Senator Clark Barnes and the Law of Unintended Consequences

The law of unintended consequences is a fact of life in West Virginia. Our Democratic leadership has unleashed this draconian condition time and time again because they rarely think through the effects of the laws that they create. Here is one example from several years ago. Sweeping anti-drug laws remove the prerogatives of school principals to deal with their own students, resulting in children expelled from school for illegally passing a Halls cough drop.

This is how it all starts. The people come to their legislators with a problem, such as poor attendance and dropout rates in West Virginia schools. Now everyone wants to increase school attendance and keep kids in school until they graduate. That point is hard to dispute. The law says that kids can opt out of school after age sixteen, so what leverage do we have to keep these kids on track to graduation? The answer is a state driver's license. Licenses are privileges, not natural, or constitutional rights (although most liberals rate it above the right to use a gun to protect your family.) The state Legislature wants the dropout rate to improve so driver's licenses are revoked on minors that are not attending school.

Terrific! Watch the school attendance rate rise and we feel much better about ourselves. We used the power of government to create positive social change.

But we forgot something. We forgot to think it through. We forgot about the exceptions to our scenario of lazy kids just ducking school to play video games. Some sixteen and seventeen year olds are not in school for a good reason. They have to work to help put food on the table. Some have children of their own. In Clark Barnes' district one minor mother has a child with a severe birth defect. The defect is so severe it requires constant monitoring. The mother made the right decision and put her child first. The law said that she could not have a driver's license, but she sometimes has to rush her child to the hospital from her rural home.

When a concerned citizen brought this to Senator Barnes' attention, he immediately went to work and got the Senate to amend the law. Luckily he acted in time. However what if the child had a severe problem before he acted?

We should all thank the humanitarianism of Senator Barnes because he did work to change a fairly popular law. However the lesson here is that we need to think very carefully before using the power of government to adjust the non criminal behavior of individuals. This usually does too much damage to warrant the assumed good.

Secret Denunciations Soon to be Legal in Mineral County

When the Mineral County Clean Up Committee finalized its discussions on the proposed clean up ordinance last fall, one thing was made clear. Those who file complaints would have their names included on the complaint. Our legal system recognizes that those facing accusations must know the name of those making the complaint. It is only fair to the accused.

The Mineral County Commission just altered the proposed ordinance so that unidentified complainants can get the enforcement official to file the complaints on their behalf. This performs an end run around the spirit of the ordinance and of our legal system itself by encouraging secret denunciations. Those who support this measure would claim that having the enforcement official file the complaints on behalf of those who would remain anonymous serves as a sort of vetting process. A reasonable official, they would state, would eliminate unreasonable complaints. However what if the enforcement official is unreasonable, incompetent, or corrupt? Such scenarios have happened in the history of this state.

What is particularly galling is that this was passed to protect complainants who would hesitate to step forward because they were elderly, handicapped, ill, or feared reprisal. When measures were proposed that would protect property owners who were poor, ill, or otherwise vulnerable, these were rejected as "reverse discrimination" against the rich. Now the county commission is proposing that the ill, handicapped, elderly, etc. need extra protection so long as they are not the target of the complaint!

If we are going to have a law err on the side of protecting anyone's rights, it ought to be the property owner. Indigent, ill, disabled, or other property owners have no protection whatsoever. Supposedly vulnerable accusers, however, are accorded protective status over and above that of even victims of criminal acts. The latitude of free speech rights is rightfully extensive. assumed to cover almost any form of pornography or dissent. Other natural rights such as those regarding gun ownership and property are not taken nearly as seriously. This is the case because these rights limit the power that government has over the people.

Sometimes issues of security do need protection for those making official reports. If suspicious people are seen boarding a plane, it is important to get the information quickly so authorities can determine the validity of the threat. Since unused barns are less likely to escape the property line to wreck havoc and terror in various parts of the nation, this is a case where government power needs to be restrained.

We've Been Here Before . . .

A presidential race should be about a lot of things. It should reflect an intelligent discussion of the issues between experienced candidates. The people should take in reasonable arguments from both sides and make an informed choice. Presidential elections ought not be a beauty contest where feel good rhetoric overwhelms sensible discussion.

The Democratic contest right now reflects a struggle between those who support a candidate who has positions on real issues versus a guy campaigning on good looks and a fairly vague message of hope. Conservatives (Karl Rove included) seem to gravitate towards their old enemy Hillary Clinton and increasingly see Barrack Obama as a nightmare scenario. Republicans have actually switched parties to help Clinton win primaries.

The media says this happens because Republicans see Clinton as more vulnerable. Actually Clinton is the tougher candidate for McCain to beat because they appeal to the same moderate swing voters who likely would not go to Obama. Many Clintoncrats would tend to vote for McCain if their candidate lost. Many Republicans want Clinton to obtain the nomination because if worse comes to worst, many would rather see another President Clinton than a President Obama.

America has been here before. In 1920 the Republican Party ran Senator Warren G. Harding. His main characteristics were a congenial nature, good looks, and the vague idea that America needed to "return to normalcy." Harding had almost no real experience. Party officials supported him because they figured women would turn out in droves to support an attractive male (some did more than just vote for him.) Harding asked America to turn tail and run from the mess in Europe and disengage from the problems emerging there. We voted for the good looking guy who appealed to our emotions rather than our heads.

Harding was in over his head. He failed to prevent the Battle of Blair Mountain in which thousands of Americans fought each other on a thirty mile front over labor issues. Harding failed to even address the issues. Unlike the staunchly Republican President Grant two generations before, Harding failed to tackle the reformation of the Ku Klux Klan than terrorized blacks, Jews, and Catholics. He could not even manage his own friends as they used their position to enrich themselves at the expense of the public. Worst of all, America's disengagement from Europe set the stage for it to descend into the hell of World War II.

Obama wants to be president very badly (at least Harding had some misgivings about his lack of experience and knowledge.) This is not the right time in history for someone like this to end up in the White House. The United States faces challenges from terror groups as well as established powers such as Russia. We need to hammer out an energy policy to secure our nation and its economy. Poor decisions by large numbers of individuals have destabilized the economy. Obama wants to raise taxes considerably while pulling the US out of the Middle East so that the evil forces therein have free reign. Under such plans our economy and security suffer tremendously.

It's not time for a neophyte. It's not even time for a Clinton. It's time for McCain. Only a Republican has the principles proven over time to set it right.

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Prayers should go out to Senator Robert C. Byrd. We all hope that he makes a speedy recovery and returns to his post soon.

Financially Illiterate

Auto loaning just reached a new milestone recently. Some credit outfits now offer nine year loans to purchase new automobiles. While this helps consumers to negotiate much lower payments, it also benefits the credit firms who will bring in much more on interest. Unfortunately the value in a car at a certain point declines so quickly that many will find themselves owing more than the car is worth or paying on a car that died. This comes from a credit industry currently reeling because they greedily encouraged marginal buyers to make poor decisions on home loans.

The answer does not lie in more regulation. People got what they paid for and reaped the rewards of their judgment. To help consumers make good decisions, education is needed.

West Virginia currently requires four years of math to obtain a high school diploma. This contains an element of absurdity currently because most students never need higher math, not to mention the fact that advanced math subjects must have lower standards to ensure a decent rate of passage. What West Virginia and every state needs to do is to offer an alternative real life mathematics course for seniors. Few students ever need trigonometry or calculus in their chosen fields (although you should never stop offering these subjects.) Every student needs to know how to balance a checkbook, create a household budget, figure up a tip, do their income taxes, negotiate loans on a limited budget, and other real world skills.

