A Date Which Will Live in Infamy

As we endeavor to push to a final conclusion our current war against an evil aggression which struck our nation, let us remember the defining milestone moment of the twentieth century for our country. Let us also remember the men who died on this day in 1941, as well as those that sacrificed to bring retribution home to the Empire of Japan. Below is President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's historic address:

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:
Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Urgent Weather Message for Eastern Mineral, WV

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE...CORRECTED

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 450 AM EST SAT DEC 5 2009.

LOW PRESSURE IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL MOVE UP THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TODAY AND THEN EAST OF THE DELMARVA TOWARD THE GULF OF
MAINE TONIGHT. THIS WILL BRING SNOW TO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES.

WASHINGTON-EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-FREDERICK VA-CLARKE-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HAGERSTOWN...FROSTBURG...CUMBERLAND...WINCHESTER...MARTINSBURG...CHARLES TOWN...EMORYVILLE...HARTMANSVILLE...KEYSER...FORT ASHBY 450 AM EST SAT DEC 5 2009

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS
MORNING TO 9 PM EST THIS EVENING

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS
MORNING TO 9 PM EST THIS EVENING. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACROSS THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA...NORTH CENTRAL MARYLAND AND EXTREME NORTHERN VIRGINIA AROUND SUNRISE. TO START...A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL OCCUR. HOWEVER...AS COLDER AIR FILTERS IN...PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE TO ALL SNOW DURING THE MID MORNING.

SNOW WILL BECOME MODERATE DURING THE AFTERNOON WHICH MAY REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF DURING THE EVENING.

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING WILL LEAD TO SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Climategate: Not a Victimless Crime

As time passes, details trickle instead of flood out about Climategate. We saw for ourselves how global warming skeptics risked denunciation as heretics by the "faithful," forced to confess their sins of non progressivism or face purification by the fire of not getting important grants. We now know that a conspiracy evolved that tried to suppress publication of competing ideas while blocking access to the raw data they themselves relied on for their claims. The University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit disposed of its raw data rather than provide it to researchers skeptical of global warming. Now we find out that a Competitive Enterprise Institute scholar had to go to the extreme of filing a Freedom of Information Act request for NASA's data. They have fought that request for over two years. When I was a kid, I requested information from NASA for a science project. They replied within six to eight weeks and I did not need to file an FOIA. Last year NASA said that just because the ice caps on Mars melted quickly during the warm season in the same years as Earth and during a period of intense sunspot activity, that doesn't mean anything. Right.

All this reeks of a conspiracy to hide what most of us figured out on our own. Not only is the earth not warming anymore (other researchers say the temperature plateaued and may have started to cool) but no proof exists that mankind has any hand in raising or lowering global temperatures.

However many countries, including now our own, have started basing economic policy on this idea that now has no supporting data that anyone can or will produce. West Virginia's union miners are among the victims of this disastrous policy. Eighty mine permits have now been revoked because of Obama's War on Coal. Coal is evil according to the Left, and it must be stopped at all costs. Never mind that union miners, the backbone of Democratic strength in West Virginia since the New Deal, will be thrown out of work. Never mind that West Virginia's Democratic governor has worked hard to keep the Mountain State above water during the economic crisis now sees his knees cut out from under him. Families are suffering and now the state will not be able to meet the ever increasing demands of federal mandates. West Virginia, like other states, will face collapse if this continues.

West Virginia has been dealt a savage blow by the advocates of a failed theory. Obama's henchmen shut down our mines and tossed our hard working neighbors out of work because of something they cannot even back up scientifically. His administration sold out traditional Democrats and union members in doing so. Climategate's victims need to stand up in 2010 and 2012 and tell us "which side are you on, boy, which side are you on?" Are you on the side of elite left wing ivy league academic frauds who want to keep West Virginia from prospering, or on you on the side of those that want to expand employment opportunities up and down the line in West Virginia and around the country?

As a Parent I Want to Thank KPMS, Keyser High School, and Mineral County Schools

Thank you Keyser Primary Middle School, Keyser High School, and Mineral County Schools.

This has been a trying week for parents, teachers, administrators, and law enforcement. Four days of bomb threats have disrupted school repeatedly. Government does not always act efficiently or effectively, but in this case, major kudos to all parties involved.

KPMS officials evacuated the school cleanly and effectively to a different safe location every day. When masses of parents arrived to get their children, the principals and staff worked effectively to maintain organization and keep parents informed. I trust that these people know how to keep my child safe in an emergency and that is important to all of us.

The Mineral County response to these exasperating incidents has been professional and very reassuring. Police presence at both schools, mainly the Keyser Police Department and the Mineral County Sheriff's Department, helps to keep the children reassured. They have also done their jobs very effectively in identifying suspects and getting information from them.

As for the crimes themselves, I do not think that the guilty parties understand the gravity of their offenses, although they soon will. Each day that children must be evacuated and police called means thousands of dollars wasted. Classes and learning is disrupted. Students may have to make up the time during Christmas break (although that would not be the best way to handle making up the lost school time with so many planned trips.)

Worse is the effect on younger and mentally challenged children. Smaller kids get easily frightened by these types of things. I especially feel sorry for the autistic children. Breaks in their routine cause extreme panic and fear for them. Wrenching them out of class is a nightmare for teachers and these students.

When caught and found guilty, these children need to be thoroughly punished. Everyone says that now until faces are put to the crimes. Then we find out about their horrible home lives or some other possible mitigating factor. That should probably not be considered in this case. Threatening a school with bombing is not the victimless crime that defense attorneys may eventually try to call it. We lose time and money and have genuinely frightened children.

Something Rotten in the State of Denmark

Horatio: He waxes desperate with imagination.

Marcellus: Let's follow 'tis not fit thus to obey him.

Horatio: Have after-To what issue will this come?

Marcellus: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark

Something indeed. The global warming community meets very soon in Copenhagen to direct the next round of sweeping proposals for change for the United States and other nations. Many hope that Obama will come and lead the fight at home and around the world against man made global warming. However, there is one catch . . . no scientific proof actually exists.

