Politico Has Bad News For Rahall, Other House Candidates

"There is no question that Democratic donors are shifting toward the Senate in 2014," Democrat megadonor and Nancy Pelosi friend Joe Cotchett told Politico.

Democratic donors may likely chalk up the House of Representatives as unwinnable and concentrate on keeping the Senate in their hands.

With noted congressional prognosticator Larry Sabato now rating the WV 03 race a tossup, diminishing Democratic support could help cost Nick Rahall the seat he has held for decades.

If You Are Still Thinking of Voting For A Democrat For House of Representatives This Year, Consider This . . .

Nancy Pelosi has a $19,000 per MONTH apartment in Washington D. C.

Guess who pays for it?

YOU DO!

Vote David McKinley and Spike Maynard for Congress on Tuesday. Pelosi is unacceptable!

Breaking News: Republicans Think Obama Is a Socialist!

You may be amazed to hear this, but according to the liberal media, the Republican Party believes that Barack Obama is a socialist.

Even more shocking, Republicans plan to discuss Obama and Pelosi's socialist agenda to try and raise money for the midterm elections!

At fundrasisers' retreat in Florida recently, one Republican attendee carelessly left behind a packet of papers that outlined the top secret, confidential strategy that will describe Obama's Marxist, I mean, Leninist, er I mean Communist, no socialist policies. I know that almost no one out there believes that Republicans might consider Obama a president that leans towards socialism so this information must come at a huge shock.

Even more hair raising were cariciatures of Harry Reid as Scooby Doo and Nancy Pelosi as Cruella De Vil. Oh the humanity!!!!! How low will Republicans descend in their efforts to describe massive wealth redistribution and government takeovers of major industries as socialist?

Donna Gosney, attendee from the West Virginia Republican Party, explained in a quote in an National Public Radio story, "I'm tired of all this politically correct crap. If it's socialism, let's call it that. If not, let's call it something else."

Finally, the liberal media is reveling in the fact that the GOP hands out trinkets to major donors and other activists that are worth far less than the amount donated. I am sure that the Democrats hand out Mazzeratis to their top donors, but the GOP is a little more cash conscious. It probably does come as a shock to rich donors that the lapel pin or signed picture of President Bush they got for their donations may not have a high monetary value.

So let's recap. Republicans think that left wingers like Obama and Pelosi are dangerous socialists. They are willing to poke fun at their images to raise money and sway voters. The liberal media sees this as dredging the bottom of the political barrel.

Sure, it's not the same as calling Bush a Nazi, a moron, a monkey, an evil genius bent on destroying the world, or the idiotic puppet of Karl Rove or Dick Cheney, but hey, that's politics for ya.

After a Crushing Loss in Massachusetts, Will Mollohan Fold on Healthcare?

Washington- A win for Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown in the country’s bluest state is sending shivers down Democrats’ spines. Brown’s defeat of Democrat Martha Coakley is a clear reflection of the public’s dissatisfaction with the Democrats’ sweeping government healthcare takeover, proving that the Obama-Pelosi agenda is exceedingly unpopular even in the state once represented by Ted Kennedy. This result should serve as a stark warning for Alan Mollohan and other Democrat lap dogs that have supported Nancy Pelosi’s government-run healthcare overhaul: Your seat is no longer safe.

"’Even in liberal Massachusetts, most voters are opposed to it,’ said Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling, a Democratic pollster in Raleigh, N.C., who has conducted polls in that state and others on health care. "If it's not popular in Massachusetts, it's really not popular anywhere." (Janet Adamy & Naftali Bendavid, “Massachusetts Race Now Key to Health Bill,” Wall Street Journal, 1/18/2010)

“He said Democrats have learned a crucial lesson: that even in very blue states, Democrats should expect a ‘volatile’ environment with a ‘tough’ electorate — and ‘you can’t afford not to be aggressive.’” (Manu Raju, Jonathan Martin and John Bresnahan, “Finger-pointing begins for Democratic insiders,” Politico, 1/19/2010)

“’My message to my clients? Jump ship now,’ said one Democratic operative who advises a number of targeted Members of Congress. ‘Obama can't help you.’” (Chris Cillizza, “Scott Brown wins Massachusetts Senate special election race,” Washington Post, 1/20/2010)

Over the past few months, polling has consistently shown that support for Democrats and their healthcare overhaul is sagging.

