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.

Has Republican Revival in West Virginia Brought Hope to State Residents?

Shelley Moore Capito is running away with her race for US Senate.  David McKinley has not seen any serious challenge.  Alex Mooney maintains a double digit lead in his race.  Evan Jenkins has the momentum against his opponent and is nearly statistically tied.  House Republicans anticipate taking over chamber leadership next year.

Republicans have ascended in West Virginia.  The only question now is whether the state will remain a two party or transform into a Republican dominated system by 2016.

A recent Gallup Poll shows that 36 percent of West Virginians see their state as one of the best to live in, well below the national average of 46 percent.  Nearly three-fourths would prefer to remain in state, much higher than the national average of nearly two-thirds.

Part of this comes from better government.  By necessity, state Democrats have had to (for the most part) adopt a quasi-Republican plan of governance.  Don't raise taxes, cut spending, reduce obligations.  Had they followed the bigger government ideals of their predecessors, voters would have switched parties long ago.

One way to interpret this is that people in the state have hope for the future.  Despite 80 years of Democratic policies that have prevented prosperity, despite the federal government's assaults on coal, farming, and other ways that West Virginians can better themselves, people want to stay.

West Virginia Republicans have ideas that are proven to bring more investment and jobs to the state.  Those running for the House of Representatives and Senate have vowed to roll back bad regulations that hurt the Mountain State.

Residents want to stay.  They are no longer satisfied with the same old leaders. What is coming next makes them want to stay.

West Virginia Republicans Shatter Stereotypes

Most people can list common stereotypes of West Virginians.  After all, academia and the media perpetuated them for years.  Demographically, the state is merely described as overwhelmingly white.  Many would add uneducated, insular, suspicious, misogynist, and a number of other three and four syllable words that add up to what West Virginians call "backwards."  In other words, they spread the smear that West Virginia Republicans are resentful of advancing women and are inherently racist.

Nationally, Democrats and other leftists work tirelessly to attach the same stereotype to the GOP as a whole.  In both cases they are wrong.  Elections over the past ten years prove it.

Do West Virginians, and Republicans in particular, mistrust immigrants who come, live, and thrive here legally?  State Republicans have nominated at least three first or second generation immigrants to important offices.  In 2006, second generation Lebanese-American Chris Wakim was nominated and strongly supported by the Republican base and independents. Left wing conventional wisdom assumes that Republicans are racist and West Virginians even more so, but Wakim's ancestry was no issue for GOP voters.

Two years later, state Republicans nominated Charleston businessman and Nigerian immigrant Charles Minimah for secretary of state.  Minimah, who also works to promote black history and cultural events in the Kanawha Valley, again garnered Republican and independent support despite a huge funding discrepancy between him and his opponent.  This year, he is in a tightly contested race for the 37th delegate district in Charleston. Republicans often cite his experience, kindness, and honesty when talking about their support for him.

Just this month, Republicans in the West Virginia Second District nominated Alex Mooney for Congress.  Voters responded positively to the story of his mother's escape from Cuban tyranny as forming part of the foundation for his ideals.  National predictions still see the district as "lean Republican."

As for the national liberal "War on Women" scheme to tar the party, the Mountain State shatters that myth too.  For many years, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito and former secretary of state Betty Ireland served as pillars of leadership for the state GOP.  Ireland has since stepped back, while Capito is expected to cruise to victory in her US Senate race.

Also if state legislative races show anything, it's that the good ol' "boy" network of the Democratic Party remains alive and well.  Fifty percent more women ran in state senate and delegate races on the Republican side than the Democratic.  Many of them, including several incumbents, won their primaries or ran unopposed.  Seventeen year old Saira Blair received national and international attention for upsetting her primary opponent.

Democrats, mostly white male Protestant liberals in positions of influence, will rush out the tired old tales of Republicans being racist and hating women.  But the truth is not what is said, but what is done.  The West Virginia Republican Party has attracted and supported more female and minority candidates than its Democratic counterparts due to its more inclusive atmosphere and its more effective set of ideals.