What, you say? Certainly all those scientists citing all those studies couldn't be mistaken, right? It appears that they were not only mistaken, but they were following a very real and dangerous agenda of using false science to mislead the world.

Scientists at the University of East Anglia disposed of raw data cited in their studies showing rapid warming in the last several decades. This formed the basis of most man made global warming assertions, especially their own. They claim that they still have data, only in a "quality controlled" and "homogenized" form. That is funny. When you homogenize milk, you heat it up. Does this mean that they cooked the books on data? Exactly.

Even worse is news from the academic field where most of these scientific battles are fought. We now know that global warming advocates fought to keep skeptical claims from being published in peer review journals. Professor Phil Jones, director of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, expressed fears about global warming skeptics using the raw data to undermine global warming theory. Now why would he be afraid if he was so sure? I imagine that is why he dumped the data. It would be the same as if a prosecutor before arguing a big case tossed out all the physical evidence and asked the jury to just trust his word.

One prominent expert even stated that, if necessary, that the rules of publication ought to be changed to prevent the skeptics from getting a fair shot at publication. Imagine if the Indianapolis Colts were about to play a football game and suddenly just before the game, the forward pass was outlawed.

How do we know this? Russian journalists hacked into computers at the University of East Anglia and found the smoking gun. Just as Richard Nixon did not erase or discard incriminating tapes proving his involvement in the Watergate coverup, it somehow did not occur to global warming luminaries to hide the shell game they have been playing with the world for many years now.

Will any American news sources follow the lead of Russia Today and the London Times to follow a story that completely undermines the certainty of stories they themselves wrote for many years assuming this fraud was true? I imagine it will take some time and pressure from Fox and the Wall Street Journal to get the rest of them in line. It may happen after the 2010 elections, if at all.

In the meantime the Environmental Protection Agency still acts on the premise that this fraud exists. GOP legislators need to go to Capitol Hill and to the people armed with this latest left wing anti-capitalist gaffe and stop cap and trade dead in its tracks.

Capito Opening Statement at Financial Services Committee Hearing on FHA Actuarial Report

WASHINGTON – Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., made the following opening statement this afternoon at the House Financial Services Committee hearing with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and other witnesses to address the financial soundness of the Federal Housing Administration and the recently released FHA Actuarial Report:

“Mister Chairman, thank you for holding this important hearing this afternoon on the financial health of the Federal Housing Administration. Last month, Ranking Member Bachus and I wrote you about the importance of having this hearing at the full committee level and I thank you for accommodating our request.

On November 6, 2009, we received the annual independent actuarial review of the Federal Housing Administration’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund. The Congress had been warned by Housing Commissioner Stevens that this report would find that FHA’s Capital Reserve Account had fallen below the congressionally mandated reserve ratio of 2 percent. Unfortunately, the report found that it had fallen well below this level and now stands at .53 percent.

As we are all well aware, FHA has re-emerged as a major market participant insuring almost 30 percent of home purchases and 20 percent of refinances. FHA has a role to play in our housing market and if it is going to maintain this level of participation we must work together to ensure that the program remains self sustaining and returns to solid financial health.

I am encouraged by many of the steps Secretary Donovan and Commissioner Stevens have taken so far to shore up FHA and there is more to be done. I look forward to a vibrant discussion of whether or not FHA has the resources to upgrade technology and compete for experienced personnel to streamline their operations and improve efficiencies.

Secretary Donovan mentions in his testimony that FHA may be exploring raising premiums for new borrowers. In late 2007, FHA issued regulations to implement a risk-based pricing program. Yet, Congress implemented a moratorium through the HERA legislation which essentially preventing HUD from implementing any risk based pricing through October 31, 2009. Does HUD intend to implement a risk based pricing program once the moratorium expires? If the need to raise premiums on all borrowers is clear, why should we not have FHA price their premiums based on risk?

I would also like to hear more from the Secretary on stories that FHA borrowers are not able to make the first payment. It would be helpful to know the statistics on first-payment default rates. I know that the Secretary has indicated that he will be seeking greater recourse with lenders and I look forward to hearing more details on this proposal.

I want to welcome Secretary Donovan back to our Committee today. The FHA program is an important component of the housing finance market and Congress and HUD must do whatever is necessary to make sure that this program is run in a manner that does not expose the taxpayer to yet another bailout. I look forward to hearing from all our witnesses today on how best to ensure the future viability of the FHA program. Thank you Chairman Frank for holding this hearing and I look forward to hearing from our panels.”

Capito Statement on President Obama’s Afghanistan Address

WASHINGTON – Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., released the following statement this morning in response to President Barack Obama’s address to the nation regarding his administration’s strategy for the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan:

“First and foremost, our men and women in uniform must know that we stand fully behind them and their mission. They‘ve made a commitment to prevent the spread of terrorism and work towards a stable Afghanistan, and it is critical that our government match their level of dedication.

“While any decision to send our service members into harm’s way is a difficult one, it has become increasingly clear that success in Afghanistan demands that our forces have further resources and manpower.

“As this process unfolds, however, it is critical that General McChrystal and his team of commanders have an appropriate opportunity to succeed. We must not be so quick to judge success or failure based on an arbitrary timeline that we draw premature conclusions about the effectiveness of this new strategy.

“As I have said before, our military efforts should be driven by the expertise of our generals on the ground who know the day to day demands of the mission, and not by the political winds of Washington.

“Put simply, I am encouraged by the President’s decision, but I urge him to let the facts on the ground – rather than a politically-driven timetable – guide our policy moving forward.”

A Couple of House of Delegate Races Worth Noting

Another election year will be upon us in a few weeks, which means that we need to start thinking about ways to start supporting candidates who will return government to the people.

Republicans will concentrate a lot of their donations and time on congressional races this year. We have a shot to get back at least one house of Congress and stop the runaway train that is Pelosi brand socialism. However we also need to think closer to home as well. For approximately eight decades the West Virginia State Legislature has been run by the Democrats. That party sees legislative power in the Mountain State as almost its own by divine right. Let's return West Virginia to two party rule.

I want to mention a couple of races that are important for the state GOP and me personally. I know both these people and believe that they will represent their districts and the state well when elected. I am proud to call them personal friends as well.