“The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 38% of voters nationwide favor the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That matches the lowest level of support yet. Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters oppose the plan.” (“Health Care Reform” Rasmussen Reports, 1/18/2010)

The polling so far for red district Democrats has been uniformly atrocious… If you look at the RCP average, you see a sea of red markings showing Republicans leading the generic ballot test. It isn’t just Rasmussen Reports: CNN, Battleground, Bloomberg, and Gallup have all measured the GOP ahead in the generic ballot in the past few months.” (Sean Trende, “The House Is Very Much In Play,” Real Clear Politics, 1/19/2010)

Despite the writing on the wall, Pelosi remains adamant on pushing her reckless healthcare bill through Congress.

‘’Let’s remove all doubt,’ she added. ‘We will have health care one way or another.’” (Domenico Montanaro, “Congress: A speedy vote?,” MSNBC, 1/19/2009)

“With the cards stacked against him, Alan Mollohan's re-election campaign is going to make the Massachusetts special election look like a walk in the park,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “After serving as a consummate lap dog for Nancy Pelosi and her reckless healthcare bill, Mollohan has put himself in political jeopardy. The Democrats’ big-government, big-spending policies cost them a Senate seat in Massachusetts, now the question is: Will it cost Mollohan his own?”

With his job on the line, will Alan Mollohan fold on healthcare or will he continue to push himself out of office by being the lap dog West Virginia families know him to be?

Another Sign of Things to Come in 2010

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30896.html

Representative Parker Griffith of Alabama's 5th Congressional district announced yesterday that he will switch his registration to Republican as the country moves into its off election year.

In terms of legislation this affects voting in no way at all because Griffith voted a conservative line on most important issues. This does provide the GOP a psychological boost heading into one of its most important election years in recent memory. Griffith expressed his frustration with left wing Democratic ideals last fall to Tea Party activists and in town hall meetings.

Like many other Democrats who rode the anti GOP wave into office in 2006 and 2008, Griffith found himself in step with a majority Republican constituency, but increasingly opposed to the Pelosi led lurch to the left. Republican voting states found themselves denied their proportionate share of the so-called stimulus package, so Griffith had no tangible reason to remain with the Democratic Party either. His voters did not share Democratic beliefs, nor did they benefit by his association with them.

Voters in other areas that have elected Democrats for years find themselves under attack by the federal government and Congress. The West Virginia First and Third districts have congressional incumbents currently rolling over for Pelosi. Since they will not represent their constituents, it is time that the constituents elect someone who will represent them.

A Crowded Field and Digging a Deeper Hole

Complicated or refreshing? When you look at the field of candidates contending for the GOP nomination in the First Congressional District, either one of these words could come to mind. Yes there is currently a bewildering array of contenders, some strong, some with more of an outsiders' chance. They agree on many basic ideas, but differ in important ways. Over the next few months we will try to help sort out the differences between the candidates.

How is this refreshing? The people have come out and let it be known that Congress as currently constituted has performed unacceptably. As usual they show a complete disconnect from the people, but in the past few years they have also worked very hard to drive our country into decline. Massive debts destroy the financial reputation that we worked so hard to create dating back to Alexander Hamilton. The world has lost faith in our ability to lead the economy and make sound decisions. Some see an opportunity to use the current crisis to tweak the eagle's tail and cut us down a peg. No doubt our own left wing in theis country loves to see the United States shorn of its traditional dominance. But is this healthy for the world at large?

Who to blame? Obama has done a lot of damage, but the current majority party has seen nothing but decline since they took office in 2007. When Obama blames current problems on conditions created before he took office, he is careful to forget the votes and policies of a Democratic Congress.

Obviously the problem is the Democratic Party's massive lurch to the left. Mollohan has to march in step to ultra left winger Nancy Pelosi and her desire to destroy gun rights, coal mining, publicly fund abortions, raise the debt sky high, and do a lot of other things that will harm our nation and its people. We realize that a vote for Alan Mollohan os a vote for Nancy Pelosi and her disastrous record. Regradless of the good services he has done for individuals seeking help from his office, he is supporting the majority party in Congress whose almost every move has harmed West Virginia.

Most recently Congress raised the debt ceiling to allow yet another so-called stimulus package through by the barest of majorities. Alan Mollohan and Nick Joe Rahall voted to waste more money. Shelley Moore Capito voted against it, remembering much of the stimulus money spent last time went to groups like ACORN.

2010 cannot come soon enough. Mollohan's weakness is evident in his paltry fundraising and the enthusiasm of an army of candidates expecting to unseat him. Republicans in the First District need to band together this summer and fall and send Alan Mollohan and the Dmeocratic Congress into retirement.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 - Help Stop Obamacare Now!

