Obama Executive Branch Called Dangerously Top Heavy

An analytical story that crossed the wires yesterday afternoon raised an alarming point. Obama has not only appointed traditional Cabinet secretaries, but also an amazing number of issue "czars," special advisers, and special diplomatic envoys responsible only to him. An expert noted that Obama seemed "addicted to czars." Five separate executive branch officials can claim a leadership role on the climate change issue, which many Americans by now have come to understand is no issue at all. Special envoys will be sent to Pakistan and other Middle Eastern countries, a move that undercuts the ambassadors to those nations and Her Royal Hillariness in the State Department.

Obama did not invent this style of government and it remains to be seen if this is intentional, or just the president muddling through, building legitimacy by appointing as many experts as he can find to do the same jobs. Franklin D. Roosevelt intentionally followed this pattern. Several people worked the same job independently, meaning that if a conflict arose, FDR would arbitrate, ensuring that he was kept informed and maintained his power. Accomplishing this meant that FDR presided over one of the most secretive and deceptive administrations in history at a time when the press was not only friendly, but by and large served the function of adoring accomplices. Obama will get no such treatment if he continues to try and intimidate hardened White House reporters with stare down tactics.

Other historical figures who have created ponderous and unwieldy systems such as Obama's include Russia's Czar Nicholas I and Adolf Hitler.

Obama is likely trying to establish these special offices and departments to get around his own Cabinet selections. He certainly wants to keep Hillary's wings clipped. His opposition includes the moderate and conservative Democrats as well as Republicans. Obama may believe that these special positions will lead to him keeping control of his own policy. Unless he has the intellect of FDR, it will more likely lead to a jumbled mass of ego, contradiction, and inactivity.

Of all the possibilities of a left leaning administration, socialist policies caught in the quicksand of a byzantine Executive Branch sounds like a less horrible result than others.

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I read yesterday where Obama and other local elites dined at Washington's Georgia Brown's. We walked past that place the other weekend. It had $30 entrees. Was this fancy food? Nope. $27 or so for a meal that included fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and collard greens. It must be nice to be able to pay $30 for a meal you could get for one third the price at the same quality. Combine this with $100 per pound beef and you see how differently Obama and his friends are used to living than the rest of us.

What's the Difference Between Conservatives and Liberals?

Conservatives seek to govern. Liberals seek to rule.

Conservatives believe adults ought to make their own decisions about smoking, gun ownership, and other issues. Liberals believe that the only adult choice that ought to be left to anyone is whether or not to abort a pregnancy. At that point a 12 year old ought to decide on their own.

Conservatives see guns in terms of protection. You protect your home from intruders, protect your society from an oppressive government. Liberals see them for sport only. And they want to eliminate the sport!

Conservatives want to create conditions where prosperity can take hold, develop, and create opportunities. Liberals seek to plan and tax prosperity out of existence even before it happens.

Conservatives believe clean energy comes from private investment in a variety of profitable areas, such as wind power. Liberals believe clean energy is when no energy is produced, but somehow they end up with it while everyone else conserves.

Conservatives see government as the means; it is a necessary evil. Liberals see it as the means and the end; the curbing of human desires is a good thing in itself even when those desires harm no one or only harm the individual making the choice.

Conservatives believe that the United States has a right to protect its security by acting in response to threats wherever they present themselves in the world, as Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed. Liberals believe it is all America's fault.

Conservatives believe, as Martin Luther King Jr., that men and women should be judged not by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. Liberals believe in reparations for wrongs done over one hundred and fifty years ago. Among those who should foot the bill are tens of millions whose ancestors were not even here.

Conservatives believe in a responsible balance between the interests of human beings and the maintenance of nature. Liberals do not mind putting thousands out of work on the off chance that a bird somewhere has been harmed.

Certainly conservatives individually will stray from their core beliefs. The world sometimes asks for, other times demands compromise. It is important to remember our standards and principles as American conservatives. We do not believe in simply sticking to everything that existed in the past. We believe that American principles are still relevant and that each generation must find its own way to conserve them.

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Party of the Common Man Update

I never want to hear a Democrat complain about tax cuts for the wealthy again. How many Democratic leaders have we uncovered among Obama appointees who individually opted out of paying their taxes. Three at last count.

The IRS owes Obama a thanks for uncovering some pretty major tax cheats. Of course they won't lose their homes or go to jail.

War Report Says that Poor Planning Undermined US Military Success. The Question Is, Which War Do They Mean?

Could it be the American Revolution where it took some time to realize that part time militia would not defeat hardened British regulars? Washington took years to develop and train the kind of army that would defeat the famous "thin red line."

How about the War of 1812? Our naval strategy of attacking merchant ships with frigates worked temporarily, until the main British battle fleet reached the East Coast and laid down a stifling blockade.

During the Civil War the United States Army rushed into the disastrous First Bull Run (or Manassas if you are from Hardy, Hampshire, or Pendleton County.) The Union Army, woefully unprepared for its first major engagement, drunkenly maneuvered its way to a complete rout that almost gave the enemy the national capital.

The Spanish American War saw ten times more people die of illness than bullets. The rendezvous point for the expedition to Cuba was in a swampy town called Tampa. In 1898, it was not a vacation dream spot.

World War II saw Douglas MacArthur get his teeth kicked in in the days after Pearl Harbor. He had several years to prepare for a sneak attack by the Japanese. They did not even sneak, but they did destroy most of his planes on the ground. The initial naval response in the ABDA fleet was less than effective. In the opening month of the war a handful of Marines and civilians on Wake Island became national heroes by sheer pluck. Our opening battle against the Germans at the Kassarine Pass was a disaster as well.

Up until that point the Mexican War (because of the ineptness of the enemy) and World War I (due to the exhaustion of the German Army) represent two unusual times when the military started a conflict and did not have to face a staggeringly destructive learning curve. Bull Run cost the Union Army 2,800 dead while Kasserine Pass resulted in 6,500 dead and the US commander being sent stateside for the remainder of the war.

Of course the report referred to the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of the War on Terror. Some assumptions and ideas were proven wrong and the military may have taken too long to adjust its tactics and personnel. However, the loss of men was not as great as in the initial stages of wars that history looks back upon as strongly successful. With the advent of democracy and stability in Iraq, we can safely call it a United States victory. Now it is time to bring our power to bear again in Afghanistan. Let's hope the president has the courage to see the job through.

Zing! Governor Manchin Slams Obama

The explosion Barack Obama may have just heard was the broadside opened up in one statement by West Virginia's governor, Joe Manchin.

“This country wasn’t built on handouts. We didn’t become leader of the free world by waiting on someone to give us a handout.”

That is a powerful statement by the Democratic governor of West Virginia about the bailout package that, as of this writing, Obama has continually tried to ram through the Senate using threats and nightmare scenarios. It ballooned to almost one trillion dollars, helping the Republican Party in their efforts to educate the public on what that will do to our economic future. Either Governor Manchin put his finger to the wind or he is giving vent to his free market beliefs, but this looks like an extremely critical statement.

How much will this register? Probably not much. If during the Bush years, a Republican governor from a small state criticized a key part of presidential policy, we would have heard about it for days. I doubt the media will give this a peep of coverage. However, it gives us some indication of Manchin's core beliefs. He did not have to criticize the president and it probably gained him very little to do so.