Is it not amazing that schools have thoroughly embraced the idea that fifth graders need to know every last detail about sex, but they have not given the same attention to finances? Poor decisions about sex can ruin a life, so can uninformed financial decisions. Our economy is experiencing problems because entire generations have gone uninformed about how serious credit decisions can affect their lives. It is time that every high school in our state offer a math course on how to deal with the real world.

Vice Presidential Nominees?

John McCain's first question as nominee is the most difficult. Who will share the ticket?

Geographical logic points to the South to balance McCain's western origins. He needs to shore up a very questioning southern base, especially if Clinton rebounds and gains the Democratic nomination. A southern conservative would be extremely helpful.

Mike Huckabee looks like a good choice on the surface. He campaigns well in the South due to his impoverished childhood and religious beliefs. Huckabee brings to the table a man experienced in domestic issues. However in this race the GOP should shy away from a "two white guy" ticket. George W. Bush produced the most diverse administration in the history of the country. The Republican Party has done a great job in the past ten years developing female and minority leaders. Who could fit the bill?

Elizabeth Dole currently serves as the US Senator from North Carolina. She formerly ran the Red Cross and ran for president in 2000. She brings assets to the table, such as her congenial husband Robert who ran for president in 1996. Robert Dole also suffered serious wounds in combat and was a leader in the Senate for many years. Dole has avoided the limelight for the past eight years. This could help or hurt.

Senator Mel Martinez from Florida has great influence in that state's powerful Cuban community and could help sway moderate and Hispanic voters elsewhere. California could come into play for the GOP in 2008 and Martinez would only help. Martinez has the confidence of the RNC and has worked very hard to help the national party leadership.

Michael Steele from Maryland has electrifying charisma and energy. When he ran in the last election, civil rights groups in his state showed their hypocrisy by pelting him with Oreo cookies. He also showed an ability to connect with conservative Western Marylanders. I remember in 2006 speaking with some rather confused older voters in West Virginia who expressed the hope that "you help Steele beat Byrd." Steele also holds strong conservative credentials. His ability to make such a strong impression on Western Maryland and Eastern West Virginia means that Steele could find receptive audiences elsewher ein the South. However his national exposure has been limited.

McCain also has an asset in Rudolph Giuliani who has his own backing. For many reasons, he would make an unsuitable vice presidential nominee, but might help the ticket as a proposed Secretary of State or Attorney General. George W. Bush benefited from early speculation that the respected Colin Powell would be his chief diplomat.

The vice presidential nomination is one of McCain's most important choices and will go a long way towards determining whether or not he wins come November.

McCain Wins Nomination

As of Super Tuesday, the Republican Party received the news it had expected for some time. John McCain is the party's nominee for president.

A couple of months ago, this prospect unnerved many conservative Republicans. McCain does differ in opinion from conservatives on some issues. He, along with other Republicans in border regions, has a different idea about immigration than most. McCain's joke about being a "conservative liberal" probably did not help.

That being said, Republicans have not won elections by selecting doctrinaire nominees. Dwight D. Eisenhower campaigned on "compassionate conservatism" that sought to soften the edges of free market economics. Richard Nixon engaged in heavy handed economic controls to try and right the ship after the disastrous Johnson presidency. Neither George Bush could be called right wingers when one examines their policies. Ronald Reagan even evoked savage conservative criticism when he embarked on a peace path towards Mikhail Gorbachev's Soviet Union.

We are conservatives, but we also reason and speak freely. This is why the media loves to pick on conservatism, because we are never unified and our debates usually happen in public. Liberals have ousted their own free thinkers, such as Joe Lieberman (you could call him the Democratic version of John McCain.) Liberals started tearing away at Angelina Jolie's statement that US troops are needed in Iraq to prevent humanitarian disasters. They cannot tolerate deviations from their increasingly left wing agenda.

John McCain is not a 100% right wing conservative, this is true. Neither was any other GOP president. We win elections because we choose and support moderate candidates who think and act on their principles instead of the party line. McCain has sacrificed a great deal for his country and he is the only candidate left that America can trust in a crisis.

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Has Mineral County run out of water yet? Just checking. It would be best to keep any other businesses from coming in just in case.

It's not brain surgery...or wait...yeah it is

http://www.freemarketcure.com/brainsurgery.php

This is a short film about the resulting "efficiency" of government, single payor health plans. Health insurance for all sounds great. Who wouldn't love to help provide everyone with health care? It is heart breaking to see a person with cancer or other terminal illness as their health degrades. It is further frustrating to see the family struggle financially, emotionally, and spiritually. Those who oppose universal health care do not oppose it because we don't want to see people get treated, we oppose it because universal health care doesn't mean that we all get universally great health care, it likely means that we all get universally poor health care as highlighted in this video clip.

At the end the health broker asks where his clients will go for surgery if this plan comes to the U.S. Get ready to pack your bags for India.

As Gary Howell says " With government health care you get all of the caring of the IRS combined with the efficiency of the Post Office".

Republican group decries legislator pay increase

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lisa Peana

March 3, 2008 304-730-4599

Republican group decries legislator pay increase

Leader calls raise ‘an arrogant slap in the face to our working families’

Charleston, WV – Last week, the West Virginia Legislature passed House Bill 4076 which granted its members a five-thousand dollar increase in base pay. “In the biggest display of arrogance and disregard for fiscal responsibility, Democrats in the House and Senate putting their own interests ahead of many more important priorities they should be addressing,” said Lisa Peana, President of the West Virginia Republican Club.

“This bill not only increases the cost of Government to our taxpayers in West Virginia, it also allows for more citizens to become career politicians.”

Awaiting signature by Governor Joe Manchin, the base pay for legislators in both chambers will increase from $15,000 per year to $20,000 per year. The bill also increases per diem pay for legislators staying in Charleston from out of town from $115.00 per day to $130.00.

“According to the Federal Bureau for Economic Analysis , the average West Virginian earns $27,897 per year. A typical West Virginian will have to work 261 days to earn what a Legislator is paid in 60 days in base pay alone.

“It is an arrogant slap in the face to our working families that legislators feel that granting themselves a pay increase is more important that finding ways to cut taxes and bring jobs to our communities.”

House Bill 4076 passed the House of Delegates on Tuesday with 62 yeas, 36 nays, and 2 not voting. The bill was approved by the State Senate on Friday, with 20 yeas, 13 nays, and 1 not present. Governor Joe Manchin has recently indicated that he supports the pay raise and will likely sign it into law, which would grant the legislators their pay increase in 2009.

Related Links:

HB4076 Bill Text

http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2008_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/HB4076%20ENG%20SUB.htm

House Roll Call

http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bulletin_Board/2008/RS/House/Votes/00210.pdf

Senate Journal

http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bulletin_Board/2008/rs/Senate/S_DAILY_JOURNAL/sdj-52nd%20day.htm#HDO

Per Capita Income by State (2006 estimates, 2005 actual)

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/spi/2007/xls/spi0307.xls

McCain won't raise taxes?

