Bush As Phoenix???

History will judge George W. Bush otherwise, but right now in the summer of 2007 his presidency has grown politically problematic. Except for Texas and some parts of West Virginia and Western Maryland among a few other spots, President Bush's popularity fell through the floor over the last few years. Democrats have grown to count on anti-Bush animosity while many Republicans regard potential mentions of him with anxiety.

Although it is certain that George W. Bush cannot be re-elected, Democrats will make him one of the major issues of the 2008 campaign. They will assault the Republican nominee for president with Bush, wanting to force either a potentially unpopular defense or an equally embarassing disavowal. Congressional Republicans will see the most heat on the issue. Voters will see, hear, and read a steady diet of the Democratic mantra of Bush and Iraq. Unless . . .

From the Democratic political perspective, a potential nightmare scenario has commenced. Some liberal critics of the war have started praising signs of progress since President Bush launched the troop surge. The Kurdish north appeared on 60 Minutes as an island of freedom and prosperity. Add to this the substantial improvement shown in illegal alien numbers since the Bush administration started a crackdown and voila, instant rises in approval ratings. Signs also are evident of voters growing fatigued of hearing constant Bush bashing.

The nightmare scenario of the Democratic Party is this. The September report on Iraqi progress may show little improvement in political developments over July. However Iraqis understand what an American presidential election year means, especially if a Democrat wins. A sense of urgency should result in real advances. Meanwhile the Democratic Congress has accomplished little. Add this to progress in illegal alien control and continued economic strength and the Democrats suddenly appear weak.

A strong and electable Republican presidential nominee coupled with a Bush revival will overwhelm the Democratic party. Bush rising from the ashes in popular opinion is the last thing they will expect, but given the good news on important fronts makes this eminently possible.

Mineral County Republican Executive Committee holds meeting

The Mineral County Republican Executive Committee held a meeting Thursday night at the courthouse to be briefed on the upcoming state Presidential Convention to be held on February 5^th, 2008 in Charleston. Tom O’Neil of the state Executive Committee was on hand to explain West Virginia is moving from selecting a Republican presidential candidate by primary to selecting the candidate by state convention.

Tom O’Neil went on to say by moving to a state presidential convention the West Virginia would become more relevant in selecting a Republican presidential candidate. West Virginia will be the 5^th state to select its Republican presidential candidate behind Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Florida respectively.

Mineral County will be allowed to send 27 delegates to the state convention. The 12 county executive committee members are automatically selected. All county chairs, and Republican House of Delegate members are automatically are selected as well. Since both county chair Bob Harman and delegate Bob Schadler are also county executive committee members they are allowed to appoint two additional people. A vote was taken and Sara Geis of Short Gap and Harry Boggs of Keyser were selected to fill those two positions.

One additional convention delegate for every 1,000 registered Republican voters will be granted, which is 8 for Mineral. All counties that the majority voted for George W. Bush in the 2004 Presidential election will be given an additional 5 delegates. This gives Mineral County 13 additional convention delegates.

The 13 additional delegates are open positions. People wishing to serve must be a registered Republican in Mineral County as of July 1, 2007, and file a request to be a delegate with the state Republican Executive Committee in Charleston. If more than 13 apply, a county caucus will be held to narrow the field to 13.

The 27 delegates from Mineral County will help select the Republican presidential nominee at the state Convention. Christy Barnett of New Creek will also serve as a delegate as she is a member of the state executive committee.

In other business Candy Gordon was appointed to take over the position of Treasurer for the County Executive Committee and Sara Geis will take on the roll of Secretary.

Update from the Republican Convention

Preparations for the convention are proceeding at a rapid clip. We are in contact with each of the presidential campaigns and are providing each one with the information they need as we approach our filing deadline for presidential candidates of September 1. Look for a major announcement right after the September 1 deadline regarding which candidates have filed in West Virginia. Also, our Regional Political Directors are active in each county, answering the important question: How can I become a delegate to the West Virginia GOP Presidential Convention? The deadline to file as a candidate for your county’s at-large delegate positions is November 30, so look for announcements in the press, on our web site and in future issues of the WVGOP Presidential Convention NEWSLINE about the filing process.

–Bob Fish, CEO, WVGOP Presidential Convention, Inc.

Saluting the Keyser Mini Tornadoes and Football Values

Last Saturday the Keyser Mini Tornadoes A, B, and C teams all rolled over their competition from Oakland, Maryland. The game kicked off what ought to be another strong season for Keyser. Another run at the league championship should lie in these teams' future.

Evn more important is what football does for these children. In America today children have few chances to learn real values. Few minors have to do much work these days as their parents or grandparents did on the farm. Many of the schools have transformed into institutions that emphasize self-esteem and rigid enforcement of rules rather than overcoming challenges. Even other sports try to remove the competitiveness by not keeping score. Everyone is supposed to walk away a winner just for showing up even though the kids are well aware who won or lost.

Football is a harsh and unforgiving sport. Each player must work hard to learn their job and do it to the best of their abilities. If someone does not do their job, the team fails, and likely a teammate ends up getting hit hard. Football punishes physically, but helps develop menta and physical toughness. It also teaches the value of hard work and the important lesson that your best on some days was just not good enough. Within football, individual achievement is recognized and praised, but children also learn to work with each other. More than other sports, players learn a sense of brotherhood that comes from experiencing hardship together.

Football has its own value set. With some notable exceptions, the culture encourages pride with humility, strength without boasting. Players celebrating after a touchdown are told "act like you've been there before." There is a reason why the National Football League has the most player pastors of any professional league.

In short, football is one of the last opportunities available to children that teaches how to compete, how to succeed, and how to respond to failure. These values give participants a leg up when they eventually hit the adult world.

How Democracy Dies

Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez took another step towards the final strangulation of democracy in his country this week. He announced a proposal to eliminate presidential term limits and the rubber stamp National Assembly will undoubtedly approve enthusiastically. Venezuela's people will again suffer from Chavez's quest for absolute and permanent power.

Wealthy people, private enterprise, and the middle class definitely suffer. A business climate requires the rule of law and protection of private property. Without these guarantees, investment dwindles and people lose opportunities. The poor suffer as well. They may appreciate the crumbs thrown their way by the government, but the opportunity for real advancement (except through the government) disappears. Even though Venezuela sits atop a major oil pool, the state ownership of much of that resource means that the private sector must kowtow to Chavez. One wonders if Jimmy Carter received a gift basket for his certification of the rigged vote that assured Chavez of continued power.

Term limits have generally defined the limits of our presidential system. George Washington rejected pleas for a third term because he wanted to avoid the precedent of a man serving until he died. Washington died in 1799, two years before his possible third term would have ended. Franklin Roosevelt broke the third term barrier due to an unusual national emergency and served until his 1945 death. Since then a constitutional amendment bars third terms.

America benefits from this limitation. The strain of the job wears down the holder of the job mentally and physically. Few leaders have the kind of political and state responsibilities that the American president has. Early Roman Emperors who shared their authority with other bodies provide a parallel. However the immense power drove many of them mad within their first decade of rule. Being Caesar for too long can mentally unbalance a person, or physically destroy them (like FDR.)

Chavez has few political worries except for a bullet in the head. However he presents a danger to his people and to US influence in the region. Hopefully his murder of Venezuelan democracy will inspire other Latin Americans to hold even tighter to their freedoms. Conversely he has grown into an inspirational figure for loony leftists such as the mayor of Macon, Georgia who requested a partnership with him. Does he think he can inspire revolution here? Likely. His activities require watching.

Hardy County and Cell Phone Service

The lack of cell phone service in Hardy County comes down to one main reason, local government interference in the Free Market. With a population of 12,669 as of the 2000 census, Hardy is a rural county with low population density which makes it hard for companies to justify the cost of installing towers. The government adding additional cost only makes it less likely for a company to make the investment.