How the West Virginia Second Congressional District Was Won

Last Tuesday, Alex Mooney won the West Virginia Second Congressional District primary in commanding fashion, outdistancing his nearest of six other competitors by 13 percent of the final tally.  While Sasse's win in Nebraska and West Virginia's own 49th delegate district winner, 17 year old Saira Blair got more coverage, Mooney's win illustrates real changes in the 2nd.

It Has Grown More Conservative

In 2000, when Shelley Moore Capito beat Jim Humphries (and many do not remember what an underdog she was, outspent 3 to 1) the district had around 2/3 of its registered voters signed up as Democrats.  Republicans trailed significantly and way fewer voters were independent.  Capito then and now has never seen "moderate" as derogatory.  Her style and charisma won over centrists who were not sold enough to join the Republican Party, but believed in her.  

Capito's ascension to Congress came in the same year as West Virginia's favorite living president.  George W. Bush also sold in West Virginia a moderate Middle American conservatism.  His style, ridiculed by elitists elsewhere, endeared him to a state that enthusiastically supported his administration regardless.  

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party on the national level abandoned its roots.  Jefferson founded it as the party of farmers.  Jackson expanded it to include the poor country people.  Later, it fully embraced the working man's cause.  Since Bill Clinton, it neglected and even attacked all of these former rock solid constituencies. What Senator Zell Miller wrote about the South is true of all these groups, "if Southern voters think you don't understand them - or even worse, if they think you look down on them - they will never vote for you."

Al Gore attacked their livelihood.  Massachusetts John Kerry never had a prayer.  And Barack Obama's high church academic style that even Northeastern conservatives secretly admire looks condescending to West Virginians.  Then the War on Coal, snide remarks about religious people and gun owners. Obama couldn't even carry his own primary in West Virginia by 2012.  Romney won it by 22 points.

Somewhere between Bush and Obama, the district shifted far to the right.  They still love Capito, but they have also embraced a candidate much more aggressively conservative across the board.

Add to that the exodus of conservatives from Maryland and Northern Virginia.  Civil liberties in the Free State and the heavily regulated Fairfax Proprietary counties of the Old Dominion have decreased dramatically.  Anti-gun attitudes, zoning laws, strict regulations all combined to push the population of Jefferson and Berkeley counties much higher.  Many of these people, seeking a literally freer way of life, are very conservative. 

The Eastern Panhandle Is Becoming a Republican Center of Power

West Virginians in other parts of the state are not used to hearing that people are moving here for opportunities and a better lifestyle.  Bad economic conditions perpetuated by bad state level policies for decades bred a determination that better times looked more Utopian than possible. No one coming to the state could possibly move because the Mountain State offered something better.

The political success of Mooney and Attorney General Patrick Morrissey (who moved from out of state to Charles Town several years ago) illustrates a deeper trend.  Maryland has lost business and residents to Jefferson, Berkeley, Hampshire, and Mineral counties.  Hampshire also has attracted many who work and do business in Winchester, Virginia.  Affluent private sector oriented families, such as those moving in, tend to be conservative and Republican. According to USA Today, Berkeley and Jefferson increased their populations by three to five percent between 2010 and 2012. 

Kanawha's population declined to under 200,000 while Berkeley's is now near half that and ranked second, ahead of Cabell.   

But It Was Not Just the Panhandle

Mooney won 15 of the 17 counties in the district.  Ken Reed won his own county of Morgan; Charlotte Lane carried her home of Kanawha by a surprisingly small margin.  The rest of the counties responded overwhelmingly to a message and a record of unabashed conservatism in gun ownership, pro life, and opposition to the EPA.  A deluge of mailings, television, and radio ads reinforced Mooney's message. Certainly the broadcast advertisements helped to implant him in the minds of conservative Democrats and independents as well.

The Kanawha Valley bloc, that includes Putnam, gave the Charles Town resident much more support than what might have been predicted.  