Today in Charleston, Joe Manchin, Democrat members of the Legislature, Democrat staffers and Democrat congressional aides will gather to celebrate Senator Byrd becoming the longest serving Congressional member in U.S. history. It is also widely rumored that Senator Byrd himself is planning on attending. But while Democrats party under the dome at the state capitol a defining moment is coming to Washington in this year's health care debate.

Yesterday, Democrat leaders announced they will bring Harry Reid's new health care bill to the Senate floor in an effort to grant the President's Christmas wish for a government takeover of our nation's health care before the end of the year. This is in spite of the fact that no Senator has ever even seen Reid's new bill. It was written in secret behind locked doors by Harry Reid's personal staffers. Reid even hinted he may rush to a vote before the bill's been public for 72 hours, as even some Democrats have demanded.

To begin debate on this new version of Obamacare, Reid will play a shell game. He needs 60 senators to "vote to proceed" to an unrelated piece of legislation, and once he clears that hurdle he will strike that bill's text and insert his new health care bill. But don't be fooled by Democrat senators that say they oppose a government takeover but just wanted to allow debate on health care, they are not being honest.

The simple fact is this: Any senator that votes to proceed to the Reid-Obama bill is voting for a government takeover of your health care.

Call Senators Rockefeller and Byrd's offices right now and demand that they vote against the motion to proceed.

Senator Jay Rockefeller - (202) 224-6472
Senator Robert Byrd - (202) 224-3954

Or show up today at 3 p.m. in front of the Senator Byrd's statue on the second floor Rotunda of the State Capitol and ask Byrd in person not to support Harry Reid's undemocratic parliamentary maneuver "to proceed"

Don't allow Democrats to stick together on the vote to prceed and then allow some vulnerable Democrats to vote against final passage of the bill and claim they tried to stop it. Senators who say they just want to allow for debate are trying to deceive their voters while giving President Obama the crucial votes he needs to pass a government takeover of health care.

Voters should be watching and remember who stands up for their freedom and who stands with the special interests who want to ram through this takeover.

Democrats have now offered 5 different versions of Obamacare (the first House bill, the second House bill, the Senate Finance bill, the Senate HELP bill, and now Reid's bill). And despite the nuances, every Democrat bill we've seen puts Washington in control of health care, slashes Medicare coverage for seniors, raises premiums for families, raises taxes, places bureaucrats between patients and doctors, punishes young adults who choose not to buy coverage, and opens the door to government rationing of care.

We know the Reid plan will be more of the same and cannot be fixed by a few amendments on the Senate floor. The attempt to give Washington control over one-sixth of our economy is rotten to its core. And any improvements made to the bill will be a mirage that will vanish as soon as the bill goes behind closed doors in conference with the Pelosi bill.

Americans have loudly and repeatedly rejected the President's government takeover of health care. It's time to for the Democrats to listen, stop the shell games, and start over with real solutions that will provide every American the opportunity to afford, own and keep a health care plan that best meets their needs. We can have a real debate about common sense solutions, but only if we first stop this government takeover. And we can stop this bill if we let Democrats know they'll be held accountable for their vote next November.

Don't let them vote for a government takeover of health care before they vote against it. The "vote to proceed" to Obamacare may be one of the most important votes any Senator takes.

Make sure that Senator Byrd and Rockefeller both know that we are watching and that we'll remember them partying in Charleston while their colleagues in Washington were enslaving generations of West Virginians in a government run health care system with long lines, rationing and sub-standard care.

(The Preceding is an Action Alert from the WVGOP)

Lone American distrupts a major Obamacare Rally

Capito Joins Bipartisan House Coalition to Oppose Speaker Pelosi’s Trillion Dollar Health Plan

West Virginians Deserve Meaningful Health Reform, Not a Government Over-Reach That Will Raise Taxes and Slash Billions of Dollars From Medicare

WASHINGTON – Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., released the following statement this evening as the U.S. House of Representatives voted on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 2,000-page, trillion-dollar health reform plan that will raise taxes, raise premiums and cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare:

“I have long-said that West Virginians deserve meaningful health care reform, but this bill is not the bipartisan consensus-building legislation that my constituents have asked for,” said Capito.

“Legislation that touches every single American and would reform nearly one-sixth of our economy demands transparency and consensus. Unfortunately, the Speaker and our friends on the other side of the aisle chose to openly reject any semblance of bipartisanship in favor of a bill that will cost well over a trillion dollars, raise taxes on job-creating small businesses and cut nearly $400 billion from Medicare and Medicaid.”