About one year ago the Mineral County Planning Commission was presented with a proposed ordinance to limit the installation of new cell towers in the county. The ordinance presented was a copy of Hardy County's, and it was quickly rejected by the planning commission. Mineral Count wants increased cell coverage in the county. Earlier this year Mineral County granted a $300 building permit to put a new cell tower in the Fort Ashby area, that is a far cry from the open ended $5,000 requirement of Hardy County.

It cost, a cell company, about the same amount of money to construct a tower no matter where it is located, but the permit cost varies. In Mineral County a $300 permit puts a tower in a county with over 27,000 persons that works out to just over $0.01 per possible customer. In Hardy County it is a $5,000 plus permit in a county with under 13,000 people, which works out to just over $0.38 per potential customer. It is simple economics keeping cell service out of Hardy County, the permit cost 38 times more than a neighboring counties. For a business or an individual you try to save money whenever you can, and businesses save money by not locating towers in Hardy County.

The answer for Hardy County is simple, if you want improved cell service stop interfering with the free market. You have the disadvantage of a small population, don't add a disadvantage of extremely high permit cost. Lower the permit cost to bring it in line with the neighboring counties. Everybody will benefit. Increased cell service will reduce response time to traffic accidents, increase flexibility for law enforcement and increase opportunity for business.

Interesting Information on Climate Change (Possibly)

The technology blog "Daily Tech" recently published a story that could be a huge blow to the hopes and dreams of anti-capitalist environmental ideologists.

According to this website, which publishes a wide variety of technology oriented stories, NASA's climate change information was faulty. It previously showed that the year 1998 was the hottest on record. Global warming supporters rely on NASA's relatively short term statistics to bolster their theories on climate change. The Daily Tech asserts that a bug associated with Y2K skewed the temperature records. 1934 now stands as the hottest year, with five of the ten warmest occuring before World War II.

The author of the article claims that NASA "quietly" re-released their climate figures and that the mainstream media will likely ignore the story. If true, this removes another pillar from the argument that mankind needs to place more economic decisions in the hands of anti-capitalist scientists and bureaucrats to save itself.

Most other "evidence" comes from correlations and models that get tweaked by their creators more often than video games. Questioning such methods will lead to the truth of the matter whatever that may be. Journalists need to follow up on the Daily Tech's story to see if it has legs, then communicate the results to the mainstream media market. John Stossel? Are you out there?

Update: apparently someone did. Fox News covered the story in their science section on August 11th.

Link to article http://www.dailytech.com/Blogger+Finds+Y2K+Bug+in+NASA+Climate+Data/article8383.htm

Governor Mitt Romney Announces West Virginia Statewide Steering Committee

Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced the Romney for President West Virginia Statewide Steering Committee. The committee includes fifteen West Virginia Republican leaders from communities across the state. Chaired by State Delegate Bob Ashley, these West Virginians will help Governor Romney organize grassroots efforts and will communicate the Governor's message of conservative change in Washington.

Announcing his endorsement of Governor Romney, the Honorable Bob Ashley said, "I am proud to support Governor Romney's candidacy for President of the United States. We need to elect someone with conservative credentials who can take Washington apart and put it back together so that it works better for hardworking American families. Governor Romney does not run from problems, he faces them head on. He is a proven problem-solver and principled leader. I am pleased to chair his steering committee in West Virginia."

Governor Romney said, "With the help of the West Virginia Steering Committee, we will be able to take our message of a strong military, strong families and a strong economy to the voters throughout the Mountain state. As West Virginians know all too well, a strong economy is based on a sound national energy policy. Energy issues are important nationally but I know they're particularly important in West Virginia."

"I am honored to have the support of these West Virginia leaders. I look forward to working with them as the campaign moves forward," Governor Romney concluded.

Last week, the Romney for President Campaign announced its intent to participate in the West Virginia State Republican Convention on February 5, 2008.

John H. McCutcheon, II and Bill Phillips, Jr. are serving as Senior Advisers for Governor Romney's West Virginia statewide campaign.

Background On The Romney For President West Virginia Statewide Steering Committee:

The Honorable Bob Ashley (Spencer) – Delegate Ashley serves in the West Virginia House of Delegates, and is the former Minority Leader of the House. He is also a member of the West Virginia Republican State Committee. Mr. Ashley will serve as Chairman of the Steering Committee.

Patricia Adams (Buckhannon) – Adams is a member of the West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee. She also serves as Chair of the Upshur County Republican Executive Committee.

Mark Blankenship (Charleston) – Blankenship was a member of the senior staff for former Governor Cecil Underwood's Administration. He has also served as an adviser to various political campaigns.

Mark W. Browning (Charleston) – Browning is a member of the Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee. He is an attorney in Charleston and is the former President of the Kanawha County Bar Association.

John Golden (South Charleston) – Golden was the Communications Director for the Bush for President Campaign West Virginia in 2000. He also served on the campaign staff for Underwood for Governor in 1996.

Jeffrey N. Loudin (Elkins) – Loudin was the Director of Administration for the West Virginia Bush for President Committee in 2000. He also served on the campaign staff of Moore for Governor in 2004.

Jerry Mays (Martinsburg) – Mays served as Chairman of the Berkeley County Republican Executive Committee. He also has a prominent presence in Eastern West Virginia Republican activities.

James M. McCutcheon (Parkersburg) – McCutcheon is a former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. He also served on the West Virginia committee for the George W. Bush campaign in 2000 and 2004.

Thomas J. O'Neill (Morgantown) – O'Neill is the Vice Chairman for the First Congressional District of the West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee.

Rick Rice (Buckhannon) – Rice served as a County Commissioner for Upshur County. He was also President and Chairman of the Association of County Officials.

Robert Ryan (Charleston) – Ryan is an attorney in Charleston. He also worked on the Victory Fund with the Republican National Committee.

Patrick Westerfeld (Elkins) – Westerfeld has served as adviser to various political campaigns.

Deborah Wolfe (Huntington) – Wolfe is a former Mrs. America. She also managed several local and regional Republican campaigns.

Kim Wolfe (Huntington) – Wolfe is the Sheriff of Cabell County. He also ran for Congress in 2006 in West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District.

Duane Zobrist II (Lewisburg) – Zobrist is a Greenbrier County businessman and civic leader.

Background on Governor Romney's Senior Advisers For West Virginia:

John H. McCutcheon, II (White Sulphur Springs) – McCutcheon served as the Executive Director for the Bush for President Campaign in West Virginia in 2000. He is also a former Vice Chairman of the West Virginia State Party. He served as the White House Liaison to the U.S. Department of Energy in the Bush Administration.

Bill Phillips, Jr. (Elkins) – Phillips served as Chairman of the Bush for President Campaign in West Virginia in 2000. He was the Co-Chairman of the Bush for President Campaign in 2004. He also served as Chief of Staff for Former Governor Cecil H. Underwood.

The Pursuit of Happyness

Panning the Hollywood stream of movies looking for little gold nuggets of American values presents a real challenge. Most films reflect the liberal, if not extremely left wing, element that tends to dominate the entertainment industry. Last night I watched on DVD a film that shocked me in its dedication to good old fashioned capitalism.

"Pursuit of Happyness" stars Will Smith as Chris Gardiner, a down on his luck entrepreneur trying to hold his family together. He invested all of his money into medical equipment that resembles much less expensive technology and naturally has difficulty selling the products. The backdrop of this film is San Francisco in 1981 during the deep recession that preceded the Reagan era prosperity. At his lowest moment his wife leaves him and he is evicted from his apartment for non payment of rent. However he takes a six month unpaid internship at Dean Witter. Twenty interns get a chance to compete for one position as a stockbroker.

