Warming Up to a Historical Perspective on the Climate

Ever tasted Scottish wine? You probably have not, but in the Middle Ages it was considered good enough that the French complained of the competition. The idea of Scottish wine may surprise those that know it is too cold to grow grapes in Scotland. From about the 1000s until the late 1300s temperatures rose to levels substantially (climactically speaking) higher than today. This allowed grapes to grow in Scotland and Viking colonizers to build cities and raise sheep in Greenland.

At this point you may be shocked. Rising global temperatures did not lead to the destruction of all mankind like Al Gore told us they would? During this period urban civilizations expanded across the planet. From central Mexico to the Great Plains to Europe trade and commerce fueled the expansion of cities and nations. The Mayan pyramids, the great burial mounds in the Ohio Valley, and the Gothic cathedrals all appeared in this era. It is called the Medieval Warm Period and it ended in the late 1300s.

The Medieval Warm Period’s warmth was replaced by the extreme cold of the Little Ice Age. The Viking colonists abandoned Greenland to expanding ice sheets, agriculture declined in northern Europe, and the great trade routes connecting eastern North America to the Aztecs and West Coast broke down. Decline in agricultural productivity coincided with the rise of imperial powers such as the English, Spanish, and Five Nations of the Iroquois League seeking to conquer new regions. Only in the 1700s did temperatures gradually climb again over the long term.

Surely this is all the fault of George W. Bush and Halliburton. Although some want to pin everything from climate change to the fall of the Roman Empire on President Bush, he does not control everything. In fact no one can say with any certainty what controls the climate, or even what the climate is doing right now. Some say it is warming, others say it is just fluctuating. NASA revealed recently that the Martian ice caps are melting and that Mars has gotten warmer. Again you could blame President Bush for that, but NASA believes that the sun’s energy output has increased lately.

Thirty years ago Newsweek and scientists warned us that the climate was cooling to dangerous levels and that industrialism was ushering in an ice age. Now these same people want us to believe that civilization is creating a hot spell that will end mankind. There is nothing wrong with trying to reduce pollution and trying to conserve resources. Industrial and capitalist nations have accomplished more towards those ends than any other system in the world. Using scare tactics and lies to frighten the public for a quasi-Marxist and anti-industrial political agenda is despicable.

Who Newsweek Says They Want For President in 2008

On the May 14th issue of Newsweek, the magazine placed on their cover the model for their preferred guy to take over the office in 2009. Immediately I recognized his smiling face as one of my personal favorites in the presidency. This man approached the many foreign and domestic crises of his presidency head on. He always formed part of the solution, even if we did not know about his role until much later. Being a strong willed "decider" won him few friends as time wore on, however. This man's determination to follow through with an unpopular war lost him what little personal popularity he ever enjoyed across the board. By the middle of his second term, approval ratings plummeted to near 20%. He held middle American values which earned him the disdain of intellectuals, which he happily returned.


Media elites saw his plain spoken manner as a sign of non intelligence, also often citing his business which failed in the midst of prosperity. Others mentioned the departure of his first secretary of state, a former general who held the public's admiration and respect, as proof that this president's foreign policy had gone wrong. At the end, members of his own party turned on him and compared him unfavorably to a predecessor with a charm, brilliance, vision, and ability to communicate almost unparalleled in American history. By the end of his second term, however, the economy was stronger than it was when he started and America's leadership in the free world was unquestioned.


No, Newsweek did not have a picture of George W. Bush on the cover. Instead we saw Harry Truman under the headline that asked who the next Truman would be. Since the Man From Missouri lies safely in his grave, liberal media types can safely trumpet him as their ultimate president. Truman rightly enjoys high praise from historians now despite his second term unpopularity. Few want to admit that our current president in many ways parallels Truman and deserves the same consideration for seeing the United States through a very difficult period.


The liberal media fails to acknowledge that George W. Bush follows in the foreign policy tradition of the confrontational Harry Truman. If you want to make them fall into a fetal position and tremble, mention Franklin D. Roosevelt's desire at the end of World War II for the United States to stamp out rogue regimes before they become powerful enough to threaten the peace of their regions, much less the US itself. He learned firsthand that we ought to destroy regimes like Hussein's and Hitler's earlier, lest we commit hundreds of thousands of soldiers and uncountable resources later.


