Potomac Highlands Conservative

Your Taxpayer Dollars At Work: Big Government in D. C.

2012-01-27T00:09:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had an interesting commute to work. Yes, I still live in Keyser, but I work in Washington D. C., so I get to see big government in action a lot more often.One such example is the Metro subway system. As I mentioned, yesterday was interesting. It took almost two hours to take a trip that normally lasts 35 minutes. Last week, I was delayed 15 minutes because we had to leave a train

Could Start a Run of Bad Luck For the EPA

2012-01-26T11:49:00.002-05:00

http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/25/supreme-court-poised-to-end-homeowners-nightmare-story-of-alleged-epa-abuse/The above story discusses how the Environmental Protection Agency faced tough questions from the U.S. Supreme Court over their mistreatment of homeowners seeking to fill a mud puddle on their property. It could lead to stricter boundaries on the EPA's purview while opening up the agency

The Vapid Presidency

2012-01-25T09:30:00.002-05:00

Obama is likely done.The Republican Party could nominate anyone, well, almost anyone and win with a competent, confident, and aggressive campaign.His ringing slogan? "We've gone too far to turn back now." Didn't the lemmings say that in that old staged movie we watched in biology class? When your destination is a cliff, it is never too late to turn around.Obama's presidency has become

Want a Revolution? Pass This Amendment

2012-01-20T01:19:00.000-05:00

Write up and pass this as a Constitutional amendment.Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of private enterprise, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.This would effectively put into law Ayn Rand's ideal of separation of business and state. This does not mean that business would go completely unregulated. They would still be subject to pollution controls, for example.

Weighty Issues....

2012-01-19T00:37:00.000-05:00

Chris Christie went on Oprah's new cable show recently to discuss a problem issue that they share, weight and how to deal with criticism and ridicule. Oprah Winfrey framed the discussion as a personal issue, opening up about her problems with David Letterman. Christie was just as frank about his own challenges.Weight is a growing problem. I don't mean that obesity is a growing problem because,

Imagine This Scenario...

2012-01-18T12:10:00.003-05:00

A man robs a woman of her purse and escapes immediate notice. He looks, acts, and sounds like anyone else. A few blocks away, he hails a taxi. The driver, who has no idea that this guy is a purse thief, picks him up, takes him ten miles away, and the robber completely evades capture. Eventually the authorities figure out that the criminal took that particular taxi and fine the driver a

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2012-01-16T08:37:00.003-05:00

Let us pause to remember those who fought for the dream of a colorblind society, including Martin Luther King Jr., and the Kanawha County Republican Party's own, Booker T. Washington.

My Son Needed ID to Sign Up For Football, But I Don't Need It to Vote?

2012-01-13T02:19:00.000-05:00

http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/12/okeefe-video-prompts-probe-by-new-hampshire-attorney-general/The Daily Caller story above, based upon a James O'Keefe investigation, proves how shockingly easy it is to commit voter fraud in the United States.Identification is simple to obtain. My son needed a birth certificate to play football. Why can't voters be held to a similar standard?Because too many

West Virginia Democrats, Stop Lying to Yourselves

2012-01-12T10:15:00.003-05:00

State Deputy Revenue Secretary Mark Muchow said on Talkline Friday, “The hope is West Virginia will be more competitive over time and we’ll actually see a growth in associated tax collections.This little blurb showed up in Hoppy Kercheval's Metro News column the other day in response to the fact that West Virginia is gradually dropping its food tax as well as some tax burdens on

The Bigger Picture With Bain

2012-01-11T13:34:00.002-05:00

So the other Republicans in the field are attacking Romney because he's a capitalist?His company, Bain, bought up failing companies to make the hard choices necessary to keep them afloat. Sometimes that meant shutting down facilities and trimming large numbers of jobs. Why act like the alternative was not that these companies would die and all the jobs would be lost?Romney gives his opponents a

Candidates, Stop Wasting My Time

2012-01-10T01:28:00.000-05:00

As a politically active person I have spent, and still spend, a lot of time weighing issues. I read about them, think about them, consider them, think about how my beliefs agree with or contradict my values. I read every book that teachers and professors assigned me, then went out and read a lot more.I love to read most about the lives of great men and women. Reading about their thoughts and