In the 41st Delegate district, Tommy Phillips will challenge for the seat currently held by the Democrat Samuel Cann. This district encompasses part of Harrison County. Tommy is a young, energetic, and bright man with youth and talent in his corner. He has served as Harrison County Executive Committee chair and has worked hard for the state party as well. If you are a donor interested in state politics, please consider helping out this candidate. He would make an outstanding delegate.

Of course in our own 49th, Bob Schadler is retiring after many years of faithful and hardworking service. I cannot think of anyone better to hold that seat than Gary Howell. Most of you know already that Gary is an aggressive and hard fighting individual with a talent for learning about the kind of legal and policy details that most folks overlook. A lot of people respect Gary's plain talking and blunt approach to tackling the problems faced by this region. His experience in policy research will prove invaluable to all Republican legislators. They currently have to rely upon a Democratic appointee or their own devices when researching law or policy when crafting their bills. Gary will serve as an important part of a state GOP legislative team that will fight to restrain government size, spending, and taxation in West Virginia. Since announcing his run for the House of Delegates, Gary's fundraising has far exceeded expectations very early in the campaign. This shows how serious Mineral County is about keeping this seat out of Democratic hands.

Of course there are many worthy candidates emerging all over the state. We need to support the viable and strong candidates as much as possible so that we can get the Legislature in the hands of a party that knows what West Virginia needs, more jobs and less government.

Private and Public Lives

Watching the Pitt game the other night (and congratulations to Bill Stewart, his staff, and the West Virginia Mountaineers for a tremendous victory), we couldn't help but to notice that every thirty seconds ESPN would feel the need to update its viewers on a mysterious car crash near Orlando.

By now most people know that the driver was legendary golfer Tiger Woods. His SUV careened off of a fire hydrant and hit a tree at 2 AM. Woods claimed that the accident caused injuries that required hospitalization and that his wife broke out the windows of his vehicle to free him. Woods offered to pay for the damage to city property and apologized for the mishap.

Obviously this story doesn't add up. On the other hand, why do we need all the facts here? Woods has no connection to the government and offered to repair the damage done to city property. CNN Hedline News's rabid group of pundits demand answers. Tiger Woods has the guts to stand up and say that his family remains none of their business.

The main loser in this whole scenario, besides the Woods family, is ESPN. Once again this network stooped to the lowest common denominator, even citing a National Enquirer story on their crawler. Yup, the same magazine that constantly has exposes on Obama's gay lovers and used to report incessantly that President Bush had an affair with Condoleeza Rice. ESPN ran out in front of a story that made you feel dirty for even reading about it on the bottom of the screen. It became obvious fairly quickly that we were seeing a domestic and private issue that all parties directly involved just wanted to forget.

Now what will happen? Probably photographers will follow Woods around until he beats one of them down with a golf club, then he looks like the bad guy. Tiger Woods' family life is no business of ours and has no greater impact on society. It is simply a story of gossip. The press wants to pry into their problems for the entertainment of those people who want to see a good and successful man and his family knocked down a peg.

And This Is What Thanksgiving Is All About

Hat tip to Pastor William Linhart, Calvary United Methodist Church. This shows the mindset of our Founding Fathers in the Continental Congress in the time of their most desperate fears. As our country enters increasingly troubled times, we ought to be mindful of these words.

O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, of own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved hands in the day of battle!

Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly; enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation. That the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish amongst the people. Preserve the health of their bodies and vigor of their minds; shower down on them and the millions they here represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.

Amen.

Reverend Jacob Duché
Rector of Christ Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 7, 1774, 9 o’clock a.m.

Kudos to Keyser Police Department

Yesterday afternoon I was walking off some turkey before my next meal by walking around Keyser. I could feel a few drops of rain, so I figured I would walk over through Keyser Square in case it started to rain heavy I could walk under the awning.

As I was walking past Clements Jewelry store I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye. At first I thought it might have been a reflection in the store window, but when I looked I saw some one moving in the store. The store was closed and all of the lights were off. Being a business owner, I thought some one might want to check this out. I called 911 on my cell and Mineral County transferred me to Keyser PD. I told them what I had seen and that it might be nothing, but wanted to let them know.

It took less time for Keyser PD to get on the scene, than it did for Mineral County 911 to transfer me to Keyser PD on the phone. Turned out it was only John Clement doing some Christmas decorating while the store was closed with the lights off as not to attract attention. Had the lights been on, then I might have recognized him and not called it in. As a business owner I hope if someone sees someone walking around in my store after hours they will also call police and report it even if it is only me.

My hats are off to the Keyser PD for the quick response time and working hard on a holiday when I sure they would rather be with their families. I give thanks for your service on Thanksgiving Day keep up the good work.

Happy Thanksgiving

On this Thanksgiving Day
it seems more important than ever
to count our blessings.
May the years ahead bring
Peace, Good Health and
much Happiness to you and yours.

Palin Derangement Syndrome

Palin Derangement Syndrome should hit the DSM IV any day now. It refers to the chronic delusion among liberals and left wingers that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is both irrelevant and a major threat. It is closely related to Bush Derangment Syndrome, symptoms of which included the beliefs that George W. Bush was dumber than a box of boxes, but also capable of altering the world's weather for his own evil purposes.

Newsweek's now infamous cover of Ms. Palin in tight running clothes turns out to have violated the law. The magazine, in its zeal to somehow harm Palin's image, used an image still under copyright protection from Runner's World. This rises almost to the obsession of Dan Rather, who tried to find any shred of a story that might compromise the presidency of George W. Bush. To President Bush's credit, this resourceful and experienced reporter never found anything worthy of reporting.

Next came the Washington Post's blogger Ana Marie Cox who sullied her own reputation as a book reviewer by claiming with smug satisfaction that, although she agreed to review Palin's bestseller Going Rogue, she actually did not read it. Then she claimed Palin didn't write it!

If I edited anything connected with one of America's more prestigious papers and my writer failed to do as assigned, she or he would be reprimanded or gone, simple as that. Why sign up for the review if you have no intention of reading the book?