McCain told ABC's "This Week" that under no circumstances would he increase taxes, and added that he could "see an argument, if our economy continues to deteriorate, for lower interest rates, lower tax rates, and certainly decreasing corporate tax rates," as well as giving people the ability to write off depreciation and eliminating the alternative minimum tax.---http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/mccain_taxes/2008/02/17/73372.html?s=al&promo_code=4568-1

This seems a little odd since he voted against the Bush tax cuts, but I am encouraged to hear that he can at least occassionally sound conservative. Thus far my understanding is that in November we will be choosing between a liberal Republican or a Socialist. Even though I don't share the "suicide voter" mentality as illustrated by Gary Howell in a prior entry, I do share Rush Limbaugh's point that McCain should not try to appease Conservatives by pretending to be Conservative on several key issues. Most Republicans are going to vote for McCain and, hopefully, the idea of Obama or Hillary (note:Hillary used to come first when referring to the duo) in the White House is enough to scare moderates to vote for McCain.

I can't help but to feel that many Republicans are voting with an apologetic mentality. There seems to be a need to make a peace offering with the left by offering a candidate that many on the left can approve of in order to "make-up" for the Bush years. If this is to be the case, McCain may be a good choice for an apology candidate. Afterall, offering a candidate that both sides can live with is certainly better than handing the Democrats the White House by offering a sacrificial, weak candidate.

Keeping it Real

"I don't believe Bible-believing Christians should participate in the mainstreaming of Mormonism." -- Brian Bigelow, Fayette County Delegate (and Huckabee voter) to the West Virginia GOP Convention on February 5, 2008, as quoted in USA Today.

Is this what our party stands for? Mindless sectarian fear of another faith as a basis for electing (or not electing, in this case) the President of the United States?

I don't know who Brian Bigelow is, except that he originally supported Rudy Giuliani. So, for Mr. Bigelow it's more important to defeat--gasp!--a Mormon than to defeat someone who supports abortion rights and the gay agenda? Is that what "Bible-believing Christians" stand for?

I more than realize that the issue is more or less moot with the exit of Governor Romney from the presidential race, but this is something that we--as a party, as a conservative movement--must confront and defeat. Someday there will be another Mormon running for president. Someday, a Mormon will run for your county commission, or for the legislature, or for a statewide office. Are we going to allow this same hate to torpedo those future candidacies as well?

Will evangelicals of Mr. Bigelow's ilk require future candidates to sign off on a particular creed or statement of religious beliefs? Does a candidate have to be a young-earth creationist to get his OK? What about a rejection of UPC bar codes? Mark of the beast, you know.

Maryland, what a neighbor

I have had a couple of run-ins with the state of Maryland and I am growing more and more irritated with MD's state government.

The first happened shortly after my tags expired on my vehicle. I had moved in the time period that property taxes are calculated (July 2006) and thus had not received my property tax bill from Harrison County, and did not have records on file for Mineral County. I knew that I needed to renew my tags, but had neglected to do so as I hate paying my property taxes 2 months early just to renew my tags. The Sherriff's office helped me to find my bill, but phone payment was not an option. I was going to be passing through Harrison county in the next week, so I decided to pay in person on my way to Charleston. While I waited to get the highly coveted paid receipt so that I could renew my tags my wife had a baby. I drove my vehicle between Keyser and Oakland in order to watch my daughter at home and be with my wife and new baby at the hospital. On the final trip I was pulled over by a MD state trooper because one of my three brake lights was out. He noticed that my tags had expired earlier in the month and wrote a $60 citation for expired WV tags. I took the ticket because, like most, I am an easy target for the police to pull over and fine. I still don't understand why I should pay MD $60 when I had been working on the issue, which in WV is not as easy as going to the DMV and paying to renew your tags. It takes several steps and visits to the assessors office, the sheriff's office, and then the DMV to get your tags renewed. I believe that a WV trooper would have understood and possibly cut me a little slack since my wife had just had a baby 2 days prior.

Next, a recently discharged employee and WV resident filed for MD unemployment. I questioned why the filing was in MD and asked how this could affect me since I don't have a MD unemployment account. I was given a phone number to call and proceeded to do so on 3 occasions. After 1/2 hour wait times I would hang up in order to continue working. Today I was called by MD Unemployment and threatened with a fine if I did not immediately fax the form that I received back to them. Correction: a staff member was told to pass this message on to me and direct me to immediately return their call. I explained why I had not already done this ( I needed to know what, if any affect this would have on my payroll withholdings and whether this would create a MD unemployment account), to which I received vague answers of "it won't, don't worry about it", and an explanation that wait times for their division are usually fairly long. I went ahead and faxed the form to avoid a fine and penalty from our neighbor to the north. Yet another unpaid obligation that is levied against small business people. It took roughly 1/2 hour to complete the form and fax it, plus the 2 hours of phone calls. I am tempted to send an invoice to MD for services rendered. Perhaps I can get my $60 vehicle fine back.

Senate candidate Howell signs no-tax pledge

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Gary Howell

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 304 790 9292

Senate candidate Howell signs no-tax pledge

KEYSER — Gary Howell, Republican candidate for the 14^th State Senate District, today announced he has signed the State Taxpayer Protection Pledge, promising to “oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”

The pledge is promoted by Americans for Tax Reform, which was founded in 1985 by Grover Norquist at the request of President Reagan.

“Promising to oppose taxes is an easy call for me,” said Howell. “The people of West Virginia are already over-taxed and over-regulated. Burdensome taxation stifles growth and smothers entrepreneurship. By reducing and cutting taxes, our economy will grow and good jobs will come to the 14^th District and the rest of the state.”

Howell knows about growing a small business. For more than 17 years, he has been the owner and operator of Howell Automotive in Keyser, a leading supplier of auto parts. In 2003, Gary was named “Exporter of the Year” by the U.S. Small Business Administration. He was honored by the West Virginia Motor Sports Council in 2005 for promoting West Virginia across the country. Last year, he was honored with the Governors Commendation for International Market Entry, recognizing his success in completing sales with the Philippines, South Africa, Aruba, Belgium, Greece, Spain and Sweden.

A lifelong West Virginian, Howell received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from Frostburg State University's School of Business in 1990. He is seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Jon Blair Hunter.

The 14^th Senate district covers all or parts of the counties of Barbour, Grant, Mineral, Monongalia, Preston, Taylor and Tucker.

Rob Kessel

As many of you know local business man Rob Kessel perished in a plane crash last week. I served with Rob Kessel on the Mineral County Planning Commission and got to know him.

He served the community in many ways that were seen and many that were unseen. When he served on the County Planning Commission he had a good eye for looking out for the public welfare. His various housing and commercial projects around the area greatly benefited the local economy.

May God bless your family and friends. You will be missed.

You never get a second chance

Keith Funkhouser addressed the Keyser Lions Club last night. He is the GM for Allegheny Balistics Lab here in Mineral County. This was the first time I had learned about ABL and what they do. It is amazing that an organization like this exists here in Mineral County. The engineering is astounding. Keith, a native of Mineral County, cares deeply for the area and it is impressive to have him at the helm.

The question was raised about how ABL would fare in the post-Senator Byrd era. The answer was fairly in depth, but centered around the idea of building relationships with the new politicians in Washington to make sure that money keeps coming out to Mineral County. What strikes me the most is that by the time the post-Byrd era comes about, there is planned to be so much investment in the facility that it's role is critical and the contracts facility will continue to expand and grow. The ownership/lease structure of the property is set in such a way to hopefully continue the planned growth of the facility.