“On top of $56 billion in cuts to home health care and $143 billion in across the board cuts to Medicare providers, by gutting Medicare Advantage the Speaker’s bill blatantly breaks the President’s promise that if you like your current plan you can keep it.”

“And as this economy continues to sputter under a stimulus plan that has failed to result in real job growth, the last thing small businesses need is yet another tax hike.”

“We can do better than this troubling government over-reach and I urge the Speaker and her colleagues to start over and come clean on their promise for a reasonable dialogue about how we can find common ground.”

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What West Virginians Are Saying About the Speaker’s Bill…

State Journal Editorial: Congress’ Overreach: Health Care Reform: “The American people are seeing their elected representatives in Washington ponder the future of health care. It's not a confidence-inspiring exercise. First, polls say most Americans do not want government involved in their personal medical decisions…. What we have is a battle between those who believe in the merits of big government -- with its attendant big costs -- and those who believe in the promise of the American marketplace.” (State Journal Editorial, November 5, 2009)

Hoppy Kercheval: House Health Bill a Trillion Dollar Mistake: “A bad headache doesn’t usually require brain surgery, yet that’s the approach the Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives are preparing to take with their health care reform bill. The House plan will unleash the biggest, most expensive government takeover of the health care delivery system since the creation of Medicare. …the current system needs reform, but the House Democrats should put down the scalpel and see if there is a less traumatic way to treat the patient.” (Hoppy Kercheval Commentary, November 6, 2009)

Daily Mail Editorial: Liberal’s Health Plan is No Plan at All: “Liberals' "solution" would cost more than $1 trillion over 10 years, with subsidies and taxes all around. All Americans would have to have insurance by 2013 or pay fines. Most employers would have to offer insurance or pay taxes, a provision sure to kill jobs. There would be billions for a government health plan, billions in new taxes on health insurance and medical devices, and new taxes on "the rich." Yet this complicated, intrusive, expensive approach would not cut health costs. With Americans' economic future on the rocks, many members of both parties doubt this is the way to go.” (Daily Mail Editorial, November 4, 2009)

Wheeling Intelligencer on Speaker Pelosi Health Bill: The Speaker’s bill “…would limit Americans' choices in regard to health insurance - and treatment. It would slash Medicare funding, to the detriment of senior citizens. It would send the already astronomical national debt skyrocketing…. It would increase taxes and health care insurance costs for millions of Americans.” (Wheeling Intelligencer Editorial, November 7, 2009)

Potomac Highlands Conservative interviews Mike Huckabee

I had a short interview with Mike Huckabee last night as he traveled from Harrisburg, PA to Allentown, PA. Here are a few of his thoughts on recent events, his new book and West Virginia.

On the New York 23rd District race, Huckabee confirms he was asked not to endorse any candidate at the Conservative awards dinner. He believes that a 3rd party candidate is not the way to go and would like to see more conservatives get involved in the Republican Party and not work out side it, but he could never support a candidate liberal candidate like Dede Scozzafava.

On the push for a Saturday Health Care Bill vote. He believes that the Saturday vote on health care will cost a lot of Blue Dog Democrats their jobs in the upcoming election. They forget they are working for the people of their district and not Nancy Pelosi.

On his new book, Mike says the new book not a political book and he invited people to visit him on the Simple Christmas Book Tour. The book is an unapologetic book about Christmas and the first Christmas was more Jerry Springer than Oprah. It was an unwed teenage mother in a barn and the lord had humble beginnings. You will laugh and you will cry when you read his personal stories about Christmas.

I asked Governor Huckabee about West Virginian's being registered 2/3rds Democrats, but being conservative and voting for Republicans for President, but supporting Democrats in statewide offices. He said, West Virginia and Arkansas are view similar in people and topography. The people need to ask themselves do the views of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Ried, Chris Dodd and Charlie Rangle reflect their views because West Virginia elected officials are supporting their liberal views and not those of the people of West Virginia. Once the people realize that, then they need to vote accordingly to take the state down the right path.

NRCC launches Fire Pelosi Campaign

In 2008, Nancy Pelosi received 204,996 votes to win reelection in her home district. We need your help today to collect at least 204,997 names on our "Fire Nancy Pelosi" mobile petition. You can put us one step closer to our goal by signing the petition right away.

