Open Primary vs. Closed Primary

The motion currently pending before the West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee to close our party's primary elections to all but registered Republican voters is beginning to draw public attention, as it should. The question is an important and weighty one which affects, ultimately, all West Virginians.

State GOP Chairman Doug McKinney has appointed a committee to investigate the issue and make a recommendation to the state Executive Committee at its Summer 2009 meeting. I'm honored to have been chosen to serve on that committee, which is made up of several distinguished West Virginia Republicans who will give this matter the attention it deserves.

My commitment to Doug, to our Republican elected officeholders, to all affected voters, and to you, our readers, is to consider this possibility fairly and make a recommendation based upon our view of what is in the best interest of West Virginians, Republican officeholders, and the Party.

One of the things I believe the committee should do is solicit public comment; I'll be reading newspapers and blogs, watching news reports, and listening to talk radio to hear the opinions of the voting public regarding this question. If anyone wants to weigh in on this issue, I invite you to do so. My e-mail address is tom@tomoneill.org

Lincoln Ranked First Among Presidents By Panel of Sixty Five Historians

Although not surprising that they picked Abraham Lincoln, frankly they got it dead wrong.

There is one single president that transcends the office even while defining it. No president faced the kinds of challenges overcome by this man. No other president comes close to him when one considers leadership ability, long term effect of his presidency, or any other standard of leadership.

It may be unfashionable to speak the obvious, but George Washington is and will always be the greatest president in United States history.

Before Washington there was no office of the president. The Constitution offered some vague details, but little in the way of guidance. Washington's generation had no contemporary examples to serve as models either. King George III? Thanks, but no thanks. The office of Prime Minister was too tied to the legislative branch for Washington's taste (Congress tended to grate on the Father of our Country's nerves.) Washington looked somewhat to the consuls of the Roman Republic, who held many of the same powers. Most of all he looked to his own common sense.

Washington strove to create balance. He needed balance in foreign affairs. A vulnerable infant nation in a world of rapacious Great Powers could not succumb to any one side, but needed to maintain a dignified neutrality. A nation with no economic growth in 1789 needed to balance the agricultural interest with his own vision of America growing into a commercial empire. He had to balance his attention between his two friends and colleagues Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Most importantly he balanced the need to enhance the respect of the people for the office of president while maintaining an air of republican simplicity.

In short, Washington had to define the office of president and also went a long way towards defining what the United States would be in its distant future. Lincoln was a great president, but no one has ever overcome the kinds of challenges faced by Washington so successfully.

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Predictably the list of presidents rated George W. Bush very low, even below Carter (who actually dropped since the last ranking.) Seven years of prosperity and security combined with a new respect for the United States around the world did not impress the historians. Of course none of them brought a sliver of bias to the table.

Surprisingly, Ronald Reagan, who used to be placed in the middle or near the bottom, reached number ten. George H. W. Bush, once criticized and ranked poorly because he left Saddam Hussein in place in 1991, rose to number 18.

Washington, Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan, James Madison, William McKinley, James K. Polk, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower are my top ten.

Why is Theodore Roosevelt as low as he is? The more I read about his domestic policies, the more squeamish I get. Yes the government needed to expand some regulatory powers, but his tended to follow his own whim rather than the rule of law. Were it not for a wildly successful foreign policy, I'd send him lower. I prefer McKinley who had a strong foreign policy and a more limited ideal of government power. Truman goes before Reagan by a hair because he recognized the Soviet threat before many others and challenged it almost from the beginning. James Madison was flexible enough to alter his position during the War of 1812, casting ideology aside in the greater effort to beat the British. I left out Jefferson because his foreign policy led directly to economic disaster. He also used the authority of his office to financially crush political rivals.

George W. Bush to me is definitely in the top 20. You cannot lay the current financial crisis at his feet since he tried to get both Republican and Democratic congresses to address the various issues that caused the problems. It would be like blaming Isaiah for the Babylonians conquering Judah. It's not his fault that nobody listened. The second Bush will climb as we get further from his presidency.

Byrd: Obama in power grab

Who Is John Galt? Do You Dare Find Out?