Keith also brought up some politically correct challenges to Mineral County to invest in our infrastructure and development. His challenge came with an "If you build it, they will come" tone when discussing the people that they are recruiting and the expectations of people looking to re-locate to Mineral County. This was the second time I had heard this same concern. Earlier in the day, Heather Ack from American Woodmark, spoke of the challenges that her company has when recruiting management candidates away from more urban areas. Come to think of it, Mineral County Schools have expressed similar struggles when recruiting teachers to the area.

My wife and I found this to be true when we recently relocated to the area. Mineral County simply does not make a very good first impression. When re-locating, many people like to go on a self-tour of the area and see where they would be living. My wife and I tried this, we drove up and down 220 and looked around the only housing areas we could find which were just off of Main St and West End. It can be daunting to take the cut off road, or head out on 46 not knowing where you are headed when you don't know the area. We also drove around the other side of the border and found the Cumberland area much closer to what we were used to seeing in our home towns. It isn't that those areas don't exist, you just have to know where to look in Mineral County.

Our plan had been to find a couple of neighborhood's we liked, then return home and pull up home listings on the computer to find a place to live. We knew that we would only had one planned visit to the area before buying a house and our self tour was going to be the key in finding the neighborhood that we chose to move to. We were determined to live on this side of the border, so we made some un-scheduled trips back and toured with realtors and other locals who showed us all of the areas that are just out of sight. Each one was progressively better and we found ourselves excited about re-locating to Mineral County and the neighborhood that we found. Turns out, our home is only about 1/8 mile off of 220, but without guidance, we never would have seen our neighborhood. Our experience is not unique and I have had discussions with several clients who re-located to the area and found this same challenge.

Perhaps we could establish a welcome website through the Chamber of Commerce that could help potential movers find the communities and hometown features that make Mineral County a great place to live. The site could also have a cost of living calculator to help people understand that their pay cut can actually be net gain. Recent movers/residents could suggest restaurants to try, places to go, etc. There are some unique attributes to this part of the country, and a welcome center or website could help to give our potential future neighbors a true first impression of the area.

Oh Deer! A Lesson in the Freedom Market

I’m sure you have heard the saying, “there is no such thing as a free lunch.” Whoever came up with that saying had a working understanding of economics. That person understood that somewhere along the line that free lunch was paid for by somebody. Unfortunately many elected officials in Charleston do not understand this most basic of free market economic facts.

Recently State Delegate Ralph Rodighiero (D-Logan) introduced bill H.B. 4498, in an effort to reduce out of pocket insurance expenses of those hitting deer on the states highways. The bill states, “Any person striking a deer on a state highway shall not be liable for repair costs exceeding two hundred dollars regardless of the amount of the deductible required from their motor vehicle insurance policy.” H.B. 4498 is a free lunch bill and somebody is going to have to pay for it.

Those of us that understand economics know exactly who is going to pay for this free lunch. It will be the person purchasing the insurance. The very same person that Delegate Rodighiero’s bill is supposed to reduce cost. Like all businesses, the insurance companies are in business to make a profit. Insurance companies will not simply absorb the cost of fixing the car of every West Virginian that hits a deer without charging the policy holder for the additional coverage that this bill will require.

Currently in West Virginia you are required to have a minimum of liability coverage on your vehicle. H.B. 4498 by default will require all insurance companies in West Virginian’s to sell nothing less than comprehensive (covers deer) with a $200 deductible.

I called my insurance agent to find out what this free lunch would cost. On a 2004 Dodge Pick-Up the difference between carrying liability coverage and a $200 deductible comprehensive is an increase of over $360 a year. Just dropping the deductible on an existing comprehensive policy from $1000 to the proposed requirement of $200 would increase the cost of that same policy over $110 a year. It is easy to see who is going to pay for this free lunch.

The real problem with H.R. 4498 is it that it assumes that West Virginian’s are not able to handle freedom of choice. It assumes that we are not able to make wise financial decisions on our own. The truth is we are able to make those choices and we can do a better job that government can. We understand that if we have a 1989 Cavalier that is only worth $500, it makes no sense to carry a $200 deductible comprehensive insurance policy. We may wish to pick $1000 deductible instead of $200 if we are willing to take that greater financial risk. The economic free market has provided us all with choices in auto insurance. As a result, Delegate Rodighiero is free choosing to purchase $200 deductible insurance on his own, but it will be his choice not the governments.

H.R. 4498 simple takes away our freedom of choice. If passed we will no longer be able pick our insurance based on our need or financial ability. For most West Virginian’s, they will be forced to pick more expensive insurance that they may not be able to afford, want, or need. Government decisions like this one that are not based on sound economic principles or freedom of choice are one of the very reasons West Virginia ranks at bottom of the good economic categories. We must change.

Perception and Leadership

I was speaking to former Helping Hands director Cheri Alt the other day. She was discussing the issue of how the middle class is perceived to be shrinking. Alt described how the perception of the middle class most people have appears almost unobtainable to many poor. The effort to reach the next level is overwhelming. This has helped to create a strong perception that America is somehow out of whack and needs some kind of serious adjustment.

First, this made me wonder. What is "middle class?"

It used to be that middle class meant that you had a reliable roof over your head, a decent automobile, and the capability to feed your family and pay your bills. After this, you usually had a little left over every month to save for retirement and a vacation. Sure bills caused stress, but more often than not the family did just fine. Until recently, this was not just middle class, but "the American Dream." This middle class still exists in America. The problem lies in what people perceive as "success." We have revised it upward. Now we don't see ourselves as successful unless we can afford all the latest electronics, a house much larger than necessary, new automobiles, and still not worry about bills. The gap between expectations and reality causes anxiety to many. We stress about what we do not have rather than being thankful for the gifts God gave us. I make the same mistake myself very often.

The media does not help. Its views of middle class have been skewed for a long time. Shows like Roseanne, Mama's Family, and Sanford and Son were meant to represent people who in some way were poor. However all had homes and vehicles. Fred Sanford was even a small business owner. Bill Cosby represented middle class, although to many of us in West Virginia, he certainly appeared rich. The Democrats play upon this anxiety when they announce that the United States has a poor economy.

An expectation of rewards without effort, experience, or proof of competency has also helped create the perception that the economy and society itself has problems. The burgeoning sense of entitlement is the sad result of the 1990s liberal experiment with scholastic self-esteem. Children learned that they were all considered excellent regardless of whether they earned it in any way. The same awards went to everyone regardless of whether the individual had actually done something worthwhile. Effort was given the same praise as competency. Students find a rude awakening when they hit college or real life. The shock comes when professors or employers expect actual results, an end rarely demanded before unless the youngster played in athletics or band.

The liberals demand equality of outcome and they offer government as the solution. Achieve too effectively and watch them cut you down to size. If people get left behind it becomes an indication that something is inherently wrong. No other country in history offers opportunity like the United States in the 21st century, if only people will stand up and seize their chances through hard work from the first they they hit adulthood. We just need to remember as individuals that nothing worthwhile comes without struggle and few lessons are remembered better than those learned because of failure. We also need to thank God for the good things in our lives. We may work hard towards certain goals, but American values do not include a guarantee.

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Isn't it amazing that even though the Left has dominated higher education for at least the past three decades, the Republican Party continues to turn out better candidates for leadership in presidential elections? Perhaps the universities of practical business (Romney), military style character (John McCain), the school of hard knocks (Mike Huckabee), etc. do a better job creating leaders than academia. It could also reflect the fact that conservatives constantly must defend their principles and beliefs against established authorities while in school. This forces conservatives to think about what they believe in and why. The result is a much more reasonable and capable leader, as opposed to a guy who throws out inane causal linkages and expects them to be believed without question.