A couple of years ago I read Tip O'Neill's autobiography Man of the House. I could not find much to agree with politically. much as when I read Raymond Chafin's autobiography several years before. However, I learned a great deal about politics at different levels from both men. There is not a lot that you would want to emulate from Chafin's, but it does tell you how some people think. I am not sure where the Post digs up its book review bloggers and writers, but I could send them quite a few college freshmen who could do better.

The level of hatred Palin inspires correlates strongly to the left and liberal media establishment's dislike of middle America. Palin comes from the same mindset that produced many of our greatest leaders. That mindset always strikes the more cultivated as too country, too unrefined, too close to the real American people for their comfort. People like Ana Marie Cox would like to pretend that regular folks didn't exist. That is something that even liberals like O'Neill and Chafin understood, that at the end of the day regular folks had their say and you as a politically minded person had to understand that. That is the gap between old time American liberalism and what passes for ideology among left wingers today.

Smart Republicans filled that vacuum and have fought hard to protect American jobs from false climate theories. New faces like Palin understand the connection that must exist between a political figure and the people. Her popularity comes from the fact that she is more like one of use than the Ana Marie Coxes of the world will ever be. And that is why they hate her so.

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

I'll admit when I am wrong. I did not think that Palin made a good move when she resigned as governor of Alaska. I will say that I probably would not have done the same in her shoes, but she definitely exploded onto the national scene in the past few months. She joins a very large and worthy group of Republicans who will contend for the presidency in 2012.

Health Care Debate Gets Uglier For Democrats

The Democratic Party is nearly as old at the Republic and occasionally it has split. Before the Civil War it divided over the slavery issue; about ninety years later on Communism and segregation. As we approach the election year of 2010 another fundamental issue, again based on freedom, threatens to split the Democrats.

The debate over socialized health care, including provisions that will criminally pursue individuals that choose to not purchase insurance, has split that party between those that believe in traditional liberalism and European style left wing socialism. Traditional liberals belive in capitalism, freedom, and rights. Left wingers want to fundamentally change this country into something alien.

Even in West Virginia, those that have supported Pelosi find themselves in trouble. Not only have strong Republicans emerged to challenge for the first and third districts, but also formidible Democratic challengers. They agree that supporting Pelosi and her anti West Virginia, anti freedom agenda has made the incumbents weak. Unlike 2008, they will have a much harder time defending their seats than Shelley Moore Capito who has consistently stood for freedom. Certainly she and the governor have been united in their opposition to Obama's War on Coal.

Conservative Democrats are not Republicans and they will be the first to tell you that. It is more likely that they will either simply vote GOP or form a splinter group to demonstrate their unhappiness with the national leadership. Either way, the next two elections will reflect a lot of anger against left wingers.

Obama: Industrial Efficiency Bad!

Industrial efficiency is the foundation of our high standard of living. Building more goods with less workers lowers cost and raises the standard of living for all. It allows more people to purchase the same good increasing demand, requiring more product to be built thus increasing employment. The President needs to take an elementary Economics course before making any more statements on the economy.

Thankful For Wal Mart

You get thoughts at the strangest times. This morning's thought came as I made my sone a grilled ham and cheese sandwich before taking him to basketball practice. It centered on how good kids have got it these days.

I cannot get across to my children how things have changed in thirty years. For most kids growing up in the 1970s, going out to eat somewhere that did not get your food to you in a minute or so was a big deal. If you found yourself eating a sandwich, it was bologna or Spam and "cheese food." Cheese food was the slices of stuff they put in the plastic. Brown beans or navy beans came to our table quite often, as did tuna noodle casserole. Forget steak or chicken breast. You almost never saw a chicken breast unless it was from Kentucky Fried Chicken. And that was a special meal too!

How about the generation before that? Ever listen to old country songs like "Coal Miner's Daughter?" If you've never heard of that song, look up the lyrics. A lot of people lived like that even after World War II.

The point is that America has advanced its living standards by leaps and bounds every generation in this century. We could do this because we had the most powerful and productive economy on earth. Plus we always looked to find the most efficient and effective ways to produce and do business. Almost anyone can enjoy a ham sandwich with real cheese for lunch and a steak for dinner now, not just because we make more money, but also because food and other items got less expensive. Wal Mart generally provides everything from food to clothing to drugs at lower prices than anyone else. That includes many items once thought of as near luxuries by those with lower salaries. In many counties in our region they employ more people than anyone, too. They need the work because of Obama's War on Coal.

Remember this next time you hear a left wing snob bash Wal Mart. Think of their contribution to America's higher standard of living. Among so many other things, I am thankful for Wal Mart and the American way. Let's hope that the left wing Democrats and Obama don't crush the life out of it.

Republicans Stand Up For Taxpayers : Democrats Stand Up For Tax-Hikes

Republican Delegates Block Democrat Speaker Thompson's Attempt to Ram Through 15 Million Dollar Tax Increase on Working West Virginians

Yesterday evening Republicans in the House of Delegates successfully used a parliamentary maneuver to fend off, for at least one more day, a proposed Democrat gas-tax bill that if passed will cost West Virginians more than 15 million dollars over the next decade.

"They may call the gas tax bill a stabilization bill, but we know a tax-hike when we see a tax-hike," said WVGOP Executive Director Troy Berman. "Any bill which proposes to steal out of the pockets of everyday West Virginians and deliver the proceeds to Charleston is a bad bill."

The Democrats proposal would make permanent a 20.5 cents per gallon tax on gasoline, prevent the tax from dropping 2 cents this year and also prevent the tax from dropping by 5 cents as it is supposed to in 2013.

"We should be cutting wasteful spending, lowering taxes and encouraging business investment in our state," said Berman. "Instead the Democrat majority's one and only default position seems to be to tax and keep on taxing until West Virginians have nothing left. Well, it's working. Is it any wonder that West Virginia is last among our neighbors in jobs, opportunity, education and health? In fact the only metrics in which we seem to be excelling as a state are unemployment and the invention of new taxes."

