The Cost of Losing National Spirituality

America has always had a sense of duty about it. Since 1776 it has remained on a mission to fulfill its principles at home and abroad. We have always seen ourselves as a special people in world history. Left wingers have derided "American exceptionalism" since the late 1960s, first attacking this concept as they fought to unseat Lyndon Johnson from the presidency. This very belief in the superiority of our traditions has changed the world for the better.

Now the left wingers who have hated America since around 1967 finally have one of their own as president. His first gift to them was Apology Tour 2009, an act that floored our allies and gave aid and comfort to our enemies. Don't feel too sorry for them. This was the guy they wanted. Why did they think it would turn out any differently?

An America that turns away from its own guiding principles of supporting democracy and promoting capitalism has nothing. It is our principles that bring together a group of races and ethnicity. We always disagreed on how to implement our values, not so much on whether they had validity, not until now at least.

A few days ago I watched a movie called The Mephisto Waltz. The cast of characters represented a pretty typical late 1960s, early 1970s elite crowd. People in the movie lived out their existence pursuing the dreams of art and an exciting social life. The group is completely devoid of any Christian influence. Eventually you realize that many of the characters are part of a satanic cult led by an incestuous piano player. The female lead loses her husband, played by Alan Alda, to the cult in a manner of speaking. She herself turns to satanism to get him back, but of course loses her identity as a "decent person" in the process.

It is not enough to be simply "decent" as an individual or as a nation. From time to time you must speak up for, and occasionally fight for, what is right. If Americans start to accept the left wing line that we are not an exceptional nation with a God given duty on this Earth, we open ourselves up to other less benign influences. In the past hundred years we accepted the ideal that freedom in every part of the globe lay within our national interest and this inspired countless peoples to seek freedom and try to follow our model of democracy. Obama does not believe in being "leader of the free world," but insists upon apologizing for America taking those stands.

Like the song says, "if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything."

Singing the Blues With West Virginia Red

As of this writing, when you Google "Doug McKinney" and "Hatch Act," you only come up with a handful of left wing blogs and West Virginia Red. Only one of the above has launched a serious crusade to split the West Virginia Republican Party by ousting Chairman Doug McKinney, and it is not one of the Democratic or Socialist ones.

For the second time in a row, West Virginia Red has tried to unleash a bombshell against McKinney on the eve of a major state Republican gathering. What was shocking has grown predictable, what is predictable will soon become boring. I asked the question before when discussing this issue with a couple of those ranging themselves against Dr. McKinney, how on earth do you think that a supposed major violation of a well known election law escaped the attention of Secretary of State Betty Ireland, much less the West Virginia Democratic Party? There is no answer to that question unless you believe that state election officials and the Democratic Party willfully ignored a major oversight. Yes it is not Ms. Ireland's job, nor is it the obligation of the Democrats to quote federal laws to the West Virginia GOP Chair. Then again both, for obviously different reasons, would be very inclined to do so. It would be within their interest.

What is the interest here for the cadre in and around West Virginia Red? Sun Tzu's Art of War says "trust in self-interest." Theirs is to tear down Doug McKinney, but why? The 2009 meeting season has ended and it is extremely doubtful that, barring a massive rise in debt or the uncovering of criminal activity, that the West Virginia GOP will remove him prematurely next winter only months before the end of his natural term. If their interest lies in removing Dr. McKinney before the end of his term, that ship has sailed.

Is it someone's interest to capture the chairmanship for themselves? If so, what can be gained by firing torpedoes into the side of the ship? Who wants to be captain of a boat that they themselves sank? Leadership turmoils spell trouble for any candidates running for election next year. Instead of answering questions about their issues, candidates will face a barrage of inquiries about the state party that they neither can nor want to answer. Forget financial or any other kind of support.

With Obama polls falling and the country witnessing the slow collapse of his presidency, Republicans across the land have slowly started to believe again. The evil of socialism and the death of American foreign policy also are a tremendous concerns. Republicans need to attack Democrats and their failed vision, not each other!