When listening to liberal Democrats, always question the assumptions they make in their arguments. It is here, at the foundation, that their logic always fails. They rely on ideas such as collective guilt, conservative or private sector greed as a primary motivating factor, conservative lack of insight as a truth, the idea that individuals pursuing their own success are somehow immoral, the concept that global warming is an acknowledged truth. If you accept their assumptions, their logic is fine and their conclusions are valid. It is their assumptions that defy reality. Take for example the economy. Obama insists we need significant change because the economy is poor. The economy is still growing! Furthermore the Fed says it will pick up by fall. Get your time machine and bring someone in from the 1970s or 1930s and ask them if 2% growth with low interest rates and inflation are bad. That looks like heaven to those folks.

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A hundred years ago, hucksters sold products called patent medicines. These drugs promised to cure what ailed you, but never informed the customer what composed them. Obama's campaign works on a similar premise. It promises to make you feel better while refusing to offer any substance. Turns out these medicines did make people feel better in the short term because they were chock full of morphine. People get convinced to take the medicines even when they are not ill because the salesmen were extremely slick. A little exercise and better diet would have gone a lot farther than patent medicines.

Republicans offer the reasonable path to a better tomorrow because individuals are expected to work towards their own benefit. Obama offers the patent medicine of government solutions without any expectation of individuals. That's not how this country was founded and built into greatness.

Heathergate in the "DA"

The Daily Athenaeum, the WVU student newspaper, has been doing a bang up job reporting on Heathergate at WVU.

Last week, they even extracted a semi-confession from a WVU official "

Here is the latest they are reporting today.

WVU faculty, admin. differ about eMBA

and

‘Degree-gate’ dragging on

I was really inclined to give the University the benefit of the doubt in this matter, but I have yet to see any exculpatory evidence in this matter whatsoever.

There hasn't seemed to be anything to indicate that the allegations are false, and a whole laundry list of distortions and misstatements by WVU officials. I find it hard to believe that this will end well.

Failure of Imagination

Barack Hussein Obama recently accused his Democratic opponents, the Republican Party, and everyone else in Washington DC of a "failure of imagination." In Barack Hussein Obama's world, economic cycles do not exist and bad decisions have no consequences. In Obamaland, government is responsible for all the good and bad of society. Since the economy has hit a difficult patch (mind you, we are not even in a recession) Obama has taken the opportunity to say that everyone in the United States government with the exception of him is responsible for mortgage lenders and buyers making less than sound choices. To boot, they are also responsible for General Motors' poor judgment and bad luck as well. Of course the reason why General Motors and the mortgage market are in hard times are, you guessed it, the "failed" war in Iraq.

And you wonder why Clintoncrats and Republicans question this man's worthiness for office. Liberals jumped on George W. Bush in 2000 for failing to know the name of the leader of Pakistan. Obama fails to understand the economy of the United States, or that the war in Iraq is winding down and (surprise, surprise, surprise) we have achieved most of our goals.

Obama supporters don't tend to care that he has little experience or understanding. They say he is a smart guy and he promises change. Assuredly Obama has brains; you can't get to the United States Senate without them. Knowing how to sell a product does not mean you ought to run the company. And what about change? Change can be good or bad. We certainly need change in terms of more deregulation, a simpler tax code, an energy vision that lays more emphasis on domestic production, and many other ideas championed by President Bush but rejected by the last weak willed Republican Congress.

We don't need a guy who thinks government is the end all and be all of this country. Republicans believe change should also come from individuals who dedicate themselves to taking advantages of the opportunities presented by this great country of ours. We are descended from people who did not wait to be handed their success, they aggressively pursued and earned it. The death of the American work ethic comes from us looking to someone other than ourselves. Voting for Obama only furthers that process.

Insurance isn't the problem

http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_043205045.html

This is an interesting story as it highlights one of the fundamental problems with our government. A complete lack of understanding of how businesses operate. There is a bill being presented by Delegate Ralph Rodighiero, D-Logan to regulate deductibles in deer losses to a maximum of $200. So, in plain English, you get hit by a deer, the most you can pay out of pocket is $200. The rest is up to the insurance companies...which is to say that your fellow policyholders will see increased premium to offset the additional cost of this new deductible.

Let's set a few things straight...

1) There is no such thing as "deer coverage". Deer damage is covered by comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage covers damages to your vehicle through losses Other than collision, such as damage by fire, theft, falling objects, storms, collision with birds or animals, and glass breakage. Basically, you didn't do anything wrong as a driver, but your car is damaged and the insurance company needs to fix it. The article does not indicate whether or not ALL comprehensive losses would see a cap on the deductible, or if we are expecting insurance companies to create a new "deer" coverage that will be used to cover just this specific peril.

2) Rodighiero is cited as acknowledging that he won't endear himself to insurance companies with this proposal and states “I’m not here for the insurance companies or the big-dollar people,” he said.“I’m here for the common problems we have as West Virginians. I’ve dedicated myself to doing that and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

A noble point, but as an insurance agent, I get paid on a percentage basis. So if you raise everyone's rates across the board, I have not lost my competitive edge, but my income is going to go up. I am not objecting to this because it would cost me money, it would be financially beneficial to my agency, but it is not the place of the government. IF Mr Rodighiero feels bad about deer accidents he should be suggesting a deer control plan, or a government program to re-imburse drivers for deductibles paid for deer losses out of state funds. Afterall, the state is unwilling to control the deer problem in part because it is a way to bring hunters and their money from other states each year. Raise the hunting license cost a couple hundred dollars to offset the reimbursement program, so that all the non-hunters don't pay for the surge in deer each year.

3) The REAL problem is not the deductible, it's not the insurance rate, it's the fact that your constituents, like many Americans, bought a car they can't afford. We see this all the time. The fact of the matter is that this is an optional coverage, you don't have to buy it in order to own or buy a car. You don't even have to fix your car in a deer collision. Granted your car will look bad and/or may not function, but you could just park it. Unless of course your bank requires it as a condition for your car loan. Unfortunately, we see this everyday. Too many people are stuck with car loans that they can't afford because they did not account for the other costs of a car; such as gas, oil, maintenance, insurance, fuzzy dice, etc and the inevitable increase in these costs over the seven years that they financed their car.

My solution when this problem hit me was simple...I sold my expensive cars and bought less expensive, less shiny cars that were well within my budget. I know it isn't always easy, it took us almost a year to get to where we could afford to pay off the loan on one of our cars in order to trade down, but it eventually worked and we now have a firm policy of staying off of the car lots. It is about personal accountability. The car you buy, the amount you pay, who you buy insurance from, which coverages/deductibles you carry... all of these decisions are made by the individual. I don't want to pay for a $200 deductible, I chose a $500 deductible, a law like this would take away my ability to choose and force me to pay more for a lower deductible. Thanks Charleston, but if it is OK I would like to make a few decisions on my own.

Killing the Golden Goose

As global demand for energy rises, West Virginia is poised to take advantage through use of our abundant energy resources. West Virginia has produced oil and natural gas continually since the 1800’s. Our mountains allow us to efficiently produce electricity from both hydroelectric and wind energy, but coal is still the energy Golden Goose to the states economy.

