When Democrats Have No Answers . . .They Make Stuff Up

The Democratic Party knows that the gas that Obama put in the tank in 2012 has about run out.  Most likely, they counted on the Hillary rollout earlier this year to help boost their brand.  For the first time, she stepped on the national stage unencumbered by powerful men such as her husband and Obama.  Unfortunately for her, the book tour turned into a book snore.  She came away looking both out of touch and saddled with painful reminders that foreign policy devolved into a mess under her stewardship.

Hillary was the last chance for a Democratic Party that has clung more to appearances than accomplishments.  But she turned out to not have nearly the political savvy of her husband, which most had assumed whether they supported her or not.  Without Hillarymania, Democrats have nothing on which to hang their hat.  No one wants to own either Obamacare or the rapidly deteriorating foreign policy disasters.

What is a Democrat to do?  When you don't have the facts, just make something up.

Liberal media coordination showed its weird face again last week.  Almost simultaneously, Think Progress, MSNBC, Atlantic, and other outlets posted stories about the Republicans planning a government shutdown over possible executive order amnesty for illegal immigrants.  This naturally took the GOP by surprise, since it is confident that voters will oppose Obama enacting law on his own.

The Daily Caller and other conservative media exposed the crude ruse yesterday.  Quickly following this came White House word that Obama had backed off on his amnesty proposal, calling for a national debate before doing anything.  The Daily Caller's Neil Munro speculated that this is a retreat, if not a white flag.

Did the White House gin up a fake concern, lead supporting media by the nose, and then start to dump the whole issue?  Maybe not, but clearly someone made up the shutdown story for some purpose they thought would benefit the Democratic Party.

This all came only weeks after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spent weeks wasting the Senate's time grousing about two Americans promoting their ideals within the letter of federal and state laws.

With many predictors indicating Republican control of Congress after this election, desperate times must have called for desperate measures from the Democratic Party.

West Virginia is not immune.  Natalie Tennant's campaign actually brought in anti-coal Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts to campaign with her.  No sane campaign official could have thought this would help Tennant against Capito; it seemed more of a rally for Warren's possible presidential run than anything for Tennant's benefit.

After Warren's visit, Capito increased her polling lead dramatically.

Meanwhile, Nick Casey's campaign against Alex Mooney has also gained no traction.  From Stephen Elkins to Jay Rockefeller to Patrick Morrissey, the Mountain State's supposed prejudice against outsiders has usually proved illusory. Polls indicate that prior residency is still not an issue in this race.

Casey's supporters have tried to paint Mooney as anti-coal, based in part on his opposition while state senator to putting a trash incinerator within literal shouting distance of a national battlefield.  Also Casey, owner of five separate houses, has tried to cast himself as a frugal common man.  He slammed Mooney in the past because he, like many other West Virginians, rented his home instead of owning it.

The WVGOP has enjoyed poking fun in particular at Casey's claim that he only buys black shoes and socks.  Some criticized the party for making a point of showing that he indeed had other colors of shoes and socks, but state Republicans have made the Casey campaign look trivial in the spat.  Mooney talks about jobs; Casey talks about his socks.

Capito, Mooney, Evan Jenkins, and David McKinley all run on common sense proposals that would help the state and national economy while enhancing our security.  Tennant, Casey, and others try to run on the tired old stereotypes of the rich Republican, seemingly unaware that Obama has made the Democrats the party of golf and Kobe beef.  More damningly, they are also the party of rich environmental elitists putting working men out of jobs.

Nationally, Democrats face the same set of crises.  They followed left wing policies on health care and the environment, only to see them lead straight to what the GOP predicted. They exploited the easy politics of the cult of personality, until that personality was shown to be bankrupt of ideas and listless in action.  Republicans do not have a beautiful image to rally behind, just a set of tried and true ideals that most people happen to agree with.

And Democrats have no real or imaginary answers to both their upcoming political defeat and the escalating crises facing the US.