Just because liberals today want to claim Harry Truman (and many of them actually did not in his time!) does not mean they have the right. Today's liberalism was not Truman's liberalism of confident American action. Today's Democratic Party is light years away from the one he led.

Bennie Thompson's War on the War on Terror

Looks like the Democratic Congress is already striking blows in favor of the enemy. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, launched a campaign to eliminate the immunity from civil lawsuits that tipsters now enjoy. If Thompson has his way, calling in suspicious activity aboard an airplane can result in a massive lawsuit against those that turn in the information. Why? Representative Thompson has more concern about the possibility of profiling than the possibility of a passenger filled airplane being used as a weapon. It must have been Thompson’s vast expertise in agricultural and rural issues that got him selected to one of the House’s most important chairmanships.

I will be the first to say that the Republican Congress deserved what it got in 2006. Two years of non productive power earned it a defeat. They had chances to pass legislation to reform the tax code, to save social security beyond 2040, and expand our energy resources among many other things. Instead they played prevent defense, did nothing, and let the Democrats define the issues. In a narrow sense the defeat washed away some old blood and allowed new leaders to rise to the fore, regenerating the Gallant Old Party.

In the long run that may not be good for the nation. Now we have veritable fools running Congress that do not realize that the United States faces enemies around the world. They have held up funding the military for political reasons. Now they try to erode the methods we use to help protect airline passengers every day. Thankfully some Democrats, such as the always sensible Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut (whom the Democratic Party tried to run out of office last year) remember that we are at war with dangerous enemies and need the help of concerned citizens.

Yes, congressional Republicans needed a turnover in leadership and ideas. Hopefully this turnover will not mean a sacrifice in lives, property, and prestige. I tell you though, I would feel much more secure with people like Shelley Moore Capito and Chris Wakim helping to lead our House of Representatives than left wingers like Bennie Thompson and the woman that put him in charge of Homeland Security issues.

The Gov and the GOP

Republicans derisively call him "Mojo." Democrats call him an election in the bag at this point, whatever election that might be. No doubt exists that, were it not for the lunatic left wing of the national Democratic Party, he has a definite future on the national stage if he keeps his nose clean. In West Virginia, if you say "Joe," everyone knows who you are talking about.

He can drive some people to serious distraction. Nearly everyone despises the "Open for Business" signs that will likely last until the next governor is inaugurated. The foolish intervention into West Virginia University's football schedule won him few friends outside of Cabell County. Apart from that, Governor Manchin has pushed an agenda that tends to favor reforms that might eventually make West Virginia more business friendly. He also has made statements that can be interpreted as pro war and is definitely anti-abortion.

All that being said, he is what he is. Joe Manchin remains a product of the Democratic Party's domination of West Virginia. Some might argue that puts him in a unique position to steer more comprehensive change through an otherwise hostile Legislature. Others doubt that a product of the Ruling Party has the capacity to introduce drastically revolutionary reforms necessary to make this state truly prosperous.

Few West Virginia Republicans of any stature want to take him on next year and who can blame them? That being said, the possibility exists that he could succeed an ailing Robert Byrd into the US Senate or even be selected as a running mate of the Democratic presidential nominee. The state GOP must groom a strong candidate for that eventuality. State Democrats may be less prepared for a Manchin defection than Republicans, so a candidate with ability and some stature must run. Robin Capehart comes to mind as one such possibility, but certainly there are others. A standard bearer must emerge that can represent the differences between West Virginia Republicans and Governor Manchin and also take advantage should the presumed Democratic nominee suddenly become otherwise engaged.

Despite the fact that many conservatives like Manchin, West Virginia needs to continue moving towards a real two party system. Competition in politics creates more responsible government. A non entity in the governor's race represents a step backwards not only for the state GOP, but for West Virginia as a whole. We need a man or woman with Republican values, strength of character, communication skills, and charisma to fight the good fight. After all, November 2008 is still a long way off and you never know what may happen between now and then.

Where do you go to get your reputation back?

In a news article in the Times-News it was announced that all the charges were dropped against Sonny Alt. Not only were the charges dismissed, they were dismissed with prejudice. Prejudice implies coming to a judgement on the subject based on false beliefs.

Many people in the community believed all along that Sonny Alt was falsely accused, now the court system seems to agree. Sonny falls in the same category as the Duke Lacrosse Team. Where does he go to get his reputation back? Who do you ask to fix all the damage done to his reputation by the false accusations?