The most important book for any conservative or libertarian to read in 2009 is Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. It extends for over a thousand pages and drags from time to time, but within the story lines of this novel emerges a philosophy that we as Americans must embrace again. If we do not, our nation has but two fates, empire or collapse. We must either brutally conquer to add resources to pay for our bloated government and increasingly depraved psyche, or our civilization will collapse due to over regulation, a culture of entitlement, and lack of initiative.

The book is about an America where industrialists who seek profit and their self-interest over a more vague concept of public service are demonized. Government forces business into cooperative ventures that play to the emotions of the populace and force unsustainable burdens on capitalists. Considering the plight that General Motors is in due to its attempt to conform to the ideal of "good corporate citizen," the message of Atlas Shrugged is more important than ever.

My only problem with Ayn Rand is her atheism. Her Russian Orthodox background led her to see Christianity not as an exercise in free will, but as another parasite on man's reason. To me, religion and that which is done in God's name is another choice that people make and the freedom to choose represents the lifeblood of dynamic humanity to Rand.

Below is a speech given by the main protagonist John Galt. In Rand's book, he organizes a strike of capitalists and intellectuals against a society that demands more and more while offering less and less tangible reward.

It will either reinforce your beliefs and help you to openly argue with socialized liberals, or it could radically change your mind. Seriously, if you read this book you will literally at some points step back and say "Whoa!"

For twelve years you've been asking "Who is John Galt?" This is John Galt speaking. I'm the man who's taken away your victims and thus destroyed your world. You've heard it said that this is an age of moral crisis and that Man's sins are destroying the world. But your chief virtue has been sacrifice, and you've demanded more sacrifices at every disaster. You've sacrificed justice to mercy and happiness to duty. So why should you be afraid of the world around you?
Your world is only the product of your sacrifices. While you were dragging the men who made your happiness possible to your sacrificial altars, I beat you to it. I reached them first and told them about the game you were playing and where it would take them. I explained the consequences of your 'brother-love' morality, which they had been too innocently generous to understand. You won't find them now, when you need them more than ever.

We're on strike against your creed of unearned rewards and unrewarded duties. If you want to know how I made them quit, I told them exactly what I'm telling you tonight. I taught them the morality of Reason -- that it was right to pursue one's own happiness as one's principal goal in life. I don't consider the pleasure of others my goal in life, nor do I consider my pleasure the goal of anyone else's life.

I am a trader. I earn what I get in trade for what I produce. I ask for nothing more or nothing less than what I earn. That is justice. I don't force anyone to trade with me; I only trade for mutual benefit. Force is the great evil that has no place in a rational world. One may never force another human to act against his/her judgment. If you deny a man's right to Reason, you must also deny your right to your own judgment. Yet you have allowed your world to be run by means of force, by men who claim that fear and joy are equal incentives, but that fear and force are more practical.

You've allowed such men to occupy positions of power in your world by preaching that all men are evil from the moment they're born. When men believe this, they see nothing wrong in acting in any way they please. The name of this absurdity is 'original sin'. That's impossible. That which is outside the possibility of choice is also outside the province of morality. To call sin that which is outside man's choice is a mockery of justice. To say that men are born with a free will but with a tendency toward evil is ridiculous. If the tendency is one of choice, it doesn't come at birth. If it is not a tendency of choice, then man's will is not free.

And then there's your 'brother-love' morality. Why is it moral to serve others, but not yourself? If enjoyment is a value, why is it moral when experienced by others, but not by you? Why is it immoral to produce something of value and keep it for yourself, when it is moral for others who haven't earned it to accept it? If it's virtuous to give, isn't it then selfish to take?

Your acceptance of the code of selflessness has made you fear the man who has a dollar less than you because it makes you feel that that dollar is rightfully his. You hate the man with a dollar more than you because the dollar he's keeping is rightfully yours. Your code has made it impossible to know when to give and when to grab.

You know that you can't give away everything and starve yourself. You've forced yourselves to live with undeserved, irrational guilt. Is it ever proper to help another man? No, if he demands it as his right or as a duty that you owe him. Yes, if it's your own free choice based on your judgment of the value of that person and his struggle. This country wasn't built by men who sought handouts. In its brilliant youth, this country showed the rest of the world what greatness was possible to Man and what happiness is possible on Earth.