"Democrats are playing politics with peoples livelihoods," said WVGOP Chairman Doug McKinney. "West Virginians need to drive to get to work, to pick up our kids from school and to buy groceries. This is not some luxury tax. This is a stab at the heart of every working West Virginian. Though I should say every West Virginian left with a job after the failure of the Democrats' economic policies. The very next thing you know they'll be attempting to tax the air."

Capito Opposes House Effort to Blow Another $210 Billion Hole in Budget

Congresswoman Criticizes Democrat’s ‘Doc Fix’ as Latest Example of Budget-Busting Policies

WASHINGTON – Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., released the following statement today as the House of Representatives considered the so-called ‘doc-fix’ which will add yet another $210 billion to the deficit:

“In what’s becoming an incredibly troubling pattern, the House today again voted to add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit,” said Capito. “I suppose after spending $1.3 trillion on a health plan, $700 billion to bailout Wall Street and $787 billion on a failed stimulus package, that $210 billion may not seem like much – but I don’t think that’s how the American people see it.

“I firmly believe that we need to reform the Medicare payment structure, but we should be paying for it up front rather than shouldering our children with billions of dollars in debt.”

What Others Are Saying…

Washington Post: A $300 Billion Deception: “…the House of Representatives is poised this week to blow a quarter-trillion-dollar hole in the federal budget involving, you guessed it, health care…. By the way, don't be fooled by the incredible shrinking "cost" of the fix. The official Congressional Budget Office estimate used to be $245 billion over 10 years. Now it's $210 billion. In fact, the real hit to the budget will be closer to $300 billion…. All of this is, to some degree, Medicare kabuki to placate the American Medical Association… Finding the money to pay for the fix and, more to the point, cobbling together the political coalition to support it, is difficult. Which is why Congress and the administration have joined hands in the pretense that the doc fix has nothing whatsoever to do with health reform.” (Washington Post Editorial, November 15, 2009).

WSJ: The $1.9 Trillion Gimmick: “The "doc fix" was originally part of ObamaCare, until Mrs. Pelosi realized that adding a quarter-trillion dollars to the total tab made it difficult to pretend the bill would reduce the deficit. In the "Fiscal Responsibility" section of the press release announcing the separate SGR package, Democrats insist that it will be subject to "the 'pay as you go' principle of budget discipline," which "requires Congress to find a way to pay for any new spending" with new taxes or cuts. The Comedy Central punchline: "A previous Congress established the policy for paying Medicare doctors, so the update for 2010 is not a new policy to be paid for. . . . The Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act would not increase total payments to physicians above what they are today and therefore, would not be subject to the paygo requirement." In other words, under the Madoff school of accounting, Democrats rely on straight deficit spending.” (Wall Street Journal Editorial, November 18, 2009).

Capito Statement on Meeting With EPA Administrator Jackson

Congresswoman: “The bottom line from today’s meeting is that Administrator Jackson and the EPA believe they have no obligation to take economic factors or jobs into account when it comes to mine permits.”

WASHINGTON – Rep. Shelley Moore, R-W.Va., released the following statement today after meeting with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson regarding ongoing delays in the mine permitting process throughout Appalachia:

“I appreciated the opportunity to meet with Administrator Jackson to share my concerns about EPA’s role in approving mine permits in the Appalachian region. Though broad disagreements remain, we had a cordial and substantive discussion.

I reiterated my concerns that the delay of these permits has real-world consequences on the economy and on West Virginia jobs. EPA decisions do not exist in a vacuum.

I also expressed my beliefs that continued uncertainty will only serve to hamstring miners and mining communities as they seek to plan and seek future investment in their local economies which depend on mining.

Finally, I presented Administrator Jackson with hundreds of letters from my constituents who have written to me with their views that EPA-driven uncertainty could cost them their jobs and their livelihood. These are real people and real families who deserve to have their voices heard. They live and work in these communities and they simply want to play by the rules, but they’re waiting for the EPA to give them the tools to do so.

I fully appreciate and agree with the Administrator’s goals of promoting clean water, but doing so demands a degree of regulatory clarity that doesn’t yet exist.

The bottom line from today’s meeting is that Administrator Jackson and the EPA believe they have no obligation to take economic factors or jobs into account when it comes to mine permits. I find that incredibly troubling, particularly at a time of record-unemployment and economic insecurity.

It is quite clear now more than ever that we must have a united front to stand up for miners across the state. We have a lot of work to do.”

Another Stupid Attack on Property Rights: Now You Cannot Even Hang Your Laundry Outside

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091118/us_nm/us_usa_laundry

This link may or may not take you to an AP story about various local governments either using social pressure or legislation to prevent people from hanging up their laundry putside to dry.

What's the problem? Neighbors complain that they don't like the sight of it. Some say the whole practice makes the neighborhood look like (their words here) "trailer trash." Others simply object to seeing underwear in public.

A southern radio conservative named Robert D. Raeford coined the phrase many years ago "The United States of the Offended." He objected to the growing tendency of Americans to conjure up a "right" that they do not have to see or hear anything that might offend, bother, or irritate them. Apparently this now extends to the old American tradition of hanging up laundry.

Some just like the smell of sun dried laundry. Others see this as a way to conserve energy. Certainly it reduces one's electric bills. Regardless of the reason, the message by the city to "concerned neighbors" ought to be "if you don't like it, go inside." Even if nine out of ten neighbors oppose the hanging of laundry, American traditions of freedom and property rights mean that you can keep hanging those old underwear over your yard if you darn well please.

Freedom is important and the basis of that is the recognition of individual rights. Also we also have to accept (and this used to happen before people became adults in this country) that we will not always like everything we see. Sometimes we have to simply ignore it and walk away. As for me, I think every freedom loving American in such a snotty neighborhood ought to continue to hang up their mentionables and unmentionables. Take a stand for freedom.

Mammogram Study Highlights Perils of Government-Run Care, Capito Says

As Most Push for Early Detection, Government Panel Considers Saving Lives to be Inconvenient

WASHINGTON – A government panel’s recommendation would turn back the clock in the fight against breast cancer and cast a troubling shadow over the prospect of government-run health care. That was Rep. Shelley Moore Capito’s, R-W.Va., message today in light of suggestions from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that call for a drastic scaling back of breast cancer prevention methods for women under 50.