West Virginia Citizens' Defense League Releases First Round of Candidate grades.

The West Virginia Citizens' Defense League, a group dedicated to fighting for Second Amendment rights, released its grades of candidates running in 2014.  These were not endorsements, but ratings based upon return of a survey and record.  

For United States Senate, the WVCDL gave both Shelley Moore Capito and Pat McGeehan an A+ rating.  Capito's House of Representatives and McGeehan's House of Delegates voting record on gun rights was spotless.  The WVCDL noted that Capito repeated some of its arguments in the days after the Sandy Hook shooting.

Natalie Tennant received an F for supporting gun control schemes and previous statements.

So far, WVCDL has only rated two candidates for the 2nd Congressional District.  Alex Mooney received an A+ for a strong record of defending gun rights at the legislative level.  Meshea Poore of Charleston received the dreaded F- rating, along with the admonition "DO NOT VOTE FOR THIS CANDIDATE."

The group also handed out grades for state legislators.  In the Eastern Panhandle, Craig Blair, Gary Howell, Allen Evans, Dave Sypolt, Larry Faircloth, John Overington, Larry Kump, Jason Barrett, Michael Folk, and Eric Householder all received A+ ratings.  John Unger only earned an A, but the WVCDL expected him to rise to A+ at the end of this session.

Senator Joe Manchin is not running, but WVCDL marked its displeasure with the Democrat by criticizing statements made supporting his gun proposals.

WVCDL rated many Democrats among its A+ grades, indicating that West Virginia's stance on full Second Amendment rights remains a bipartisan affair. 

National Democrats Convince Cannon Fodder Candidate

By all accounts, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant will enter the US Senate race to take on presumed Republican nominee Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito.

On the surface, it looks like an appropriate move for a popular young statewide officeholder with definite ambitions to rise higher.  She has a strong background as an elected secretary of state with experience as a Charleston television news figure.  Even in a loss, Tennant can use the campaign to reintroduce herself to voters across the state in preparation for a run at the Governor's Mansion.

It is this ambition most threatened by her Senate run. A deeper look shows how dicey this campaign could be for Tennant.

Images like this one have already reappeared.  Standing in front of a sparse crowd of Obama supporters will not win Tennant any support in a state whose Democrats preferred a prisoner in 2012.  Obama has only lost popularity since then.  She struggles to argue that coal jobs have slightly ticked up, but cannot defend the power plant closings that are coming.  Or the dramatic rise in health insurance costs from Obamacare.

In a race for governor in 2016, Obama matters less.  Tennant will have difficulty shaking the perception that she will be anything but a water carrier for the presidency and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Senator Joe Manchin learned that even piecemeal support for Obama policies can take a drastic toll on polling numbers.

Capito's fundraising prowess, formidable campaign team, and popularity have vanquished all comers since 2000.   Few major donors outside of the Democratic Party will seek to invest in a race that has little chance of success.

Tennant's run only makes sense in the national Democratic big picture.  A viable candidate forces the Republican Party to spend resources and raise money in a race that they should ultimately win.  Those resources will not go to tighter races with less chance of success.

She will also have to tie herself even more securely to the highly unpopular national Democratic Party agenda.  A gubernatorial race allows her to stand aloof as Earl Ray Tomblin did.  Tennant cannot erase images from a Senate run that will place her even more strongly into the camp of individuals heartily disliked across West Virginia.  She also cannot haul out the well worn liberal "War on Women" card against a respected, accomplished, and popular female candidate like Capito.

This serves the purposes of the West Virginia Republican Party nicely because it will weaken an individual who was expected to make a strong run  for governor in 2016.

Rolling the Dice: Natalie Tennant

Natalie Tennant tossed her hat into the gubernatorial ring last week, confirming long held suspicions of her ambition.

Tennant was the first female Mountaineer and is well-known as a newscaster in the Charleston-Huntington market. Her hometown is in Marion County, giving her connections with two of the largest centers of population in West Virginia. She rode that name recognition as well as a winning personality to victory in the Secretary of State race. Now she is taking a serious gamble.

