

Great News For Those Excited About the return of the Death Tax

Obama promised change. If a man owns a business and dies before he can turn it over to his children, change is all they will have. Obama's budget resurrected the death tax.

The government and knowledgeable accountants are the only ones that benefit from this ghastly tax which takes 50% from every estate. Certainly some can figure ways around the tax, but what about the business or farm owner that dies suddenly and young. Tough break. Uncle Barack is coming to steal his share

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As soon as we get a weak president, the sabre rattling begins. Our Defense Department claims it is impotent to stop any illegal rocket launch from North Korea. (Oh really? An overflight of B-52s, a launch of Tomahawks, etc. before launch wouldn't stop it?) Why on earth does one trumpet weakness to the world anyway? Now North Korea threatens US Navy vessels patrolling in international waters offshore.

Credibility is hard to get. tougher to keep. We lost eight years of credibility in eight weeks. Who respects us now?

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The next world leader that suffers from the Obama wraparound ought to turn around and slug him. He did it to Bush and now he has done it to Prime Minister Gordon Brown. In front of the cameras, Obama likes to put his arm around the shoulder of a leader, a condescending looking gesture. One British reporter said it looked like Obama was shepherding the Prime Minister from the room. The effect is as if Obama's saying, don't worry, I'm here. As if he is the experienced world leader.

Cavuto takes on Anti Success Alan Grayson (D)

Byway or Bye Economic Opportunity

At the March 26th afternoon meeting of Keyser Rotary Club, the speaker was Karen Allen of West Virginia Department of Highways. She runs the office that takes care of the Scenic Byways in the state. She told the group the benefits of Scenic Byways, the opportunities and the pitfalls. It was a very good presentation with good questions and answers from the public. Mineral County Commissioners Wayne Spiggle (A member of Rotary) and Janice LaRue attended to hear the discussion. The County Commissions from Grant and Hampshire County were invited to attend this Rotary meeting to hear Karen Allen, but did not attend.

At the last US 50 Association meeting held on March 18th, 2009 a surprise addition was added to the meeting agenda at the meeting. The original 3/18/2009 meeting Agenda sent out had no mention of discussing converting US 50 into a Scenic Byway, so the public was unaware it was to be discussed. It was never asked to be put on the agenda for this meeting prior to the start of the meeting. Wayne Spiggle the facilitator was adamant that it was to be discussed at that US 50 meeting, although it is my belief it should have been delayed, so that proper public notice could have been given. Government works best when the public is involved and the public was excluded from this discussion.

In the past the US 50 Association has repeated shown good wisdom when the public was well represented. At the July 21st, 2004, Deb Clatterbuck reported the findings of the Scenic Byway Task Force. It was a sub-committee set to explore the benefits and problems with designating the highway as a Byway. The official minutes show, "There are strict sign regulations such as been brought to light by the George’s Creek Coal Heritage Trail. The Task Force recommends tabling this issue until dual lane and alternate routes can be reviewed which may leave portions of the original roadbeds to be designated as Scenic By-ways." - July 21st, 2004 US 50 Minutes. The problem is businesses are restricted from advertising, which can hurt the local economy. The US 50 Association at that time believed that it was more important to improve the road and improve economic opportunity along the road. Putting the people first it always the best choice.

At the September 20th, 2006 meeting of the US 50 Association Mike Workman from North Central Byways spoke and told the group, "The North Central Byways group has control over signs on both public and private land." - Sept. 20th, 2006 US 50 Minutes. You read that right; a non-elected group can tell you what to do on your private land. Like giving up your 5th Amendment Rights without due process? Dave Price of Preston County, indicted the sign limit was upsetting business owners and asked how the group got the authority. According to the minutes, Karen Allen told the US 50 Association, that the Commissioner of Transportation gave the unelected North Central Byways the power. With the stroke of a pen your rights were gone and chances are you didn't even know.

The problem with the Byway designation is that it can be used as an anti-business tool. Now I have long argued that the Mineral County Commission has been anything, but pro-business. In fact many initiatives put forth by the Mineral County Commission and its agencies over the last 8 to 10 years have been anti-business. Consider this public statement about not letting business in made by then Economic Development Director Casey Lambert 2006, "We have had numerous prospects, but we're not going to let every Tom, Dick and Harry put something in there [Fort Ashby Industrial Park]" - Cumberland Times-News Oct. 5th, 2006

Another thing to look at is the fake water shortage scare created 2 years ago in the county that had people begging to ask for a moratorium on growth. - Potomac Highlands Blog Dec. 3rd, 2007 Had we not broke the story all housing construction in the north end of the county may have been stopped. Fortunately cooler head prevailed when the true got out. Zoning is one of the biggest restrictions to economic growth is coming, "Spiggle said when the county’s comprehensive plan is completed next year, officials could have the power to begin drafting possible zoning ordinances." - Cumberland Times-News Dec. 10th, 2008 After Zoning was enacted in Allegany County, MD in the 1960’s, they lost more than 10,000 people in population. Zoning was one of many factors that devastated the Allegany County economy.