“This recommendation amounts to a government panel putting a price on the life of our citizens,” said Capito. “When we know that early detection saves lives, I’m troubled by the prospect of a government entity now suggesting that it’s not worth doing. This should be a decision for patients and doctors, not bureaucrats and unelected panelists.”

Recounting her family’s personal story with breast cancer, the congresswoman called early detection a life-saver that shouldn’t be rationed based on government recommendations.

“My mother-in-law passed away from breast cancer in her early 50s at a time when there was almost no focus on early detection or prevention,” said the congresswoman.

“If she’d had access to the care given to younger women today, I still wonder if she could have beaten the cancer and might still be with us today. We can’t bring her back, but we can stand up and stop a government panel that included no oncologists or radiologists from pushing us back in time.”

Capito is the sponsor of the EARLY Act, legislation to promote early breast cancer detection efforts among younger women. The bill has well over 300 bipartisan co-sponsors.

The American Cancer Society reports that the five year survival rate for breast cancer is as high as 98 percent if detected early.

---------------------------------

What Others Are Saying…

WSJ: A Breast Cancer Preview: “This episode is an all-too-instructive preview of the coming political decisions about cost-control and medical treatment that are at the heart of ObamaCare…. The effects of this new breast cancer cost-consciousness are likely to be large. Medicare generally adopts the panel's recommendations when it makes coverage decisions for seniors, and its judgments also play a large role in the private insurance markets… every Democratic version of ObamaCare makes this task force an arbiter of the benefits that private insurers will be required to cover as they are converted into government contractors. What are now merely recommendations will become de facto rules, and under national health care these kinds of cost analyses will inevitably become more common as government decides where finite tax dollars are allowed to go. (Wall Street Journal Editorial, November 19, 2009.)

US News: Mammogram Recommendations Could Reverse Years of Progress: “No one wants to be the one woman—the one mom, sister, daughter, or friend—whose death was preventable. Who wants to take that chance? Two years is a long time to wait and wonder. I bet most women will pay for a yearly mammogram out of pocket just for the peace of mind. Many paid out of pocket a few years back when the new improved Pap smears came out and insurance wouldn't cover the difference. I know I did. The task force also recommended that doctors stop teaching patients how to do a self-exam for breast cancer on a regular basis. What? We all know women who have survived breast cancer in their 40s who either found a lump by self-exam or had a bad mammogram. So if you're cutting back on mammograms and telling women to stop the self-exams, what other way is there to find breast cancer?” (US News and World Report, Mary Kate Cary, November 19, 2009.)

Bill Stewart and Sarah Palin

Republicans in West Virginia have found that Governor Joe Manchin is a much more difficult target than Democrats at the national level. His competence and common sense in office have far outstripped anything seen from Obama, Pelosi, and Reid. Manchin gives us details to criticize, not a completely flawed vision. He also increasingly is criticizing Democrats at the national level for turning their back on West Virginia workers,particularly miners.

One decision that he is suspected of having a hand in is the hiring of West Virginia University head football coach Bill Stewart. Everything in West Virginia is political. Even aspirant Terry Bowden found it prudent to approach the governor to discuss his interest in the job. After the big Fiesta Bowl win, interim coach Stewart got the job.

To me, criticism of this hire is valid in terms of the governor's possible involvement. No, he should not be part of the hiring process for a football coach. However Bill Stewart has done a good job despite the heavy criticism.

WVU football has two glaring problems this year. It has a very young offensive line and a set of cornerbacks that have had some difficulties this year containing passing offenses. Rodriguez lost Preston County native Rick Trickett as the o line coach a few years ago and hired a coach who did not recruit as well. Once Stewart took the job, strong offensive line recruits like Josh Jenkins of Parkersburg once again started coming to WVU. These young men have a lot of talent, but little experience. They are also not yet as powerful as the senior defensive linemen that they play against.

The cornerbacks have a hard time covering receivers. Some of them date back to the Rodriguez philosophy that one can take any athlete and make them a cornerback. That position takes years of practice to develop a true instinct. Their problems were covered up by using a passive defense for many years. Bill Stewart wants to get back to the WVU defenses of the mid 1990s that led the nation in sacks and gave up the fewest yards. That means more aggressive playcalling on defense, which leaves the cornerbacks in more vulnerable situations. The vision is there, it will just take a season of stepping back one pace to move two forward next year.

Stewart has a vision, if WVU fans are willing to be patient. He is one of the best recruiters in the nation and has a staff willing to adapt as the game changes. Meanwhile Rodriguez is suffering his second losing season at Michigan, his systems already considered old fashioned by experts.

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

Sarah Palin has an axe to grind against Newsweek. Would any respectable magazine pair an important political analysis of a national figure with a cover photo of them in workout clothes? Only Sarah Palin gets this treatment from a liberal magazine with no interest in portraying her as a serious figure. You do not have to like or agree with her to appreciate the fact that this magazine is using subtle sexism. Their defense is that they found the most interesting photo out there to use. I remember that Ronald Reagan was often photographed while swimming in the ocean. No one ever used a topless picture of a seventy five year old man to illustrate a political analysis of him. It is another cheap shot against a powerful, popular, and worthy Republican figure.

Taylor County Republican Executive Committee will host their annual Christmas dinner

The Taylor County Republican Executive Committee will host their annual Christmas dinner on December 22, 2009, beginning at 5:00 p.m. for our gathering. We will eat at 6:00 p.m. The menu will be Chicken or ham, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Green beans, Salad, Drinks of Coffee or tea. Desert and gratuity will be on the participant. The cost for non members of the committee will be $9.00 plus tax and what ever else you may order. If you would like to attend, please let the chairman know the following: How many will be attending from your group, and whether you desire to have Chicken or Ham.

The speaker will be Senator Dave Sypolt, senator of our district. The event will be at Jerry's Restaurant at 242 Barrett Street, Grafton, WV. 26354. The registration may be made by contacting Rev. Davidson as listed below. We will be able to have up to 45 persons. The deadline for registration is December 18, 2009. Thank you for your participation.