I will say something very unfaddish. I love the Republican Party. Behind God, family, and country it has my allegiance. Throughout history from day one to today, it stands for freedom and opportunity. Very few groups can say that, ever. It does not approach our ideal of perfection, but nothing on this earth does. Nothing is perfect and we all have different images of what is ideal. Republican principles have stood the test of history and remain the reason why we care. Our state Republican Party has overcome many obstacles in the past few years in spite of an unfavorable tide. Now we have a chance to ride the tide if we can only get all our oars out and moving in the same direction.

If anyone at West Virginia Red wants to gain the chairmanship, by all means take the next year and lay out your vision. Contact delegates, form a campaign, convince people to vote for your program for positive reasons. This weekend's summit should give the present and future leaders a chance to propose constructive plans. Tearing down what we have does no one any good, except the fellas in blue quietly sitting off to the side chuckling to themselves.

Sirius Radio Host Andrew Wilkow in Morgantown

I would say if you missed Andrew Wilkow in Morgantown, then you missed on of the great Republican dinners held this year in West Virginia, but you can watch it below. Andrew reminded us all of what it means to be a conservative. It was a great show and I would like to thank him for coming down. You can hear him weekdays on Sirius 144 between 12 and 3pm.

Janeane Garofalo needs to make up her mind

Traditional Values Built our Nation

The Left doesn't understand that.

Winds of Change, Words of Deceit

Monday night I had the opportunity to attend one of the monthly Windmill meetings that are open to the public and designed to keep the community informed and give the opportunity for the public to ask questions. The format is quiet simple, a presentation is made, questions are ask of the permanent panel of local leaders, then the public in attendance is allowed to ask questions. If it is something that can’t be answered immediately, then it is put on the agenda for the next meeting or a reference for that information is given. It works quite well.

Last night there were some anti-jobs people there disrupting the meeting, I’m all for exercising freedom of speech, but you don’t purposely disrupt a meeting and make accusations you can’t back up. Several times during the meeting the anti-jobs people had to be ask to be respectful to the other speakers. It was mainly a tactic to get the attention of the media present and judging by Tuesday’s paper they succeeded, as the article doesn’t accurately reflect the events of the meeting.

I especially like the quote by Greg Trainor in the newspaper, “This is more of monologue.” While it was true that Mr. Trainor said that, it fails to point out it was during Dave Friend’s presentation. The presentation was supposed to be a monologue, the question and answer session came after is presentation, not in the middle of it. Mr. Trainor didn’t want to play by the rules like the rest of the people in attendance were willing to do, and when the question and answer session came Mr. Trainor didn’t really ask questions as much as he made accusations. Mr. Trainor needs to understand you learn by listening and not shouting over the people that are trying to answer your questions.

Trainor did ask a question that is impossible to answer. “I want to know how many houses will be powered, what you really think?” But it was his point to ask a question that couldn’t be answered correctly. You can take average estimated output of the windfarm and average home electrical usage, but beyond that the question can’t be answered. Mr. Trainor knew that. He wanted an exact number that doesn’t exist, because then he could use that number to say look under these conditions that it is wrong.

Well most people are quick to understand that in the middle of the night in the fall when there is a strong wind and people are asleep using very little electric the project may meet the needs of 100,000 homes. The average person is also smart enough to understand that on a 100 degree summer day a noon and no wind is blowing that the project can’t supply work to a single electric fan. The people are smarter than Mr. Trainor believes.

In 30-days the project is filing its papers with the Public Service Commission. 99% of the questions asked by the anti-jobs group will be answered in that public filing. The Windmill project is operating releasing its information as prescribed by the laws of the state of West Virginia, but the anti-jobs group is demanding information be released in a matter not in accordance with the law. US Windforce is complying with the law as they should and when the follow the law the anti-jobs group accuses them of trying to hide something. The anti-jobs group is using deceit to stop the positive change coming to our community.

An Inconvenient Issue

The National Climatic Center recently reported that the year 2008 thus far has been the coolest in eleven years. Sea ice growth has increased at the most rapid level in decades. That information does not count the blast of early winter delivered to this part of the United States this month. But this doesn't make any sense. Global warming is supposed to destroy us all. What in the name of Al Gore is going on?

Global warming is dead as an American political issue. You heard it here first. Democrats lock stepped behind this issue that has been used around the world to break down capitalist economic systems. They saw it as a perfect way to discredit George W. Bush. Watch it now disappear.