What about the voters, how should they respond? In 2004 Sonny Alt was elected to serve a 6-year term as County Clerk, so now we have disenfranchised voters because he was removed from office based on false accusations.

There were people in Mineral County ready to tar and feather Sonny based on rumor and hearsay, but in today's world you get tried and convicted in the court of public opinion. Mike Nifong even when he knew the accusations were false, refused to drop the case of apologize. The Duke Lacrosse team eventually got a public apology from the North Carolina Attorney General, because he did the honorable thing when when nobody else would. Who will be the first in Mineral County government to do the honorable thing and publicly apologize to Sonny Alt for the damage done to his reputation?

Memorial Day Tidings to the Troops From Rockefeller and the Left in Congress

If you criticize someone when they deserve it, you also ought to take time and praise someone. Although I disagree with Senator Robert Byrd's spoken position on the Iraq theatre of the War on Terror, it must be pointed out that his most recent vote, with the majority against cutting off funds for the war on a certain date, was for the troops. Left wing congressional Democrats have tried to undercut our troops by delaying or even halting funding for them while they still serve in the field. Byrd's vote does not indicate a change of mind so much as it demonstrates that he does not want our troops left without the tools they need to fight. Hopefully it also means that he does not support cutting out in such a humiliating fashion.

Right now left wing congressional Democrats have no concern for America's fighting men and women. They have no concern for those that have supported us and believed in us in Iraq who will suffer greatly if we leave prematurely (or come to the US in large numbers looking for assylum.) They have no concern for America's leadership position in the world, which recent European elections have shown is at a very high level right now. Count Senator Rockefeller among these people.

Except for a handful this stand does not reflect principle, but politics. They see certain opinion polls and change their stripes to reflect what they consider to be the popular mood. Many published polls show a minority supporting the war. Less publicized polls also show that most Americans do not support leaving prematurely. Rockefeller has probably not seen them. He voted for the war, but then claimed he did not understand the information presented to him as ranking Senate member on the Intelligence Committee.

Rockefeller knows that he is vulnerable, but he does not understand that this vote may have killed him should a strong and well-funded opponent appear. With so many West Virginians in the Iraq theatre needing the essentials to fight and do the job we sent them to do, Senator Rockefeller voted to cut off their funds. This will send a loud and clear message that the West Virginia GOP should make sure every West Virginian hears by next fall.

Unfortunately the message from this vote, taken so close to the day when we are supposed to honor our fighting men, sends a message to our enemies as well. It tells them to hang in there just a little longer. Unless moderate, patriotic Democrats and Republicans stand firm, the left wingers can win the war for the terrorists.

Andrew Jackson, Alive and Kicking

Why do Democrats call their yearly dinners “Jefferson-Jackson Day?” Seems to me that the Republican or Libertarian parties have more claim on both of these men’s positive legacies than the Democrats.

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Andrew Jackson is alive and well in American politics and both political parties have failed to recognize him. He was President Bush’s biggest ally in his two victories. Who will he support in 2008?

Of course this doesn’t mean that President Jackson is literally here stumping for his favorite candidates. However his legacy lives on, especially in areas such as West Virginia. In 1828 and again in 1832 Andrew Jackson won the presidency due to the support of the rural backcountry common people. He won because he shared their values. Their frontier upbringing taught them the necessity of a strong national defense. However they also shared a strong distrust for the major institutions of big government and big business. They feared that either of these two elements of the American system could threaten their liberties.

The supporters of Jackson cherished their liberties which included the right to pursue and keep property, the right to defend their property by force, the right to speak openly and freely and exercise their full political rights. Jacksonian Democracy lives on in the rural South. Often Jacksonians are belittled for being reactionary in their defense of individual liberty because others see that kind of freedom as standing in the way of what they define as progress. Since Jacksonians often are poor or have some experience in that condition, they understand that when liberties are curtailed in the name of “progress,” the vulnerable usually end up exploited.

Thus we have the phenomenon of a state like West Virginia that has voted Republican in presidential races and Democratic on the state level. Jacksonian voters mistrust the big government ideals backed by national Democrats like Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama. They also fear the stereotype of Republicans as the party of big business (which is further from the truth than most people realize. For the most part, Republicans believe in capitalist competition as opposed to simply support of big business.) Who will “Jackson” support in 2008? Most likely the presidential and other candidates that have the most respect for liberty and freedom.