The film runneth over with positive messages of hard work, sacrifice, and opportunity. Ronald Reagan himself appears during one of the low points, giving America a pep talk in some of the worst economic times of his presidency. Of course now we know that his policies helped to build twenty five years of prosperity. This definitely seems to be foreshadowing teh development of Gardiner's own life. The Dean Witter executives come across as real people, not cariciatures of evil capitalist monsters. Material reward for hard work is Gardiner's ultimate goal throughout the movie and never is he presented as "learning a lesson" that some things are more important than money. Gardiner could take a menial job and support himself, but he chooses to live in homeless shelters and on the street while making connections in the business world to help him succeed. His words to his son are to not let anyone ever tell him he can't do something. Even characters that are presented as positive in most other Hollywood films come off as negative here. Gardiner entrusts a hippy girl on the street with a valuable machine, which she steals as soon as he is out of sight.

This film teaches more about what capitalism is all about than any economics class I have ever seen. Chris Gardiner chose to sacrifice, to work hard, and to never make excuses. He risked a great deal for an uncertain shot at success. In the end he was rewarded, but even if he was not, the film suggests he would simply try something else.

"The Pursuit of Happyness" inspires not just because it is a great story. Chris Gardiner is a real human being who eventually founded his own firm. He is a modern day hero in that he endured hardship out of faith. Gardiner had faith in America and its capitalist values. We could all learn from his example.

Ideological Environmentalism Threatens Freedom

For decades Czechoslovakia, now broken into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, felt the boot heel of one of the most brutal regimes behind the Iron Curtain. People in this country know oppression and tyranny when they see it. The Soviet Union in 1947 prevented that nation from receiving Marshall Plan aid to relieve their hunger and suffering. They went to jails, mental hospitals, and execution chambers for their beliefs. Czechoslovakia endured an invasion in 1968 not for trying to leave the Soviet bloc, but only for trying to make Communism more free.

Vaclav Klaus currently serves as president of the Czech Republic. This summer he addressed a letter to Americans through the Cato Institute warning about threats to freedom in Europe and everywhere. Neostatism and the European Union affect individual rights on that side of the Atlantic. Environmentalism, according to the Czech President, threatens all freedom loving people.

Although concern about the environment is common to most people, Klaus identifies environmentalist ideology as a threat. He states "Environmentalism only pretends to deal with environmental protection. Behind their people and nature friendly terminology, the adherents of environmentalism make ambitious attempts to radically reorganize and change the world, human society, our behavior, and our values." First and foremost among the goals of environmentalists is "disbelief in the power of the invisible hand of the free market and a belief in the omnipotence (of the) state." Their major weapon, the global warming issue, comes from science based not on time honored techniques, but on intricate models based upon false assumptions.

Clearly old time Marxism has evolved into a stronger threat to individual freedom and the capitalist system. Al Gore looks a lot less threatening that Vladimir Lenin, but his ideas undermine individual freedoms just the same. At the end of the day, both want to curtail your freedom with the power of the state. Defenders of freedom must avoid being fooled by the rhetoric and see environmentalist ideology for what it is.

Free market capitalism not only has shown itself to be the best way to improve the lives of people, but also the most effective way to develop environmentally friendly policies. Russia and Eastern Europe still suffer from the damage done under Communism. Environmentalist ideology's end result would see the state once again commanding the economy, bringing forth the same terrible results.

Shelley Moore Capito Gives as Good as She Gets

The latest political stunt orchestrated by the Democratic Congress came in the form of a bill that would have caused hardships and complications for our military. Few people understand the difficulties faced by the military as they struggle to deploy troops in different theatres around the world from a 100% voluntary force. Congressional Democrats proposed legislation that, if it passes the Senate, will make the process almost impossible by mandating much longer periods of leave for soldiers serving in Iraq.

Everyone would like to see soldiers able to spend more time at home, but this places severe constraints on the military's ability to operate. As the daughter of a man who served his country with distinction in World War II, Ms. Capito understands the strains that combat places on individual soldiers. She also understands that our commanders need flexibility in making deployment decisions. Some have accused the Democrats of trying to force a withdraw from Iraq by making the conduct of the war much more difficult. In any event Democrats know that President Bush will veto the bill. This is more of a statement than a well thought out bill. It is a ploy to create an issue to use against responsible Republican congressmen and women in 2008.

Shelley Moore Capito represents a district that has a higher than average rate of men and women in the service and knew the Democrats would target her if she voted against it. Six Republicans broke ranks to side with the Democrats and others merely signified "present." She had the courage to vote against the bill, preserving the flexibility of the military. Will this vote appear in a commercial next year? You can bet on it. Did Capito's vote represent political courage? Absolutely.

Once again Shelley Moore Capito shows strength, backbone, and responsibility.

The Gate Test

A few years ago I had the opportunity to hear a speech by Chuck Kinder of the States Auditors Office. During his speech he spoke about the “Gate test.” Basically the test is, if you want to see how your government and economy is doing, you open the gate and see which way the people go.

As a nation, the US is doing quite well on the gate test. In fact they don’t even bother to use the gate on the southern border to get into the nation, any hole in the fence will do. This is a direct reflection on the economic opportunity available in the US. It is people’s nature to want to go where they have greater opportunity to make a better life for themselves and for a large portion of the world that place is the US. The grade for the gate test can be found in the census data. In 1950 the US population was 150 million persons and last year the US population passed the 300 million mark. In a little less than 60 years the nation has doubled. The US has earned stellar grade in the gate test.

West Virginia on the other hand has failed the gate test. In 1950 the population of West Virginia was 2 million. In 1950 we made up 1.3% of the US population. Today there are about 1.8 million West Virginians, 200,000 less than there were in 1950. That number is deceiving. On the surface it appears to be a loss of only 200,000, but today West Virginia only makes up 0.6% of the US population. If West Virginia maintained 1.3% of the US population as we did in 1950, then today there would be around 3.9 million of us. That means in less than 60 years 2.1 million “would be” West Virginian’s went missing. West Virginia’s gates are open and over half left for better economic opportunity elsewhere. That goes far beyond a failing grade.

The loss of population is more than just numbers. We all have family and friends that have had to leave to find opportunity for a better life elsewhere, breaking up the extended family structure that is a corner stone of Appalachian life. The states power in Washington has been cut in half as we only send 3 people to the US House of Representatives every two years, where in 1950 we sent 6. The burden of taxes has increased on all of us and the load is spread over fewer and fewer people. We are all feeling the effects.

We have two options as I see it. The first is to expand the West Virginia government to build a wall like the former East Germany and close the gate to prevent the people from leaving for better economic opportunity. History tells us how that will turn out. The East German government collapsed and Germany reunified. Now with Virginia being ranked at the top in economic opportunity, some may consider reunification a good thing for West Virginia.

I prefer the second option; let’s make the changes necessary to bring economic opportunity back to West Virginia. We need to make our side of the gate more attractive than the other side of the gate. Russell Sobel and his group have developed a blueprint to make that happen if we choose to make the changes. It is human nature to resist change, because change is uncomfortable and there is a fear of the unknown. I once heard insanity defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. We must overcome that fear and make the changes or we will continue to get the same result.

Over the gate to West Virginia hangs a sign that reads “Open for Business,” but when you are going through the gate for better opportunity you only see the blank backside. It is time for a change.

Will Wakim Run?

That's a good question. Chris Wakim may have suffered a disappointing result in his first shot at the United States Congress, but a 2008 run may be the best choice for the state Republican Party.

Why, one might ask. He lost by a margin of about 65-35. Numbers can deceive, however. By all accounts, Republican voters lost confidence in their Congress in the midterm elections. Few people acknowledge this fact, but choosing to stay home is just another form of voting. Unfortunately Chris Wakim suffered from the malaise afflicting the GOP nationwide.