Good gosh, if you removed the name, I'd swear that the guy who said that was named "Ronald Reagan!"

This shows how deeply troubling this bailout package has become even to thoughtful Democrats.

Windmill Truths: Economic Impact and Jobs

Let’s face it we need jobs in our community. The economy is turning down and many in the area have been laid off and people are looking for new job creation. Many see the Windfarm on Green Mountain as a potential job creator. Both sides of the issue are putting their spin on what will happen with job creation.

The anti-windmill faction has been sending out the following information on jobs, “one maintenance employee for every 12-15 turbines. A 20 turbine windplant in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania now employs only two maintenance employees.” I was e@mailed that information again by the anti-windmill faction after yesterday’s blog, but I have seen it before. I can not attest to its accuracy, because no source was quoted. As for US Windforce’s position, they have made no official claim as to the number of jobs created.

From my own research I believe that the claim of one employee for every 12-15 turbines is probably in the ball park. Wind energy production is not very labor intensive, but how does it compare to coal electrical generation? Dominions Mt. Storm Power plant has 3 units. Unit 1 and 2 are rated at 551 Megawatts each and unit 3 at 553. (1) That gives the plant a total capacity of 1,656 MW. With 270 employees (1) that is about 6 MW generated for each employee.

The name plate capacity on the US Windforce project is 55.2 Megawatts (2). Typically a windfarm can only operate on an annual basis of about 30% of rated name plate capacity. So if we believe that the US Windforce project is only going to employ two people, then that works out to about 8 MW generated for each employee.

This means from a labor stand point that wind energy generation is slightly more efficient, but real close to what the nearest coal fire plant achieves. This begs the question; is the anti-windmill faction advocating that the Windfarm is too efficient? Efficiency leads to lower cost electricity and for most people that is a good thing.

But the permanent employment numbers are only part of the story. The anti-windmill faction provided the following information, again from an unnamed source, “of the 200 total construction jobs, only 20 were local—and all disappeared within six months.” Most construction workers don’t hang around after the job is complete. That is the nature of construction jobs; they are there until the job is complete. It doesn’t make them any less important to the community.

At the last public windmill meeting on Feb 2^nd, 2009, Mr. Shirley a local construction worker working on the Mt. Storm project indicated he had been employed for 2 years on that project. Many other workers that have been employed on that project were in attendance and expect to move to the Green Mountain project. Our area is developing a skilled work force of wind turbine erectors and these workers may begin to travel with their new skills. They will still be bringing those paychecks home. That fact is completely discounted by the anti-windmill faction. In claiming that only 20 construction jobs are local, they fail to take into consideration that the local concrete plants, lumber yards, earth movers will all be local subcontractors.

But the local economic impact is not limited to those employed by the project. The landowners will receive lease payments for the use of their land. While the lease agreements with the specific landowners on the Green Mountain project are private, typically $5,000 per windmill is what is seen in the industry for our area. That will pump around $115,000 annually into the local economy. An additional $373,000 in property taxes (2) will be paid to Mineral County.

The average wage of a Mineral County resident is $26,645 per year (3). That $488,000 in new money being brought into Mineral is the equivalent of 18 new wage earners being brought to Mineral County. We also know that each dollar brought into the local economy has a multiplier effect as it is spent.

The real effect on the economy is much more than the information being disseminated by the anti-windmill faction. In this case we are finding that even the numbers presented by US Windforce under estimate the true economic impact of the project.

Reference:

(1) May 2005, Power Engineering Magazine, “Dominion Mt. Storm”

(2) US Windforce official website

(3) US Census Bureau

No News Is Good News From Bush's "Failed Iraq War"

Remember two years ago, the mantra of "Bush's Failed Iraq War?" A mantra technically is a phrase that is repeated over and over because it has religious significance. It is something taken very much on faith. Journalists, academics, comedians, and others repeated it so often that conservatives even started to agree. President Bush withstood a lot of pressure to stay the course.

Look at 2009. Terrorist groups do not even bother to issue major threats anymore. The people voted and less violence took place than in some countries with decades more experience at voting. One shooting occurred in a nation of over 20 million people.

What happened to the civil war? What happened to government collapse?

US troops patrolled not in Humvees or armored troops carriers, but lightly on foot. They stayed mostly in the background as Iraqi police took center stage. Even as the US and Iraq discuss withdrawals, violence has not risen to dangerous levels.

President George W. Bush gets the credit for this one. When he left office, Iraq was more stable and more peaceful than Mexico. It also has a stronger chance at this moment in history for long term success. Democrats succeeded in making the Iraq War the defining issue of his presidency. Now they have to deal with the fact that it ended up an overwhelming success, a factor that will cement Bush's historical legacy as a positive and constructive force in US and world affairs.

If Iraq does fall from its current state into chaos, this falls at the feet of an Obama presidency that is sending mixed signals in the Middle East.

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By the way, we need to be worried about global cooling. Ever since Obama took office, we have seen devastating storms and colder than normal temperatures.

Obama causes bad winters. The correlation is there. What more proof do we need?

Of course this is ridiculous, but it is the same logic that underpins global warming assertions.

A response to yesterdays Windmill blog from Kolin Jan

I received the following e@mail from Kolin Jan on yesterdays blog. It had many attachments with it, some were from unknown sources and some known, but all left out vital information on making an informed decision on the proposed windmills. I thought I would share Kolin's letter with you and my response.

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Gary,
From something you wrote today it appears you have bought into the US WindForce propaganda....especially the part about jobs. Here are several emails that might help you discover the rest of the story on this issue. The jobs are very temporary.....check out what has happened at other locations....and the advertised permanent jobs are inaccurate. Industry-wide you can expect one permanent job per 10-13 turbines (ask Jim and Joe to prove to you otherwise). I care about the environmental impacts, but what I care more about is the science behind the turbines, and how ineffective and expensive they are.
I don't blame US WindForce for taking advantage of what an uninformed Congress has allowed; after all, we're a capitalistic society. I'd just like these guys to tell the whole truth for a change and answer some basic questions in a public arena. r/ Kolin

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Kolin,

You don’t know me very well. I have been a student of Wind Energy most of my life. In grade school and high school I did science fair projects in generating electricity from the wind and won many awards up to national levels, including awards from Fortune 500 companies for my research. I have personally visited the large windfarms on the west coast and stood beneath those at Tehachapi Pass. My family generated electricity from the wind as far back as the 1930’s on their farm. I’m not some Johnny Come Lately to wind energy. I have done my own research both literal and empirical.

The information that you forwarded to me is mostly propaganda and misleading. It is not independent information you are disseminating as the truth, it comes from the anti-windmill, anti-growth faction. That being said the information coming from US Windforce is going to be favorable to their side of the issue. That is why I do not rely on the information from either source, but do my own research. My 30 years of study and experience with wind energy does tell me that US Windforce’s information is much closer to the truth than the true propaganda you just forwarded to me.

Sir, it is you relying on propaganda from only one side and distributing it to an uninformed public. I am not uninformed on this issue and I am not a NIMBY. I want to see growth in my community. I want to see jobs brought to my community. I know that you are not from here, but I think you have been here long enough to realize we are not bunch of Hillbillies. The stereotypes of West Virginia are not real. We are an educated people that can think for ourselves.