What's Fashionable Isn't Always Fair

It's been fashionable for a long time to bash Wal Mart. To some the retail giant presents an easy target. It started in a poor Southern state and grew from one small general store to become one of the largest chains in the world, an all-American success story. Wal Mart caters to the average American, especially those in rural and suburban areas.

Along the way, Wal Mart eliminated many of its rivals. We don't see many G. C. Murphy Marts or Ben Franklins anymore. Low prices, high variety, and an ability to respond to what the market desired meant that Wal Mart succeeded where smaller chains and a lot of small businesses failed, giving more fodder to its critics. This is the American way too. Those that can serve the market best succeed while others adapt or disappear.

Did Wal Mart wipe out small town downtowns? I remember when I was growing up in Ripley in the 1980s, for a time that happened. Ben Franklin and O.J. Morrison's Department store went out of business because they sold the same items at higher prices. However in Ripley and other areas, downtowns rebounded. Small businesses emerged that satisfied more specific market niches. The new small town economy in many areas has seen a more vibrant array of businesses as a result.

Wal Mart serves local communities in other ways. It provides a strong tax anchor for local government and reliable levels of employment. Certainly the wages are not going to enable the workers to buy a Bentley and critics love to point this out. However, like McDonalds and other service jobs with major companies, adavncement is an option to those willing to learn and work hard. Companies with large organizations such as these provide opportunities that G. C. Murphy and O. J. Morrison could not.

Wal Mart also strives to serve communities as a good corporate citizen. On May 19th in Moorefield, Wal Mart is hosting a customer and military appreciation day with all proceeds going to children's charities. I remember a classmate receiving a full college scholarship from Wal Mart because he never missed a day of class. These types of things are discounted or ignored by critics.

As with a lot of similar situations, Wal Mart bashing reflects a deeper attitude because the chain represents capitalism. Its rise from nothing to prominence in a generation proves that anything is still possible in a capitalist America given hard work, ability and the willingness to take risks. Capitalism and success ought not be dirty words. They should be ideals that guide anyone, like Sam Walton, that dares to dream big.

Reforming Apathy in City Elections

If the idea of city government affairs does not fill you with excitement, anticipation, or joy, don’t feel too bad. You are not alone.

This spring, a little over 100 voters turned out for Morgantown’s municipal elections. One hundred voters electing the leadership of the most dynamic city in the state that by 2020 could be the largest. In contrast, West Virginia University has classes with over 300 students. Charleston’s upcoming elections will fare better, already 653 took advantage of early voting. However, Election Day turnout is expected to be paltry with a popular Republican incumbent and a Democratic nominee that has not even campaigned.

Why bother and why care? Local government has more direct effect on the lives of citizens and business than the state or federal systems. Locally the parking issue in Keyser probably brought more people to city council meetings than actually voted for council and mayor in Morgantown. Particularly frightening is the election in that city. Almost any idiot (or in the case of Morgantown, perhaps a Communist) can round up a hundred people to vote for them. Then you get stuck with at best incompetence, at worse corruption. Either situation does not attract continued development and progress.

Ben Beakes of the Secretary of State’s office recommends that each municipality piggyback its elections with those for the county and state. Not only will this increase turnout, but Beakes also states that less need for poll workers and buying ballots in larger bulk saves money. Many West Virginia cities have adopted these measures already.

Voting in city elections makes as much sense as participating in those with larger stakes. A larger turnout can ensure that an extreme or corrupt candidate does not hijack the local government. Each voter gives his or her local government a fighting chance to keep moving their city ahead.

2 Million People Reported Missing

This is just something to think about. In 1950 West Virginia had a population of 2,005,552; in 2000 the population was 1,808,344. I know that only works out to a loss of 197,208 persons over those 50 years, but that is not the whole story.

In 2000 there were 1,941,345 less West Virginians than there should have been had we kept pace with the rest of the United States, in 2010 the estimate shows there will be 2,287,148 less than what there should.

Since 1950, compared to the rest of the nation, West Virginia has been more than cut in half in population and power. In 1950 we had 6 congressmen, now we have 3. This is what happens when you rank last in all of the good categories, and first in all of the bad categories.
During this time there has been one constant. One political party has held power in Charleston, churning out the same bad policies year after year. At some point you have to ask; since this hasn’t worked for the last 57 years, why should it work in the 58th year? How bad does it have to get before we are willing to demand a change?

Thank you

As Memorial Day approaches, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank those who we need to remember this time of year.