Unfortunately instead of feeding and caring for the Golden Goose most of the time the state stalks the Golden Goose like a predator using taxes as its favorite weapon. Some 200 years ago US Supreme Court Chief Justice and namesake of Marshall University, John Marshall warned, “The power to tax involves the power to destroy.” The evidence that Marshall was correct is all around us in West Virginia as we rank 50^th in business opportunity due to our punitive business tax structure destroying our economy.

The latest hunter taking aim at the Golden Goose is DEP Secretary Stephanie Timmermyer, who went before the Senate Finance Committee February 7^th requesting a state tax on coal be doubled. West Virginia is already at a huge economic disadvantage and this will only add more. We have the 7^th highest tax rate in the nation and at the same time we rank 49^th in per capita income. The destruction of the states economy through a punitive tax structure has dropped the states population from 1.3% of the US population in 1950 to 0.6% today, a drop of more than half.

Simple economics explains how the global coal market will respond if the coal tax increase is enacted. West Virginia coal will become more expensive in the market place. Just as we shop for the lowest price on food or gasoline, those in the coal market will also shop for the lowest price of coal. That will put West Virginia coal producers at a disadvantage. It will be harder for them to be price competitive. New coal orders will drop as a result. The drop in orders will mean less need for manpower, transportation, and supplies further increasing the adverse effects on the West Virginia economy.

Secretary Timmermyer’s request for an increase in coal taxes personifies the problem with Charleston’s understanding of the economy. Ronald Reagan clearly identified the problem when he stated, "The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much." West Virginian’s have been taxed so heavily for so long that a large unused surplus exists in various state accounts. In 2005 State Senator Russ Weeks estimated that at $1 billion, Senator Herb Snyder at $3 billion, and West Virginians Want to Know at $5 billion. When the state has somewhere between $1 and $5 billion dollars sitting unused in various accounts; we should not be talking about raising taxes.

With world demand for energy high and West Virginia sitting on coal, oil, gas, hydroelectric and wind to supply the world, tax cuts are in order to help our economy grow. The money not spent on taxes will be plowed back into the businesses of the state thus feeding the Golden Goose. If the power to tax is the power to destroy, then the power to reduce taxes is the power to create.

A Valentine's Day Poem

The Poem is at the bottom, it's about our government's true love...taxation.

In case there are still doubters, I am NOT a fan of our tax system. Not that I don't think that we all need to do our part to support the government, I am not against paying my portion. The problem is that no one knows what their portion is or even should be. If you make more, you pay more. OK, but how much more? No one knows. I bet you don't even know how much you will pay to the government this year. Even if you are savvy enough to look at your income tax filings each year and figure approximately how much they will pay in taxes in the future, that is only half the story. There are still many hidden taxes that the government collects like sales tax, and gasoline tax, and tax on your insurance premium, and B and O tax, the list goes on and on. These hidden taxes are so common that we don't even pay attention to them any more.

This is the perfect scenario for a politician looking to raise taxes. If you don't know what you pay now, and don't know what you are paying in the future, how can you know or object to an increase. Even better, by hiding the tax in the cost of our everyday purchases, the government gets to blame private enterprise for the increased cost. If not directly as with oil companies, then indirectly by simply taxing items like bread and milk and even insurance. Make it a percentage sales tax and the income from taxes goes up with inflation. I can see it now, income taxes rise, so the insurance companies I represent raise rates to offset the increased cost of their payroll and sure enough I will have a line out my door demanding to know why the price of insurance went up even though my clients weren't in an accident of any kind. As the middle man, my payroll and other expenses go up disproportionate to the increase in my income and now my clients are paying more and I am making less.

Imagine if the government acted like a private enterprise. Let's say that they took the annual budget, divided that amount by the number of people ages 18 and up in our country and sent all of us a bill for the same amount...payable in mid-April. How difficult would it be for our government to pass a tax increase or to increase spending if you knew that your annual tax bill was going to be 10% higher this year? If my customers behavior is any indication, there would be marches on Washington demanding to speak to congress about why their bill went up this year. I know that it is unfair to make everyone pay regardless of whether or not they made any money...then again I took a net loss last year in my business, but still managed to pay several hundred dollars in B and O income taxes to the City of Keyser. How does that work? My income is negative but my income tax is positive? It wouldn't so the government uses my gross income instead of net income.

I know that is an extreme example, but it leads to one of the fairest solutions available, the FAIR Tax. If you haven't read about it, you should. Then again, it would make it almost impossible for the government to raise taxes in the future and politicians would end up holding each other accountable for the projects that they earmark to their friends.

As promised....the poem. I did not write this it was sent to me

Tax his land,Tax his wage,and Tax his bed in which he lays.

Tax his tractor,Tax his mule,Teach him taxes are the rule.

Tax his cow;Tax his goat,Tax his pants,Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,Tax his shirts,Tax his work,and Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,Tax his drink,and Tax him if he tries to think.

Tax his booze,Tax his beers,If he cries,Tax his tears.

Tax his bills,Tax his gas,Tax his notes,and Tax his cash.

Tax him good and let him know

That after taxes, he has no dough.

If he hollers,Tax him more;Tax him until he's good and sore.

Tax his coffin,Tax his grave,and Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb,'Taxes drove me to my doom!'

And when he's gone,We won't relax,We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!

Six Year Term

I just finished watching the always anti-climactic State of the Union speech. It’s basically the end of the road for President Bush. And there is a looming recession. Then I thought, when else in my conscious, adult life have I seen a two term President end his term. Perhaps showing my youth, the only one that happened was President Clinton. There was a looming recession back then as well. The stock market slow down after the tech bubble burst was the major theme and focus for my Business Finance curriculum in college. Granted both of these happened in consecutive order. But combine this issue with the growing length of a campaign for the white house. Let’s face it, the 2008 election really began when the party nominations for the 2004 election were announced.

Is it possible that one issue we are seeing is that everyone is seeking a two-term role in the White House? The first term is guided by re-election concerns, the second term is guided by cleaning up the first term so that a strong legacy can be left. Why not one 6 year term. You get elected, then you seek to fulfill your mandate. No re-election worries, just outright pursuit of the policies and beliefs that you truly subscribe to.

How do we display judgment on our elected President? At each election of Congress, we either make his/her job easier or more difficult by providing him/her with co-operative co-workers, or congressional enemies.

It isn’t often that I subscribe to such a dramatic change from what the founding fathers established. After all, they established a union that consistently sees peaceful power shifts even after 230+ years of existence. Then again, I also don’t subscribe to the belief that our current generations are more intelligent than our ancestors. But it is hard to believe that they could have foreseen elections where the winner would spend hundreds of millions of dollars just to get elected to a job that pays a fraction of that sticker price.

Barney, Mr. Rogers and Charles Manson

So you want your kids to watch a wholesome television show that may help shape their lives. Something that can help instill values like respect, courtesy, and personal responsibility. Growing up you were a big fan of Mr. Rogers, the trolley, Mr. McFeely, King Friday and the rest of the Neighborhood of Make Believe.

Unfortunately Mr. Rogers has passed away and you're not a big fan of the purple dinosaur, so the next obvious choice for someone to instill proper values in your kids is Charles Manson! Well to me that seems to be the current attitude among some Republicans around the nation. These so called Suicide Voters, seem to be following a similar logic.

They may have been a Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, or Mitt Romney supporter and now they are saying they will vote for Barack Hussein Obama or Hillary Clinton over John McCain. Even political commentators like Anne Coulter have made the same statement. While there is large emotional attachment that develops between a supporter and their candidate, at some point logic must begin to take hold.