Earl Ray Tomblin, current acting governor, has the advantage of semi-incumbency and a long career behind him in the State Legislature. However, his southern West Virginia base could hurt him in the eastern counties. It is also difficult for long term legislators at any level to compete for statewide office because of their lengthy voting record. It's easy for opponents to highlight votes and stances at different points out of context. Tennant's lack of experience means that she has very little to attack, outside of her lack of experience.

And that in itself is dangerous. With uncertain economic times and our state economy under attack by the federal government itself, we need a governor who will stand up to the feds and protect our jobs and interests. There is no evidence that Natalie Tennant has any track record at all in fighting for this state. Republican candidates and Earl Ray Tomblin himself understand that coal is a vital part of our state economy. What has Tennant done in her career that has shown support for state jobs?

Democratic voters need to think about experience when they head to the polls, as opposed to personality.

Secretary of State Tennant Is Too Thin Skinned

I saw this first on House candidate Cindy Frich's Facebook page. Then, thinking it was a statement by the Secretary of State herself, I looked up a part of the piece. It actually comes from the website of a TV station in Harrisonburg, Virginia of all places. Obviously a journalist wrote this piece at some point. Note the heavy bias in the piece.

But that is not the issue. The issue is that this is an election year and each political party and candidate will try to gain whatever advantage it can. WVGOP chair Mike Stuart is putting pressure on the Democratic Secretary of State in the same way that Bobby Huggins this winter will work officials at West Virginia basketball games. You want them to know that you are paying attention and will react if you are not doing your job properly.

It's business. It's part of the job. It's Mike Stuart's job to gain advantages for the state Republicans and part of Tennant's job to fairly administer elections. Secretary of State Tennant needs to toughen up a little because she is reacting too personally to Republican challenges.


CHARLESTON — Once again West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant is standing by the law when it comes to conducting elections in the state of West Virginia.
The latest baseless allegation from the state Republican Party says that Monongalia County Democratic Headquarters cannot be located in an area near an early voting site.
“Instead of working in a posi­tive manner for the betterment of West Virginia, the West Virginia Republican Party chairman con­tinues to issue personal attacks and frivolous lawsuits against me and this office, when in fact we are standing on the West Virginia code,” Tennant said.
West Virginia code section 3-3-2a(d)(5) says: “No person may do any electioneering … on the property of the county court­house, any annex facilities or any other designated early vot­ing locations within the county, during the entire period of regu­lar in-person absentee voting.”
This code shows that a head­quarters can be located near a county’s early voting site because the 300-foot election­eering zone is not applicable during early voting.
“GOP Chairman Mike Stuart threatens to open a Republican location near the site and I say ‘go for it.’ I am sure the Mountaineer Mall would appre­ciate the boost in its economy for the next three weeks.
“Furthermore, if he wants to continue with his personal attacks on me, my background and who I am, that is fine, I can stand up to them. If he is attack­ing me, then he is not picking on someone else,” Tennant said.
Tennant also said that she has the utmost confidence and respect for the Monongalia County Clerk Carye Blaney and knows that the clerk will not tol­erate any campaigning at the early voting site.
“Time and time again we have proven Chairman Stuart’s frivo­lous allegations incorrect and at every turn we have followed the law.”

The Right Thing to Do

We call upon our State Legislature as soon as possible to do the right thing and call for a special election to fill the vacant Senate seat this year without consideration of whom it may help or harm.

Let's consider the various scenarios of who benefits from 2012 or 2010, assuming that these people want to pursue higher office.

If the election is held in 2010 it benefits:

Governor Joe Manchin. This man may be the most popular political figure in state history, definitely of the past two decades. As President George H. W. Bush can tell you, the only way to go from here is down and down could happen quickly. If the state slips into further economic difficulties that ruin the state's solvency, the bloom could go off this rose in two years.