First and foremost I thank those heroes currently in harm's way. I thank the soldiers and their support in Iraq and Afghanistan. I also thank every US serviceman. As we have seen for many years, the enemy seeks to make barracks, nightclubs, apartment buildings, and other facilities their front lines. We show appreciation for these gallant men and women at Arlington and other military cemetaries, but we also need to continue to thank these people by supporting their work to extend freedom for others and security for us.

We also ought to show appreciation for those that work in the shadows whose tales rarely get told. Agents of the CIA, FBI, and other agencies have worked long hours and put their lives on the line. We don't know their stories and we should not hear them until it is safe to tell them. Only now do we get to hear the courageous exploits of those that advanced the cause of freedom in wars long past. For now we'll remember at least some of them every time another anonymous star appears at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Memorial Day of course remembers all those men and women living and dead who have sacrificed for their country. Take some time to talk to the few remaining World War II veterans. I wish I still had my grandfathers so I could ask them more about their service in the Pacific and Italy. Remember the Korean veterans because their war somehow has been lost in the historical memory. Thank a Vietnam veteran because our country owes them not only for their service, but also how they were treated for many years after they came home. Remember those that fought in Iraq in 1991 and other smaller conflicts whose names have slipped into history, but inspired feats of courage and duty all the same. Places such as Panama, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, Lebanon, and other areas are not just points on a map but areas made sacred by American blood spilt there in the cause of freedom.

Memorial Day is not just another day off. Especially in a time of war when enemies still conspire against our nation and our soldiers remained engaged, we must take the time to honor all those that have defended our freedom now and in years past.

Capito Should Capitalize Just Fine in 2008

Recently state political pundits reported that State Senator John Unger of Berkeley County recently received complete assurance that he would defeat Shelley Moore Capito in the 2008 congressional elections. Unger should feel secure with his future victory, after all, Illinois congressman Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Caucus, promised!

How lucky Senator Unger is to have a supporter with his finger on the pulse of West Virginia politics. Emanuel’s vast experience with this state, especially with Ms. Capito’s heartland of support in the Potomac Highlands, must give him powers of cognition that the rest of us lack. When Emanuel came to this region and talked at length with the people, it must have been incognito, or maybe we just were not paying attention.

Ms. Capito resembles her father in that her moderate viewpoints and willingness to work with people of different political viewpoints to get the job done have won her tremendous support. She would not continually dominate the Second District unless she performed her job to the satisfaction of Democrats and Republicans. Opponents often point to congressional power rankings that are arbitrary and subjective. However these do not reflect the attention she provides to her constituency. The schoolchildren in Moorefield who raised over $10,000 towards the reconstruction of the Pentagon in 2001 wanted assurance that their fundraising would go to the proper purpose.

Without hesitation, Ms. Capito sponsored the Show Pride in Your Military bill that made sure the funds went to the right place. That will not show up in the power rankings, but it does reflect her care and concern with even non voting constituents. This spring, Capito secured a $400,000 grant to build the Green Spring sewer project in Hampshire County. Rankings also fail to reflect her down to earth personality. I have had the pleasure of speaking with her a few times and she is as approachable and friendly as anyone in state politics.

Representative Emanuel is probably comfortable with his prediction of an inevitable victory should Unger run. Unger, unless he simply looks to be a Democratic placeholder in an uphill battle, should consider the time and resources the challenge will require, as well as the dim prospects for success. Unless Shelley Moore Capito has alternative plans, she will be representing her district in Congress for years to come.

Dump the Drug Dealers and the Judges That Protect Them

You may be amazed to find out that West Virginia law and State Supreme Court of Appeals decisions put together now prioritize enforcement of open dump regulations over breaking up violent drug gangs. Unbelievable? The recent decisions of our state's highest court claim that informants and officers cannot wear recording devices to gather information against drug dealers and gangs without a warrant. Anyone in law enforcement knows that opportunities to collect information on these societal scourges require flexibility and speed. Sometimes police have a very short window of opportunity and the time required to find a judge and get a warrant might be too much to catch a violent gang leader in the act. The US Supreme Court has validated these techniques again and again. Even the notoriously liberal West Virginia state attorney general Darryl McGraw has blasted these decisions. In all fairness this was a divided court, Brent Benjamin being among the justices in opposition.