Capito Applauds Passage of Fire Grant Reauthorization

Program Benefits Dozens of West Virginia Fire Departments Each Year

WASHINGTON – A federal program designed to provide support for community fire departments got a lift today with passage of the HR 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., praised House passage of the measure, calling it a much-needed resource for fire departments across West Virginia.

“Fire departments across our state do exceptional work in their local communities,” said the congresswoman, who joined the bipartisan majority in supporting today’s legislation.

“But there is also a critical role for federal funds to play in supporting their efforts. From equipment upgrades to vehicle acquisition or safety programs, fire grants are a vital source of funding that helps provide the tools and resources that help our firefighters do their jobs.”

The Fire Grant Reauthorization officially authorizes $1 billion annually for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, and $1.3 billion annually for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program.

AFG and SAFER provide funds to enhance the preparedness capabilities of local fire departments and emergency medical service (EMS) organizations. Officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a division of the Department of Homeland Security, coordinate both programs.

“These programs have long-garnered broad bipartisan support and I applaud the passage of today’s legislation,” added Capito. “I look forward to seeing our colleagues in the Senate follow suit.”

Capito has been a long-time supporter of the program, with nearly $20 million in aid coming to 2nd District fire departments since the congresswoman took office.

The legislation approved today is backed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters and the National Volunteer Fire Council.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(The Preceding is an Action Alert from the WVGOP)

Reporting In From the GPSA Conference.

Last week I had the honor of chairing a panel on gender and politics at the Georgia Political Science Association's annual conference. If some folks' ears were burning last Friday in West Virginia, it is because I spent some time informally and on my panel discussing some of the efforts made by many West Virginia Republicans to get women more involved in changing their state for the better.

The presenters put together thoughtful and thorough research about the participation of women in state legislative elections and also the level of ambition to work towards the House of Representatives. One study demonstrated that the presence of women in positions of power at the state or congressional level helped to spur the ambitioon of others. If a role model exists, it helps other women gain the confidence to run. Fortunately the West Virginia Republican Party has multiple models of female leadership that have inspired a lot of women to push ahead in elected office.

Most importantly our women leaders ran on experience, competence, and leadership. No one ever ran on the fact that they were women. They paid their dues, showing the same resilience and ability as anyone else, earning respect through success and/or setbacks. More are on their way up.

After treating the room with the shock that the chair for the Gender and Politics Panel had actively worked for Republican candidates and party groups for the past six years (this was after a couple of remarks on Sarah Palin and really, the look of surprise on some faces was hilarious) I was able to tell them that their research basically reflected what I had seen in the real political world. They claimed that there is little or no actual gender discrimination across the board for either party. Women tend to participate less often than men for a variety of reasons, mostly stemming from the choices they themselves make. In other words, men do not try to shut women out.

Nationally the Republican Party and conservatives in general have tremendously successful models in different fields of active and aggressive women. The panel did not even mention Michelle Bachman of Minnesota or the columnists Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter. Many women in politics embrace a different kind of feminism based on expanding opportunity and choice rather than forcing all women to conform to a certain image.

Women will continue to play an expanding role in politics at every level. West Virginia Republicans have jumped ahead of peers in many other states. Already some are calling 2012 "the year of Shelley Moore Capito." Betty Ireland also has a wide variety of options open after a very successful tenure as Secretary of State. These women and others are poised to play a major role in the coming party shift in the Mountain State.

Congratulations Anti-Smoking Crusaders. You Made Smoking Cool Again.

All the laws you had passed by non elected boards, all the millions in taxpayer dollars spent in education programs, posters and commercials have led to one result. For the first time in fifteen years Americans smoked more than they had the year before.

Smoking received a huge boost in the 1950s because it was seen as a "bad boy" habit. James Dean and Humphrey Bogart dangled them from their mouths. "Greasers" rolled packs in their T shirt sleeves in the movies. It was easy to look a little dangerous, just light up a cigarette.

Two percent more Americans smoked in 2008 than in 2007 according to the Center of Disease Control.

The experts call for more funding for anti-tobacco campaigns. Perhaps we need the opposite. Stop making this habit so appealing. Dancing is so much more fun in a Puritan town because it violates the mainstream "rules" of decent behavior. Stop trying to marginalize smokers through laws imposed by boards that should not have such broad powers. Let's try something else.

Stop wasting taxpayer time and money trying to make decisions for adults. Leave smoking alone and let people make their own choices and live with the consequences.

The Changing Political Map of West Virginia

This is the current political look of the of the state by county. Between 1996 and 2006 the Democratic Party in West Virginia went down from having 63.48% to 57.05% of registered voters, while Republican gained from 29.69% to 30.15% in the same time frame.

If current trends continue, next election cycle Wood county will move into the Red County column, they only need 45 more Republicans. Jackson County will switch to a red county in 2011, and Putnam in 2013. By 2017 the Democrats in WV will drop below the 50% level state wide.

The question is why is this switch occurring? The Democrats have held power in West Virginia since the 1930 election, and the state peaked in the 1950's when the population exceeded 2 million. While the rest of the nation has grown we have now declined to 1.8 million. We are last in all the good categories, first in all the bad categories, and the voter registration shift is a sign the people want change.

Lone American distrupts a major Obamacare Rally

Swine Flu (H1N1) vs Seasonal Flu Statistics

Seasonal Flu

* 5 to 20 percent of the population get the flu (15 to 60 million people)
* More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications
* About 36,000 people die from flu-related causes

Swine Flu

* 7.3 percent of the population has gotten the Swine Flu (22 million people)
* About 98,000 people have been hospitalized from Swine flu-related complications
* About 4,000 people have died from Swine flu-related causes

It appears that statistically the Swine Flu has a slightly higher hospitalization rate, but a much lower death rate. Possibly because the older you are the more likely you are to be immune to the Swine Flu, and the young that are more prone to get it are more likely to recover in a hospital.