You state you want to see US Windforce answer questions in a public arena; they do the first Monday of every month. In the forum they answer most of the questions on the spot, if it is something that needs detail and cannot be answered off the cuff, then they defer it to a later meeting. They are hiding nothing as you imply with your statement. Those meetings are public and open to those that wish to attend.

I suggest you do some research of your own instead of relying only on information from the anti-wind, anti-growth loons.


Respectfully

Gary Howell

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NIMBY = Not in my backyard

Winds of Change, Words of Deceit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bush's Greatest Success in the War on Terror

Despite the outcry during the last campaign over the fact that Osama Bin Laden has not been captured yet, consider this.

What is the absolute best thing that could happen to that man right now?

Since 2001 American action and policy forced Bin Laden deep underground. New laws froze his assets and intelligence dogged him relentlessly for years. US action brought his organization into an Iraq war that sapped away its manpower and resources while breaking down its command structure.

Al Qua'ida, much like the Ku Klux Klan in the 20th century, went from being terrifying to near punch line status. Bin Laden's "I'm still alive guys!" tapes do not command the attention of anyone anymore. Basically the group has been reduced to firing tired old race insults at Obama.

So what is the best thing that could happen to Bin Laden?

Actually if he made his way into the United States and turned himself in at One Police Plaza, New York City, that would be about it. Imagine the attention he would bring to himself. Dying with his boots on, so to speak, would be the second best fate, capture the third.

Right now, Bush's War on Terror consigned Bin Laden to what he might consider hell. His hell is irrelevancy. No one cares what he says anymore. He has grown into another high profile fugitive who must spend more time hiding than planning his next great act of terror.

Should he turn himself in or get captured, he goes on public trial. Remember that putting Hitler on trial was one of the biggest jump starts Germany gave the National Socialist movement. Kill Bin Laden and he becomes a martyr.

Also, remember when the Democrats made a huge deal over the disbanding of the CIA unit dedicated to Bin Laden. In retrospect, this put Bin Laden on the public road to irrelevancy. Of course it also made good sense. The organization was the threat more than the man.

Let's hope that Bush's good work here does not get undone by the new administration.

Michael Steele is the new RNC Chair

The Potomac Highlands Conservative would like to congratulate Michael Steele on his election to head the RNC. We like puppies too!

Press Release

West Virginia YR Chair says “Stimulus Bill Bad for Nation”

Kenova, WV - Wednesday evening, the US House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill termed as a Stimulus Package to the tune of $819 Billion dollars.

"The Democrats on Capitol Hill who voted for this bill should explain to the American people how spending money on things like STD prevention, computers, upgrades to offices, etc will help the American people get jobs,” said Ashley Stinnett, Chairman of the West Virginia Young Republicans. “The overwhelming majority of Americans do not realize what all was in this bill that will be so bad for this nation.”

Even if the debt created will be paid on time, the additional interest alone will surpass $300 billion dollars - twice the amount spent on the war on Iraq .

“This is not a stimulus package, it’s a pork laden bill that amounts to nothing but a huge government expansion at the cost of taxpayers across America ,” said Gary Abernathy, Executive Director of the West Virginia Republican Party.

“It should be noted that not one Republican in the US House voted for this bill, and its negative effects on the US economy are placed squarely on the Democrats’ shoulders,” said Stinnett. “How can future generations be expected to succeed if they are being burdened by irresponsible government spending today?”

Republicans have been calling for tax cuts for employers and citizens in order to help businesses keep jobs and individuals return money back into the economy to turn our economy around rather than more government spending, which is being advocated by the Democrats in Congress.
“All this bill does is create an even bigger government bureaucracy,” added Stinnett.

The Young Republicans is the oldest youth political organization in the nation. Members include volunteers and political activists under the age of 40.

Those interested in joining can email: acscj1980@aol.com.

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Obama Gives the GOP a Nice Bright, Shining Gift of an Issue

Obama (and no, I have not brought myself to put the words "President" and "Obama" together in the same sentence. My mouth chokes on that word combination) just gave the GOP a gift to help us in the midterm elections.

Congratulations, taxpayers of the United States, your hard earned dollars meant for supporting basic services here and expanding democracy around the globe now go to pay for abortions . . . in other countries! Not satisfied with encouraging baby murder here, Obama insists that we pay for murder around the globe.

President Bush cut off funds to international organizations that deal in abortions, an entirely reasonable policy move since every poll shows that Americans on the whole disapprove of the practice. Look for this to be an opening move in a liberal campaign to restore abortion to a culturally acceptable choice. I can remember in movies where abortion was considered as casual as lighting up a cigarette. Thankfully, not anymore. If conservatism accomplished anything, it was pushing abortion into a near pariah category.

Obama does not just want to roll back tax cuts and close Gitmo. He wants to reinvigorate currently moribund liberal ideals. His ambition is to be the liberal version of Reagan, but in some parts of the country he looks more like Big Brother. In DC there are ( I kid you not) hundred foot tall banners of him in malls; his face is on subway tickets and almost anywhere else you can think of. It's a culture war launched against the values you and I hold dear. And I should not neglect to mention that entire subway stations in DC are covered from ceiling to floor in anti-coal propaganda (of course the subway, lights, and much of the rest of the region get their power from coal powered plants.)

As far as abortion is concerned, Obama tried to dampen the impact by using Obamaspeak. "In the coming weeks, my administration will initiate a fresh conversation on family planning, working to find areas of common ground to best meet the needs of women and families at home and around the world." If you don't know the buzzwords, you'll miss the point. "Family planning" always means "abortion."

Some culture war issues are, in my opinion, fading. Gay unions are increasingly accepted and it is ludicrous to fight the concept. Young voters just do not care. Abortion is always and will always be the brutal murder of innocents. Abortion groups need to get back behind the party that helped them the most, giving money and support. Thankfully Obama gave an issue to galvanize us.

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George Mason researchers claim that 800,000 fewer people attened the Obamaguration than originally thought. Satellite imagery helped bolster that claim.

It's like missing a crowd the size of the city of Atlanta.

Oops.

Brain Drain

A recent report by West Virginia University shows that under fifty percent of West Virginia college and university graduates find work in West Virginia. As one might expect, high numbers of law and health care graduates stay. This means that newly created experts in business, science, engineering, and other key fields leave in droves.

Right now, WVU, Marshall, Fairmont State, and the other colleges and universities are the stae's greatest resource. We have little trouble attracting smart kids from inside and outside this state. We need to make a priority out of keeping them here. Scenery, quiet small towns, a vital urban center such as Morgantown, and other factors could sell West Virginia IF the state had opportunities.

Why would a budding entrepreneur with the next great idea want to locate his business here? Modern technology means that a lot of businesses could locate almost anywhere there is wireless internet. Even in areas where business can access this, why would they want to pay higher taxes, slog through more regulatory burdens, and put themselves at risk doing business in a "judicial hellhole?" In such an environment, government investment is about all you can expect because it's tough to sue them and it does not pay taxes.

Getting a small branch of NASA is nice. Convincing the next Bill Gates that this is the perfect place to take a risk and launch a major private initiative is much better. Time for West Virginia to realize that sometimes the business of government must be business.