Now contrast that with West Virginia State Code 22-15A-7. This law addresses open dumps that potentially present environmental hazards. State Department of Environmental Protection officials have the right, upon presenting identification, to search private property and conduct studies. The code plainly states that this represents "an exercise of the police power of the state." The law does not mention court issued warrants. Could it be that the state lacks the power to go into known drug houses to record information, but has the power to waltz in at any time to investigate claims of illegal open dumps? Drug gang leaders come and go without warning and police need the flexibility to catch them. Open dumps that threaten our streams and ground water definitely need addressed. However open dumps do not just jump up and run away at the approach of the DEP. If they did just disappear, problem solved.

With violent drug gangs threatening our state's largest cities and moving stealthily into our small towns, we need to dump the Supreme Court justices that introduce such contradictions into our law.

Fishing for a Reason to Attack Poultry Farmers?

As the days grow longer and the weather grows warmer, the thoughts of many residents of the Potomac Highlands turn to fishing. Along the South Branch of the Potomac, thoughts of fishing also bring concern. For the past few years the fish in the South Branch of the Potomac have experienced unusual events. In some cases minor and massive fish deaths have taken place. Additionally some species, specifically smallmouth bass, developed a condition called intersex. Intersex fish have eggs that develop in the testes, reducing fertility.

The knee jerk reaction would be to blame the main local industry, the poultry farmers. In the past, environmentalists have registered concerns over chicken waste. After all whenever anything happens to the environment, many want to blame business without gathering all of the facts. State and federal researchers currently have no idea what caused either problem or even whether they are connected. Theories abound. Although poultry facilities are one possibility, some scientists note that birth control pills and other hormonal treatments that make their way into the sewage system are not removed by current technology.

Passing judgment before the facts are in about these fish problems means that money could be wasted or an industry hurt. Although environmentalists like to characterize the poultry industry as "big business," in reality it relies upon the hard work of individual farmers. These men and women together form one of the major pillars of Potomac Highlands prosperity. Using them as scapegoats for a problem the state cannot even define yet would be a mistake.

Have you ever read Readers Voice in the Gazette?

To me I find Readers Voice interesting. You get the full gambit of opinion from the tin foil hat crowd to the misinformed to the thoughtful reflection. That is how Democracy is supposed to work. The first amendment states, "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. " Government needs to know when the people see they are doing something wrong. Readers Voice is a good format for that.

There are a lot of things that government cannot change that people are complaining, but some can. There are two people talking about the Brickstreet fiasco. The misspending of government funds in West Virginia seems to be a way of life. Since Brickstreet is a government agency spun off to the private sector, that doesn't surprise me. Brickstreet is holding back West Virginia's economic growth. It is protected by government with a monopoly until July of 08, and then it will have price supports to prevent competition from lowering cost. It is a receipe for continued failure in the states economy. The Workman's comp insurance market must be opened up to the free market, no special treatment for Brickstreet. The free market will provide lower insurance rates helping the West Virginia economy.

One comment I really like, " The Iraq war and the unfair taxation of the Republican Party compelled many of us to work hard for a new Democrat majority in Washington. But, gay rights and anti-Second Amendment legislation are loser issues. That will destroy our Democrat majority in Congress pretty fast. " I think all of us want the troops home, but the war on terrorism is going to be with us for awhile. He has the taxation backwards, the Republican party is the party of tax reform, but read his other comments. I think this guy is a Republican he just doesn't know it.

The people of West Virginia know the issues, but are unsure how to change what needs changed. Some cling to party loyalty, that no longer clings to their beliefs. We tend to hold on to the past even when we know it doesn't work. Perhaps we are afraid of change, but change we must. The public is speaking, but that same public must change its voting habits to make those changes it so desires.

Hot Air Expended Against Wind Power

Last month, Representative Alan Mollohan told the Charleston Gazette that “Wind turbines have a devastating effect on wildlife.” Such claims have a strongly negative effect on popular support for wind energy. It is horrifying to think about a gargantuan machine chewing up beautiful birds and other airborne wildlife. Do the facts back up that image that Congressman Mollohan describes?

The National Academy of Sciences does not think so. An exhaustive 2003 study on birds and wind turbines proves that out of all birds killed by humans in the United States, less than one in ten thousand die in wind turbines. One thousand times more birds die from simply flying into buildings. Of more concern is bats’ attraction to the noises produced by the turbines, however technology will soon prevent those deaths.