Earl Ray Tomblin. If Manchin runs and wins, Tomblin will be state governor for two years, giving him incumbency going into 2012. He will have no real Democratic opposition unless he does a Bob Wiselike job. Tomblin will also be in a strong position vis-a-vis any Republican challenger.

If the vote is held in 2012 it benefits:

The Republican Party. Incumbents in West Virginia do not make a habit of losing. Republicans could mount a very strong challenge for the Governor's Mansion if the seat is open. Also it is possible that Manchin could be vulnerable in 2012 running for Senate where he is not today. Shelley Moore Capito is in the strongest position possible right now. The Democrat led Congress is driving away support. Every vote and statement Capito makes on behalf of the people helps her and she is not saddled with the stupidity of what they do. Betty Ireland is also a strong contender for any higher office. She was a successful and assertive secretary of state and her luster is only increased by the actions of her successor.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant. She benefits from a 2012 election as much as any other Democrat, or anyone else who aspires to be governor besides Tomblin.

Despite the fact that Republicans would probably benefit from keeping the special election in 2012, the right thing to do is to move it to 2010. Playing politics with elections would not help our cause in the long run. Most Republicans do seem to support the move to 2010, as they should.

Earl Ray Tomblin's Wild Card

Who potentially has the most to gain for certain if West Virginia decides to hold a special election this fall? State Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, maybe.

It is well known that Governor Joe Manchin wants to serve in the United States Senate. It has also been rumored that Earl Ray Tomblin would not object to serving as state governor. Right now he is second in succession and would assume office should Joe Manchin run for, and win election to the Senate. Should that happens, he would have two years to serve as incumbent governor, sweeping the field of Democratic challengers and putting him in strong position against a Republican nominee.

This would thwart the alleged gubernatorial aspirations of Secretary of State Natalie Tennant who would be in a much better position if the special senatorial election took place in 2012. Her interpretation of state election laws serves her very well and does not threaten the Governor's aspirations. However there is a special session of the State Legislature looming on July 19th in which they could choose, according to Hoppy Kercheval, to "clean up" the election law. If Tomblin wants to force the issue and perhaps become governor, he is definitely in the driver's seat as Senate President. Add to that the fact that it is simply more democratic to give the choice to the people sooner rather than later.

Britain calls election years the "silly season." It is going to get a lot more interesting than usual this coming month.

"Tennant For Governor" Office Now Open! or Goodbye Betty Ireland, Hello Third World!

For four years West Virginia has enjoyed the vigilance of an aggressive secretary of state. Betty Ireland's zeal for following the laws laid out by the state legislature even led to some GOP criticism. It also meant that groups like ACORN would find no easy way to violate state and federal election laws. However we would much rather have a person in this office who is dedicated to the law than see what is about to happen now.

Natalie Tennant initiated step one in turning the secretary of state office into her own left wing feudal domain. When Ireland took over four years ago, she kept the capable Elections Division head hired originally by Joe Manchin. No one ever said that Ireland did not aspire to a higher office, but she was willing to irritate her own party to do the job right.

Tennant hired as chief of the Elections Division Dave Nichols. Nichols runs a leftist blog and formerly headed Progressive Democrats of America/West Virginia. Anytime you see the word "progressive" it means Communist. Vic Sprouse's blog compares this hire to the hypothetical scenario of Betty Ireland hiring Gary Abernathy for the same job. The difference is that Abernathy generally uses wry humor and rarely crosses the respect line. Nichols is a firebrand bombthrower with a burning hatred for all things Republican. Sounds like the bad old days with a Marxist twist. West Virginia elections, at least in some regions, may once again descend into the septic tank of Democratic corruption.

Welcome to West Virginia ACORN. Feel free to violate any law you want. Natalie's too busy running for governor to care.

Why oh why didn't someone, somewhere pump a little money into Charles Minimah's campaign?