Look at 2008. Next year looks to be different, especially if the Democrats run You Know Who. It does not take a village to figure out that conservatives could potentially swamp the polls to keep their worst nightmare from becoming reality. Nancy Pelosi was a Johnny come lately horror for conservatives. Hillary Clinton is considered only slightly less palatable as a national leader than the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Chris Wakim will benefit from a very strong turnout of conservatives in West Virginia determined to keep the state out of the "Hillary" column.

Why Wakim? He has established himself as a known quantity among state Republicans and now can broaden that base. Wakim continues to work hard for the state party and that means something to the faithful. To be frank, he also has a great issue brewing in the northern panhandle custom made for him. Like many other West Virginians, Wakim comes from a family of recent immigrants. Like many of us, his family came here legally and became citizens the right way. Through hard work, obedience to the law, and determination, they became strong productive citizens. That story resonates with so many West Virginians tired of illegal aliens draining our resources.

If Wakim takes his positive program to the people again in 2008, it will pose a serious challenge to Representative Mollohan. If anyone doubts his ability to win a race after losing before, all they need do is look at the example of State Senator Sypolt of the 14th district. Or look at Ronald Reagan who lost the 1976 primary to an uninspiring incumbent, but won the presidency in the very next election.

Running a new candidate in the 1st district means starting over from scratch. Chris Wakim is the strongest candidate for 2008.

Zoning Is a Class Issue

Proponents of zoning often try to sell the idea of community planning as a concept that benefits everyone. However a recent article by Forbes.com writer Matt Woolsey demonstrates that average people stand to lose when local governments embrace more restrictive practices.

According to Woolsey, Texas shows the strongest economic growth for suburban areas. More importantly "as a result, these areas have some of the most affordable homes in the nation since there is plenty of supply to meet demand." This means that the average family will have less problems purchasing for themselves a piece of the American dream.

Conversely metropolitan Boston has some of the highest housing costs in the United States. Woolsey cites a Brooking Institute study that shows that communities with growth exclusion policies tend to have sharply higher housing costs. This forces those looking for affordable housing to seek out ever more remote areas, creating more of the very sprawl that planners wanted to avoid.

This hits close to home because Mineral County has the potential to catch some of metropolitan D. C.'s growth. If economic development comes, we need growth that will ensure that the children of families that have been here for sometimes hundreds of years will have the opportunity to stay home. Zoning helps to cement a status quo from which only the most elite will benefit. If the county develops and also zones while continuing to drive away manufacturing jobs, this means that it will grow into a more and more exclusive area for upper middle class and rich professionals.

Growth ought to benefit as many of Mineral County's families as possible. This study makes clear that zoning produces higher housing costs by restricting the choice available to buyers. Mineral County families for the most part pay too high a cost already. Zoning under any name will lessen the chance for the average person to get a job while forcing up the cost of living because it pares down choices and opportunities.

Governor Mitt Romney To Participate In West Virginia Republican Convention

Boston, MA – Today, Romney for President announced that the campaign will participate in the West Virginia State Republican Convention on February 5, 2008. Governor Romney's Political Director, Carl Forti, released the following statement on the campaign's commitment to West Virginia:

"The Romney for President campaign is proud to announce our intention to participate in the West Virginia State Republican Convention. We are committed to the state and have been encouraged by the Governor's energized and growing number of supporters. Our campaign has an organization, and a number of volunteers, who are working very hard to communicate Governor Romney's message of conservative change. His message of strengthening the American military, economy and family is resonating across the country, and it's time to bring that message to West Virginia. The Romney campaign looks forward to the state Republican convention in February."

Governor Romney visited West Virginia in March when he addressed the Kanawha County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner. He also campaigned for Republican candidates in West Virginia in October 2006.

What Did He Say?

Isn't it sad when a former president has descended to the level of Rosie O'Donnell?

Jimmy Carter at one point had a fairly strong reputation among not only liberals, but also moderates. Not in 1981, mind you, when he exited office as one of the least effective presidents ever, but later. Throughout the 1980s he led causes such as "Habitat For Humanity" and endeavored to promote peace around the world. Sure he seemed misguided in some of his efforts, but even some conservatives gave him credit for having his heart in the right place.

How times have changed. The election of George W. Bush either threw a bolt loose in his gourd, or maybe it unleashed the real character of the man already there. All the world knows Hugo Chavez for what he is, a brutal dictator in Venezuela. Democracies shy away from him; dictators cuddle up to him. Only Jimmy Carter would certify one of his "elections" as valid. He did so in an effort to embarass Condoleeza Rice who criticized Chavez for election violations that would have made Don Chafin blush.

Recently Carter condemned the United States and Israel for not treating Fatah and Hamas as equals. Say what? In the emerging Palestinian state two factions exist. The Fatah Party comes closest to committing to democracy and peaceful engagement with Israel. Hamas makes its political statements by sending suicide bombers into places where Israeli teenagers congregate. Of course you encourage the peacemakers and try to discourage those bent on killing Jewish kids and destroying Israel.

Either Carter is confused in his mind, or once again he wants to try to embarass President Bush. Whatever his true intentions, the former President has lost most of his credibility. Now, like O'Donnell, people just wait for the next crazy thing to pop out of his mouth.

Commencing Chaos

John Leo of Rudolph Giuliani's Manhattan Institute recently wrote an article about UCLA's graduation problems. Apparently every ethnic group and its uncle plus different gay groups have their own graduation ceremonies, all paid for by the university. This seems like typical California lunacy but take note. Local companies in the Potomac Highlands have already started requiring their employees to learn Spanish. To some, ethnic pluralism means not just respecting differences, but also having the right to have government and other services provided to them in their own language.

Lets look at two nations from around a century ago. Both contained large numbers of ethnic groups with different cultures than the dominant one. The first nation, we'll call it country A, required its groups to assimilate into society, at least to the point of learning the language and functioning in the dominant culture. Country B recognized each of its fifteen major ethnic groups as a unique and viable culture.

The vast majority of country A's ethnic peoples learned to speak the dominant language, but they still retained some of the aspects of their original culture. The groups grew patriotic to the point where they took pride in fighting for it when the time came. Country B saw its ethnic groups demand more and more concessions. When it went to war many of its ethnic peoples turned against it despite the extreme concessions and toleration shown them. That country no longer exists.

Country A is the United States but we have not learned from the positive policies used a century ago. In that case ethnic groups strengthened our nation for a new century of prosperity. Country B, Austria-Hungary, was torn apart because the ethnic groups within it did not assimilate to the dominant culture.

Now Austria-Hungary's fate is not necessarily ours. Many other differences exist that separate the two systems. However it does demonstrate that maintaining strong separation of cultures leads to severe problems. We need to return to the policy of not coddling those that do not speak English. It is not fair to native born citizens, nor is it fair to those that came here and worked hard to learn how to livehere. The more incentive they have to learn how to speak and function in the United States, the faster they will learn.

Coming to America (legally) ought to be the start of opportunities for them and us to benefit each other, but by the standards of this country not the one they just left. It should not be the commencement of cultural chaos.

Poll Results: What is the cause of lack of Economic Development in Mineral County?

In an unscientific week long poll readers of the blog were asked, "What is the cause of lack of Economic Development in Mineral County?" The reader could select multiple answers so each answer is out of 100% polled. Below are the results.

County Officials Actively Keeping Business Out	66%
County Officials Not Understanding Business Needs	44%
The States Business Climate	33%
I disagree Mineral County has an expanding economy	0%

The Party of 50th Place: WV Democratic Party

Chris Stirewalt made an interesting observation in a recent editorial in the State Journal when he called the WV Democratic Party, the party of the 50th place. The party in charge is the one that sets the agenda, and should suffer the consequences. In the last congressional election we saw the Republican Party taken from power for the War in Iraq. So with West Virginia now at the bottom, do the Democrats have a similar fate in store for 2008?

Chris also made another observation that the Republican Party in West Virginia was not able to follow the lead of mid-west Republicans or southern Republicans in advancing the party in this state. West Virginia as a state doesn't like to be pigeon holed. We don't fit neatly where others wish us to be.