Republicans are in a strong position to take back the House majority and fire Pelosi in the 2010 midterm election. In terms of candidate recruitment, fundraising, and issue development, we are far ahead of where we were at this point in 1993 - and you remember what happened in 1994.

Please take a moment to sign our petition by entering your mobile number to the right and send a clear message that Americans are unhappy with Pelosi's "leadership."

When Describing Obama, Pelosi, etc., Socialism Is Not Just a Buzz Word

I hear it a lot. Liberals accuse us of using socialism as a label to tarnish a target, much in the same way that leftists use the word "racism." Using the "s" word is seen as destroying civility. Of course racism gets tossed at our side by a former president.

So where's the proof that the leftists are socialists? Why not ask the experts on the subject? In 1991 Bartlomiej Kaminski (PhD University of Warsaw, currently professor of government and economics at the University of Maryland) published a groundbreaking study on socialism in Poland called The Collapse of State Socialism . It explains the nature of state socialism, compares it to a free market system, then describes how it is ultimately unsustainable.

The first table in the book lists comparisons of a free market system against state socialism and the comparisons should scare you.

The left wing in America, including the Obama Administration, compare strongly to the listed characteristics of a state socialist regime. I am going to list a few of them:

"Society as an object" Obama does not engage society, he informs it what he expects of it.

"Conflict suppression" Kaminski says that democracies mediate conflict. Socialism finds ways to demonize and marginalize opposition.

"Political unity" Socialist states see unity as the primary goal of politics and achieve it by a variety of means. Democracies believe in political pluralism, the give and take between people that disagree on the issues.

Kaminski sees law in a democracy as being a constraint upon both the people and the government. Socialist states see the law as a tool to accomplish their goals for society.

Democracies at times want to convicne people to act in a certain way and use arguments to appeal to people's reason and sense of self-interest. Socialist states use coercion and bribery.

In terms of the economy, democratic and capitalist systems exclude themselves from the private sector, although they do enact policies that apply to the whole system. Socialist economics tends to be interventionist, trying to alter and control individuals and specific businesses. Democracies tend to create regulations that are understandable and specific. Socialists make the rules unstable and hard to comprehend by design. They want people and business to be constantly breaking the law because it provides the government leverage over them.

In this way, the state system envisioned by Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and leftists resembles more a state socialist system than a capitalist one. The government has arbitrary power over people and corporations that it uses to pursue its own goals. History shows that such a system is unsustainable in the long run. That, and the fact that it deprives people of freedom, makes it and the people that advocate it very dangerous.

Capito Asks Colleagues to Focus on Issues at Hand

As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi brought legislation to the floor today to chastise Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., for comments made last week during the President’s address to Congress, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., today urged her colleagues in the House of Representatives to avoid a partisan side-show and focus instead on the issues at hand.

“It’s striking that as we approach the one year anniversary of one of our nation’s greatest economic collapses and with unemployment still creeping towards 10 percent, that the House continues to dwell on an issue that both Mr. Wilson and the President himself have said is over,” said Capito.

“Mr. Wilson rightly apologized for his rude and inappropriate behavior, and the President rightly accepted his apology. They’ve both asked us all to move on and focus on the issues that matter – we should heed their logic. If Mr. Wilson’s apology is good enough for the President, it’s good enough for me.”

The morning after the President’s address to Congress, Capito appeared on national television and criticized Rep. Wilson for his outburst, calling it “very inappropriate.

McKinney to Rahall and Mollohan: Stop Following Nancy Pelosi's Marching Orders and Listen to West Virginia

[Charleston, West Virginia] - Republican Chairman Doug McKinney called on Congressman Nick Rahall and Congressman Alan Mollohan to stop taking Nancy Pelosi's orders on health care and listen to the concerns of West Virginia voters.

"I don't like to break up other's friendships, but Nancy Pelosi doesn't care about West Virginia," McKinney said. "She hates the coal we produce, and she believes the federal government and not our citizens should decide how we should spend our money or which doctor we should visit. Now, she is telling the media that she will pass a health care bill out of the House that our citizens don't support, and she will order her foot soldiers to vote for it."

"Congressmen Rahall and Mollohan tried holding a few town hall meetings filled with supporters of Nancy Pelosi's health care bill that includes a public option, but they were surprised that West Virginians turned out in force to tell them 'NO!' But, now that they are back in Washington, they are back under her thumb when it comes to voting on a bill."

Chairman McKinney further explained, "Congressmen Rahall and Mollohan have been taking their marching orders from Nancy Pelosi for far too long. Poor Nick Rahall had to beg for the Speaker to let him vote no on Cap and Trade, and she only gave him her approval the night before the vote. It is never a good sign when he has to choose between his party's leadership in Washington and the people who actually elected him."