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Thank goodness someone, somewhere came to their senses and realized that Congress is a serious institution of government, not a three ring circus or social hour. Caroline Kennedy can safely return to the cocktail circuit and New Yorkers can rest easy. Now, hopefully, we can dispense with the clown that may or may not have been elected by Minnesota.

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Speaking of weird decisions . . .

Thank goodness we are about to have a US attorney general who helped the Clinton Administration pardon Puerto Rican terrorists to help solidify Hillary's election chances.

Potomac Highlands Blog featured in Second Life

Second Life is an Internet community and virtual world. Many real world people are taking advantage of it to communicate with the masses. Newt Gingrich routinely gives speeches in Second Life to crowds from all over the US. Each attending via their home computers.

Both McCain and Obama had campaign presences in Second Life to meet and great people. Now the Potomac Highlands Conservative has a presence in Second Life. You can click on this; Potomac Highlands in Second Life. If you have the Second Life software installed on your computer it will take you there, if not then just follow the instructions to download the free software.

Washington, District of Columbia

We decided a couple of days ago to take a family trip to Washington DC. My wife went online, got us an amazing deal on a hotel, and now here we are on a Saturday morning two blocks from the White House. As I look out my window I see a bunch of semi-modern buildings and the Washington Monument peeking out above.

About eleven last night my son and I stepped out to walk around and see what sights we could within walking distance. We walked over towards the Executive Mansion, but found all the good picture angles blocked by the remaining flotsam and jetsam of the inauguration. Washington, in the right areas, has an amazing, maybe deceptively safe feel about it. Of course more police patrol the periphery of the White House than are on duty at any one time in our Potomac Highlands towns.

We walked around to the front and looked at the usual view. The lights had been turned off, bringing a shroud of darkness over the building. A young urban intellectual looking couple walked behind us. The guy pulled out a twenty dollar bill to see if it looked like the building sitting a hundred and fifty yards or so away. They walked on and we remained, looking.

One light burned in the top floor. We speculated, is that the President's light on? It makes you wonder about the person sitting in that lone light. Is he still enjoying the afterglow of being elected president? Has the actual burden of office set in yet? We saw it in President Bush's face these last few weeks. He owned the weight of the world and looked glad to hand it off to another. Sooner or later, Obama will understand the man he bashed for so many months, the same man who treated him with such grace and class since November.

Then we walked to the Mall. At the Washington Monument a few kids stood in front of the harsh lights using their bodies to make shadow puppets. My ten year old son asked what the job of Congress was. I responded by telling him how they made the laws and the president's part in vetoing or allowing legislation to pass, explaining that Dave Sypolt (who Jared has met many times) did the same thing in West Virginia.

Our next stop on the walking tour was the amazing World War II Memorial. It has its own grandeur, especially at night with the soft lights. My son begged to walk to the Lincoln Memorial and so we trudged westward. Along the way we passed a huge group of high school kids belting out "Don't Stop Believin'" which is as good an anthem for this generation to adopt as any.

Well, it's morning. We should be heading over to the Capitol this afternoon for a tour, hitting the Holocaust Museum as well as the Smithsonian.

Washington DC is far from a perfect place and the most important man here is not the guy I voted for. That all being said, this is to Americans what Mecca is to Muslims, Jerusalem is to Jews, and Rome is to Catholics. This is the center of freedom for our nation and the world. The ideals behind this town have revolutionized the planet since the days when this was a swampy and usually uncomfortably hot forest. The standard of humanity is not if people should be free, it is how to get them to that condition. For that we can thank a long line of great men from Washington to George W. Bush. We also hope and pray that the current administration cherishes freedom here and abroad in the same manner as most of his predecessors.

Coronation

Tuesday January 20th will see the costliest and most extensive presidential inauguration in history.

It is easy to forget that we will witness the swearing in of a new president instead of a King or Tsar. Thorough media coverage, the presence of tens of thousands, concerts and who knows what else will accompany the ritual agreement to preserve and protect the Constitution. Presidents are supposed to be something like a temporary version of the original Roman ideal of princeps, or First Citizen. This celebration is more like that to mark the rise of a dominus, the imperial title claimed by the autocratic Emperor Diocletian. This word means "master" or "owner."

All this over exuberance is over one of forty four men who have held the position of president as of tomorrow, not a demigod despite the desire of some to continually portray him as The One.

To his credit, Obama had the grace to look displeased at the inauguration concert when U2 insisted on politicizing the event.

We all must remember that this is a President of the United States, not a ruler of the people, but their servant.

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Hopefully Governor Manchin, with his inauguration behind him, can forge ahead with cutting West Virginia's bloated state government. With anemic population growth and the amazing capabilities of modern technology, surely we can find ways to shrink and make more efficient our state government.

Cutting the size of our bureaucracy should be a priority over the next four years. This will contribute to our continued fiscal strength.

Mexican Standoff?

One of the last warnings of the Bush presidency told us about the dire situation south of the border.

According to a recent national security statement, Mexico's government is in danger of collapse. The drug cartels have sucked at the Mexican body politic like massive parasites. In nature, parasites usually take enough to live, but do not threaten the host. In the case of Mexico, corruption, assassination, the undermining of democratic government have all sapped the ability of the state to function.

Prime evidence of Mexico's possible collapse has come in the form of private militia groups rising to defend the people in cities such as Ciudad Juarez. A government has two basic functions, protect innocent life and protect property. Mexico's government has lost the capability to do either.

They need help. In some form, American intelligence must step in. National security means that we must address problems before they become a threat. Mexican collapse constitutes a threat to our national security. Do we want twenty-first century Pancho Villas attacking US cities, provoking armed responses?

The FBI has experience infiltrating and destroying dangerous organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan and various Mafia groups. If we are to lend a hand to protect Mexican authority, much less democracy, this is not the time to take rough measures off of the table. Mexican drug gangs are among the most ruthless criminal groups on earth. It is time to target and eliminate them.

Energy Supplies and Robert Redford's "Racism"

Robert Redford's decision to attack President Bush's plan to open over a hundred thousand acres of the West to energy development drew fire recently from East Coast based black advocacy groups.

Redford described the sale of leases as "morally criminal." CORE spokesman Niger Innis shot back by arguing that increasing supply brings down prices. Innis asked that Redford relinquish his wealth and try "living like a poor person." He went on to say that high prices were functionally discriminatory and praised efforts to increase supply and reduce the burden.

This is another example of traditionally left wing groups battling over energy policy. Some left wing groups emphasize the condition of people, others want to de-emphasize the importance of people. Black advocacy groups worry about the poor heating their homes. Environmentalists have warm homes and ask what about the caribou who might have to pass by an oil well once a year.

Closer to home the debate over windmills pits clean energy advocates against those that value the preservation of every mountain view. One suggestion argued that individual homeowners ought to be encouraged to purchase their own windmills instead of allowing large windfarms.

Environmentally speaking the impact made by massive numbers of small windmills versus moderate numbers of large ones would be significant. It takes more energy to produce and transport smaller windmills. Those that fear the occasional bird death have much more to be concerned about when it comes to a vast multitude of windmills with smaller, harder to see blades.