Turning down businesses trying to provide jobs in our area, trying to restrict advertising along US 50 which will adversely effect business growth, creating fake water shortages and implementing zoning are all things designed to stop or reduce business growth in the county. With the population of Mineral County dropping, we cannot afford to restrict business growth in our county. Projections do not show Mineral County exceeding the 2000 population, until at least 2035. - Cumberland Area Long Range Transportation Plan, Sept 28, 2005

Either we have a county commission that is clueless on how an economy works or we have a county commission actively seeking to stop growth and business from coming into the county.

Mercantilism Is Almost Here

The government is out of control.

This week, the president fired the CEO of General Motors.

Everyone outside of the looniest lefty ought to cringe when the federal government starts hiring and firing private sector employees.

The reasoning given was that the bailout money could only go forward with fresh leadership. Even the Democratic governor of Michigan expressed outrage over this unprecedented move. Almost ignored was the forced merger of Chrysler with Fiat.

Government money gives the government the right to interfere with a private corporation? Maybe so. However, it means that said corporation will be saddled with bad economic decisions made for political reasons. Is it more cost effective to put a new plant in right to work Tennessee or union oriented Pennsylvania? The Democratic powers that be will insist on helping their allies. And since they have so much invested in GM, they would by necessity have to discriminate aaint independent Ford.

Mercantilism means that the government is not a referee, but a player in the economy. As a player, it has interests to defend. Those independent of the government get shut out and honest competition dwindles.

Mercantilism was one of the reasons why America broke free of Britain. We wanted a fair economic system where competition was not rigged. In 1776, Adam Smith called it capitalism. Barack Obama's "change" is leading us full circle back to the bad old days of mercantilism.

Obama to Traditional Liberal Media Elite: Drop Dead

Obama and his public relations crew just initiated the next great gaffe of the administration. They announced that they will increasingly bypass the White House Press Corps to speak directly with bloggers and other alternative forms of media. Of course they plan to only speak to liberal and leftist sources so as to avoid the "filter" and speak directly to the base.

I just spoke to friend about this latest Obamfoolery. He responded with "Sounds like what the Republicans have been doing for years." My response to him? "Exactly."

It's called preaching to the choir. Republicans have followed this strategy and it does not work. Sure it feels better to only speak with people that believe in what you are doing and will not challenge you. The GOP set up its own news agency for awhile for this purpose. This strategy got the Republicans nowhere.

Imagine how bad it will turn out for the leftist Obamacrats. The liberal news media helped to create Obama and now, when times for them are toughest, they propose to ignore their benefactor. It looks like revenge against a press corps that has shed much of the partisanship of the past several years and has returned to some semblance of real reporting. The fawning stopped, real journalism began, and the Obamacrats are shocked. How dare any reporter challenge The One!

Why the challenges? Part of the coverage is the sudden absence of Bush, who inspired a bizarre hatred among the journalistic community. Part of it is because of Bush. The coverage of him was so slanted, they now have to demonstrate journalistic fairness by questioning their own choice as president. Most of it is because Obama has bumbled and fumbled in his first two months. With his poll numbers down to around 50%, he blames not his own incompetence and lack of even effort, but the press corps for doing at least part of its its job.

How will the press react? Reporters have already turned away from the Won in many instances. Now you will see the editors and producers go after him. He is shunning them at a time when they are most vulnerable. They will not go down without a fight.

Should be fun!

Glenn Beck shows why Government must follow the law

New York 20th Congressional Race Unofficial Results

Scott Murphy (D) 77,344, James Tedisco (R) 77,279

All precincts reporting

Ballots Impounded by Court Order

Where Is the Leadership?

Throughout our nation's short history, we generally see crisis produce leadership. Either the man or woman on the spot rises to the occasion or someone emerges unexpectedly.

We see neither happening at least to this point.

Obama, let's pity him a second, started his campaign during rosy good times. The fallout from Clinton era policies on mortgages had not yet reared its ugly head. He figured he could become president based upon disenchantment with Iraq, surrender in that war, and live happily ever after.

The Democrats goofed by backing and nominating him. His shotgun, yet vapid approach to any and all problems mystifies even liberals. Obama does everything the Left expects in a leader. He speaks well, lowers himself to levels presidents normally do not stoop into, and he backs watered down Marxist ideals. He does all of this with a mind boggling incompetence. The latest gaffe was writing a letter to the French president. That in itself is not bad. Calling him by his predecessor's name is. He may remember that the next time someone addresses him as "President Bush." As if anyone could mistake this guy for Bush.