McCain may not be our first choice, but he is no Clinton or Obama. Just as Barney is no Charles Manson. We now have to ask ourselves do we really want to vote for a Obama-Manson ticket or do we want to stay the Republican course and vote for the McCain-Barney ticket?

What Got Lost In the Convention Furor

A lot has been said and written about the West Virginia presidential nominating convention good, bad, and ugly. Some expressed pleasant surprise, others complete dismay. Thanks ought to go out to the team that made it happen. They received a thankless assignment and achieved their goals. They made money, got the state party some attention, and made the West Virginia GOP a real factor on the most important primary day. Beneath the big picture some sore feelings emerged, but at this point it looks as though reconciliation is likely.

The big question no one asked is why did John McCain do so poorly in West Virginia? Those who did not attend might reason that the more evangelical candidate, Mike Huckabee, had the inside track in a heavily Protestant state. Not true. The power of public speaking played a large role here.

Some performed well. Mitt Romney gave a flawless delivery both at his morning breakfast with supporters and later on the floor. He gave a great speech that few Republicans could possibly disagree. Romney has a strong presence in person and one can understand why his supporters back him with such passion.

Others did not. Ron Paul gave a somewhat rambling address. Just when he made a strong point about values that libertarians and Republicans share, he would haul out an extremist comment or historical errors. Historical errors are forgivable. Romney claimed that John Adams wrote the Constitution when Adams was actually serving abroad. That's fine because Romney did not base his policy plans on those errors. Paul asserted that Congress passed laws forbidding "entangling alliances." That actually came from Washington's Farewell Address and many historians believe that he only meant that for the temporary period in which the US would be vulnerable to foreign intrigues. Paul then blundered by forgetting that the United States Navy, not privateers, defeated the Barbary Pirates. His reference to being a Baptist seemed forced.

McCain's guest speaker, former Louisiana governor Buddy Roemer, looked like a great singer who kept hitting false notes. He seemed congenial and had I been a Louisianan I would have enjoyed his speech. Roemer proclaimed that LSU was the greatest college football team in the nation and implied that he'd rather have been in New Orleans than Charleston. Later he made a small joke about Presbyterians while mentioning the different denominations that helped Hurricane Katrina victims. In doing so he omitted the West Virginia National Guard who played a very important role. A delegate behind me asked if he was trying to get people to vote against McCain.

Mike Huckabee spoke extremely well. Coming from a poor small town background in an impoverished mountain state, he knew how to speak to West Virginia Republicans. Contrary to Democrat claims, many current West Virginia GOPers came from poor and difficult backgrounds. Huckabee joked about Lava soap, a product often used to get dirt or grease off the hands. He claimed that it was not until he was about twenty that he understood that a shower was not supposed to hurt. Huckabee was warm and endearing and swayed many delegates to at least see him as a vice presidential possibility.

In many ways the convention proved a success. For me personally it was a fascinating experience. As a student of the history of politics, this was a rare opportunity to witness how our candidates were chosen before the era of primaries. Hopefully the hard feelings that emerged during the convention will pass quickly so we can get to the business of getting our state behind the next president

Romney shows true leadership and respect for our nation

Yesterday Romney announced he is suspending his presidential campaign. He stated, "This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters ... many of you right here in this room ... have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming president. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America,"

With the writing on the wall, a lessor man with Romney's financial means could have very easily stayed in the race and in the process damaged the chances of a win for Republican party for the upcoming general election. This, in my opinion, is a mark of true understanding and leadership.

Romney understands that after a long, tough, and emotional primary season that the party will need time to come together. By dropping out he makes that time longer and leadership is more about making the hard decisions than the easy ones. Romney, a true leader, just made a hard leadership decision. Now it is the time to move forward and do what is best for the nation, elect a Republican President.

No Convention Deal, come on...

The Romney camp was outflanked by a misuse of the rules. Or I guess we could call it the Washington interpretation of the rules, or just darn good strategy. How I know? Several people asked me for directions to room 105, where McCain supporters journeyed to and then returned from convinced to vote for Huckabee. Granted Huckabee's supporters could have simply convinced the McCain people to reconsider their positions and been overwhelmingly persuasive to 95% of McCain followers in just about an hour. However, I happened to be standing next to a McCain supporter who had refuted efforts at a conversion to Mitt Romney even quoting that his integrity would be open to question if he switched his vote for political reasons, when he was approached by one of McCain's people and told to vote for Huckabee. That settled it, the fix was implemented, and so the vote went. I have left out names, but would be happy to provide them if denials continue.

What bothers me is not the "deal". Rules allowed for such a deal, and a well timed lunch hour gave the needed break to provide organization from each side. Not to mention, that I am not sure that WV votes even matter as far as this race is concerned. What bothers me is the willingness of the Republican Party leadership to entangle themselves in a nationally publicized mess. McCain and Huckabee are denying involvement in the proceedings...executive privilege already? The leadership from the McCain-Huckabee team gets to take credit for the deal when the time is right and McCain gets the nod and can reward their courageous action. The rest of us are left looking just as bad as the democrats we bash for voter fraud and corruption from Charleston to Washington. Let's be honest, do we republicans actually want to distinguish ourselves, or do we want to keep playing the valiant underdog in each campaign? We are a conservative state, but can't get local and state Republicans elected!? I know the arguments of old school democrats that live conservative but vote democrat, but I have lived here for several years and NEVER heard a republican stand up and advocate their platform in a meaningful way.

The Republican Party is not going to out-maneuver the Democrats in WV. It's not in our blood and is contrary to the message that was on the large banner at the convention.


We advocate less government then design a convention that is so laden with political bureaucracy that we were set up from the start. The well timed lunch was announced as a time to trade horses. At the very least the McCain people could have hidden their intent a little better and wait until McCain was out of the race to dump into the Huckabee camp. But that would have left the second vote up to the delegates and that is something we can't have. So a backroom (room 105) deal was made and the convention was settled. Not to mention that some constituents didn't even know that their primary vote had been superseded by a convention until yesterday; leaving most of the spots for the usual suspects, Party loyalists, executive committee members, and a few hand-picked delegates. A slight tinge of disdain was even evident when I discussed the Ron Paul delegates who had, at the last moment, changed their political affiliation to republican and slipped into a delegate position. Consequently, Ron Paul supporters were the only group in the convention with any level of diversity in their ranks.

Republicans win elections by sharing their message, not through clever political maneuvering. In ideological battles, we win. The American spirit resonates truest in an open market with limitations on government. Those limitations allow individuals to prosper in the endeavors of their choosing, whether those are family, faith, financial, service, or other. It may be too late for this election cycle, but next cycle we might have a chance to band together and come up with a plan and an agenda for this state much like Newt Gingrich came up with in the mid-90s. A coherent message could give us the opportunity to bolster the Republican Party to a position where real change can occur in our state.

The Plot Thickens . . .

So, our great convention experiment has concluded. If nothing else, it has been an eye-opener. Of course, most of the talk is about "The Deal". I have an unique perspective on The Deal, which I will share in the near future. However, I note--with no small degree of glee--the following, as reported in Lawrence Messina's AP wire report:

‘‘There was no backroom deal. There wasn’t even a frontroom deal. There was no deal,’’ [Huckabee] said.

McCain also denied that there was a deal.

‘‘I didn’t have a conversation with (Huckabee) or any of his people about anything to do with it,’’ McCain said at a news conference in Phoenix. ‘‘It’s a bit insulting to Governor Huckabee, who won that, by alleging such a thing.’’