More importantly, wind farms mean more property tax receipts. Wind farms mean better funded schools with less reliance on fundraising. Wind farms mean that the rest of us do not have to carry as high a burden to keep schools and local government running. Wind farms mean that more money comes from outside of the state directly into the pockets of locals who will turn around and buy more stuff, eat in local restaraunts more often, and deposit more money into local banks. We are historically used to an outflow of cash. An influx would be nice to see for a change.

An Open Letter to Obama

Mr. Obama today you will become the 44th President of the United States. I wish you and your family well on this day. It is yours and you earned it.

I would like to remind you as you move forward. You will be a leader of a nation that has diverse views and many of those views you do not share, but you must respect those views.

I want you to be a leader and a true leader leads. He understands that sometimes his views are the minority view and the nation may be best served by yielding to the majority. There will be times when the opposite is true. You must try to identify those and make the right decision. You will not always be right and when your wrong we will let you know.

You must respect our military and their sacrifice to freedom. Many have paid the ultimate price to allow you to become president. They fought wars past and present that you may not have agreed with, but they fought them for all of us. Do not forget their sacrifice when you make your decisions.

Some 200 years ago very wise men wrote the US Constitution. Use it when you make your decisions. Don't go by what some historian tells you about it, read it yourself and the papers of the founding fathers. See the nation through their eyes when you make your decisions.

While they will call you the leader of the Free World, the reality you are the leader of the United States of America. Always put the interest of the nation first.

I wish you good luck over the next 4 years. I never voted for you, but you will be my President. I will support you in that role, but I will also disagree with you from time to time. You are my president and you will have the respect from me that your office deserves.

"I now know what -47 feels like"

I got this message from my cousin in Chicago this week. I wonder if Obama plans to give any major speeches on global warming in the Midwest anytime soon. If anyone anywhere still believes in that tripe, they may be tempted at this point to gas up the SUVs and drive around in circles. It was only fifteen years ago that temperatures dipped well below zero in West Virginia. I lived in Huntington at the time and remember my car freezing up for almost a week. Even if I could get out, my little rear wheel drive sports car would simply flail on the snow and ice covered roads until it got hung up somewhere.

If you listened to the global warming people at the height of their movement, this winter was not something we were ever supposed to see again. The uncommonly warm winters we saw there for a few years were supposed to be permanent. Interestingly enough, when the earth showed signs of cooling, some scientists rushed out to claim that colder temperatures resulted from global warming. That just does not meet the smell test.

Fact is that Arctic ice has extended back to the levels of the supercold late 1970s (when Newsweekinsisted that carbon emissions were causing an ice age.) Polar bear populations have grown in larger numbers than expected. All is right with the Great White North.

Global warming has been exposed for what it always has been, a front for neo-Marxists to curb capitalist development. Unfortunately the tide of Democratic success swept some of these people into the Congress and Executive Branch. The so-called climate czar supports taxing American prosperity heavily and redistributing it to Third World nations. This individual feels Americans live too well.

Now more than ever America needs the GOP to stay strong.

Democracy Attacked By Democrats on Capitol Hill

Complaints have piled up against the conduct of the congressional Democratic leadership and some have come from a surprising source.

The Washington Post stated "Democrats brought more measures to the House floor under closed rules - permitting no amendments - than any of the six previous Republican-controlled congresses." This means that Democrats have shut down one of the main ways that the minority party members can help their constituents or even perform their jobs. Senator Tom Coburn (R) of Oklahoma referred to the ability to add amendments as a "right." That may be up for debate, but it at least was a privilege that Republicans did not deny to their opposition.

Democrats have controlled Congress now for two years and now that an election commission in Minnesota has handed a Senate election to Bozo the Comedian, the atmosphere does not promise to improve anytime soon. Their arrogance is bipartisan, relishing conflict with not only Republican colleagues, but also The One himself.

Republicans can and should respond with filibusters to reassert their power to influence events and help their constituents. The voters from Republican districts do not deserve to have all of their needs blotted out by a dictatorial majority.

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Too bad a president can't just order up a high quality Cabinet from American Woodmark. Obama has had a difficult time assembling one on his own. First Bill Richardson withdrew his name under a cloud. Now we see that a nominee for Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, could not figure out how to prepare his own tax return and got into trouble with teh IRS.

Even Senate Republicans say that the Treasury nomination will be approved. He made a mistake. With our overcomplicated tax system, only H and R Block and their competitors benefit.

I wonder if Geithner ever wishes that the Bush plan to simplify the tax code and reduce the burden on workign Americans had been passed a few years back.

WV GOP unvails Think Tank

CHARLESTON – The West Virginia Republican Party today unveiled a new website featuring commentary from Republicans around the state offering their perspectives on the future of the Republican Party.

The new website, www.wvgopthinktank.org, kicks off with articles from Republicans ranging from state lawmakers to county chairs to state committee members and activists. Also featured is a WVGOP Speakers Bureau.

Dr. Doug McKinney, chairman of the WVGOP, said the new site will be an evolving entity updated frequently with new columns and other information. “This is a starting point for the conversation about our purpose and our future,” said McKinney. “The Republican Party is having similar discussions all across the country. By creating new ways for their voices to be heard, we’ll make sure that Republicans everywhere will be able to offer their thoughts and advice on the direction of our party, and how best to achieve victory in future elections.”

McKinney said the state party will also initiate a series of regional roundtable discussions across West Virginia seeking input from Republicans in all parts of the state.

“We know Republicans face different challenges in different regions,” said McKinney. “By encouraging input and holding face to face roundtable meetings, we’ll determine how the state party can best meet the needs of our GOP officeholders, officials, candidates and activists. Communication is the first key toward building a roadmap for victory.”

To Buy or Not to Buy

With recent changes to help the National Housing Market to bounce back from the bubble burst, it is bringing some benefits to housing markets that were not affected in the same manner, such as our local market.

Regionally in Cabell, Wayne and Putman counties especially, our housing market is remaining stable. Averages for days on market and the average home prices are not fluctuating greatly, it still remains a great time to sell and buy homes.

There is no doubt there is a solid inventory of homes available for buyers searching either for their starter homes for first time home buyers, larger homes for growing families, and homes ideal for folks looking to down size due to retirement or just not requiring the amount of space they once did.

Nationally, This never ending cycle is what keeps our market afloat, but with our local market remaining strong now may be the time to benefit from the changes that are taking place.
With interest rates plummeting to their lowest levels in U.S. history, speculation leads us to believe that there will be an influx of people returning to the market to purchase homes.

Lowered rates also give buyers in some cases the opportunity to purchase a higher priced home than before. In other cases, it will allow people to purchase who could not afford a home because the monthly payment would have been too high once the rate was factored into the monthly payment.

This is also a good time in the market for those interested in investment properties that are available on the market. Homes exist that can be renovated and re-listed for a profit or in other cases, homes that can be purchased to be rented to tenants.

Just think – owning a tangible asset that someone else pays for. Over the life of a rental property, theoretically, it can be paid for time and time again. Additionally, investment property can serve as a wonderful source of income currently or in retirement.

Whether you are in the market as a first time home owner, selling and purchasing a new home or interested in investment properties, it is a great time to get involved in the real estate market and reap the benefits.