His opponents were unable to convince voters that residency mattered, regardless of region.  Concerns about West Virginia's supposed hostility to "outsiders" is likely more stereotypical than true, voting in large numbers for Mooney, Morrissey, and Jay Rockefeller, among others would seem to confirm that.

Personal Wealth Also Did Not Matter

Two candidates tapped their own fortunes to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars to finance their campaigns.  Mooney, without a personal fortune, still ended up with a more substantial campaign chest by first having to appeal to donors.  This certainly undercuts the usual Democratic narrative of rich Republicans simply "buying elections" (as if one could simply spend money and guarantee a win.) 

Was the Campaign All That Rough?

No one was accused of wanting to establish monarchy, put "dwellings in flames," or see "female chastity violated."  Candidates never heard the accusation that they imported mistresses from Europe.  All in all, the campaign developed in a way more spirited than nasty, more populist than personal.  Certainly some issues got exaggerated, others spun, but even modern campaigns in different areas have gotten far worse and for a much longer period of time.

The West Virginia Second, however, had not seen a really tough primary fight in at least a generation. Leading up to election day, more people paid attention as they saw the fight take place on TV and radio, over their phones, and in their mailbox.  Interestingly, the focus on this race did not inflate voter numbers beyond what had been predicted shortly before balloting.  

With Coal and Renewable, "All of the Above" Makes More Sense Than Zero Sum Game

Since 1960, according to the World Bank,  the United States has almost tripled its per capita rate of electricity consumption.  Although Americans produce goods more efficiently than ever, the nation still needs to expand energy production. Higher production means lower energy prices, which gives the United States a greater advantage in retaining and expanding needed manufacturing jobs.

This makes the zero sum argument advanced by some circles very perplexing.  Many pro renewable energy (which includes, wind, solar, hydroelectric, etc.) see expansion of coal, oil, or gas as a defeat for their side. Conversely, any obstacle put in the way of coal, they see as a victory for progress.  This may stem from the notion that any figure that supports expanding coal production and jobs must be anti-renewable.  This is far from the truth.

West Virginia Republicans have for years embraced the "all of the above" ideal of energy.  Support whatever works in a given area.  Leading the way has been Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, current US Senate candidate.  One of the nation's strongest defenders of coal and toughest critics of Obama's Environmental Protection Agency, Capito has voted to support temporary renewable energy tax credits as well as research into geothermal, landfill gas harvesting, and other innovative power production ideas.

Within the state, Delegate Gary Howell has backed the Intrastate Coal and Use Act.  This would strengthen state laws against EPA regulation of coal facilities that only sell their product within state lines.  Howell also, however, has studied the potential of wind energy for 30 years.  Wind energy production in certain parts of West Virginia drives development.  Said Howell of a wind project in his district, "I want to see growth in my community.  I want to see jobs brought into my community."

And it is not just Mountain State Republicans.  Before 2012's Iowa caucuses, six Republican presidential candidates autographed a wind turbine in that state, signifying support for innovation.

That being said, all renewable energy sources combined are dwarfed by reliance on coal alone.  For the foreseeable future, renewable sources must supplement, not replace, traditional sources of energy production.  Any profitable production, however, helps to return the US to the energy production dominance enjoyed until just after World War II.

America needs to emphasize energy.  The environment is better off if America burns its coal in plants that, even prior to the new standards, operated more cleanly than almost any nation on Earth.  Refining oil drilled in the Dakotas instead of the Middle East enhances US security.  Using and exporting natural gas drives down the world prices of that commodity, taking away some of Russia's leverage.

Each part of the US should explore how it can most safely and efficiently develop energy to its advantage.  Some parts of West Virginia should keep producing coal.  Ridgetops, however, are perfect places to put turbines.  The desert southwest should keep building solar farms to take in as much of the sun's bounty as possible.  Volcanic activity in the Northwest may be perfect for harvesting geothermal.  Even the vast landfills of the Northeast might be able to provide energy producing gasses.