"Instead of trying to grandstand once a year during the August recess, Congressmen Mollohan and Rahall should spend more time back in their districts," said McKinney. "Congresswoman Capito used the recess to travel from one side of her district to the other to talk energy and health care with thousands of her constituents through meetings, public events and tele-town hall conference calls."

Are Obama, Pelosi, and Reid Fascists or Communists?

The question at one point, maybe even a few months ago, would have sounded absolutely ludicrous. We are Americans, they are Americans, we thought. Certainly things will go as they always do. Elected officials will present their ideas, get them knocked down a little by the people, and we will put it off or get something that the people find somewhat reasonable.

Something changed. A motivating force behind Obama and both congressional leaders has them pushing for changes that can lead to nothing but extremely high taxation and significantly rising prices and costs across the board. Meanwhile they extended government control to an unprecedented extent over the private sector. They strongarmed two automobile manufacturers into giving up control, then handed them over to the unions. When they attempted to do the same to the banking sector, many of those institutions rebelled. They gave back the money that was lent to them to escape federal domination. Obama's people even explored ways to try and prevent the return of the money!

Now they want to create a system that eventually will put all health care decisions into their hands. The bill that no one except conservatives read spells out how they will choose which people deserve health care and which do not. Meanwhile taxation destroys the middle class.

Two quotes come to mind. The first says that "The way to crush teh middle class is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation." That was Vladimir Lenin. Next is "Fascism should rightly be called corporatism as it is the merger of corporate and governmnet power."

In either system the government tries to limit, then outlaw dissent through fear. Of course it helps to know a lot about the dissenters. The White House effort to gather information from private citizens on health care deform dissenters was a clumsy attempt to collect a database of opponents. Don't worry, their attempts will get more efficient as time goes on.

Obama is more of a fascist than an outright Communist. He will try to preserve the facade of a free market while stealing the capitalist substance. And the middle class? Without prosperity it is reduced to worrying about how to feed itself and pay its bills more than organizing long term political protest. When government controls health care, it will be in a position to discourage opposition. Previous politicians used the IRS to harass opponents, why would a future administration not hold health care access over someone's head?

The future is potentially chilling, but America is fighting back.

Whether they are more fascist or communist is irrelevant because both are the enemies of American style human liberty. It's time to take a stand and get back our Congress next year.

GOP Fundraising Outpaces Democrats in 2009 and Ted Kennedy's Mockery of West Virginia

Sunday, the Cumberland Times-News ran an Associated Press story coming out of West Virginia. The title claimed that the Democratic Party had raised more money than state Republicans, no shock there. It also spotlighted many of the factional divisions plaguing the party this year.

It included a curious nugget of information. Per voter, the West Virginia Republican Party took in over twice as much money as the Democrats. When one breaks down the fund raising, the WVGOP took in almost twenty-five cents per registered Republican voter while the Democrats only took in about ten cents per registered Democrat.

Now this is not yet cause to pop open the champagne, bang on the piano, and sing and dance. Happy days are still not here again. However, this must be recognized as progress. One more step forward in a long journey. Not too long ago a huge debt hung over the head of the party. In 2009 the fund raising numbers have accomplished this even in the middle of a recession and continuing intraparty strife. It shows a Republican base that is still smaller than the Ruling Party, but much more mobilized. The WVGOP has taken some advantage of the national political turn against Obama, Reid, Pelosi, and the lefties.

Life provides few magic bullets. Like a coach taking hold of a college football team accustomed to years of losing records, it takes time to construct a program. We have seen strong progress over the last few years as the WVGOP got its house in order. Now it is prepared to build upon a stronger foundation and get back to the priority of electing Republicans to office.

Many kudos to those that have been directly involved in West Virginia Republican fund raising. Stay innovative and keep up the good work. We'll have West Virginia seeing red if we keep at it.

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I don't think anyone should be surprised at this. Ted Kennedy, the all wise moral compass of the liberals, was recorded at least once ridiculing West Virginia. Theodore White in his Making of the President 1968 recalled how at a party full of liberals at Robert Kennedy's house, the moral compass himself indulged in some insulting mimicry of the Southern West Virginia political bosses who enabled his brother to seize the primary in 1960.

We should have learned the lesson a long time ago, through this, through Bill Clinton aides tossing the phrase "trailer trash" around at Paula Jones, that elite liberals in Washington tend to see people like us as sources of votes and ridicule and not much else.