Lisa Peana is a Realtor with Great American Realty. She can be reached at lisa_peana@yahoo.com

The Nanny State Strikes in Nigeria

Perhaps Joe can help these guys.

Nigeria's largest cities have descended into near chaos due to the strict enforcement of motorcycle helmet laws. Nigeria's poor tend to use motorcycles for personal transport due to the fact that they are not only inexpensive, but often just given away in large numbers. Cyclists argue that the high cost and limited supply of helmets prevents them from complying with the law. Some rent hard hats from construction workers. Others use gourds, pieces of tire, or other objects with string tied to them. Using these or no helmet at all results in arrest.

Nigerians complain that the helmets, which will undoubtedly be shared, pose a health risk. Skin diseases and hair parasites run rampant in this nation. Others fear that helmets put riders at risk for black magic spells that could cause accidents.

This sounds like a strange story from half way around the world, but it reflects a serious problem. Is Nigeria's biggest social, health, and public order problem helmetless motorcycle riders? Isn't Nigeria the home of a multitude of corrupt criminal organizations? Don't they suffer from terror attacks on oil facilities? Do police really have time to contend with such nonsense?

We have the same issue in the United States. Whenever I see several police gathered around a "click it or ticket" checkpoint, I wonder whose home has been left vulnerable or what domestic assault will go on for ten or fifteen more minutes because we have to make sure every good citizen wears their safety belts. Enforcing the nanny state takes time and resources that could go to stopping real crimes.

Moving Right Along to a Story of Political Courage

During a recent Brit Hume interview the nation got a glimpse of the man who will soon retire from the presidency.

George W. Bush in this interview exudes a sense of right and strength that US presidents do not often have the opportunity to demonstrate. Abraham Lincoln in the darkest days of the Civil War seemed to stand almost alone with the military fighting for what he saw as right. Ulysses S. Grant while president stood almost alone in his insistence that the United States would stand for justice against the terror of the Ku Klux Klan.

Bush revealed this week that many of his strongest opponents on the War in Iraq came from within his own party. They tried to exert powerful pressure on the president to "cut and run" from Iraq, fearing more for Republican defeats than the collapse of an eventually successful American policy. Bush remembered "The biggest disappointment in the political process, that's been this kind of bitterness by a few people to the point where they don't want to have a logical discussion or a civil discussion about policy," he said. "They just want to tear you down."

George W. Bush will be vindicated by history. Winning in Iraq will help to sway the future to his side, but so will the resiliency he showed in the face of "offensive" critics. We all can learn from an example of a man who made tough decisions and stuck by them. President Bush never cared for popularity, only for doing right. We may disagree with him on some issues, but as time passes, we and most Americans will grow to respect his toughness and courage in the face of critics at home and terror around the world.

When asked how well he was doing as he exits the presidency, he responded,

"I'm better than fine -- I am proud of the accomplishments of this administration," he said. "I know I gave it my all for eight years, and I did not sell my soul for the sake of popularity. And so when I get back home and look in the mirror, I will be proud of what I see."

Sound and Fury

"Do you want to turn this State over to the Democrats for the next ten years to get even with men who share your principles?" Governor William Glasscock (R) at a Republican unity meeting in Fall 1910.

In 1908 West Virginia Republicans enjoyed twelve years of success by any political standards. They controlled the Legislature, Governor's Mansion, and the congressional delegation. Despite this success, some Republicans grew bitter at their leaders. In 1908 they launched an iunsurgency, even creating a second Republican Party with a full slate. A few weeks before the general election the two sides patched up the quarrel and won. State party leaders offered concessions that did not satisfy the insurgents. By 1910 the constant fighting fatigued the GOP. Democratic candidates captured elections despite getting less votes than Democrats running for the same office two years before. Republicans, disgusted with the infighting, simply stayed home.

History sometimes tries to repeat itself. Earlier tonight (Thursday) was the much ballyhooed "secret meeting." Speculation leading up to the Salem gathering seemed to indicate that opponents of Doug McKinney and his new Executive Director Gary Abernathy could finally launch a removal campaign. Those that expected the organizers of the event to let slip the dogs of war against the two party leaders were disappointed.

The forty or so attendees of the meeting were a mixed bag. A few expressed some dislike of Abernathy and McKinney. Some came to speak on behalf of them. Some had problems with the way Abernathy was hired; others did not like the fact that he was hired at all. Many simply came because they knew there was a GOP assemblage. In short, no overwhelming consensus existed to recommend any kind of action against the two.

If the organizers had ever planned to attempt to remove McKinney, and that is not a given, they altered their plans prior to the meeting. Michael Stuart spoke first, insisting that he did not seek the chairman's position. He then offered his own ideas. During this talk, he discussed the importance of maintaining an elevated tone and not tearing down individuals. When asked what the "game plan" was, Stuart responded that he simply wanted to collect ideas, not stage a coup.

Organizer Jack Adams invited others to the podium as well. Greg Thomas discussed involving more active Republicans. Donna Gosney discussed the role of the Finance Committee and the bylaws. Tom O'Niell emphasized unity and stated that throughout the party, people had stopped truly listening to each other. Delegate Woody Ireland discussed the value of grassroots involvement.

The main issue of the night was the hiring of Gary Abernathy. The ugliness displayed on anonymous blogs did not show itself this evening. Most speakers professed that their main problem lay in the potential violation of bylaws. The party is not permitted to engage in a contract that will cause it to go into debt, but it is not clear that Abernathy's contract will result in that end. In the discussion, it was revealed that his contract was set up in three month increments. This means that if the executive director does not perform his job to the satisfaction of the chair, he can be released.

No one attacked Abernathy personally, but former candidate and client Bob Adams responded to the smear campaign leveled by others against his former consultant. Adams passionately defended Abernathy. His statements condemning anonymous mudslinging drew massive cheers. The most heated discussion involved the question of payments made to Doug McKinney. It was finally established by State Executive Committee Member Tom O'Neill that not only did McKinney not receive a stipend, he had also passed on asking the party for reimbursements of expenses.

The role of county executive committees and their chairs came up for discussion. One suggested that only county chairs should have votes on the executive committee. Others at different points bemoaned the lack of activity among many county committees and chairs. Kanawha County Chair Melody Potter asserted that McKinney and Abernathy were not perfect, but most everyone involved with the party had failed it in some respect.

At the end of the night it was decided that an ad hoc committee would form to take ideas to Dr. McKinney at the February 21 Winter Meeting in Charleston. The committee was formed from volunteers.

For all the expected fireworks, it turned out to be a relatively tame affair with a few minor blowups. A real attempt to unseat Doug McKinney over the hiring of Gary Abernathy would have absolutely devastated the state Republican Party. However, the possibility of removing McKinney was always slim. Some probably mistaken discontent or complaints with the desire to remove.

The question remains. Was this meeting ever conceived at any point as a "get rid of Doug" event? Either the organizers never truly considered it, or they created a strategic retreat from a very exposed position. All the Cain raised in the days before this meeting ended up signifying nothing too serious at the end of the day.

Democrats Outperform Republicans Again

The Party of the Common Man looks really impressive these days.