West Virginia Republicans have for years publicly endorsed common sense solutions on national energy policy.  Liberals and leftists may try to tar them as a one trick pony, but the record indicates otherwise. Also, cutting back on tried and true sources of cheap energy is counterproductive.

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 Security Needs Must Be a Factor In Energy Policy

Energy production equals a more productive economy and a more secure nation.

West Virginia's Republican congressional delegation, Shelley Moore Capito and David McKinley, have pushed this idea for years.  They have joined many colleagues in advocating an "all of the above approach" to fulfilling not only national needs, but also to make the US a powerful energy exporter as well.

Now a panel of retired military officers has expressed the same opinion.

John Gizzi last week covered the America's Future Energy Conference.  He reported that retired military officers joined business leaders like FedEx CEO Fred Smith in arguing for higher production.  American energy dominance, they claim, will help to ward off production cut threats from unfriendly organizations such as OPEC.

One such hostile action was the 1970 production cut to protest US support of Israel.

With the Middle East perpetually on the verge of conflict, an unpopular turn of US policy or a disastrous war could hurt the world's supply of energy.  Stable American production could lead the world away from reliance on this fickle region.

One major improvement could be approval of the Keystone pipeline project.  Obama opposes the construction of this connection between the Upper Great Plains and the Gulf of Mexico which would create tens of thousands of jobs.

The group also supported decreasing reliance on oil with more innovation.  Electric and natural gas powered vehicles, once a particular interest of Senator Jay Rockefeller, could also help build energy security.

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.

Witness For the Prosecution and Congresswoman Capito's Outrage

George Zimmerman may or may not be found guilty. But the prosecution in his trial in retrospect took a huge chance when they billed Rachel Jeantel as a star witness.

She proved a problematic witness on many counts.  Her voice and style of speech flustered the court reporter, jury, and television audiences.  At one point she could not read a letter that she had supposedly written.

The Daily Mail posted a long story detailing the problems undermining the credibility of Jeantel.

Defense lawyers grilled her on her own inconsistent testimony as well as racial slurs used by the victim Trayon Martin to describe Zimmerman.

In other news, now former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested on charges of murder this morning.

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

Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito released a statement yesterday expressing the outrage that she shares with other members of the congressional delegation, as well as many West Virginians.  Obama's proposal to circumvent Congress to impose unconstitutional environmental regulations was called by Capito a "tyrannical . . . job killing plan."

Representative David McKinley and Senator Joe Manchin have released similarly strong statements.

Strutting Our Stuff: West Virginia Needs to Show Off More Often

Our West Virginia congressional delegation and their staffs showed Washington DC that they know how to throw a party.  Last night, the Hart Senate Office Building hosted "Taste of West Virginia Day" to honor 150 years of state existence.

The celebration was kicked off by brief talks from the state's delegation.  Unfortunately, the House of Representatives had scheduled an important vote at the same time, so Representatives Capito, McKinley, and Rahall could not address the assembled crowd as they normally would. 

The pride expressed by each speaker was obvious and genuine.  Politics and agreement on issues aside, there is no doubt that our delegation loves and takes full pride in their state, native or adopted.

Food and spirits attracted a wide variety of people who quickly packed the room.  High ranking military officers in full dress uniform mingled with congressional staffers from all states, representatives of West Virginia businesses, and some local elected officials from nearby counties.

Highlights of West Virginia cuisine included excellent cupcakes from Keyser's own Candlewyck Inn, perfectly prepared angus roast beef from Burlington's Flying W, excellent beer from two Canaan Valley area breweries, and delicious candies from the Greenbrier among many other vendors. 

West Virginians have every reason to take pride in our history and accomplishments as a state.  And we should take our show on the road more often!

The Travels of Tomblin and Redistricting Follies

This week is crucial and important for the executive and legislative branches of government. In these weeks, we will see the redrawing of our delegate, state senate, and congressional districts. So far, the proposed maps are alarming.