Then it began apologizing for its greatness and began giving away its wealth, feeling guilty for having produced more than ikts neighbors. Twelve years ago, I saw what was wrong with the world and where the battle for Life had to be fought. I saw that the enemy was an inverted morality and that my acceptance of that morality was its only power. I was the first of the men who refused to give up the pursuit of his own happiness in order to serve others.

To those of you who retain some remnant of dignity and the will to live your lives for yourselves, you have the chance to make the same choice. Examine your values and understand that you must choose one side or the other. Any compromise between good and evil only hurts the good and helps the evil.

If you've understood what I've said, stop supporting your destroyers. Don't accept their philosophy. Your destroyers hold you by means of your endurance, your generosity, your innocence, and your love. Don't exhaust yourself to help build the kind of world that you see around you now. In the name of the best within you, don't sacrifice the world to those who will take away your happiness for it.

The world will change when you are ready to pronounce this oath:I swear by my Life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man,nor ask another man to live for the sake of mine.

Something Is Rotten In the State of Denmark, Or At Least the District of Columbia

The latest news coming out of Washington is shocking to say the least.

New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg withdrew his name from consideration for the post of Commerce Secretary over some deeply disturbing revelations about Barack Obama's conception of executive power. The United States Census Bureau will, under Obama's plan, be removed from the Department of Commerce and placed under the control of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel. Of course Gregg was selected to give bipartisan cover for this plan which would raise more than a few eyebrows. Thankfully he stuck to his principles instead of accepting the honor of being a Cabinet Secretary, still an honor even if left nothing to do.

Excuse me? Yes, the White House Chief of Staff will run the census, not the Department of Commerce. To what purpose has Obama systematically cut out his major Cabinet selections when it comes to major jobs? Hillary Clinton has been shut out of any major world affairs issues. All of these thorny issues get special presidential envoys. Clinton has no chance to play the same statesmanlike role that Condoleeza Rice enjoyed.

Why, again, would the White House Chief of Staff need to run the Census? I am quite positive that congressional Democrats will find this as shocking and disturbing as the GOP. They thought they elected a visionary, what they got was a bumbling version of Old Man Daley, the Chicago political boss from the 20th century.

Obama has gone from charismatic male Oprah, to bumbling, to highly disturbing in the matter of a few weeks. It's time to demand that the Democratic Party reign this guy in. Better to nip this power hunger in the bud before it gets out of hand.

Steele Curtain Coming Soon!

Republicans have not felt this kind of excitement since 2004. Michael Steele won election as RNC Chair.

Most folks say, so what. Who cares who the party chair is?

This was a moment in history. Three of the last four candidates for the position were black, the other was incumbent Mike Duncan. With a dramatic flourish, Duncan stepped to the podium Friday and acknowledged the need of the GOP for new leadership. He pulled himself out of the race. It came down to Steele and South Carolina Chair Dawson. Dawson has spoken in the past about his experience growing up with segregated schools. Steele prevailed on the fifth vote.

What does Steele bring? He has a laid back charm in person, as many of us discovered last summer in Flatwoods. Steele does not bring an aura of superiority to interpersonal exchanges, unlike Obama. However he does bring energy and charisma to his speeches. Steele earned a heroes reception when he spoke in Flatwoods and at the national convention.

We need to move forward, reaffirming traditional principles with new methods. Americans are gaining a sense of buyers remorse from this election. Many voted for Obama because it seemed like time to elect a black president. Steele is the right man to open a new 21st century Republican era and beat back the leftist Democratic clique now running Washington.

State GOP backs Blair’s drug testing bill, agrees to study Primary election issue

State GOP backs Blair’s drug testing bill, agrees to study Primary election issue

CHARLESTON – Members of the West Virginia State Executive Committee on Saturday passed a resolution endorsing a bill backed by Del. Craig Blair that would require drug testing for anyone receiving welfare, food stamps or jobless benefits, and agreed to study whether to continue the practice of allowing non-affiliated voters to participate in the GOP Primary election.

While Blair’s proposed legislation won the backing of a solid majority of the state committee, the vote was not unanimous, after State Sen. Clark Barnes raised questions about its constitutionality and fairness, even though he said he respected Blair and understood his intentions with the bill. Del. John Overington had asked for the committee’s approval of the resolution, and state GOP Chairman Doug McKinney allowed Blair, who was also in attendance, to defend the merits of the bill after Barnes spoke. Eventually, a majority of committee members gave it their endorsement.