Self-Immolation: The Republican Party's Favorite Pasttime

2012-01-09T08:47:00.002-05:00

No political party seems to revel in its own cutting self-criticism than the Grand Old Party. We bash our past, present, and future with a complete lack of proportion or sense. We bash all of the candidates, save the one we support, if any. We bash fellow Republicans whose candidate or views may differ infinitesimally from ours relative to the Leftists now running things. We chase after the

An Exclamation Point on a Decade of Epic Failure: the ACC Raid

2012-01-05T08:42:00.002-05:00

Last night, West Virginia University scored 70 points and routed the hapless 10-3 Clemson Tigers in the Orange Bowl. As usual, ESPN pundits predicted a blowout for the 3 point favorite Tigers. As usual, national voting heavily picked against WVU. As usual, on college football's biggest stage, West Virginia brought its best game of the year and won.This was not just a football game. A decade

Benjamin Harrison and Obama

2011-12-30T05:57:00.000-05:00

Obama, who recently stated, in a manner of speaking, that he saw himself as the fourth best president (behind Lyndon Johnson and in front of George Washington, for whatever reason) looks more and more like a former Republican chief executive.He would like you to think of Theodore Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan. However, according to yesterday's New York Times, he resembles more a forgotten GOP one

War on Human Events

2011-12-29T11:38:00.002-05:00

A war has opened up on the pages of the conservative publication Human Events.If conservatism has a paper of record, this might be one of the prime candidates for the honor since it is the eldest. Human Events features some of the most prolific and well-known conservative pundits around, including Newt Gingrich and Ann Coulter. Gingrich continues to write for the paper/website while campaigning

The Liberal Problem With the Kardashians

2011-12-27T10:09:00.002-05:00

A recent poll indicated that liberals tend to watch reality and talent shows more often, while conservatives prefer occupation oriented shows. No, I don't mean aimless protesters. I mean shows such as Gold Rush, Flipping Out, or Storage Wars where people actually create wealth through risk and hard work.Keeping Up With the Kardashians and that shows many spawn are exactly as described by the

Rest In Peace Harry Boggs

2011-12-24T11:54:00.001-05:00

He was truly a pillar of the Mineral County community and will be missed.

In Obama's World, A Compact Costs More Than a Bentley

2011-12-21T12:39:00.002-05:00

A Bentley, one of the finest luxury cars in the world, starts at $200,000A Chevrolet Cruz, one of the newest offerings from Gummint Motors, a compact filled with glitches and issues, costs, including all the subsidies, $250,000

Bad Sports

2011-12-20T19:36:00.003-05:00

Remember the movie Hoosiers? It was based upon the magical season of a small Indiana high school who played their way into winning a state basketball title. Through parts of the season, the coach only had six usable players. At one point, he refused to put a player back on the floor and finished the game with four. The Poca Dots, known throughout the country for creative naming, just ended

Risk Theory

2011-12-19T11:08:00.003-05:00

Once upon a time, a nation with great land power and an ever-expanding industrial base sought to broaden its horizons. Having a massive army with which to confront, or to protect itself against regional adversaries was not good enough, even though it had historically defeated powerful nations.Unsatisfied with dominance in its region on land, it decided to put its efforts into developing its sea

Obama Declares Kind of Good Outcome In Iraq

2011-12-16T09:16:00.004-05:00

But not victory. Whatever you do, do NOT call it victory.Also. praise the Iraqi people and the result, but never mention the foresight of the man who caused all the wrong in the history of the world, President George W. Bush.This had to be a tough moment for Obama. He opposed the war. He never credits Bush for any good. Yet politically, he will try and make this success his own without

Ann Coulter Could Decide the GOP Nomination

2011-12-15T09:55:00.002-05:00

In the conservative world there are aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers . . . and then there are battleships.Aircraft carriers project power hundreds of miles away in small or big chunks, whichever you prefer. Submarines stealthily ride beneath the waves, attacking from beneath, from where you least expect it.Destroyers sit on top of the water, but mainly escort the bigger guys and have

David Cameron Makes a Stand

2011-12-14T08:59:00.002-05:00

Prime Minister David Cameron took a stand for the United Kingdom this week. He decided that Britain would not march happily with the rest of Europe into the Fourth Reich.Germany is willing to bankroll plans to save the Euro if member nations cede sovereign control over fiscal policy. In most people's experience, those that pay the piper call the tune. It is not a slam on Deutschland to say