First, though, we have to wonder at the travels of Acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. He called this session and, presumably, would want to be in Charleston as much as possible to observe the proceedings. However, he has fundraisers scheduled in Morgantown, Glenville, and Elkins this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. While a candidate has to campaign, we are wondering if he is using the state helicopter to expedite his travels. Will the Charleston Gazette be probing this matter to ensure that public funds are not misspent?

Next comes the actual proposed maps. Democrats in the Legislature are proposing to void the voters' choices for Congress last year. They wish to combine the first and second districts, which are represented by David McKinley and Shelley Moore Capito, respectively. This would require a run off between the two Republicans, which, given the fact that we are keeping three districts, is a baldly arrogant political move that is sure to bring national embarassment if it passes. They must know that they cannot beat either of them at the ballot box, so they are trying to create for themselves an open seat in a gerrymandered district.

It does not look like the Legislature will create single member districts this time, either. The wealthy South Hills' neighborhood of Charleston will get to keep its several delegates and the rest of southern Kanawha County will go without representation.

Mineral County may be split between the 14th and 15th senatorial districts, as of right now. Senator Dave Sypolt will continue to represent western Mineral County to a point just east of Keyser. The rest of the county will join Hardy in the 15th. As unusual as it is to divide a county between two senatorial districts, the 49th district, represented by Gary Howell, could straddle the two senatorial districts. The new district lines could also split the town of Piedmont between the 48th and 49th delegate districts, which could cause unnecessary confusion in that area.

Let your legislators know how you feel. As long as they are debating, you can still make your wishes and opinions known.

Shelley Moore Capito Once Again Fights For Coal and Manufacturing Against the Bureaucrats

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Capito Demands Answers From EPA
6/14/11

Today, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., wrote a strongly-worded letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency demanding the agency show proof that jobs were considered when issuing new regulations for coal-fueled power plants over the past year.

Capito’s letter comes on the heels of frustrating news that American Electric Power will shut down five plants in West Virginia and Ohio, resulting in job cuts and higher utility costs across the board.

“The way I see it, either the EPA did not run proper analysis or the administration knew the rules concerning coal-fueled plants would cost jobs and increase utility costs and still went ahead anyway. Either way, this is unacceptable,” stated Capito.

Despite sluggish economic growth, an unsustainably high unemployment rate, and a market so plagued with uncertainty that businesses cannot even fathom hiring or expanding, the administration has insisted on continuing its assault on the energy industry which employs millions of hard-working Americans.

“Whether its providing cheap gas so companies don’t have to pass their costs onto consumers, or keeping home utility prices low so Americans can spend money on other things, or employing millions of workers to exploit resources found right here in America, the energy industry quite literally powers the American economy,” stated Capito. “Especially in West Virginia, the energy industry provides an important source of tax revenue for local and state governments and our manufacturing and service industries benefit from low cost electricity, making them more competitive.”

Specifically, Capito requests “copies of all internal memoranda, communication, analysis, and documents regarding the EPA’s consideration of the impact on economic activity and employment (cumulative and non-cumulative) related to these rules and regulations.”

ATTACHED:Capito letter to United States Environmental Protection Agency

BACKGROUND

Last month, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., introduced H.R. 1872, the “Employment Protection Act,” which would require the Environmental Protection Agency to take into account jobs and economic activity prior to issuing a regulation, policy statement, guidance, implementing any new or substantially altered program, or issuing or denying any permit—essentially any action taken by the EPA.