Republicans have done little better. Who represents us? I had, and still have, a lot of hope for Michael Steele. However he has strumbled out of the gate himself. Luckily running a political party does not have as high stakes as running a nation. Mitt Romney is hanging back, not wanting to campaign three years too early as Giuliani and Hillary Clinton did.

Newt Gingrich has stepped into the limelight a little more often recently. Should hard times continue, Gingrich may set himself up as the perfect candidate to oppose Obama. He has intellect, experience, and substance. Additionally he has a powerful and confrontational style that will seem refreshing after four years of Obama droning on and on in his faux statesmanlike voice. I also expect that Gingrich will continue to not require a teleprompter. However he has not yet grasped at the chance to lead.

For all of the gloom and doom forecasting about the GOP though, it is not time to panic. Leadership will emerge in the next couple of years. It also does not appear that this president will cease screwing up any time soon. Opposition to Marxism combined with strong articulation of party beliefs should restore the vitality to the GOP.

Former U.S. Senator John Sununu luncheon speaker at WVGOP committee meeting June 13 in Martinsburg

WEST VIRGINIA REPUBLICAN PARTY

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Gary Abernathy
Monday, March 30, 2009 304-768-0493

Former U.S. Senator John Sununu luncheon speaker at WVGOP committee meeting June 13 in Martinsburg

More details announced for Michael Steele visit on evening of May 22nd

CHARLESTON – Former United States Senator John Sununu will address attendees of a luncheon on June 13 in Martinsburg, prior to the summer meeting of the West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee, state GOP Chairman Doug McKinney announced today

Sununu is a member of the Congressional Oversight Panel charged with monitoring the government's Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP).

Sen. Mitch McConnell, who appointed Sununu to the position, said, “Sen. Sununu has long been a leader on economic and financial market issues and has dedicated his career to ensuring that Congress remains good stewards of taxpayer funds. As the co-author of legislation to strengthen oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, John raised warning flags about the risks in our mortgage finance system years ago. American taxpayers and Congress will find that John is well-equipped to provide timely reports on the use of funds and ensure TARP funds are properly allocated to ensure the long-term stability of America’s financial system.”

In 1996, Sununu was elected to the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire. He was reelected in 1998 and 2000. In 2002, Sununu was elected to the U.S. Senate. He is the son of John H. Sununu, former Governor of New Hampshire (1983–89) and former White House Chief of Staff under President George H. W. Bush.

More details on the Martinsburg event will be announced soon, but McKinney today announced additional details for the May 22 fundraising event with Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee. The Steele event will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in South Charleston. Tickets will be $50 each, and can be reserved by contacting 304-768-0493.

“We’re excited about these upcoming visits, and we look forward to announcing more big events for West Virginia Republicans in the near future,” said McKinney.

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Breaking Wind(mills)

Like Don Quixote, we spend a lot of time tilting windmills, especially in this neck of the woods.

First let me say that windmills are certainly a component of any alternative energy program, and they will probably have a place in any energy plan developed over the really long haul. Their principal shortcomings are these: they are currently expensive energy sources, and their power production is intermittent rather than continuous, and so other electrical power sources whose production is controllable and stable will be needed, or a wide array of windmills, tidal energy sources, and so forth will have to be hooked together in a very sophisticated grid system which rapidly shifts the origin of power in the power grid to the particular energy sources that are currently producing. There are probably some other ways to somewhat alleviate the problem, as well, which sound “Buck Rogerish,” but even with current technology would be somewhat feasible, though also very costly. For example, the domestic consumers could easily have an array of batteries as components of electrical equipment, which would turn on when the power was low and turn off when it was normal, recharging themselves automatically during the powered- up intervals.

The Western European experience with windmills is instructive to a point. Windmills are obviously proliferating there, and apparently are a commercial success; just as nuclear power plants are and have been in France for years. But bear in mind that Western Europe is largely devoid of fossil energy sources, and almost any oil or coal they use for electrical power production must be imported, and is increasingly expensive. They also, generally speaking, don't have to worry about air-conditioning the way the United States does. Their economic payoff for switching to alternative energy now is different from most of America’s. There is an economic component to the switch to windmills and other alternative energy sources that is very rewarding in Western Europe. America’s situation is different in the sense that we have no shortage of coal whatsoever,(nor oil if we were willing to let the market develop it when economic factors dictate), and coal and eventually oil could supply most of our electrical power far into the future much more cheaply than any current alternative energy source except, perhaps, nuclear power currently could now, or likely ever could. In addition, we have a carbon-based energy system built and operating quite admirably, and there would be no difficulty in attracting private investment to enlarge and improve that system, provided that government action did not threaten the economics of the current American electrical energy production and delivery system.