Remember the bad old days for the Republican Party? In 2006 the war had taken a bad turn, seemed like half of the Republicans in Congress were under investigation, and the donkeys were on the march. Democrats and their media friends trumpeted the "culture of corruption" that they claimed dominated the GOP. They ignored Representative "Cashbox" Jefferson in Louisiana who took the concept of cold, hard, cash way too literally and fell over themselves to report about an Idaho Republican who may or may not have flashed signs to an undercover gay prostitute.

What a difference a few years have made? The Democrats have certainly worked hard to regain the top spot in the corruption ratings.

The Illinois governor tries to sell Obama's Senate seat. His nomination, by all accounts a good guy, will not be seated so long as he is the current governor's nominee. The Black Congressional Caucus is not pleased.

The nominee for Commerce Secretary must step aside because he is under investigation

The nominee for education secretary is a former Chicago city official. Nuff said there.

Caroline Kennedy has shoved her way to the forefront of much more experienced candidates for New York's Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton who may be opposed in her quest to be Secretary of State by Robert Byrd who is citing constitutional issues. Kennedy has the lukewarm blessing of Obama who has a major political favor to repay to a family that craves to remain relevant. Hillary Clinton also intends to repay her campaign debt through money raised by her husband abroad. There's a great way to start your tenure in that office!

Minnesota may or may not have elected a comedian to their senate seat. Fox News showed conclusively that ballots cast for Republican Norm Coleman were counted for Franken.

At least in Logan County they have the sense to make up colorful nicknames for themselves so we can easily identify the shady characters. I mean geesh, I thought Bill Richardson was the best guy they had for the presidency or failing that Secretary of State.

Meanwhile Obama's surprising choices of moderates for many positions have the Left fuming. One Leftist group is actually suing to get God removed from the inauguration. The Left thought they elected Leon Trotsky, not Bill Clinton. Hopefully Obama's moderate course is a sign for the future.

Ain't it a little fun to be a Republican right now? At least watching the national scene.

The Party of Business

The party of business should look to business as a model in building its efforts over the next two years.

Money is the lifeblood of a political party. Grass roots volunteers may be the most important asset a candidate or party has, but money is vital. Last summer even getting from point A to point B posed a challenge to many good candidates. The West Virginia Republican Party took a giant step by retiring its debt last year. Now it must move forward from that foundation.

Fund raising simply cannot boil down to "We're Republicans, you are Republicans, you should donate because we all believe the same thing and have the same goals." When you purchase a product for $1,000 or even $100, you put thought into that purchase. Is it good for me? Will it work? Will I get the most for my money? Businesses sell to self-interest. Charities appeal to the heart and sense of duty. Political parties often fall somewhere in between. State Republicans should move farther in the direction of the business model when trying to convince donors to give.

It's not so much the ideology that needs sold. We are "Republicans for a Reason." Certainly we need to continually reshape and refine our message as the times change and generations reprioritize, but there are guiding principles that remain the same. To get people to believe in the party, they must be sold on the people and the potential for action. What will the GOP do differently in two or four years? What vision is being shaped this year to carry us forward and win elections? How are we going to close the registration gap? Before most people write a meaningful check, they want answers to those questions. The February winter meetings should be a strong indicator of what the party's vision will be going ahead towards 2010.

Bill Stewart and Century Aluminum Update

Certainly it was not a football season that Mountaineer fans hoped for, but 9-4 was not a bad showing. As a matter of fact, many experts picked that very result.

The circumstances of Stewart's hiring led to him and his offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen receiving the bulk of the blame for WVU not returning to the BCS. The emotional post bowl hiring last year, the possible involvement of the Governor, and the losses led to a lot of anger being expressed towards the coach.

Let's look at the facts. Mullen and Stewart sought to bring in a new offense to replace the system that had sputtered against Pitt and South Florida. College football offenses and defenses constantly adjust and evolve. Rich Rodriguez never tweaked his offense when the defenses caught up to his scheme. Michigan's offense this year looked like a Model T in a NASCAR race compared to Florida, Arkansas, or even WVU.

Stewart understood that in the long term, WVU needed to change. That meant a more pass oriented offense designed to attract the best receiving talent. We had to take our lumps this year with players not suited to that style of play. The wide receivers were mostly converted from other positions and many were brought in mostly for their blocking ability. How many times this year did a first down or a touchdown fall from the receiver's hands? This resulted in a sputtering offense at times, but also the successful recruiting of some of the best wide receiver and quarterback talent in the nation.

Another problem was the lack of a big running back to grind out tough yards. Stewart removed Ed Collington from the team for a drug arrest. A fullback recruit that could have played the role was injured for the season. As an emergency measure, they even tried big, fast backup quarterback Jarrett Brown. After all, it worked in Florida with Tim Tebow. The injury bug bit there as well.

From the beginning to the end of the year, the team improved from the head coach down to the last player on the bench. Injuries could have decimated the defense, but this was never an excuse to lose. Reed Williams, a potential All American, missed the season. His replacement, Anthony Leonard, another great talent, became injured as well. By the bowl game, some hard hitting defensive backs had fallen to injury and illness as well.

The final product hit the field in Charlotte. Receivers caught deep touchdown passes, Noel Devine ran well, the defense had problems at first as North Carolina picked on inexperienced freshmen, but then clamped down. All in all the high scoring in the first half combined with the big plays of those very same inexperienced freshmen and sophomores on defense brought WVU an improbable one point victory.

Stewart is now 2-0 in bowls, is bringing in great talent, and should have a great season next year. One issue is one he will never overcome. Stewart is a West Virginian. He looks, acts, and talks like a laid back one in public, although he showed some steel in dealing with players and officials. His colloquialisms touch on the inferiority complex some West Virginians feel. Rodriguez talked like a generic urban southerner while Stewart is like a congenial uncle from the country. Should Stewart win, this will be seen as acceptable eccentricity. Losses will bring more vitriol.

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An update from Ravenswood, Jackson County. Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito has stepped in along with Governor Joe Manchin to find ways to keep Century Aluminum open. Six hundred jobs are on the line there. With the attention of the Governor and West Virginia's most active member of Congress, those jobs are much closer to remaining in place.

Coming Soon! The Cult of The One

BRUTUS.Ay, Casca, tell us what hath chanced today,That Caesar looks so sad.

CASCA.Why, you were with him, were you not?

BRUTUS.I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.

CASCA.Why, there was a crown offer'd him; and being offer'd him,he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.

BRUTUS.What was the second noise for?

CASCA.Why, for that too.

CASSIUS.They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

CASCA.Why, for that too.

BRUTUS.Was the crown offer'd him thrice?

CASCA.Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting-by mine honest neighbors shouted.

This is a piece that I've been rolling over in my mind for a few weeks now. I did not know whether or not I would join the minority chorus of doubt leading up to the inauguration. What have we as conservatives got to say now that we did not say in the past year?

There is something deeper going on than a man's political ideas, something scarier than the inauguration of a president. We do not see it manifest where we are because folks here are by nature political sceptics. If George Washington himself, much less Ronald Reagan, came back we in this region may approve of him, but we would never raise him above us. We have seen and understood too much of politics to entirely give over our faith to someone who simply says "Trust me" and has no track record to back him (or her) up.