Capito Letter to EPA ( 06/14/11 10:49 AM PST )

David McKinley and Shelley Moore Capito Working For West Virginia

Citing Medicare, McKinley votes against GOP budgetW.Va. rep renews critique of Obama's tax-and-spend budget, ultra-partisan approach
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV) voted against the 2012 budget passed by the House on Friday, saying that although he favors its overall deficit-reduction goals, he cannot support two of the main ways the savings in this budget are achieved: dramatically restructuring the Medicare program in a way that forces future retirees to pay substantially more for their healthcare, and keeping ObamaCare's crippling Medicare cuts in place.
McKinley also stated that he is unequivocally opposed to the president’s budget. In so doing, he reiterated his criticism of Obama’s plan and the speech he delivered this week calling for higher taxes.
“President Obama’s budget calls for $8.7 trillion in more deficit spending, $1.6 trillion in new tax increases and adds $13 trillion to the debt,” McKinley said. “We cannot continue this unsustainable status quo of record deficits and job-killing debt. Our small businesses and middle class deserve better. The president’s recent speech didn't change a thing. It just called for higher taxes on small businesses that would devastate the economy and was delivered in an ultra-partisan tone that demonstrates he's now fully engaged in a re-election campaign rather than participating in an adult conversation on how best to reduce the deficit.
“Congressman Paul Ryan’s proposal is a vast improvement over the president’s, and I thank him for putting forth a serious plan that puts us on a path toward balancing the budget and paying off our debt. Government spending is simply out of control. I am proud to have voted over 20 times to reduce spending in my first one hundred days in office, including the enactment of the largest spending decrease in America’s history this week. But we have far to go before the job is done.
“My home state of West Virginia has the highest percentage of Medicare beneficiaries in the country, and I cannot support a plan that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has determined would nearly double out-of-pocket healthcare costs for future retirees. Unfortunately, Medicare is on a path to bankruptcy unless action is taken. However, I am not convinced that such a dramatic overhaul of benefits for future retirees is necessary to save the program. Incremental changes may very well be a better solution when coupled with a robust effort to curtail fraud and abuse. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently found that in 2010 alone, Medicare lost $48 billion to fraud and other improper payments. We could save hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade if we implemented stringent accountability measures to correct these massive mistakes.
“Further, one of the chief reasons I opposed ObamaCare was because it cut $500 billion from Medicare to pay for government-run healthcare, and this budget does not repeal President Obama’s cuts. The entire law should be repealed as we work toward real healthcare reform that brings down costs through a variety of free-market reforms.
“There are attractive elements of the Ryan budget: it continues the ban on earmarks, repeals the job-killing provisions of the ObamaCare law, and reduces over-regulation on American job-creators to grow the economy. But the senior citizens of ten years from now have already experienced severe financial losses in their retirement funds due to job-killing policies in Washington and abuses by Wall Street. They deserve a Medicare program that takes into account the economic turmoil of the last few years and guarantees retirement security.
“My votes to cut $100 billion in spending this year alone serve as a demonstration of my commitment to fiscal responsibility. But whether it’s the president’s budget, the budget passed today by the House or any other proposal that has been offered thus far, I do not believe the right solution for the 1st Congressional District of West Virginia has been found yet. I will continue to work with my colleagues both Republican and Democrat to develop the best way to balance the budget, protect Medicare and serve my constituents’ interests as we proceed with this debate in the months ahead.”






Capito Joins Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Urging The Administration To Stop Using The Clean Water Act To Justify Gross Overreach Of Federal Power4/19/11
Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., joined a bipartisan group of 170 lawmakers in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers expressing deep concern that the “guidance” letter these agencies sent to the Office of Management and Budget for regulatory review is no more than an attempt to circumvent the rule-making process in order to change the scope and meaning of the Clean Water Act.
“Congress, not unelected bureaucrats, should be making the decisions on environmental policy. This “guidance” will significantly change the scope of the federal government’s power to regulate streams in West Virginia. Once again, this Administration is using broadly interpreted regulatory authority to overstep the bounds of its traditional role in the permitting process to advance a political agenda,” stated Capito.
To view the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee press release and the bipartisan letter click here.