In Joel Garreau's book The Nine Nations of North America he lays out 9 distinct regions across North America that share cultural and economic connections. Again West Virginia defied description. In good economic times he stated we are part of the industrial north, and in bad times we belong to Dixie.

We have been very successful in not allowing others to define us. However under the Democratic leadership of the past 50 plus years we have managed to define ourselves economically as 50th. While we used to say, "Hey, at least we are not Mississippi" now Mississippians are saying, "Hey, at least we are not West Virginia."

Now is the time for West Virginia to redefine its economic self. We must do this from the inside with changes in leadership. We have allowed the party of 50th define us, now it is time for a change. We have no place to go but up. We need leadership that understands economic freedom brings prosperity. If the WV Republican Party can get out the message they are that party the future may begin to get brighter.

The Memory of Johnny Reb

On a business trip to Richmond last week I decided in the little free time I had to try and poke around to see some of the city's history. Whoever kept up the John Marshall House did an outstanding job. The gardens are beautiful and the whole property is a fitting memorial to this influential, but unprententious great American.

The memory of Richmond's temporary status as a national capital (at least according to some folks) has not survived nearly as well. Jefferson Davis while chief executive of the Confederate States lived in that country's own version of the White House. The rear of that building has fallen into disrepair as the gigantic Virginia Commonwealth University hospital has grown up on three sides of it. Behind the Confederate White House sits the Museum of the Confederacy, a typically ugly 1970s looking structure more reminiscent of the Soviet Union than the Old Dominion. The effect created by the position under the towers of the surrounding hospital is not unlike the shoving of unwanted items into a closet.

Richmond has grown into a vibrant community striving to portray a new face of ethnic diversity and a dynamism fit for the 21st century. It obviously has tensions regarding its past role as leading city of the Confederate States of America. This need not be the case.

The memory of the Confederacy has suffered over the years from an oversimplified approach. People want conflicts painted in a "good guys versus bad guys" manner and the Civil War belies that. Although slavery played a role in the coming of the Civil War it was not the main cause. The rights of the states and defense of one's homeland mobilized many hearts to fight for the South. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was considered a campus radical in Virginia for constantly breaking the laws concerning the education of slaves. He opposed the institution as did Robert E. Lee. At the close of the war, a regiment of black troops in Confederate gray marched through Richmond. Slavery was a tremendous injustice and contributed to the Southern defeat, but it did not make Southerners "bad guys."

Northern heroism deserves just as much mention. Thomas Carskadon of New Creek among many others risked his life for the dual principles of the State of West Virginia and the Republican Party. It is fitting that both Confederates and Unionists receive respect and admiration for defending their countries and standing by their principles even when it meant sometimes sacrificing all.

Finish It Already!

Representative Steven King (R) Iowa has a point, although he did bring it forth in a very melodramatic fashion.

In a committee meeting concerning the budget of the FBI, King proposed that $1 million be allocated to finish the federal investigation of Representative Alan Mollohan (D) 1st district. Although he did not mention Mollohan by name, his description left no illusion to whom he referred.

In a sense it was a cheap political ploy to return Mollohan's name to the news to counter the investigation of Republican Senator Ted Stevens, but it does raise a real problem. West Virginia's voters need to know the truth about their congressman. Mollohan himself would probably sleep better with closure, if he is indeed not guilty. Long drawn out investigations of public officials either destroy the reputation of the innocent or perpetuate mistrust of a government system that allows criminals to keep office. Although Mollohan acted correctly in recusing himself from deliberations concerning the Department of Justice, the cloud remains in place until the investigation reaches a conclusion.

The next congressional elections are coming up quickly. Voters, potential candidates, and the incumbent himself need to know where this investigation is going. The First District deserves nothing less than the truth on this matter as quickly as possible.

Michael Garrison Visits Potomac State College

Potomac State College welcomed incoming West Virginia University president Michael Garrison today. In front of perhaps sixty faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and other locals, Garrison held a question and answer session that lasted around an hour and a half.


Many questioned the process that led to Garrison's hiring. He held a post in the administration of Governor Bob Wise and had strong connections with state higher education officials. Garrison came under fire even before his hiring. West Virginia University faculty argued that his law degree and state government experience failed to meet the standard of credentials that a university president should have. Garrison's supporters reasoned that political experience and connections would be an asset to a university president trying to fight for a proper share of the state budget.


In any event, Garrison was chosen to lead West Virginia University and by extension Potomac State College. His visit to Keyser formed part of a tour of all the university's branch campuses to hear the comments and concerns people have with WVU leadership. Most comments centered around the expansion undertaken in the past two years under outgoing president David Hardesty. Enrollment and capital expenditures increased dramatically in that period.


Garrison gave a few clues about his vision for the future of the school. He repeatedly emphasized "managed growth." This indicates a conservative outlook about making sure the school has resources before more expansion occurs. Resources not only include the budget, but also faculty, staff, and infrastructure.


Some criticism centered around Garrison's youth, but he handled a few difficult questions well and with assurance. His comments about West Virginia University and Potomac State leave a lot of room for optimism. Garrison is not the empty political suit that some made him out to be. However time will tell whether his vision unfolds successfully or not. Other clues to that vision can be found in statements to the Charleston Daily Mail that he considers athletic success to play a prominent role in the university's image.


Garrison's youth and quick rise to prominence as captain of the state's flagship institution most certainly begs the question about his future. Likely if his presidency proves successful, Garrison will become one more Democratic Party name with whom Republicans will have to contend.

The Fine Art of Persuasion

Persuasion is less a science and more of an art form. However this art, like many, has maxims that hold truth. For instance, say you generate a message. This year it sounds preposterous, right on the edge of believability. However get some money, celebrities, and experts to sign on and you have a fringe movement. Repeat the message often enough and it creeps onto the edge of respectability. From there it becomes accepted. Left wingers specialize in manipulations like this and we have seen it. Mountaintop removal will destroy every mountain in West Virginia. Global warming exists and it will destroy mankind.

Why does the Left not advance arguments that they can more firmly ground in fact? For example, every global warming story relies on correlations. You can draw correlations between the drop in popularity of baseball and the dubious climate change numbers they offer. These messages rely on their very extremism, not facts. They assume that people may not swallow the whole idea at once, but act on the principle of "where there's smoke, there's fire."

The more extreme the message, the more you can shift people's attitudes in the long run, potentially anyway. We can argue that mountaintop removal mining has benefits and drawbacks and that coal companies ought to respect as much as possible the environment they affect. Also we can argue that reducing pollution through technology and other means is a commendable goal. However since those ideas are not that far from people's mainstream points of view, they do not cause major shifts in popular belief. It's easier for liberal leftists to say that all the mountains will be gone someday or that the world will end up uninhabitable. Some may balk at what I am saying, but think of the pro-abortion and animal rights movements over history. Look at how messages currently undermine the idea that a person has the right to eat what he or she wants and the responsibility to deal with the consequences.

What is the point in the Left's messages? It is anti-capitalism and anti-freedom plain and simple. Some of the messages show some coordination, others are merely inspired. An element in the United States wants to fundamentally change how people in general view economics and society. They want to move the country farther away from individual rights and responsibilities towards a collective mentality where government acts as parent. Or perhaps as Big Brother.

They cannot do it directly through revolution so they attack on the fringes using proxy issues. The base messages are always the same. Capitalism is evil. People are not smart enough to take care of themselves or their environment. Authority needs to do it for them. Perhaps if more people become aware of how the messages try to manipulate them, they will know to resist them. They are counting on you to not think about what they say, but to accept it even just partially. Don't do them the favor of unconditionally accepting it.

How Powerful Is the Liberal Media?