(All data from CDC and US Census)

As Nation Honors Veterans, Capito Announces Legislation to Improve Veterans TBI Care

Capito Re-Introduces Bill to Increase Access to Care for Rural Veterans Suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury

CHARLESTON – As the nation honors America’s military men and women, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., today announced that she has re-introduced legislation designed to improve access to care for rural veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Capito’s bill – the Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Access to Care Act – would establish state-level pilot programs with partnerships between local medical professionals and the Department of Veterans Affairs, enabling local providers to support treatment efforts for geographically-isolated veterans.

Currently there are only four Veterans Affairs facilities equipped to undertake TBI treatment, which necessitates lengthy travel for those in need of treatment. The Richmond VA medical facility is the nearest treatment center for West Virginia veterans.

“Traumatic brain injury is one of the most challenging afflictions facing our military men and women,” said Capito. “Treatment is extensive and specialized, placing an incredibly difficult burden on military families who must often travel great distances for treatment. My legislation is geared towards easing that burden by creating avenues for treatment closer to home.”

An injury commonly associated with U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, TBI can lead to a wide range of symptoms that range from persistent head-aches to extreme memory loss, seizures and dramatic personality changes. Approximately 20 percent of all injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan involve TBI and is often accompanied by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can complicate TBI recovery efforts.

The congresswoman on Wednesday also offered her words of thanks and remembrance for U.S. service men and women, particularly in light of Tuesday’s memorial service at Fort Hood.

“As our nation continues to mourn the tragic and incomprehensible loss of life at Fort Hood, it’s even more important that we re-commit ourselves to supporting and honoring our nation’s military men and women,” said Capito.

“On this day when we remember and honor our nation’s veterans, let us also remember the burden carried by our military families. Just as we thank our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, we must also thank their loved ones who support them and serve along-side them.”

“Our nation is truly in their debt, and I hope all West Virginians will take a moment today to reflect on the sacrifices made by our service members and their families. Our veterans have earned at least as much.”

To the Active and Veteran US Armed Forces

THANK YOU!

Don't Jump to Conclusions?

The newest revelations concerning the Fort Hood shooter are now nothing short of outrageous.

Recent information released to the media proves that the Army psychiatrist currently held for opening fire at an Army processing center, killing several, had active and open contacts with Al Quaeda related Islamofascist groups. You remember these guys; we are at war with them. At least we were until January.

Okay so the FBI and the Army blew it on this one. It happens when you have to follow a lot of suspicious individuals. Obama's misstep is even worse. A few days after the terror attack, he told Americans to not jump to conclusions.

I believed him. Honest to goodness I believed him. The president gets the intel and the info so I assume he knows more than I do. He said to not jump to conclusions so I thought it must be an individual nut, not a terrorist conspiracy. Wrong!

You can NOT tell me that Obama did not receive a full briefing on who Hasan was and what he was doing within hours of the attack. And he STILL comes out and tells the country to not jump to conclusions. Once again the community organizer in chief wants us all to settle down regardless of the fact that a terror attack happened at a military installation and American soldiers were killed.

I am mad. You should be mad. Most importantly Obama should be mad! He isn't. He wants us to be calm and not get our feathers ruffled so he misleads the country, apparently not knowing that Republican congressmen can find out the true details on their own. I am sick of the community organizer in chief trying to run American security like a Chicago outreach program. If Obama is not a liar and he himself was not jumping to conclusions, then he is incredibly naive or deluded.

The most incredible fact is that the same US Army who will not grant an officer's commission to a recruit with a misdemeanor on their arrest record will keep a guy around with obvious sympathies for the main adversary of the United States. Stop treating Muslim fanatics any differently than Communists in the 1950s or Nazis in the 1930s. Hint, they might be working for the enemy.

Conservative

November 2009's off year elections have kicked off what promises to be a fascinating and intense time of campaigning. These may be the most important congressional elections of our time because the result will in one way or another change our nation.

A fork in the road lies ahead. In one direction lies government control, muffled prosperity, and less freedom. The other points to the shrinking of government and the burdens it places upon all of us. The middle ground of the way it is now is no longer acceptable.

The Republican Party is struggling to catch up to the libertarian uprising created by Obama and Pelosi's plan to Eurosocialize America. Party officials reflect the past sentiments of the vast majority of party members in days past. I remember only a couple of years ago hearing a current GOP county chair saying that Republicans simply do not protest. We are the respectable party arguing with reason. Then came a political season driven by left wingers who want to impose massive changes that defy reason. Libertarian conservatives got frustrated and decided to fight the left with their own tried and true medicine of protest and mass action.

In some areas there is a gap between the "conservative" movement and the GOP organization. But what is conservatism? Libertarians want action on economic issues, but oppose social conservative positions on marriage and family and some traditional ideas on foreign policy. Social conservatives are wary of libertarianism. Traditional conservatives want a strong foreign policy and prosperous economy and are willing to give on a few principles to achieve that. All of these groups want the Republican Party to support their brand of conservatism and accuse it of selling out if they do not. Navigating through this ideological minefield is a difficult task for party officials. Sometimes they make good decisions, other times very poor ones (such as the NY 23 nominee.)

Conservatism is a vibrant and dynamic movement and each shade of the movement has a slightly different version of what they want America to be. It is important to remember that the differences between shades of conservatism are relatively much smaller than differences between almost any Republican and left wingers. Many independents and Democrats are closer to the general position of conservatives right now than their own party leaders.

That all being said, the most vibrant and energetic element in the freedom loving right is the libertarian conservative. Their calls for change, cut taxes and keep the government out of individuals' lives as much as possible, contrast powerfully with left wing policies that affect freedom of choice. By focusing on economic and personal freedoms, the GOP can endear itself to the libertarian movement and help take back America from those who want it to be Europe.

Martin's Food Evacuated, but all clear sounded

UPDATE: 1:10 All Clear Given

Martins Food in Keyser, WV was evacuated because of a natural gas smell. Local Police and Fire responded and detection equipment detected explosive levels of gas in the structure. As of 11:40 Mountaineer Gas confirmed that the levels were dangerously high but had not located the leak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---------------------------------------------------------

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

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

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

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

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

11/7/2009 - Rep. Capito Discusses Health Care During Debate on Pelosi Health Bill