This is what the windmill argument really boils down to: do we need and want so-called green energy sources now or soon. If we do, we can have them. Their inefficiencies currently are so profound that only government subsidies and concessions of various sorts, including some hammerlocks on the arms and shoulders of the electric companies in order to compel them to accept expensive electrical output from alternative energy sources when it is available. Without introduction of artificial factors into the economics of energy production in the United States, there would be virtually no interest on the part of private investors in most current alternative energy sources and therefore no arguments hereabouts over windmills. Would any nationally prominent politician, however, step forward and plainly state the truth: you can only have green energy if we take taxpayer money to create it and defeat the (tax-paying) competition by taxing them and you taxpayers, or both, to do so.

Personally, I have no particular objection to the presence of windmills on the horizons. Mankind has been tinkering with landscapes since time immemorial. Sometimes a Taj Mahal or an Exeter Cathedral is created; sometimes a dismal slum is the result. Indeed, most of West Virginia was clear-cut a hundred years ago, in arguably by mankind, and probably would be again if there were enough money in it to make the option interesting. (So much for ridge line or view scape integrity).

Are the windmills inevitable? If you believe Al Gore and all the proponents of global warming who blame energy production for a good bit of that problem, windmills are inevitable and so are nuclear power plants and hydroelectric plants, etc. because those who favor alternative energy and want to eliminate most or all carbon-based electrical energy production evidently have the predisposition and the votes to force that position on everyone else. If the people like Gore say you can’t use coal, even though it is plentiful and cheap, and they have a majority of even one, you don’t get much choice but accept the windmills now or later, and in all probability accept, also, an array of government regulations on the energy efficiency of your appliances, and probably eventually the rationing of the amount of electrical energy you can use in your household, or at the least, self-rationing, brought about by the enormous growth of your electrical bill as various alternative energy sources, derived not from competitive market action but rather government subsidy and regulation, replace current efficient and effective systems of electrical energy production.

“To green, or not to green”; that is the real question in this purported land of the fuzzy and ever jolly green government giant. The question really is not specifically about windmills on the ridge lines of Mineral and adjacent counties at all. Argue as we may around here locally about windmills, what we decide doesn’t matter much unless it coincides with what the federal government decides. Government of the people, by the people, and for the people perishes at the local level bit by bit any time local interests conflict with what those politicians who seldom or never come around here decide to do to us in cases such as windmills. That’s not what the Constitution provides for, but after all, the Constitution’s just a document, a socially-constructed reality which can be ignored by anyone who doesn’t have any compunction about doing so. It’s just a baseline isn’t it; something the political class can look at so they can deviate from it to show that they are avant garde, politically savvy, hip, and all that sort of ballyhoo. Unless, of course, we’ve got people with spine enough to stand up for the kind of governance of, by and for the people that we and they really believe in and value.

Don Quixote was either a pathetic fool, or a sort of Everyman. He was inspiring although he was usually ineffectual. He always stood up for what he believed in. My inclination would normally be to favor windmills hereabouts in order to give important new technology a chance, but the Don Quixote in me says oppose them in the extreme in order to put big government in the position of having to roll on over once more we local people in pursuit of their current “flavor-of-the-month” on the ultra-liberal policy wonk circuit. That would underscore the way it really is: West Virginians must pay again for some sort of sins we didn’t commit or didn’t knowingly commit, while those who benefited ignore their own culpability in the creation of the alleged carbon crisis and global warming, and are allowed to seemingly solve the problems they created by abusing their country cousins in new and satisfying ways at least one more time. If you buy windmills, wait until you see...(whatever is your worst nightmare)? that the feds have got for you next.

Republican Interest Growing Fast

Saturday night I attended the Taylor County Republican Executive Committee Lincoln Day Dinner and they had an excellent crowd. More than last year, which is unusual being this is an off electi9on year. It shows that more people are getting interested in what is going on in politics and more importantly they are getting interested in the Republican Party.

GOP Executive Director Gary Abernathy gave a great speech on how the party is preparing for the future. He outlined new initiatives the party is taking including everything from fund raising to candidate recruitment. There is real enthusiasm for the party that has not been seen in the party for years.

Former Secretary of State Betty Ireland also gave a great speech on opportunity for the party in the up coming election. Her investment in mentoring young professionals in politics is having an effect. Giving a short list of people she had mentored as Secretary of State it is easy to see how effective a leader she is. Unfortunately she also announced she would not be running for the 1st Congressional seat dispelling rumors she might. The crowd was disappointed.

The most important thing to come out of the meeting was the fact that people are upset with what is going on in the state and country and they are willing to work for change. The conservatives that make up the bulk of the nation are solidifying and 2010 will be a good year.