Shelley Moore Capito Selected For GOP Transition Team

Nov 08 2010
Capito Selected To Serve On GOP Transition Team
Today, Congressman Greg Walden R-OR, Chairman of the House GOP Majority Transition Team, announced the 21 Members responsible for overseeing the smooth and transparent transition into Republican majority.
Capito, who was elected to her sixth term in Congress last week, accepted the appointment with enthusiasm. “I am honored to be a part of the majority transition team as we seek to implement the first stages of an agenda aimed at listening and engaging the American people,” she stated.
In an earlier release, Walden stated that, “our transition team includes proven leaders who will meet our challenge to restore the House of Representatives as a great deliberative body that respects the will of the American people.” Members of this team will work to implement the congressional reforms included in the Pledge to America and look at additional ways to make Congress more transparent, cost-efficient, and accountable to the people.
To continue to engage Americans directly by seeking their input on themes like how Congress can operate with greater transparency and accountability to the people, the transition team has launched a new website at GOPLeader.gov/NewMajority. Americans are able to submit comments, videos and share information via Twitter and Facebook.
“I encourage West Virginians to take advantage of this unique opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns on how we can make Washington work better. I think we will see that transparency and citizen engagement will be tenets of the Republican Majority,” concluded Capito.
Members of the GOP Majority Transition Team
Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-1)
Rep. John Campbell (CA-48)
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (WV-2)
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (UT-3)
Rep. Tom Cole (OK-4)
Rep. Mike Conaway (TX-11)
Rep. David Dreier (CA-26)
Rep.-elect Cory Gardner (CO-4)
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA-6)
Rep. Doc Hastings (WA-4)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (TX-5)
Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-4)
Rep.-elect Adam Kinzinger (IL-11)
Rep. Buck McKeon (CA-25)
Rep. Candice Miller (MI-10)
Rep.-elect Martha Roby (AL-2)
Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-8)
Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-1)
Rep.-elect Tim Scott (SC-1)
Rep. Pete Sessions (TX-32)
Rep. Pat Tiberi (OH-12)

Potomac Highlands Patriots Hold Another Successful Rally

The Keyser based Potomac Highlands Patriots held a huge rally at the Grand Central Business Center in Keyser complete with music, candidates, and informational speakers. Well over one hundred attended the rally to hear speeches touching on family values, the economy, and Obamacare.

The PHP have been very active in this election cycle, holding rallies and erecting billboards in support of candidates. Under new president Monroe Johnson (perfect name for a Tea Party leader) they will soon have a website put up as well.

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Meanwhile, Shelley Moore Capito, among others, blasted the latest War on Coal outrage. The EPA once again decided to toss coal miners out of work to advance the Obama agenda, this time in Logan County. Capito called it a "gross overreach of federal power."

Shelley Moore Capito Blasts Congressional Leadership

Last week, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito released a statement blasting the Nancy Pelosi led Congress for its abject failures.

It failed to extend the Bush era tax cuts.

It failed to cap and end bailouts.

It failed to even grant tax relief to small businesses in a time of double digit unemployment.

It failed to address "our unsustainable national debt."

In other words, Congress failed the American people yet again. It is time to get Congress on the right track by returning incumbents that fight for us, like Shelley Moore Capito, getting rid of Obama's rubber stamps, like Nick Joe Rahall, and sending dedicated free market defenders like John Raese and David McKinley.

Shelley Moore Capito Joins Republicans In Announcing "A Pledge to America"

Sep 23 2010
Capito Presents A Pledge To America
Republicans Offer A New Governing Agenda For The American People
Today, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-WV, joined House Republicans in unveiling A Pledge to America, a new governing agenda for the 111th Congress at the Tart Lumber Company, a family owned business in Sterling, VA. The Pledge is the end result of ongoing conversations with the American people through the America Speaking Out initiative.
“For too long, the voices of Americans have been ignored. I hear from West Virginians every day who are reaching out to Congress to express their concerns about the growth of government. West Virginians are hard-working, humble people who value accountability and transparency. It’s long-overdue that we take action to ensure the government lives up to these principles. I am proud to stand with my colleagues and the American People today as we unveil a governing pledge to restore us to the type of government that is responsible to the people,” stated Capito.
Some of the pledges made today by the House Republicans are:
to ensure transparency and accountability in Congress and throughout government
to fight to increase access to domestic energy sources and oppose attempts to impose a national “cap and trade” energy tax
to fight the growth of government and oppose new stimulus spending that only puts our nation further in debt
Background: The agenda offers concrete solutions that can be implemented immediately to tackle the issues that are most important to the nation, including job creation, spending restraint, national security, health care, and reform to Congress itself.