A Lowes Down Dirty Shame

2011-12-13T01:14:00.000-05:00

Count me as one of those who does not think that the "All American Muslim" program on TLC is as grave a threat to Western Civilization as some have made it out to be. Sure it does not present the fact that Islamists have a political agenda over and above the faith of Muslims. But I'd rather not see the Westboro cult get mentioned in a show about mainline Protestants, either.In all honestly,

Frustration With the Field

2011-12-12T05:19:00.002-05:00

Election season is almost upon us. The Republican Party offered up a large and varied field for consideration, which has been whittled down one by one.I have to admit. Although I see considerable talent and experience in the original field, the country also saw an appalling lack of preparation. Many in the Republican field ran as if they had never witnessed a presidential election before.We

Youth In Misery

2011-12-08T15:05:00.001-05:00

Press Release: “Youth Misery Index” Exposes Worsening Economic Hardship for Young Americans Permanent linkHERNDON, VA – Young America’s Foundation has released the Youth Misery Index (YMI), which has reached a record high (90.6) and has grown more than 25 percent in four years—17 percent since the Obama administration took office. To calculate the index, Young America’s Foundation adds

The Fourth Reich

2011-12-01T09:37:00.003-05:00

Europe has been given ten days to come up with a plan to save itself.Any plan that will save the tattered Eurozone will require massive infusions of capital from one of the few fiscally responsible nations left in the Western world, Germany.Chancellor Angela Merkel has named the price of German action. She wants member nations to cede sovereignty over financial affairs to a central commission.

Pattern of Tyranny: Hugo Chavez, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Bill Clinton

2011-11-30T01:12:00.000-05:00

What do each of those individuals have in common? Each of them over the past several years has been associated with term limits abolition for presidents.Hugo Chavez already has the coveted "president for life" job. Argentinian President Fernandez de Kirchner this week seemed to float a trial balloon in her country about amending their "outdated" constitution. Bill Clinton suggested that the

New York Governor Faces Daunting Threat By His Own Party

2011-11-29T03:34:00.000-05:00

The Governor of New York has tossed down a challenge at any and all. He will not raise taxes and he will support Marcellus Shale drilling. Cuomo publicly lashed out, ridiculing those who felt thatAndrew Cuomo, son of Democratic Party legend Mario, faces powerful attacks from public employees' unions, factions of his own Democratic Party, and a left wing "workers' party" the supports everything

Mitt Romney Needs to Abandon the Thomas E. Dewey Strategy

2011-11-25T00:02:00.000-05:00

What do you think of when you think of Mitt Romney? Certainly he is intelligent, accomplished, organized, and, in a way, looks like a president. Conservative ideology aside, we would have no reason to think that Romney could not be sound in office.But is Romney inspiring? Does Romney exude what George H. W. Bush derided as "that vision thing?"There lies the problem.Romney's rope-a-dope style

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T01:58:00.000-05:00

We are thankful for God, family, country, and all of the men and women who risk all every day to protect us.

Gingrich Looking Past Primaries?

2011-11-23T08:59:00.002-05:00

Newt Gingrich, in last night's debates, seemed to start positioning himself against not only his fellow Republicans, but also the incumbent president. The former Speaker of the House strongly advocated for a "humane" immigration policy that eases the enforcement of laws on long term illegals. His rationale lay in preventing family break-ups.Gingrich runs the risk of losing the conservative

What Is Joe Manchin's Endgame?

2011-11-22T01:46:00.000-05:00

It's a good question.Unlike many Democratic lawmakers who thinly praise, or opt out of the discussion altogether when it comes to Obama, Senator Manchin has gone on the offensive. Most recently, he blasted Obama for failed leadership on the issue of budget deficits.This is not really a position of tremendous political courage for Manchin. West Virginia despises Obama and overwhelmingly approves

Obama and NASCAR...What Could Go Wrong?

2011-11-21T04:59:00.001-05:00

In one of the worst of a series of bad moves for the Obama administration, someone had the bright idea to put Michelle Obama front and center in front of a .........NASCAR crowd?What's next? Beer summit between Barack and Charlie Daniels?Michelle Obama, she who was first proud to be an American only when her husband received the nomination, was booed heartily by the crowd in Florida. Just like

University of Charleston: Ahead of the Curve

2011-11-17T10:09:00.004-05:00

The University of Charleston, yes, our Charleston, is getting ahead of the curve on changes that are coming to higher education.It announced this month that tuition will drop 22% over the next few years. High education costs, pushed by the student loan balloon, have soared. Students and institutions of higher learning alike rode the "free money" train for many years. Humanities departments

Has CBS Rediscovered Journalism?