It started last year when the mighty Lord Oprah conferred her favor upon The One. Lord Oprah delights in passing out presents to the peasants, but for the first time in an election she poured out the oil upon the head of The One and anointed him with her favor. The people and campaign managers rejoiced and the all too human Hillary was swept aside.

Then came the Democratic National Convention. In a scene more reminiscent of a Saturday Night Live sketch than an actual political event, The One actually appeared under a Greek temple facade. Although he did not go so far as to wear some sort of toga and wreath on his head, it was clear that the Democratic Party aimed to set The One up as beyond mere politicians and other rabble.

Most disturbing have been some of the utterances and sights since the election. A friend told me of a liberal speaking on the radio about the qualities he liked in a president that ruled over him. Such language in the 1790s would have probably gotten the man a stern lecture on the spot. The President of the United States does not "rule over" anyone. He serves the people. That is why we do not call him "Your Highness" or "Your Excellency," but simply "Mister President."

Then I went to Atlanta last Monday. The Atlanta Underground was filled to the brim with Obamysteria. A T shirt with his face proclaimed "The Greatest Dream Has Come True!" A fifteen foot tall poster with his air brushed name and visage was available for anyone willing to pay $2 for the privilege of having their picture taken with it. probably the final straw came when I walked into a room where my kids were watching a video show. One of the people wore a T shirt with Obama's face and a golden crown atop his head.

The phrase "cult of personality" means that a person is trying to create for themselves a transcendent aura to gain power when they have done little or nothing significant to gain influence. Usually when we use this phrase, we apply it to Robespierre, Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, or Mussolini. It could also be applied to Huey Long (dictatorial governor of Louisiana in the 1930s) or John F. Kennedy. Americans tend to reject transcendent auras around their politicians, but on rare occasions it does work. Cults of personality are dangerous to democracies because they convince the person around whom they are centered of their own flawlessness while discouraging dissent. In the passage from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar above, Caesar rejects the crown, but aims for more power than even the people can imagine.

The One's cult of personality is understandable in some quarters, but not others. News media outlets have fallen over each other fawning over him, not subjecting him to even a tenth of the investigative coverage George W. Bush faced. A few voices of reporters on the ground actually create a disturbing image. Dean Reynolds of CBS wrote of his overwhelming arrogance, certainly a negative trait in an anointed one.

For the good of democracy it is important to maintain the pressure. It demands that we remain vigilant over his actions and also try to deflate the bubble of his personality cult. Democracy is better served when we openly debate a presidents positive and negative attributes.

It is never served by annointing a "One" and following him blindly. Usually following The One brings a people the following disaster:

8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
8:12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
8:14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
8:15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
8:18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

Maybe He Didn't Win, But He Got the Job Done

Russ Weeks fought a valiant campaign last fall. Underfunded, under covered, and under appreciated, Weeks put his all into the herculean task of dethroning Governor Manchin. The voters of the state chose to keep the incumbent.

However, eleven people and their families can thank Russ Weeks. For twice as long as he pursued the governor's mansion, Weeks fought for these people who tested positive for tuberculosis. These people contracted the disease at Pinecrest Hospital. Some worked there, some were patients, some simply visited the facility. Weeks exposed defective machinery and alleged other abuses. His campaign brought the spotlight of the state onto the hospital.

Those eleven people received half a million dollars in compensation due to the efforts of their lawyers and the publicity brought by Weeks. After his victory, Governor Manchin met with his former opponent to hear Weeks' concerns. Although they strenuously deny that there is an official investigation, the state has looked into some of the issues raised.

Weeks may not have achieved victory, but to eleven people he brought justice.

Anonymous Posting, Vic Sprouse, and Gary Abernathy

What once was old is new again.

Look back at the newspapers from the 1790s. Few of them actually reported much news. For the most part they hurled accusations back and forth between the dominant parties and personalities of their times. Occasionally they produced some literary gems, such as the Federalist Papers, but more often they gave to posterity some really fun scandal and insult filled stuff.

In those days no one gave their actual name. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers under the pseudonym "Publius." Most who paid attention could discern through the writing style and ideas who was who. Certainly this was fine in the 1790s, but how about today?

This subject has come up in the debate over the State Republican Party and its hiring of Gary Abernathy as executive director. An anonymous blog called Not Gary Abernathy.com appeared almost immediately to blast the selection and hiring process. State Senator Vic Sprouse on his own blog, Change West Virginia, fired back on Abernathy's behalf. Both of these blogs allow reader commentary. The opinions stated have ranged from thoughtful to vicious.

The question is, how legitimate in this day and age is a blog or a comment from a person that refuses to reveal their name? The author of Not Gary Abernathy.com has cryptically promised that his identity will be known in good time, kind of like a B movie super villain. Why not now?

Others have taken the opportunity to level anonymous cheap shots at Vic Sprouse and Gary Abernathy. When a person does put their name to something, they take a risk and open themselves to attack. That certainly takes some guts when there are so many waiting in the dark simply wanting to tear down. No name posting does not help the case of anyone indulging in it.

Should Republicans with complaints stifle their concerns? Of course not. We are a big tent party and will always have disagreements. It is obvious why those with solely a personal axe to grind do not show themselves. They will always lurk in the shadows. Should "Not Gary Abernathy" reveal him or herself? That is for that individual to decide. Except in the case of Lisa Peana, he or she has not often descended to the level of personal attack. Regardless, credibility will always be more favorably conferred upon those that take their political battle into the light of day rather than hide behind fake names or no name at all.

The Future Is Now

The University of Delaware has just developed a prototype vehicle that may be the answer to rising fuel costs for small cities, businesses, and college campuses.

The V2G, or vehicle to grid, propulsion system for automobiles was created by Willett Kempton who has been refining this technology for over a decade. Kempton actually powers a Scion with this engine. The Scion is a hideous vehicle, but it is the size of a small SUV. This means that such an engine could probably run a moderately sized pickup truck, minivan, or SUV if the conventional engine and gas tank are removed. It runs on a battery that works as an energy sponge. It absorbs power from the grid when plugged in. If the battery contains excess power, it flows back into the power grid. This reduces strain upon the power system which from time to time sees its own fluctuations.

Right now the battery requires two hours to charge and has a range of 150 miles. This means that families cannot yet rely on it for vacations. However automobile fleets maintained by small towns, local busineses, or college campuses could utilize this type of engine and save money on fuel. Families can also benefit by purchasing an electric car for local use and a gasoline powered one for longer trips.

Over time, these types of vehicles will gain more power and range. Owners have already started turning to hybrids. The current electric power system cannot handle a massive demand surge for electric power that a jump in the number of electric vehicles will create. Expansion of coal, wind, and hydroelectric power now is essential to anticipate this demand. If electric vehicles are an answer to large segments of the market, then we must start preparing for it.

Conservatives are not anti-environment. We simple prefer that market solutions be allowed to occur instead of governmnet imposed ones. Conservatives also favor balancing the needs of the environment against the needs of people, rather than denying human beings what they need to prosper. The market will demand alternate energy sources as the price of oil moves more and more out of reach. This prototype developed by the University of Delaware could be a market solution to this market problem.

People are mad

I have been talking to a lot of my clients about the economy and their concerns. People are mad. To make it worse, noone seems to know who to blame. People who went along with blaming big tobacco for cigarettes, big oil for gas prices.