As time passes, wind farms will produce more electricity more efficiently. Right now one turbine can produce enough power for 160 homes. With the evolution of technology, that efficiency rate will continue to improve. As far as its impact on the coal industry is concerned, it will likely only supplement West Virginia’s energy production and exports, not completely supplant the use of coal.

Economically speaking, this is an area where West Virginia capital can seize control of a viable energy resource. Independent power producers currently own the bulk of wind farms. With most of our coal and other resources controlled by outsiders, wind will bring increasing amounts of money into the state to stay if West Virginians themselves can develop the farms. Now that wind farms are taxed at regular instead of salvage rates, more incentive exists for local governments to invite this industry to their county.

The main critique besides dead birds is the appearance of these farms. Hill or ridge tops and mountain gaps represent two of the best locations for the turbines, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Walter Cronkite and Ted Kennedy successfully prevented one from being constructed off Martha’s Vineyard, but the farm in Tucker County has developed into a tourist destination. Likely the right shade of paint could render them invisible much of the time from a distance.

Wind farms would take advantage of a natural resource the Potomac Highlands produces in bulk without adding to pollution. It could give the state an opportunity to bring in more money and give counties a broader tax base. If liberals truly care about the environment and actually believe that man produces global warming (which I think is debatable, but that’s a different column) then they ought to get behind the construction of West Virginia wind farms. If not, their professed environmentalism is just so much hot air.

Shutting the Door on Illegal Immigration.

Before World War I a boat arrived in the United States carrying my grandmother, her parents, and several siblings. They hailed from southern Italy which at that time was a land of landowning aristocrats, peasants, criminal bandits, and very little opportunity. My great-grandfather took his family to Barbour County where he started at the bottom laboring as a coal miner.

Like immigrants that come here legally, he worked his way up. Eventually he saved his money and operated a general store and then a coal mine. The family lived in a comfortable brick home beside the current Alderson-Broaddus baseball field. Although proud of their heritage, my ancestors had no doubt what their identity was. I remember my grandmother telling me repeatedly that her father forbade his children to speak Italian. “You are Americans now,” he’d say, “speaking a foreign language around Americans is impolite.” As a result they worked hard and mastered American language and culture.

My grandmother went on to work for many years at Du Pont in Charleston. One aunt went on to teach high school, another uncle for a time was the winningnest high school football coach in Michigan history until his records were eclipsed by his son. Her brothers served their country with distinction in the military. This one story proves that when immigrants respect the law and respect their new country that they can move forward and the country as a whole benefits.

My ancestors faced expectations when they came to this country. The government and society expected that they would obey the law, educate their children, and conform to the language and customs of the United States. Because of these high expectations, they and other Italian immigrants assimilated quickly and within a generation became citizens that could produce and even lead in their new homes.

Contrast that to the current dominant immigrant group. Those that come to our country legally and respect the law ought to be welcome. Their faith in capitalism and America keeps our country rejuvenated. Embracing the American way will speed their ability to contribute and succeed. However the allowing of illegal aliens into America helps to develop a dangerous underclass. These men and women learn and teach how to skirt the law as a way of life. Businesses such as poultry plants force native English speakers to learn Spanish instead of vice versa. Encouraging them to act as parasites on social services they do not pay taxes into saps the strength of our nation and leaves citizens with less. Down the road we will be paying for this with higher taxes and exploding crime rates.

Our state legislature, Governor Manchin, and our local governments need to take a strong stand. Support the hard working legal immigrants that will help strengthen our society, but deny illegal aliens the means to work, live, or sustain themselves here. Illegal immigrants continue to come because market conditions encourage it. They get health care, education, and public housing with few questions asked. Shutting down the market and slamming the door will do more good than a hundred foot high wall. If the federal government lacks the will, then at the very least West Virginia should cease to be a place where breaking the law is rewarded.

Selling Heritage in the Potomac Highlands

It is no secret that the West Virginia economy relies heavily upon tourism. Credit our state government also for exploring innovative ways to bring more people and their full wallets to the Mountain State. The state division of tourism website discusses the future of "voluntourism" and also mentions a conference held last February to promote "agritourism."

Let us suggest a tried and true no brainer approach to marketing West Virginia as a vacation destination. Our erring sisters to the east whom we kicked out in 1861 have carefully crafted over the years a huge Civil War based tourism industry. Virginia hosts untold numbers of visitors to see reconstructions and remnants of that famous conflict. That and the high ratings for the History Channel prove that Americans love learning about war. They will also spend money to see heritage in person.