2011-11-14T12:26:00.002-05:00

The lowest point of the news career of the Tiffany Network came in 2004 when Dan Rather pursued a story about George W. Bush's National Guard record into the ground, despite the fact that supporting documentation was forged. This came many years after Rather declared a vendetta for no conceivable reason against George H. W. Bush. In 2008, Katie Couric ambushed Sarah Palin by using a softball

Remember Our Vets Today

2011-11-11T08:38:00.001-05:00

From the militia defending the frontier in the 1600s to the men and women on the front lines of freedom today. You all are appreciated. Thank you!

The Third Agency and the Stupid Shallowness of Debating

2011-11-11T08:13:00.002-05:00

In the future, the Republican Party needs to shape the debate process better.In no way, shape or form can voters make an intelligent decision about their candidates when their main national speaking forum resembles more a game show than a serious discourse.In thirty seconds or less, explain how and why you would end Obamacare. Really? This is what an important issue gets reduced to?Rick Perry

Why Republicans Should Engage Labor Unions

2011-11-09T11:50:00.002-05:00

A dalliance. A brief liaison. A flirtation. That might be all that is needed to spur union rank and file towards the Republican camp in the upcoming election year.Big Labor has a problem. They face squeezes from the Left and the Right. Conservatives want to check their power in the private and public workplace. They see Big Labor's goals as a burden upon the economy and what is left of the

A Tale of Two Joes

2011-11-08T16:16:00.002-05:00

Two Joes have the spotlight today. One finally got his due, another got exposed. One was beloved by the media, the other ridiculed. Time has a way of uncovering the good and evil that men do, or at least tolerate.Joe Frazier never got his due while he was alive, as a boxer or a man. The media always saw him as a placeholder for Muhammed Ali during his suspension, even after Frazier beat him.

Liberalism Needs to Separate From Leftism

2011-11-03T08:45:00.002-04:00

America is moving towards disaster. Greece, which currently is in debt at 120% of its GDP, is set to collapse. We are at 101% and rising. Tough decisions must be made.This is where traditional American, old school liberalism needs to reassert itself. American liberalism was not anti-industrial. As a matter of fact, they cringed at radical environmentalist proposals in the 1960s that feel far

Greece

2011-11-02T13:00:00.004-04:00

It was either this or Herman Cain today. I happened to see Cain last night at the American Spectator dinner. He has a power and an eloquence in his public speaking and an easy going nature around his potential constituents. If you wonder how conservatives react to Cain now, he got a standing ovation after his introduction.Unless the accusers have something more than inappropriate talk, Cain

Jim DeMint (R-SC) Blasts Environmentalists Who Put Extremism Ahead of Public Safety

2011-11-01T14:47:00.001-04:00

Recent Press Releases November 1, 2011 54 Senators Risk Health of Millions to Appease Environmentalists on Inhaler Ban WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) made the following statement after the Senate voted 44-54against his amendment that would have stopped the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ban on over-the-counter (OTC) epinephrine

Federal Reserve Not Immune From Law of Unintended Consequences

2011-10-31T09:24:00.001-04:00

Twist Puts Looney Tune Squeeze on Citizens Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently announced that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) would begin a process informally known as “Operation Twist,” in which the Federal Reserve will attempt to force long term rates downward while letting short term rates rise. This will be accomplished by selling short term treasuries and

Joe Biden Causes Increases In Rapes

2011-10-27T13:46:00.002-04:00

The Joe Biden Theory of Police Presence and Increases of Instances of Rape can be put to teh test in other areas besides Republican fiscal responsibility.Joe Biden supports OWS and like movements across the country.Prominent officials' support of such movements encourage local city governments to tolerate their presence no matter how violent, unhealthful, etc. they get.A large assemblage of shady

If We Wanted to: How to Comply With OWS Demands

2011-10-26T00:09:00.000-04:00

OWS demands pretty much fly all over the place. This should get even more freaktastic now that Islamic militants have joined in common cause bare breasted hippie girls that have (useless) college degrees. But a few stand out. Universal distribution of food and through the roof minimum wages are only a couple of the proposals/demands heard from these protests.Conservatives claim that such

Ann Coulter

2011-10-25T01:24:00.000-04:00

I had a chance to see Ann Coulter at Georgetown University last week. She put on an impressive show.About 2/3 of the student crowd were respectfully hostile. Coulter delivered a lively and confrontational performance. She did not just want to preach to the choir, but also to afflict the comfortable liberals and leftists in their own academic lair. Coulter cast her lines and reeled them in. No