Republicans Once Again Demonstrate Support For Coal and its Miners

Capito Rallies For Coal On Capitol Hill
Today, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., spoke at the Pro-Coal Rally on Capitol Hill to support the coal industry and the American coal miner. The event was hosted by a coalition of pro-coal organizations from Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
“Current regulatory challenges and looming cap and trade legislation are threatening the viability of coal mining throughout Appalachia. Instead of hearing our cries to use this country’s great natural resources, we only see further regulation and the slow shutdown of the coal industry while we further increase our dependence on foreign sources of energy,” stated Capito who was the event’s MC.
Hundreds of miners and representatives from the Appalachian coal mining communities traveled to Washington to defend the economic viability of the coal industry which supports hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide. The goal of the rally was to send a clear message to Congress that coal must be included in our energy future.
“Coal is affordable and abundant and mined right here in America. It supports thousands of jobs in West Virginia and across our country that we can’t afford to lose at a time of near double digit unemployment. I am proud to stand with the miners at today’s rally to remind Congress of the vital role this reliable American energy resource plays in our economic and energy portfolios,” concluded Capito, co-founder of the Congressional Coal Caucus.
Additional photos available on Facebook and www.capito.house.gov

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Meanwhile, Governor Joe Manchin continues to try and serve two masters. He claims to not be an anti-coal liberal, but he says that he can work with Obama. Remember in 2008 that Joe Biden while speaking in Ohio foresaw the end of coal as an American industry. The current administration is hostile to West Virginia, yet Manchin claims that he can work with them.

You cannot serve two masters. You cannot obey Obama and represent West Virginia.

No rubber stamps.

Shelley Moore Capito Initiates Student Advisory Committee

Sep 07 2010
Capito Invites Local Students To Apply To Inaugural “Student Advisory Committee”
Today, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Captio, R.-W. Va., announced that she is seeking applications from high school students for the 2010-2011 Student Advisory Committee.
The goal of the Committee is two-fold. First, Capito seeks to give interested students the opportunity to learn more about national issues, current events and the legislative process. Second, she hopes that selected students will serve as their generation’s ambassadors by sharing their views and insights on important issues being discussed in Congress.
“I truly believe that while young people only make up a fraction of the population, they are 100% of the future. I’m seeking motivated and eager students to take part in what I believe will be an educational but fun academic program,” stated Capito.
The Committee will be comprised of approximately 30 high-school students from across the 2nd District of West Virginia. Students will be selected based on leadership ability, academic success and extracurricular actives. A student may only serve on the Committee for one academic year.
Students will attend quarterly meetings planned and hosted by Capito’s office and will be required to complete a final project in order to graduate from Capito’s program. Through meetings and assignments, students will explore the role of citizens, lawmakers and non-governmental organizations and their impact on the development of public policy.
To apply, students must submit an application form (available under the “student” section at www.capito.house.gov), a parental permission slip, as well as one letter of recommendation to the address below by September 30, 2010:
Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito
C/O Mary Elisabeth Eckerson
4815 MacCorkle Ave., SECharleston, WV 25304Phone: 304.925.5964Fax: 304.926.8912

Shelley Moore Capito Garners More Endorsements

The Save America's Free Enterprise Trust, a political arm of the National Federation of Small Business has endorsed Shelley Moore Capito's re-election bid.

The group proclaimed that Ms. Capito's retention in office would help to protect small business within her district and free enterprise across the nation.

The NFIB has 350,000 small business members across the nation and 1,500 in West Virginia.