*********************************************************************

Sometimes you just have to love story placement. Yahoo News this morning listed about five or six headlines. One headline proclaimed that an ice and snow storm had covered much of the country and killed I think seven. The one right below said that global warming is irreversible for a thousand years.

Global warming chicken littles are really pulling out the stops now. Sure this winter was the coldest in forty years and last summer was, except for a few weeks, not really hot. But don't you worry, disaster is just 'round the corner!

Truth be told, many world scientists (now that the hated Bush is gone!) are coming out and saying what the Old Farmer's Almanac has always told us. It's the sunspots. This past year saw the complete disappearance of sunspots for the first time since the Little Ice Age. It led to a predicted colder winter.

I guess my sedan and my neighbor's SUV made the sunsports come and go. Or maybe it was the Cheney Weather Machine.

If West Virginia's Obama Voters REALLY Want Change . . .

Sure they are a minority, but they will make up perhaps 40% of West Virginia's voters in this coming election. Obama voters have latched onto a candidate who has promised nothing substantial beyond "change." Yet those same voters will:

Vote to re-elect a Commissioner of Agriculture who has held the office since the days of Lyndon Johnson. Gus Douglass is not a bad guy. However J. Michael Teets has fresh ideas that will invigorate our agricultural sector and take advantage of emerging market opportunities in the "field."

Vote to return Joe Manchin for four more years as governor. Again, Joe Manchin is not a bad guy. He has not done a bad job, nor has he really made an impact on changing the political culture of the state. Russ Weeks promises to attack the culture of cronyism and corruption that strangles state government, but Obama voters will not choose his kind of change.

Vote to bring back Darrel McGraw for another term. McGraw launches frivolous lawsuits and distributes much of the money to political allies who in turn throw him major fundraisers. I guess we should not change that either.

Vote for Natalie Tennant instead of Charles Minimah for Secretary of State. Betty Ireland has been changing our state's political culture and Minimah has committed himself to continuing her fight. Minimah is outside of the traditional old boy network, also.

Vote for Democrats running in state legislative races. Now there is a vote for change. The same party has been pulling the same shenanigans for over seventy-five years. Definitely continue to vote for these guys if you seriously want change. Oh, by the way, while in charge, Democratic rule of West Virginia has seen our state plummet in population, economic indicators, and congressional representation. Thanks Ruling Party!

Obama liberals are entitled to vote for what they think is change (even though it is really for Chicago machine politics sporting a Cheshire cat grin.) However, they ought to at least be consistent. If they really want change, beneath that presidential box vote a straight Republican ticket. Now the GOP in West Virginia really is change we need.

Natalie Tennant Supported By Crackpots

A crackpot fringe group calling itself the Center For Public Integrity has pledged to help elect Natalie Tennant through its Secretary of State Project.

This site repeats the most exaggerated claims possible, such as the idea that Republicans are poised to challenge hundreds of thousands of votes in Ohio in upcoming elections and even that the GOP has taken people's homes. It asserts that Republican secretaries of state suppress rightful voters. The Secretary of State Project itself appears to be a blog manned by a writer slightly influenced by e.e. cummings' crusade against capitalization. It does claim to have secured five victories for Democrats somehow, but its writing focuses almost exclusively upon Ohio.

It's true, even in our state, that the Republican Secretary of State does suppress voting. Betty Ireland suppresses voting by corpses, by people who already voted, and by others who attempt to get around the laws that keep our elections fair. Suppressing illegal votes is part of the job, as many Democratic secretaries of state in our history have failed to realize. Across the nation, Republicans have fought the attempt by Democrats to suppress the votes of servicemen deployed abroad. Are they afraid that these soldiers will once again vote Republican and keep them out of the White House?

Of course part of this groups claims are that Republicans are racist in their selection of whom to "suppress." I doubt that even they could levy that charge against the GOP nominee in West Virginia, Charles Minimah. He has pledged to keep our state's elections as clean as possible while expanding access to the disabled. West Virginia needs Charles Minimah in the secretary of state's office to maintain the reforms started by Betty Ireland.