Republicans Need to Talk Team In Presidential Race

2011-10-24T01:06:00.000-04:00

America is living through a crisis that we have not seen in two generations. Somewhere between the Carter years and the Great Depression is our economic mess, caused by big government, easy credit, tax policy that is beyond stupid, and overregulation.Republican presidential candidates and political minds, too influenced by both "The Won" and the Ron, offer themselves as the solution.Most of us

Joe Biden Rape Prevention Act Goes Down

2011-10-21T00:10:00.000-04:00

Senator Manchin and other fiscally conscious Democrats joined with Senate Republicans to shoot down Obama's mini stimulus, an action that Joe Biden said would increase rape and murder. So, if you combine Obama and Biden, Republicans support unbreatheable air, rape, dirty water, murder, and puppy kicking.Biden's assertions come from his speech in Flint, Michigan, one of the few cities with rising

$300,000 Is Not Flexing Muscle

2011-10-18T01:57:00.000-04:00

Yesterday a news story made its way through the wires without question or analysis. It even ended up in the Washington Times. It claimed that OWS was flexing its muscle because it raised $300,000 in a month.Wow. A nationwide, nay, we are told, worldwide movement raised $300k in a single month? That's not muscle flexing in the world of political fundraising. The worst president in one and a

David McKinley's Bill On Coal Ash Sails Through House

2011-10-17T11:52:00.001-04:00

McKinley’s Jobs Bill on Coal Ash Passes Full HouseW.Va. freshman’s compromise legislation passes with bipartisan support Washington, D.C. – A jobs bill (H.R. 2273) authored by Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV), which for the first time sets minimum federal guidelines regulating coal ash while empowering the states to enforce them, passed the House Friday with overwhelming bipartisan support

Suggested Strategy to Cain: Voter Registration

2011-10-14T01:45:00.000-04:00

Herman Cain, I am not your strategist, but here is a thought that you should consider.You are an outside the box thinker, always have been. That is why you are a success. No, I don't like any national sales tax plan that does not come with a constitutional cap. But I like your style and I think you are one of the folks that can whip Obama next year.Here is your strategy to win. Voter

Learning to Like Mitt Romney

2011-10-13T09:06:00.004-04:00

I am learning to like Mitt. Why? Because odds are, he will be the nominee.I don't dislike him personally. He seems to be a decent enough person. But he reminds me all too much of that Thomas E. Dewey northeastern establishment Republican set. Romney will not heartily embrace the kind of conservatism that galvanizes the rest of America outside of New England. Romney's positions, to put it

Al Davis and Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-12T01:52:00.002-04:00

I originally was going to use Mylan Puskar as a perfect foil for the anti-everything Occupy Wall Street Crowd. His story of work ethic, success, and generosity are shining examples of what the free market is all about. Then I figured, that's too easy.So I picked a villain. Al Davis. Recently deceased owner of the Oakland Raiders.Davis was a guy that everyone loved to hate, unless they played

Why Columbus Day?

2011-10-10T12:15:00.003-04:00

Christopher Columbus gets a very bad rap. He is accused basically of causing every crime ever committed against Indians in North America, mostly by virtue of having shown up. Many want to downgrade his accomplishment because he did not come over first. Only the Italians and conservatives really stick up for the poor captain anymore. If you are one of the anti-Columbus crowd, remember this.

The Hippies Do Have a Point Here, But They Protest the Wrong Villains

2011-10-06T10:43:00.004-04:00

A Wisconsin judge, in a wonderful display of legal wisdom, ruled that people do not have the right to drink milk directly from their own cow if they board it on another farm.Chalk another victory up for crony mercantilism.State and federal health guidelines used to be used to protect the general public purchasing from major corporations. You really do need to trust that the food that you buy at

The Real World Dawns

2011-10-05T22:24:00.002-04:00

It's a cold, cruel world because it's real.We have a set field. Palin and Christie declined. Unless Rudy Giuliani unexpectedly steps in, we have a set field for the Republican primaries.And no one is happy.We do have a great field. A businessman with experience at the Fed, two former governors who enjoyed success in their own ways, the intellectual, and the others.However, we're grumbling

Are the Democrats Worried Yet?