For one thing, temperatures, especially in the eastern United States, have been noticeably cooler overall. Our long, hot summers have moderated except for a few bursts of heat. Winters have been moderate as well. Last spring we got a lot more precipitation than we had for many years. Of course the most looney have concocted the explanation that if temperatures rise OR fall, it is attributable to global warming. How convenient!

This issue has always been more political than anything, though. Do you really see Democrats from industrial and coal producing states actually supporting sweeping legislation to reduce our competitive advantage based upon an unproven theory? Now that Obama has revealed himself to be more of a savvy politician than a crusader, he will likely disappoint the radical Leftists that want to destroy capitalism and all its works. Now that the abominable Bush is gone, scientists will probably start voicing their skepticism's since they cannot be accused of being Bush lovers for having an opposing viewpoint. Radical Leftists who expected that global warming would roast capitalism will surely be disappointed.

The Farmer's Almanac has predicted a cooler winter this year as well as a long term cooling trend over the next few decades. They rely upon observations of sunspots for their predictions. This is science at work without the intrusive political tinge. Maybe they will actually start to admit that George W. Bush does not actually control the weather too, but that might be too much to hope for.

Or maybe now that Obama is almost president, he gets to run the weather machine for awhile.

Apollo and Dionysus Revisited

In 1969 Russian immigrant intellectual Ayn Rand wrote an essay called "Apollo and Dionysus." At this point, Rand had emerged as a leader among those seeking to defend the free market and fight the encroachment of Leftism. Her positivism resembled conservative movements in its embrace of liberty, but diverged on the issue of religion. Many of Reagan's speeches from this period show a powerful influence by Rand, except for his sincere Christianity.

She wrote this piece during a summer that witnessed man landing on the moon and the Woodstock concert. Rand noted that 300,000 attended the $7 concert while over a million traveled to Florida to watch Apollo 11 blast into space. To her these events represented the two possible paths of the United States and mankind in general.

Rand talked about Apollo's symbolism as a Greek god. He represented a realistic viewpoint as well as the determined individual spirit. If one theme underlies her novels and essays, it is the power of the individual to do great things when unfettered by law or convention. Dionysus, the half-brother of Apollo, represented the power of the collective experience. He was the god of wine and fertility, but represented delusion. In other words, Dionysus was the god of feeling good whereas Apollo represented harsh reality.

Intellectuals did not "feel good" about the triumph of American ingenuity in 1969. Column after column reminded readers how much more could have been spent on the welfare programs that we now know ruptured the social fabric of much of the nation. Few intellectuals applauded the amazing achievement or understood the wider value of the technology created by NASA to get men there and back. Certainly few remembered that this was a dream championed by a president, Kennedy, whose liberalism did not fully overwhelm his belief in the power of the individual nor the greatness of his nation. Of course today's liberals cite his belief in America's space program as a reason for his greatness.

On the other hand, Woodstock, to read accounts in Newsweek and the New York Times "who called it the 'Nightmare in the Catskills'" was a disaster. Planners had underestimated the need for sanitary facilities, food, water, or health care. Cars were parked in residents' yards and farms. Concert goers destroyed property, and used porches and yards as bathrooms. They shared a vision of seeking a grand collective experience that would validate or at least help them understand their rootless individualities. Rand called them a party looking for a Fuhrer.

The problem, according to Rand, lies in a culture and society that believes happiness is the absence of struggle. Avoidance of individual problems and the maintenance of self-esteem become paramount. People feel strong not through personal achievement, but by the power of the group. National Socialism was built by people who were perennial losers in life, who could only rise by using brute force to steal from and smash those who had done well for themselves.

It is imperative that we remain vigilant as believers in liberty. Freedom means that we have natural rights to keep the rewards of our work, that we can satirize the president-elect without being called racists, that we can proudly talk about our accomplishments since 1981 in making this country great. That includes the effectiveness of President Bush.

Just because liberals have won an election does not mean they can force us to go along with their ideas on how to redefine America. This is a country of individualism. Collectivist ideals are meant to control society, not better it.