From time to time people like to question the real power that the liberal media has over public perception. Consider these facts and then think about all the recent stories citing polls that say Americans think the country is going in the wrong direction.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average just topped 14,000 for the first time ever. Our economy has expanded constantly since 2001 despite attack, war, and natural disaster.

The United States has not been attacked since 2001. Sure Al Quaida was just called the most dangerous terror threat to the United States, but that has been the case since the 1990s.

Iraq currently has a government with over a million civil servants. They also have 55,000 police officers with 3,500 graduating into the force every two months. A stock exchange has operated there for almost three years. According to Lieutenant General Graeme Lamb of the British Army, coalition forces now work in various areas to construct economic and political structures that thrive even when they leave. Terrorists have fewer and fewer places to operate as a result.

Thirty years ago the liberal media called attention to starving children in Appalachia. Now it blasts the government for callously letting poor children get too fat.

In what other country at any other time did every individual have so much opportunity to better themselves through education? Well, name a country that did not tax the individual at over 50% once they did make something of themselves.

The people of France and Germany (who we have been told despise the United States) both elected governments in the last few years determined to not only have better relations with America, but reform their economies to be more like the US!

This country is going in the right direction in many ways. The groundwork started with President Reagan who created a foundation of power and prosperity that makes us the envy of the world. Every responsible person should look at our country and the blessings of liberty and opportunity it bestows upon us all and thank the leaders who helped bring us to this point in history. Next year voters need to remember which party has consistently worked for the strengthening of our nation as opposed to condemning basic American values and choose accordingly.

Water pressure concern at Mineral County Planning Commission meeting

Residences of the Fort Ashby area voiced their opinion to the Mineral County Planning Commission on Thursday night. Ashby Crest subdivision located near Painter Hollow Road could add up to 35 additional homes on what locals call an over taxed water system. One local resident stated he only had 8 psi of water pressure at his home.

The subdivision received all proper permits from the Frankfort PSD to hook on to the water system, and were aware of the pressure problem. The developer said he would be installing a booster pump for the subdivision, so the new homes would not experience the same water pressure problems.

County Health Department official A.J. Root said that the PSD was required to provide at least 20 psi of water pressure. Planning Commission President Clyde Burdock conferred if he lived in that area he would not put up with 8 psi of water pressure, and suggested that the people contact the state Public Service Commission.

Kolin Jan felt that the planning commission should not approve the subdivision. County Planner Scott Clay informed the commission that the developer had met all the requirements for the subdivision, and that this developer had presented the most complete plans he had seen going well beyond anything required by the code. He went on to state, "the Planning Commission could be sued if they did not follow the law", as Mr. Jan suggested. Clyde Burdock followed by saying the Frankfort PSD is at fault if they approved the permits without doing the proper checks and inspection.

Several citizens stated they had no complaints with the developer, and wanted the growth as it would help their property values. Their main concern was the lack of water pressure and a fear that the subdivision could aggravate the problem.

Also at the meeting Frank Roleff pointed out that at the June Planning Commission meeting the Planning Commission stated that when the County Commission made new appointments they should try to give equal representation to the different areas of the county. At the time of the June meeting the north end magisterial district had 4 members, the Keyser area district had 2 members, and the southwest part of the county had 3.

With resignation of Mr. Welch from the north end prior to the June meeting, the Planning Commission suggested that 3 persons from the Keyser area be appointed or re-appointed. This would have given fair and equal representation to the planning commission from all parts of the county with an even split of 3, 3, and 3. Mr. Roleff went on to point out that this recommendation was not followed and the north end now has 4 members, the southwest 4, and Keyser district only having one member, and he felt the different areas of the county were not fairly represented.

Capito says taxpayers should not pay to house illegal aliens

If your going to immigrate to the US, then you need to do it legally. Many of our ancestors came to the US for a better life, and most came legally. Apparently until Shelley Capito closed the loop hole illegals were getting housing assistance. The loop hole was located in the Section 8 Program.

Congresswoman Capito stated, "Loopholes in current law, like this housing assistance loophole for illegal immigrants, act as a magnet and invite people to enter our country illegally. We should not be rewarding those who have come here illegally by awarding them taxpayer-funded services intended for law-abiding citizens.”

The congresswoman closed the loop hole by adding an amendment requiring two forms of id to prove the housing assistance applicant was a legal US resident. The problem is not one being faced by West Virginians alone. In the Denver, CO area over 20,000 illegal aliens received FHA home loans. She explained, “We must take this opportunity to strengthen a successful federal program to ensure this benefit is only provided to legal residents.”

Both WV Congressmen Alan Mollohan and Nick Rahall voted to continue to allow illegal aliens to receive US taxpayer assistance. The Capito amendment passed 233-186 blocking future housing benefits to illegal aliens.

What Patton would say about the current War on Terror

I thought somebody did a pretty good job on this, and does highlight what many on the left don't understand.

Is Mineral County running out of water?

At several planning commission meetings over the past 2 years I have heard people claim that Mineral County is running out of water. Now living here my entire life I have never thought that Mineral County is running out of water. The water may not be distributed properly throughout the county currently, but it is nothing that couldn't be done. There is a fair amount of water at Jennings Randolph Lake that could be accessed if we needed, so the people saying we are running out of water are just trying to scare people.

If anybody has driven past the filtration plant in Keyser and looked at the dam, you may have noticed that the water is not going over the spillway. New Creek is very low right now, but money was available through Homeland Security provide backup water supplies throughout the country. 18 miles of pipe would be needed in Mineral County to provide that security.

4 miles of pipe could connect New Creek Water to Mountain Top Water System. 4 miles would connect Keyser to Piedmont, 1 mile to connect Keyser/New Creek to Burlington/Fountain and the long one of 9 miles to connect Fountain to Frankfort's system. At about $200,000 per mile of pipe construction, this would be about a $3.6 million project. Once completed in an emergency any water system could pull off another to continue service. Put in perspective the $3.6 million water security project is less than a 10th of the $40.0 million north end sewer project.

It is hard to say which is the most important project. I would tend to believe that clean drinking water would top the list, but we don't have to pick as the funding sources are different. We have an opportunity if we choose to take it. I will build better infrastructure for future economic growth in the county, and because it will help bring jobs to the county some will oppose it.

The "Big Lie" Means it is Desperation Time For the Democrats

The "big lie" technique represents one of the biggest weapons in the liberal arsenal when it comes to campaigning. One example lies in 2004 advertisements in Florida blaming President Bush for hurricanes. Democratic strategists believe that if they tell a big enough lie, they can convince voters that maybe part of what they say rings true. "Big lie" campaigning smacks of desperation; it means they have absolutely no rhetorical arrows to fire.

Democrats hauled out the "big lie" over July 4th against Shelley Moore Capito when they accused her of not supporting the troops. They know West Virginia is a state with many sons and daughters in the military and hope this blatant lie can get traction. With few complaints against the incumbent and a weak opponent, Democrats have few options.

In fact Capito has voted consistently to support the troops. She joined with many Democrats, including John Murtha (D) PA in rejecting a raise for the troops that would have drawn from the overall fund for the war. They agreed that drawing the money for raises from the war fund meant troops would lack other necessities. Capito did support a raise at a different time. These accusations against the daughter of a World War II hero are absolutely ludicrous. As much as it must pain Capito and her family to hear such lies disseminated, she must take some heart in the fact that her opponents have no factual issues from which to attack her.

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In a victory for transperancy and accountability to the taxpayer, Congresswoman Capito also must be saluted for early release of her earmarks request list. They include funds that will assist programs and infrastructure throughout the Eastern Panhandle.

The Power of the (New) Press

Hillary Clinton must seem like a magician to Hardy County Democrats. Supporters such as Planned Parenthood tried feverishly to create a fundraiser for her in that area, but for whatever reason it fell through. The major issues seemed to be either use of state employee e mail to promote the event or the fact that West Virginians did not seem willing to give large enough amounts of money to her campaign.