From before the French and Indian War until "Mad" Anthony Wayne's victory over the Shawnee, western Virginia served as a shield protecting the cities and tobacco plantations to the east. Virginia Governor Dinwiddie in 1756 ordered Colonel George Washington to oversee the construction of frontier forts. Many of these appeared in the Potomac Highlands section and some even survive as modern towns. Fort Ashby appeared in 1755, joined by Fort Defiance and Waggoner's Fort (also known as "Buttermilk") as well as many others. Each one of these installations was manned by some of the toughest and strongest men and women in colonial America. Each fort and each individual stationed therein has a compelling story to share if only people come and listen.

Some communities take advantage of their heritage. Point Pleasant reconstructed Fort Randolph and created a "Battle Days" festival that draws substantial crowds. The Potomac Highlands section of West Virginia ought to combine to form a plan to promote the region's frontier history.

Teach Your Children Well; Our Future Depends on it

Not that long ago, my son came home very proud of himself. He showed me a $5 bill and explained, "Dad! I bought a poster at the book fair for four-fifty and then gave it to another kid for five dollars!" I was definitely a happy father and told him I was just as proud of him as I would be if he made a big tackle for his football team or an important bucket in basketball. It made me proud because, despite all the unlearning about competition and capitalism that the educational system and media for children attempt, he gets it.

Adam Smith and the ideas he discussed in 1776 lie at the foundation of how the world works. Furthermore America itself is defined by the values of liberty and capitalism that give each one of us the opportunity to earn the lifestyle we desire. The opportunity is our right, working hard for that opportunity is our right, the desired end product is not. All too often our children receive the message that fairness only occurs if everyone ends up the same at the end of the process. They also rarely learn the sting of failure. Even in youth sports efforts are made to erase the distinction between winning and losing. All participants are winners regardless of ability or effort. What incentive do children have to work harder and develop skills and talents when incentives to get better are constantly removed from the table?

Last year BB&T invested in our state's future by creating an endowed professorship at West Virginia University. Professor Russell Sobel now occupies the position that requires teaching and research in free market studies. Although this is a tremendous and very admirable step, we need to teach children necessary lessons at a younger age. Competition is valuable. Failure can be the best teacher. Profit is not evil. With these intellectual tools, the greatest nation with the highest standard of living and most opportunity of any in the history of the world was built. Forgetting these lessons means our nation declines, period. Maintaining and continuing to develop our nation's way of life requires that we get back to basics and teach our children well.

The Tripping Point

In the Spring 2007 issue of Capacity Magazine, Congressman Alan Mollohan wrote an article entitled West Virginia’s Economy, has reached the all-important ‘tipping point.’ The congressman states, “In any complex system, a tipping point-that moment when an accumulation of small, easily overlooked changes creates a sudden shift in the dynamics of the overall system-is often hard to see coming but blindingly obvious in retrospect.” I’ll agree with the congressman on the definition of ‘tipping point,’ but will strongly disagree that we are even close to one in the West Virginia Economy.

Those small easily overlooked changes can make a difference in the states economy, but not when you ignore the huge ones staring you in the face. We need judicial reform to prevent the frivolous lawsuits. We need cut our business taxes from the 7th highest in the nation. We need to lower the states workman’s comp rates and we need to streamline the environmental permits process. All of these items combine to make it expensive to do business in West Virginia, and many businesses believe it to expensive, so they go elsewhere.

We need to look back to the ‘tripping point.’ That is the moment when we began to fall, and that was the 1950’s. In the 1950’s West Virginia had a strong economy and a population of 2 million. The blindingly obvious retrospective is; at that time our legal system was fair, we had low corporate taxes, and easy permitting processes for all kinds of businesses. There is no rocket science here, businesses need low cost of operation to be competitive. Those cost rose in West Virginia from the 1950’s forward and the businesses left to areas with lower cost to remain competitive.

That population of 2 million in 1950 is now down to 1.8 million. People see us loosing 200,000 in population from 1950 to present, but that is not an accurate analysis of the data. In 1950 the US population was 154 million; today the US population is 300 million. If West Virginia had experienced the same growth rate the US did then West Virginia’s population would be 3.8 million. That is 2 million missing West Virginians not contributing to the West Virginia economy. It is time we learn from the mistakes of the past 50 plus years, and make the big fixes that will give us a true tipping point.