The Ant and the Grasshopper, Updated Version

IN a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.

“Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?”

“I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.”

“Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; “we have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food, and found itself suffering from hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew:

“IT IS BEST TO PREPARE FOR THE DAYS OF NECESSITY.”

But the grasshopper need not have worried. Barack Obama and his magic elves Pelosi and Reid showed up at the first snowfall. They said "Shame on you ant! Your selfishness does not reflect a proper sense of public duty. Can't you see the grasshopper could not have known the disaster that was to befall him?"

The ant protested, "It is natural and inevitable that winter should always follow summer. That is why I stored my food!"

Obama and his magic elves would hear none of it. They waved their magic wand and took almost 2/3 of the ant's food (this is a New York City ant.) The ant said "Now I don't have enough to last the winter! I have at least earned security and comfort with my hard work!"

But Obama and his elves had already left. The grasshopper went right on singing and not working. The ant suffered in silence. Who cared about the ant?

Here's the question. What happens if the ant decides not to work so hard next summer? How will the grasshopper eat then?

Time to Pull Together

Friends, Roman, partymen (and women), lend me your ears . . .

It's tough to be a Republican in 2009. It's even tougher in some ways to be a West Virginia Republican. When the specter of an incompetent Caesar threatens to ruin the land, helped by a compliant and cowed Senate, Republicans must work together to save our nation. While we argue, Obama and Congress just decided that they know better than individuals whether or not people ought to smoke. Their "soft totalitarianism" as an Australian political scientist called it, is downright chilling.

Nothing is more discouraging than the constant low level guerrilla warfare waged against the chairman, especially as his term winds down. It's like living in a house with a married couple that bursts into angry fights every so often with much of the rest of the time spent in sullen tension. You do not want to go anywhere, you just wish they'd stop.

It's not that I want to force anyone to remain silent instead of speaking their mind. I do hope that we can put differences aside and help candidates win next year, though. Sure that sounds naive to some, but Republican candidates need the considerable talents of everyone behind our races. That includes the party leadership as well as everyone who signed their name under the petition on West Virginia Red.

In all honesty, were I the chair, I would have been tempted to leave long ago and paraphrase the loser of the 1960 presidential election by saying "You won't have Doug McKinney to kick around anymore!" Then you watch the successor try to wrestle with the same issues and get the same kind of reactions from some other quarter. The basic problem is lack of money leading to a lack of success. No one will change that situation overnight outside of a massive Powerball prize.

Other folks have defended Dr. McKinney very ably so I won't rehash that. I will say that last week when I spoke with Republicans from other states, they were astounded at something about us that is true now, but was also true when Robin Capehart and Kris Warner administered the party. Speaking for myself, I have found West Virginia's GOP more often than not very approachable and willing to listen.

I talked to an old friend from Pennsylvania last week about how hard workers in our party are assigned more responsibilities, about how our chair and party executive committee leadership were generally very accessible. He was flabbergasted. He claimed that in Pennsylvania that if a person was not connected, they more often than not never hear back from the party chair or most members of the state committee. Other states have those same issues. Most that are active and interested are shuttled to a lifetime of phonebanking with little recognition or advancement.

I must say that I applaud Doug McKinney and also Kris Warner (I didn't really get to know Robin Capehart too well) for fostering this atmosphere. Republicans here have opportunities to engage with the party leadership in ways that people in most states would envy. Whenever I had a question or an idea I heard back promptly from both of those guys and quickly learned to not be amazed at that because they consider it part of their unpaid job. Yup, unpaid and uncompensated for the time and travel.

I love being a Republican. I love being on the right side of history in so many ways. I appreciate our state party and am thankful for everyone that works for the Republican cause regardless of their opinions. They have more time than I do to devote to the tasks of keeping their counties, clubs, blogs, or whatever else they do going strong. The constant fighting is discouraging though. I hope that it can be put to bed before next year.

2010 and 2012 offer strong possibilities because the Democrats overplayed their hand at the national level. With Nancy Pelosi as a Godzilla sized human target for congressional candidates, we could even make the first and third district races very interesting (especially since the NRCC is aggressively pushing into nontraditional areas.) A united effort on the national, state, and local level can achieve great goals. We will win by selling our people and vision. We have the right ideas and the right people to make them work. But it is a vision that must be sold to the people. How can the Republican Party sell a vision in West Virginia when it cannot escape turmoil?