2011-10-03T12:38:00.002-04:00

Not too long ago, we secretly denied that it would be possible within a decade. Now it seems within our grasp.A two party system may soon emerge in West Virginia.The passing of Byrd has removed some of the powerful coattails that connected other Democratic candidates to voters. "Big Daddy" had big influence on state elections. Joe Manchin also has similar popularity, but he accomplishes this

Know Your Scandals

2011-09-28T01:51:00.000-04:00

Watergate was a horrific abuse of presidential power. Nixon obstructed justice and acted as if he was above the law. He also got what he deserved, or perhaps less than he deserved......BUTWatergate did not cost taxpayers a half a billion dollars in bad loans to presidential cronies.Watergate did not result in the death of any law enforcement officers or contribute to the violent destabilization

The Left Has Met the Enemy, and They Think It Is Them

2011-09-27T01:13:00.000-04:00

The refrain is familiar and bizarre at the same time. Leftists bash Tea Partiers as racist, violent, revolutionary, and dangerous. How could they come to such conclusions about a group that, even when it gathers by the tens of thousands barely even litters and also shows a strong affection for an actual American black, Hermann Cain?Simple. The Left remembers their own period of protest, which

We Won't Let Campaign Spokespeople Speak Or Write With Horrific Sentence Structure

2011-09-26T12:34:00.003-04:00

From the Tomblin campaign...We won't let New York multi-millionaire Bill Maloney who made his money drilling and digging in other states, then investing it in West Virginia, then selling out somehow because he obviously sold out because he made this money on his own and not by an Obama Department of Energy handout win a campaign with crazy ideas, such as free market, non-crony capitalism, that

A Gingrich Role, the Ruin of Sarah Palin, and Approve the F 35 Already!

2011-09-23T01:46:00.002-04:00

Conservatives love Herman Cain. He is a businessman, answers questions in regular talk and not politicianese. So why so little support for a guy who seems to have been preparing to be president at this point in history for much of his adult life?Gingrich will probably not be nominated. But he is definitely a potential consigliere for anyone elected who may not bring a lot of experience to the

Earl Ray Tomblin Needs To Explain This Immediately

2011-09-22T01:45:00.003-04:00

Earl Ray Tomblin wants to be governor, but he needs to explain or clarify some remarks that he wrote several years ago.Tomblin wrote the foreword to the book West Virginia Tough Boys: Vote Buying, Fist Fighting, and a President Named JFK. The book, written by F. Keith Davis, details the career of several Southern West Virginia Democratic bosses, including Raymond Chafin. One scene in the book,

Larry Puccio Does Not Want to Go Down the "Big Money" Road

2011-09-21T01:32:00.000-04:00

According to "Followthemoney.org" in 2010:Trade unions were the second largest contributors to state candidates besides self-financing. They contributed $867,000. After them came public sector unions and lawyers' associations. Only after them came business contributors, whose contributions are often divided. The West Virginia Coal Association contributed a little over $40,000.The top six

The Democrats' Missed Opportunity

2011-09-20T03:56:00.000-04:00

Remember 2009? When stimulus was supposed to save us all? When we believed that it was all going to "shovel ready projects, and not ACORN? Looking back, the Democratic Party had in its grasp the possibility of ensuring popularity and success for years to come. And the screwed it up (thankfully!)I am not saying that the stimulus would have successfully turned around the economy. It would not

The Death of Eastern Football

2011-09-18T23:45:00.002-04:00

It's pretty much a done deal and in many ways the future looks bright for West Virginia athletics. The SEC is the king of football, just as the Big East was in basketball. What Bobby Huggins did to take West Virginia to the top echelon in that league can be mirrored by Dana Holgerson in football. If he is successful, this could mean that he remains here for a long time instead of looking for

American Flags: The New Lawn Darts

2011-09-16T03:20:00.000-04:00

Remember back in the 1980s when thousands of people worldwide succumbed to the terror of "death by lawn dart?"Well, I don't either, but that did not stop the federal government from outlawing the toys for use by anyone, not just children. Think of the children. We have to keep them safe.Two, not one, but (at least) two separate so-called institutions of learning have deemed American flags to be

Dumb Security, Brought to You By the Left

2011-09-15T01:09:00.000-04:00

Wednesday morning, Democratic congresswoman Lynn Wolsey (from California, of course) rose to speak. She had five minutes to speak to the Speaker Pro Tempore, some cameras, hundreds of seats, and whoever else happened to be there. She gave an impassioned speech about what she called "Smart Security."First, she called for the removal of all troops from Afghanistan. Pretty typical anti-war stuff,