The magic comes in with the revelation that no fundraiser was ever even planned in Hardy County. Hillary Clinton, much like her husband, believes in the power of bald faced denials to shape what people see as the truth. They put facts into their magic hat, wave their hands, and make them disappear, all the while assuring you that they have nothing up their sleeves. And everyone that accuses them of having something up their sleeves must be part of that dangerous vast right wing conspiracy. The power of the new press foiled their trick this time.

Gary Abernathy's Republican Gazette takes pride in its partisanship, but it also does West Virginians a real journalistic service. It stayed out front on the Hillary Clinton story and the accumulating embarassments surrounding this debacle. When Clinton's campaign denied the existence of a fundraiser, the Republican Gazette produced the invitation asking folks to pay a lot of money to join her at a Moorefield hotel.

Certainly in this new age of internet journalism, one must practice caveat emptor more than ever. However internet journalism was first to reassure Hardy County that, yes, there really was a fundraiser planned for their lovely part of the state, despite what Hillary Clinton herself might say.

West Virginia Economy will now start looking up according to Forbes

It is not starting to look up because the economic conditions in the state suddenly got better. It is because now have no place but up to look. WE ARE NOW DEAD LAST! We are now ranked number 50 in best places to do business by Forbes. Ironically the mother state is number one. Now diametrically opposed in business climate, West Virginia and Virginia are the ying and yang of state economic models.

The blue print for prosperity has been written, but we need a state legislature that will in act the changes. Russell Sobel of WVU has laid it all out in Unleashing Capitalism. This book is a must read for everybody in West Virginia that has had family leave to find work.

Many of you will say I'm beating a dead horse because nothing will be done. While I look at it more as trying to get the dead horse out of the way. It is not really a dead horse, it is more of a dead jackass. The one thing standing in the way of making the reforms needed to make West Virginia's economy grow is the Democratic Party.

The truth of the matter is we know exactly what needs to be done. We have for sometime. You only need look next door at Virginia. Low taxes, tort reform, and low workers comp. The Republicans have tried to pass the reforms, but Democrats have been obstructionist in the states economy.

The book Unleashing Capitalism is a non-partisan look at the states economy and how to fix it. As the man said, "Read The Book!"

Economic Growth means money for roads

The US 50 Association met on Wednesday in Garrett County, MD. Yes, I know this is a West Virginia blog, but the US 50 Association is made up of 5 West Virginia Counties. It was just Maryland's turn to host the event.
This meeting had a featured speaker of Joe Deneault of West Virginians for Better Transportation. Joe gave a very detailed report on the state of roads, funding, and the future. The future is not good, and as everybody knows it is funding. The state has more than 1/3 of its bridges needing replaced, and 30% of the roads are substandard and no money to make the fixes.

The discussion turned to funding sources. Mr. Deneault stated that the public indicated that no increase in taxes would be acceptable. I agree, there is too much government waste in this state to require a tax increase. If we can get spending under control in Charleston, we will not need to increase taxes. West Virginia has the highest number of state employees per capita, than any other state. That means all of us that work in the private sector pay for a government that can't service our needs. It is time for a change.

When asked what other states have done for highway funds, the response was Toll Roads in populated areas, Tax Incremental Financing in growth areas, Private-Public Partnerships on toll roads, and selling toll roads to private companies. Toll Roads seem to dominate the idea to get around taxes. Toll Roads are still a tax, they are a use tax paid each time you use it. Private-Public partnerships were called Corporatism by Benito Mussolini and I'm not sure that is Mussolini is a good roll model for West Virginia. Selling the toll road to a private company would be a good idea. The money sink of Tamarack would no longer be a drain on the state. When government tries to run a business it usually ends up costing the taxpayers money.

The last is the TIF districts. I have mixed feelings about these. I think the can be good for small targeted projects. Mineral County is using a TIF district to build a traffic light for the new hospital south of Keyser and that makes sense. Unless of course the hospital gets sold to a non-profit at which point the county will get stuck with bill, because non-profits don't pay taxes.

The answer to increase the money available to the WVDOH is simple. Cut the waste in other parts of government and make the changes needed to attract businesses to the state. We are dead last in best states to do business. When those companies locate in other states, they pay no taxes here to use on the roads.

Does Mineral County Want Economic Development?

I've been hearing about all this hype about the economic development in Mineral County..
My question is... Where? I see no businesses coming in.. I see no "new" jobs being created.

The facts indicate we don't want development. Mineral County Development Authority President Dwight Lambert said, "We could have gotten rid of that (Fort Ashby) park last spring however, I interceded. We have had numerous prospects, but we're not going to let every Tom, Dick and Harry put something in there." As Charles Smiley said in a letter to the editor, Tom, Dick and Harry were businesses like American Woodmark, Rubber Maid, Smith Transport. All good paying jobs that can support families.

In 14 years the only movement in the Fort Ashby Industrial Park, was ThermoGauge moving its 5 employees from one side of Fort Ashby to the other. An increase of zero jobs in the county, while companies employing 25+ have been turned down. I have heard that a minimum of 25 employees per lot have been required for a sale, so shouldn't ThermoGauge be required to have 50 employees to purchase 2 lots? Do we have double standards, or no standards at all?

West Virginia ranks at the bottom in Economic Growth, you don't get to be picky. You take the companies paying good wages, so that people do not have to move away or drive to Northern Virginia everyday to work.

An observance at the Republican Summer meeting

Former US Congressman (WV-3) Mick Staton made an observation that a large delegation from the eastern panhandle was present. Considering that the meeting was held in Huntington, about as far away from the eastern panhandle as you can get, this reflects two trends in state politics.

The first is that the growth in the 7 eastern panhandle counties is showing its growing political power. A trend that will only continue. The 2010 census the population increase will pull a full senatorial district and 4 house districts into the eastern panhandle. We are beginning to experience a fundamental shift in power geographically that has seldom occurred in state history. One that will strain existing bounds and create new alliances and new ways of doing political business in the state.

The second is with Mineral, Grant. Berkeley, and Morgan Counties all Republican majority counties the shift is a Republican shift. Probably the real reason that the Mick Stanton saw a heavy showing from the eastern panhandle at the meeting. The first serious candidate for Governor in 2008, Bob Adams, was making the rounds. Out of Jefferson County Bob represents the growing importance of the eastern panhandle to the growth of the Republican Party in the state.

The growth of the population of the eastern panhandle and the shift to Republican majority is an opportunity for the party to exploit. My grandfather had a saying, "You whip the horse that pulls." While it is important the for the party to work state wide to increase Republican voter registration, the Republican party needs to push harder in the counties showing the highest growth.

Rick Santorum as a Senate Candidate against Rockefeller?

With John Raese not currently on board for a 2008 Senate run against Rockefeller, and Shelley Capito concentrating on her house seat the Republican Party in WV left looking for a candidate. The name of Rick Santorum has come up as possible candidate to run against Rockefeller.

That might not be a crazy and idea as it sounds. Santorum was born in Winchester, Virginia but spent some of his early life in the Martinsburg area before his family whisk him off to Pennsylvania. That would make him much less of a carpetbagger than Rockefeller who was born in New York in 1937 and never moved to West Virginia until the mid 1960's.

Rick Santorum is a former US Senator from PA, and well known in the northern and eastern parts of West Virginia. One important thing that Santorum can bring to a Senate run against Rockefeller is the ability to fund raise. According to his 2006 FEC filings, Rick raised $24,790,468 for his senate campaign. While Rockefeller could fund his own campaign, in the last election the FEC shows him raising only $2,637,717. Byrd only raised $5,114,217 during the 2006 campaign.

Currently working for the law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellot with offices in Pittsburgh and Washington, DC, Santorum could easily take up residency in the Wheeling or Martinsburg areas.

Rick Santorum as a candidate for US Senate from West Virginia might not be that far fetched as it would first seem.