But Paul supporters claimed Tuesday evening that Huckabee’s campaign bought their support with the promise of three West Virginia delegates.

‘‘That’s not true,’’ said Huckabee spokeswoman Alice Stewart.

John Tate, national political director for Paul, insisted that there was a deal even after learning of Stewart’s denial.

--end quote--

First--I'm sorry, Senator McCain and Governor Huckabee, but there WAS a deal.

Second--Part of that deal was for Ron Paul to be bought with 3 national convention delegates.

Third--Ahhh.....what is that? The sweet smell of poetic justice. More to follow. . . .

What part of Illegal don't they understand?

The definition of illegal seems to depend on whether or not you agree with the specific law. I was not brought up that way. I know that the world is not black and white, it is shades of gray. If there is a law you do not agree with, then you work to change it. Not ignore it.

In California they are now selling Marijuana out of a vending machine. Click here for a video from CBS News. How can the Feds ignore a blatant disregard for the law? It is illegal to distribute a controlled substance, and this is now national news. The minute the story ran the Feds, should have been their to shut this operation down.

States debate giving drivers license to illegal aliens. How do you give a legal document to some one that is here illegally? Giving drivers license to legal immigrants is one thing, because that means the have been vetted by the system and are believed not to be criminals. But giving drivers license to someone that came here illegally means we are giving drivers license to people that have never had a background check.

Webster defines illegal as: not according to or authorized by law : unlawful illicit; also : not sanctioned by official rules

At some point we should understand the definition of illegal and act accordingly. All things are generally shades of gray, somethings are closer to black and white. Selling illegal drugs in a vending machine is a lot closer to black and white than gray. Giving drivers license to illegals is also a lot closer to black and white.

Those of that understand right from wrong need to start putting our foot down and say enough is a enough.

Final Vote Tally from the WVGOP Convention

Here are the actual votes from the Convention earlier today...

Second Ballot

MIKE HUCKABEE - 567 VOTES (52%) (+192 from first round)

MITT ROMNEY - 521 VOTES (47%) (+57 from first round)

JOHN McCAIN - 12 VOTES (1%) (-164 from first round)
RON PAUL - ELIMINATED (-118 from first round)

First Ballot
MIKE HUCKABEE - 375 (33%)
MITT ROMNEY - 464 (41%)
JOHN McCAIN - 167 (15%)
RON PAUL - 118 (10%)

Huckabee Wins Brokered WV Convention

After first round of voting Romney lead followe by Huckabee, McCain, and Ron Paul finsihing in last place. This removed Ron Paul from the process. The next vote was between Romney, McCain, and Huckabee.

Huckabee's delegates worked to pick up the Ron Paul vote, and brokered a deal with McCain crew to garner their vote. The deal worked, in the the second round of voting Huckabee picked up 52% of the vote clinching 18 of West Virginia 30 delegates.

Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee were both present at the convention and gave speechs to the over 1000 delegates. McCain was the only candidate not in attendence.

Craig Blair has a plan to save the 304 area code

If you are an individual you may not think that a change in area code is a big deal, but for a business it can lead to a loss in sales. This past week I received a call from a customer. He got our business name out of an old magazine from 2000. After 8 years the magazine ad still generated a phone call, but if the area code changes 18 years of advertising our phone number will be out the window.

The need for an additional area code in WV is contrived at best. The 304 area code has the ability to have 10 million phone numbers. Now with only 1.8 million West Virginians that means each one of us can have up to 5 full phone numbers without the need for another area code. In order to divide them up, the local prefixes would have have greater areas and they are not willing to do that.

The problem is being caused by the proliferation of cell phones. Craig Blair has the best solution. Allow all the land lines to stay with the 304 area code and give all the cell phones a new area code. After all they are causing the problem, not the land lines.

18 WV Delegates at stake this Tuesday

When displaying its Super Tuesday map, FoxNews seems to be omitting our WVGOP Convention the past several days.

I just dropped them a note letting them know that 18 delegates to the Republican National Convention are a stake this Tuesday in West Virginia. (The other 9 are at stake in the May Primary)

You should drop them a note too at: yourcomments@foxnews.com

Public Education

We hear it every legislative session: More money for teachers salaries and more spending on education for our students.

Should our teachers in West Virginia receive higher salaries, of course. Should we increase classroom spending - well, lets look into that for a second.

You can see here how much each state spends per student. As you can tell, WV weighs in around $7,700 per student and ranked 19th nationally. Sidebar: That's about twice as much as what parents pay to private schools here in the state on top of the taxes they pay that goes to public education. But, that's an argument for another day.

Meanwhile, District of Columbia ranks #1 and spends about #13,000 per student.So, if spending per student is direct proportionate of how students will do in school, then DC's scores should be WAY above ours.

West Virginia's average ACT test score in 2007 was 20.6 while DC's average score was 18.7.

I have no problems giving teachers in West Virginia higher pay. We rank near the bottom and it makes recruitment tough for our public school system. But pumping more money into the system on the basis of an argument that it will increase our scores is just not plausible. Just ask the parents who send their kids to school in DC.

Our school system should be finding better ways to spend the money they already receive and making our school system more efficient and finding ways to keep kids attention.

Magnitude 2.3 Earthquake- WEST VIRGINIA

Periodically I look at the USGS Earthquake website. Being from the east coast where earthquakes are rare, it holds a certain fascination. I know from my school days that the Appalachians were formed my two continental plates colliding eons ago, and violent earthquakes forced them up.

The Appalachians still rumble to life once and awhile and Union, WV was hit with a 2.3 Quake.

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	2.3
Date-Time	Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 01:04:20 UTC Monday, January 28, 2008 at 08:04:20 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	37.605°N, 80.488°W
Depth	2.8 km (1.7 miles) (poorly constrained)
Region	WEST VIRGINIA
Distances	5 km (3 miles) ENE (73°) from Union, WV 16 km (10 miles) S (186°) from Ronceverte, WV 19 km (12 miles) SE (135°) from Alderson, WV 42 km (26 miles) N (352°) from Blacksburg, VA 168 km (104 miles) N (353°) from Winston-Salem, NC 318 km (198 miles) S (188°) from Pittsburgh, PA
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 2.3 km (1.4 miles); depth +/- 4.5 km (2.8 miles)
Parameters	Nst= 4, Nph= 8, Dmin=27.6 km, Rmss=0.08 sec, Gp=248°, M-type="Nuttli" surface wave magnitude (MLg), Version=A
Source	Southeast U.S. Seismic Network
Event ID	semc0129b

• This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

Former senator kicks off race for governor at State Capitol Thursday

Former State Sen. Russ Weeks today announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor, pledging to restore integrity to state government and return its focus to the people rather than the powerful.

“I fully understand the daunting task before me, and the tremendous amount of time and effort required to run,” said Weeks in his remarks at the State Capitol. “But I am launching this campaign because I feel very strongly that for the future of our state, the voters must hear the truth about state government.”

Weeks, who recently authored a book, “No Strings Attached,” about his four years in the State Senate, added, “Throughout my life and career, nothing has been more important to me than my integrity. And nothing is more important than restoring the confidence of our

citizens in the integrity of our government.”

Weeks is a retired Navy veteran who defeated Senate Judiciary Chairman Bill Wooton in the biggest upset of the 2002 election.

He resides in Beckley, with his wife, Helen. They are the parents of two grown children, and have three granddaughters.