Debating Debates

2011-09-13T05:36:00.002-04:00

Personally, I am sick of debates.Debates mean nothing. They are highly artificial and stylized dog and pony shows that pass for real and reasoned argument. They pander to our love of competition and the media's desire for a quick, witty, or dumb sound bite.Debates emphasize shallowness over substance. How does a person quickly and smartly answer a question? Does this really have anything to

"I Have Serious Concerns About the Level of Spending"

2011-09-09T09:17:00.003-04:00

This was not John Boehner, Rush Limbaugh, or Ann Coulter. This was freshman West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin's take on the proposed $450 billion in new stimulus spending. It is also bad news, because Manchin has become a bell cow for the moderate Democrats in terms of Obama proposals.Obama proposed vast sums for infrastructure improvement, payroll tax cuts, and other measures designed to prime

What Have We Lost?

2011-09-07T01:43:00.001-04:00

Adam Smith describes the capital of a country in terms of its labor, land, structures, and productive capacity. Countries that can enhance production by necessity enhance their capital.In the 1930s and thereafter, the federal government introduced programs to keep food prices at a certain level. Milk, orange juice, and a wide variety of other products are priced higher than they should be. One

Could the Next Chief Executive to Take on Public Service Unions Be Obama?

2011-09-06T01:27:00.000-04:00

Democrats gave the Wisconsin governor all the trouble he wanted last winter when he took on public sector unions. While service has remained the same, savings are up, and jobs were even preserved, unions still grumble about their reduced power. Now, the question will soon come up at the federal level.The United States Postal Service is in crisis. Its debt soars while it faces obstacles to its

McKinley Fights EPA Coal Ash Rule

2011-09-02T01:23:00.000-04:00

Cheap energy, at one time, was part of our competitive advantage in manufacturing. Obama promised to make energy prices go up. He definitely kept that promise. President Obama Admits: EPA Coal Ash Rule Among Costliest Regulations 08/31/11 President Obama Admits: EPA Coal Ash Rule Among Costliest Regulations McKinley bill will save economy billions, protect jobs Washington, D.C. – In a

The Tenth Anniversary of a Heinous Attack. What's Missing?

2011-09-01T01:48:00.001-04:00

9/11 is fast approaching. It's hard to believe that ten years have passed since some unidentified group of people did something pretty bad. But we should forget the bad stuff and trade in our SUVs for a hybrid the size of a toaster oven. Ludicrous? Yup. But that is the gist of the Obama Administration's plans for commemorating the tenth anniversary of the attacks on our nation. The word is

All Too Often, Education Stops At the Schoolhouse Doors

2011-08-31T01:22:00.000-04:00

Education often finds itself barred from the schoolhouse. Certainly schools have books, computers, teachers, and other modes of transmitting information, but a complete education does not come from these alone. Education comes from discussion and debate of issues, ideas, and values. Schools are certainly okay with expressions of certain kinds of values and love to toss about the word "

Michelle Obama or Marie Antoinette? Who Was More Out of Touch?

2011-08-29T04:37:00.000-04:00

The American media for the most part has been hammering the president on his lack of, well, almost anything presidential. Comments from former supporters parallel the complaints of Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives in 2008. The president looks overwhelmed, incapable, and out of touch. But his worse public relations problem may be his wife. First Ladies don't normally attract bipartisan

David McKinley Fires Back At Michigan Congressman Who Seeks to Shut Down Coal

2011-08-26T00:47:00.000-04:00

Rep. McKinley’s Statement on Rep. Conyers’ Out of Touch Claims on West Virginia’s Coal Industry Washington, D.C. –Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV) issued the following statement after Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) claimed from his limited understanding that “there is no such thing as clean coal,” during an Environmental Protection Agency conference. Conyers went a step further to disgrace West

"In Case of An Actual Emergency..."

2011-08-25T01:26:00.000-04:00

These words form part of every announced test of the Emergency Broadcast System. The phrase concludes with a reminder that the tone will be followed by actual information. Monday, Earth gave us its version of the Emergency Broadcast System test. Washington D. C. failed. Trains ran at a snail's pace, commuters waited for hours on subway platforms and in traffic jams. The city's transport

The F 35 Must Remain a Priority In An Uncertain World

2011-08-23T21:25:00.001-04:00