It Can Happen Here Too

Last year, Cape Hatteras National Seashore was the subject of a lawsuit launched by environmental extremists. They found a friendly judge who sided with them and issued an ultimatum to local residents, landowners, and tourists. Cape Hatteras National Seashore would be subject to complete closures to the public at any given time, or the seashore would be closed to humans entirely. Why? One species of piper on the seashore was placed on the threatened list. Not the endangered list, the threatened list.

The public was not consulted. Congress did not pass an act. The President did not sign an executive order. A liberal federal judge, without any scientific evidence, sided with environmentalist wackos and limited American citizens' rights to use public land. At one time, judges refrained from acting in such cases because the subject matter was considered more fit for the elected Congress to consider. Liberal federal judges see themselves as a legislature, unelected and serving for life. One of the areas closed was the popular "Point" region, the easternmost American territory on the Eastern Seaboard. Senator Elizabeth Dole and other GOP lawmakers from North Carolina last month launched the uphill battle to restore the rights of human beings to use taxpayer land.

Why does this matter to the Potomac Highlands and West Virginia? Think of all the federal land in the state currently used by West Virginians and those from outside the state. Also consider how much our state depends on tourist dollars. Any special interest group can file a lawsuit and potentially shut down access to parts of the national forest or the New River.

Theodore Roosevelt started the process of setting aside land for public use to preserve for future generations. Now environmentalists want to shut off large tracts of American land from any use whatsoever. We cannot allow the election of a president who will appoint judges who beleive that the law is their mouth.

The Unrelenting and Mindless Power of Government

One man's weed is another man's salad.

A Keyser pastor, I won't mention his name, intentionally allowed high stands of chicory to grow at the edge of his yard along the sidewalk. Chicory is considered by many to be a weed, but the pastor explained how the roots could be ground into a decent coffee and the shoots used for salad greens. Over and above that, he simply appreciated the beauty of these plants with almost silver stalks and lovely small flowers. Did it look different than other yards? Certainly, but who cares. It is his yard.

Apparently the city cares. Cars speed up Main Street and drug use is rampant. Therefore the city has to go on weed patrol and threaten to cite individuals who choose to allow a few to grow in their yard. He complied and cut the flowers down, but the situation is absolutely ridiculous.

First of all, it is a waste of taxpayer money to even use up the time to cite an otherwise well maintained yard. How can the city complain about shrinking budgets and even think about raising taxes when it uses its resources on this kind of garbage? Real criminals are out there, but we have to pay the city to harass preachers for what they choose to grow in their yard. The bigger issue is the loss of freedom. You don't lose freedom all at once, but in little slivers here and there. They count on the idea that it is more inconvenient to fight city hall than to assert one's right to grow a few harmless plants.

It all lies in the interpretation. What is a weed and what is useful? When did we grant the city the right to decide for us what is useful and what is ugly? The same danger lies in the enforcement of litter and cleanup ordinances. Government should never pass judgment on aesthetics. Most people may not like the commode used as a planter, but it is that person's right to use it as such. Not to mention the possibility that they could claim that it is art and get it protected by the First Amendment.

In cases where the public health is not directly threatened, no government should judge for the public what an individual decides to put in their yard or what they allow to grow in their yard. Government is the same in all times and places in that it is always mindless and relentless. Only a government properly restrained by the law can be trusted. Give government the power and they will use it badly in almost any situation.

Is a Hybrid Car really the best choice to save fuel?

The Toyota Prius gets about 45 mpg a Volkswagen Golf Diesel gets about 52 mpg. The Golf will run circles around the Prius while saving fuel. Just watch the video.

Shelley Moore Capito Delivers on National Security Again

The nightmare scenario that few of us want to think about and that the liberals want to pretend won't happen is all too possible. Imagine a WMD strike on Washington DC, turning the metropolitan area too "hot" for habitation. Hundreds of thousands flee the stricken area. Our region turns into the front line of the war on terror.


In such a situation, those guarding the ramparts ensuring our safety become our National Guard, state troopers, and fire fighters. That is why Representative Shelley Moore Capito's work to secure a $66,500 grant for the Capon Springs Volunteer fire department is so vital. As Capito explains, “The Capon Springs Volunteer Fire Department is vital to the local community, but faces challenges with limited financial resources." The equipment such grants help these departments obtain will prove vital whether these men and women respond to a local emergency or regional disaster. According to Capito, “This grant will help purchase a much needed mobile compressor trailer that will service all fire departments in the area. These are volunteers that willingly serve their neighbors in need and it’s important that they have the resources to do their job.”