This isn't a join hands and sing cum-by-yah request. Ripping apart the party eighteen months before the next major election cycle only hurts candidates. What is torn asunder cannot be easily stitched back together. Believe it or not, the state GOP did this twice a little over a century ago and undermined their control of West Virginia government. The factions never accomplished anything when they divided, only when they worked together.

All I propose here is let us mend fences until November 2010. If the different parties are not satisfied, then start hollering again. Why would good candidates in competitive districts want to take on the Democrats when their state party is fractured?

To take advantage of the window opened for us, we need one party. United.

There is a tide in the affairs of men

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune

Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and miseries

On such a full sea are we now afloat

And we must take the current where it serves

Or lose our ventures.


We have lost far too many ventures recently. However we will only win in 2010 if we work as a single party. We lose these next couple of ventures, we lose our America, maybe forever.

The Inappropriate Sense of Humor of Barack Obama

So Barack Obama, as we saw last week, considers dredging up traumatic memories of 9/11 and scaring New Yorkers half to death to be fodder for a joke. The CNN commentator did not even stray from neutrality as she gleefully introduced the poor attempt at humor. He joked about his children taking Air Force One for a joyride.

The real story here is not the fact that Obama made a stupid and crass joke at the Correspondent's Dinner. No one responded or reacted to this.

The amazing thing is the contrast between Obama's humor and his predecessor. President Bush generally, in such situations, had the self-confidence to ridicule himself. The best example was when he brought out the impersonator and spoke alongside him. President Bush understood that he was funny, but also did not push it past the point where he would injure his dignity as president. Obama is not yet aware that his presidential persona is a huge target for ridicule.

There's nothing wrong with a president lightening up and joking around in the right forum. They still need to be respectful when considering joking about the worst attack on this nation within most of our lifetimes.

Interestingly, Obama was caught laughing at a statement about Rush Limbaugh being killed. Now in an unguarded moment, something similar could happen to any of us. However, compare the lack of comment to the heaps of abuse thrown at CBS golf analyst David Faherty. Faherty toured the Middle East and recounted his assessment of US troops' opinions of liberal politicians. "Despite how the conflict has been portrayed by our glorious media, if you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Osama bin Laden, there's a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and bin Laden would be strangled to death." In his apology, he explained that he was simply trying to explain how US soldiers feel about their current commander-in-chief. CBS and the PGA Tour blasted his statements, which, like the Rush Limbaugh murder joke, were inappropriate.

Will anyone condemn or distance themselves from Obama and his friend yukking it up over their fantasized death of Limbaugh? Probably not.

What Would Mussolini Do?

Over the next few years for better or worse, this will be the question asked. Why? Despite the fact that Il Duce is history, Il Duchess and the President now run the show.

It is trite to compare political opponents to World War II villains, but in the case of economics this works. Mussolini used an economic crisis to vault himself into power, then slowly transformed Italy into a country where the private sector could not move an inch without the government's say so.

Is it really getting that bad? Yes. In the past two months alone, Obama and Nancy Pelosi (Il Duchess) have, one or the other or both, proposed to limit executive salaries by law, fired the CEO of General Motors, contemplated taking over the banking system, forced Chrysler into a merger with a foreign company, and created such massive debt that we will only be able to pay it off by taxing the bejesus out of everyone or conquering an empire. Fascists usually end up doing both.

In a recent Wall Street Journal column, Stuart Varney explained that there was anger, not jubilation, when some of the banks had the guts to return TARP money. What the Bush Administration would have hailed as the resilience of capitalism, made the Obama crew angry. Their goal is control of the banking industry.

Nothing gets a fascist more hot and bothered than controlling a bank.

When the government takes so much control over economics, bad things happen. When a company abuses workers, the environment, or anything else, it can be held to account. Who holds the government to account when it steps beyond its bounds? During the Great Depression the government forced thousands into homelessness because some bureaucrats wanted to turn Tennessee farmland into hydroelectric power sources. Did anyone care about all those families on the streets? No, because the liberal bureaucrats kept saying it was for the greater good. For whose greater good? Certainly not those families now homeless who had been there since the 1700s. Many of them received those lands as grants for service in the Revolution. No private corporation could force those people from their property without paying them what the owner thought it was worth. And most would not have sold at any price anyone would have been willing to pay.

This is what happens when government takes over economic functions. People get hurt and there is no chance of accountability. It's called fascism. It happened before to a limited extent. What will our dabbling in fascist economics lead to this time? How many people have to have property and freedom stripped away before the voters say enough is enough?