Recycling Just Not Feasible

In principle, recycling is a good idea. Reusing already processed materials over again can reduce stress on the environment in the form of resource extraction and garbage. However principles must always balance with reality as the Hampshire County Commission has discovered.

When studying the Monongalia County model Hampshire County's leaders concluded that even with a $100,000 start up grant, a program could not maintain itself in the long run. Hampshire shares the same problem as the rest of the Potomac Highlands counties studying this issue. A disbursed and low population combined with prohibitive expenses means recycling end up being an intolerable financial burden. Not to mention that recycling requires more than just the placement of bins. People need to spend time separating the various components and also need to refrain from simply dumping all their garbage in the bins.

Recycling has grown so prevalent around the country that a low level of demand exists for these products. It is not worth the money for a private firm to pick up the materials from rural areas when cities provide a glut. Most local governments also cannot afford to pick up the tab when they cannot even pay enough money to maintain a full complement of sheriff's deputies.

The best hope for the idea of recycling lies in the forms that people can do most easily. Promoting the reuse of plastic containers or glass jars instead of purchasing Tupperware type products is one way. Others recycle old auto parts. They keep non running vehicles on their property for parts to maintain cars that do still run. This conserves valuable metal resources.

However at this point, expecting the taxpayers to pick up the tab for recycling just is not feasible for rural West Virginia counties.

Election 2008 holds importance for a lot of reasons. One of the more interesting issues that we face in this election is a discussion of what it means to be conservative. What issues drive Republicans and conservatives in general?

It boils down to the nominee Republicans select for the presidency. Certainly Rudolph Giuliani has the visibility and experience. His economic credentials indicate that a Giuliani administration will make tough decisions regarding the budget and work back towards balance. The potential leadership Giuliani brings in terms of managing our economy and getting our budget under control could lead to true reforms in social security and the tax code. President Bush pushed these issues hard and gained no traction. Giuliani might succeed where Bush could not in this sphere. Additionally a Giuliani administration likely will support less burdens on business. This would help set the country on a sound economic path for decades to come.

Giuliani appears questionable on the very issues that former Senator Fred Thompson has used to garner strong support. Fred Thompson has strength in economic conservatism, but has also earned the support of social conservatives. The Tennessean strongly opposes abortion and same sex marriages, issues that galvanize conservatives in rural America.

Liberals already speculate that social conservatives would not turn out to support a Giuliani campaign. Perhaps if they nominate a non-entity like Obama that might be the case. Conservatives of all stripes dislike intensely Hillary Clinton and would vote for a dead cat rather than see her in office.

Conservatism in America lies at a crossroads. The nominee Republicans select for the presidency next year will strongly determine what conservatism will look like for a long time to come.

This Is What Some Mineral County Leaders Want

John Paul Hott is an angry man.

The Petersburg insurance agent recently had his application for rezoning denied by the Petersburg City Council. He wanted a house zoned residential reclassified so that he could operate his business from there. The council listened to neighbors opposed to the location of the business and denied the request.

Apparently the city of Petersburg acted improperly. The mayor and city council were not aware of the existence of a zoning appeals board that was created by ordinance to handle such issues. Hott blasted the city council not only for incompetence in not knowing the law, but also for not recognizing a conflict of interest. Hott maintains that the city council contains members whose interests or whose family's interests conflict with his business.

Some in Mineral County push very hard behind the scenes to incrementally move the area towards zoning. The Petersburg example shows the pitfalls of this process. A legitimate businessman's interests get caught in governmental decision making. Instead of conducting his business to the benefit of himself, his employees, and frankly the city itself, Hott is considering a lawsuit. He might sue because the city did not follow the law in rejecting his application.

It also shows the problems that might occur related to conflicts of interest. Likely the Petersburg City Council operated in good faith. However the potential for striking against a business competitor, or the competitor of a friend or a family member, or maybe someone the official just does not like, is there. Laws are enforced by human beings. Sometimes human beings act responsibly, sometimes incompetently, sometimes dishonestly. Businessmen and women ought to be relieved of having to deal with the strong hand of government as often as possible.

Evacuation Destination

For well over two years now, federal, state, and local authorities have crafted plans to deal with possible major terror attack on Washington D. C. Now millions of dollars may come available to invest in an infrastructure to handle the strain of hundreds of thousands of people pouring into the West Virginia mountains.

We saw how disaster preparedness worked in Louisiana a few years ago. A corrupt city of New Orleans and Louisiana state government misspent money and provided no leadership when hit by a massive hurricane. West Virginia's county, city, and state governments need to figure out not only how to solve problems, but what the biggest problems are likely to be.

Certainly first and foremost we need better infrastructure. Virginia must get on board to link Corridor H to the interstate system or risk creating a dangerous bottleneck that terrorists could strike in a second wave attack. US 50 needs serious upgrades. Even if it ultimately falls short of a four lane expressway, traffic not used to mountain travel needs a road easier to navigate. First responders in the Potomac Highlands need training on how to handle chemical, biological, and radiation related conditions. Predetermined quarantine areas need to be determined as well as where to place the rest of the people fleeing the event.

We need to address all these issues and more. What we do not need is to spend this money in the same old ways. The priorities and methods that have dominated Legislative decision making for over seventy years need to change overall, but especially in this situation. People's lives, evacuees and residents alike, will hang in the balance by the thousands; politicians and planners need to repsect and remember that. Hopefully those that represent the Potomac Highlands and Eastern Panhandle can make others in the state appreciate the potential here for effective deliverance or utter disaster.

US 50's Dorsey's Curve

Last Thursday yet another vehicle crashed on U.S. Route 50 at Dorsey’s Curve. This time no one was killed, but that is not always the case. A remember a few years ago when a couple was killed and their pet dog was taken in my locals and eventually money was raised and the dog was sent to their family in Arizona.

With US 50 the most unsafe highway in West Virginia per vehicle mile driven, Dorsey's Curve stands as one of the best known trouble spots over the route. So at what point does the state begin to hear the public cries to have the turn reconstructed, so it is safe for travel.

The truck that crashed on Thursday was about the same size as the school buses that run that route daily when school is in session. With modern earth moving equipment that turn can be easily modified for safety. Any death on that turn is one to many, but is it going to take a school bus full of kids to crash before public officials respond to the public cry for help.

Wednesday July 18th the US 50 Association will meet at the Cornish Manor in Oakland, MD at 12 noon and both WVDOH and elected officials will be there. Now is the time for state and local officials to hear the citizen's.

Missed Opportunity . . . Again

Once again a coal boom time has come, blessed us with temporary good times, and then passed. The Cumberland Times News this week announced that West Virginia's economy once again started a decline.

Does trouble loom ahead for the Democratic Party in West Virginia? The State Legislature had a great opportunity to make real structural changes while unemployment dropped and tax revenues rose. Instead they changed the window dressing a little. Every year that passes sees less and less of the state enamored by old fashioned New Deal type solutions. Professor Sobel has laid out in black and white, in painful detail, how other regional states have moved well past us in development.


I doubt that the governor has much to worry about. His personal popularity can withstand an economic downturn. Governor Manchin could not make the changes on his own anyway. The Legislature held the power to do a great deal of good in the past few years and sat on its hands. Well, that's not entirely true. They did work extremely hard to try and promote table games as a way to bolster revenues. See how that worked out. What's next, promoting strip clubs to get young mothers off welfare?


The long term problem remains what it has been for the past century. West Virginia remains too dependent upon one single extractive industry for its well-being. The state needs a climate that encourages not only investment, but an entrepreneurial spirit. It is time to stop condemning the coal industry and people that have have not been alive since World War II or earlier. We can blame the party that has dominated the Legislature now for several decades. Their unwillingness or inability to steer the state towards a diversified economy that supports an independent and entrepreneurial population means that it is their time to hit the road.