Once again our Republican Representative in Congress has shown that her office can bring home needed help for some of our most necessary organizations, even when hers is the minority party. We should be thankful for Representative Capito. While liberals in the House of Representatives raise the bar on foolishness, for example debating articles of impeachment against Dick Cheney of all people, at least Representative Capito and other Republicans get some real and important work accomplished.

Shush!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last week the Mineral County Republican Executive Committee voted on a resolution. Very rarely does this body make a specific statement on county policy. However it did encourage the Mineral County Commission "to oppose any additional requirements placed on building construction in Mineral County." This included additional fees and regulations above and beyond the state code.

They did not sacrifice a cat on the courthouse lawn, or anything similarly outrageous but you would not have believed it by the response of the county commissioners. Janice LaRue responded responsibly by saying she would look out for the good of the county rather than simply one political party. Fair enough.

However Cindy Pyles registered her extreme disappointment over the resolution and aimed her comments at two Republicans in particular. "I am really very disappointed in Bob Harman's signature, as a former commissioner," she said. Pyles then named who she thought was the true malefactor of this horrific deed when she stated, "This has the hand writing of Gary Howell all over it."

Horror of horrors and right before Halloween at that! Imagine the gall of Gary Howell, Bob Harman, or the Republican Executive Committee expressing an opinion! It must have been so disappointing for Cindy Pyles to hear a Republican organization expressing its own party's principles of less government and less financial burdens on citizens.

The problem with liberals is that they often see their views as the truth. They feel that if a person just uses their faculties of reason, that they will also arrive at the same conclusions. No room exists for rational disagreement in this world view. If a conservative disagrees they are either uninterested in progressive government, or selfish, or stupid. There is no thought that a conservative could have a valid and reasonable objection.

Conservatives have principles based on reason, logic, and American tradition. They should not let the disappointment of liberal county commissioners dissuade them from speaking their minds on what is right.

Ted Kennedy to Introduce Legislation Condemning Italy

Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy's spokesperson announced this morning that he will introduce legislation condemning Italy for an act of genocide in its past.

In the mid 100s AD, the Roman Republic launched an aggressive war against the militarily vulnerable city-state of Carthage. Its armies marched into the city, destroyed every building, murdered every civilian, and even sowed salt into the surrounding fields so nothing would grow in them. Rome's brutality marked the largest single massacre of a civilian population until World War II. Neither the Roman Republic, nor its successor the Roman Empire, nor the current Republic of Italy have acknowledged or apologized for this act of brutality. Kennedy said that it is time to redress the wrongs of history. Italy can start with an apology to the current government of Tunisia, then negotiate reparations.

Obviously this is a sham article, but it is not too far off the mark from a real issue. Democrats in Congress have proposed a statement of condemnation against the current Republic of Turkey for atrocities committed by the Ottoman Empire. Turkey rightly refuses to apologize for the actions of another government. President Bush would rather Congress not antagonize one of our few real Muslim allies that is also a long standing democracy.

This becomes a slippery slope. In all honesty we would have to condemn the United Kingdom for their Boer War concentration camps, France for some of their colonial practices, and many others. Condemnations and apologies for historical events make little sense. The current generation does not own the guilt of acts committed before they were even born. Yes this counts Japan and Germany as well. Our sense of justice is supposed to be individual. People commit crimes and need punishment; nations are not culpable to the end of time just because their history has some stain.

The proposed resolution against Turkey is tantamount to forcing an individual to apologize for the crimes of their great-grandfather. There is no point to it, nor fairness in it.

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Add this to the file of "if they had a gun, they would have been fine." In Great Britain, a family was attacked and beaten because they put details of their son's 16th birthday party on YouTube. Over 100 uninvited guests showed up at the residence and demanded entry. They attacked the father and beat everyone else while stealing food and champagne.

A shotgun full of rock salt or wood splinters would have dispersed that mob right away. It would not even happen in West Virginia.