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.

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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.)