The committee, meeting in it annual Winter session, also agreed to study the issue of whether voters other than registered Republicans should continue to be permitted to participate in the GOP Primary election, a practice that began in the 1980s. Some committee members have indicated a desire to limit the Primary to Republicans only, although it is unclear whether they represent a majority of members. The state Democratic Party recently opened its Primary to non-affiliated voters.

McKinney offered a State of the Party address, reviewing the events of his tenure to date, and describing his decision to hire Gary Abernathy as executive director. McKinney told the committee that fundraising was strong, noting that February was on pace to match or exceed January’s showing of nearly $19,000 raised. A handout on McKinney’s activities since becoming chairman in the summer of 2006 showed that he had traveled nearly 30,000 miles attending more than 160 events, and personally donated more than $57,000 to candidates and the party, including in-kind contributions.

McKinney noted that GOP opposition to the federal stimulus bill was one of the biggest motivators in recent years for Republicans, and predicted much improved election prospects beginning in 2010, promising, “We will be ready.” At the conclusion of his remarks, McKinney received a standing ovation.

The committee heard an audit report from Vice Chair Tom O’Neill, who reviewed the findings of a recent examination of the party’s books. While reporting that all records appear to be accurate and in order, O’Neill said the committee was recommending several procedural changes. Treasurer Marti Riggall also addressed the committee and reported that many of the recommendations have been implemented, or soon will be.

Committee members also heard from 2008 candidates Beth Walker (Supreme Court), Dan Greear (Attorney General) and Michael Teets (Agriculture Commission), all of whom ran strong races while falling short of victory.

During lunch, committee members and guests heard from Dr. Russ Sobel, author of “Unleashing Capitalism,” who discussed findings of research regarding judicial reform that will be presented in a new forthcoming book.

In the morning meeting of county chairs, House Minority Leader Tim Armstead updated chairmen on the legislative session. Joe Garcia, chairman of Summers County and chairman of the county chairs, reviewed the 2008 election county by county, and asked the chairs for input regarding their vision for the future of the party.

In other business, the committee:

* Heard a resolution from National Committeewoman Donna Gosney to add former Gov. Arch Moore, Jr., and his wife, former First Lady Shelley Moore, as emeritus members of the committee. Because the resolution was not offered 30 days in advance of the meeting, it cannot be enacted until the Summer Meeting, but it seemed clear that members were strongly in favor.
* Agreed to examine the issue of removing members from the committee who have missed four or more consecutive meetings.
* Heard a report on Camp Lincoln from Brig. Gen. John “Doc” Bahnsen. Camp Lincoln is a summer camp open to West Virginia high school students, and teaches them about politics and government. Bahnsen said a special scholarship is available again this year for minority students.
* Heard a report on Internet developments at the party from webmaster Tommy Phillips.
* And approved the addition of new committee members Sue McKinney of Harrison County, Gary Howell of Mineral County, and Gary Dungan of Jefferson County.

After the meeting, McKinney expressed his delight at the number of young Republican activists who attended, including Lisa Peana , executive director of the West Virginia Federation of Young Republicans, who carried the proxy of WVFYR Chairman Ashley Stinnett.

MCREC Dinner Guest Speaker: Andrew Wilkow

Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee
Spring Dinner
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Pines Country Club
3062 Point Marion Rd
Morgantown, WV 26505

Guest Speaker: Andrew Wilkow Conservative talk show host Sirius Radio
Channel 144

Contact:
Pam Krushansky
Post Office Box 2369
Westover, WV 26502
(304) 292-1265
Krushansky7@aol.com

Opposing more rail regulation keeps our highways clear

As a longtime member and current secretary of the U.S. 50 Association, I am usually focused on state issues that have a detrimental effect on our highway system, and on Route 50 in particular. But all too often it is legislation at the federal level that has unintended negative effects on our road system. One such initiative currently in the works is legislation that would roll back the Staggers Act of 1980, named for Congressman Harley Staggers of Keyser, and reregulate our nation’s rail systems.

In West Virginia, of course, our railroads are particularly important to our ability to transport coal safely and efficiently to energy suppliers across the nation. Ever since they were deregulated, railroads have provided a means of transportation that helps keep coal affordable and ready accessible for energy providers in every part of the United States.

But another, often overlooked, benefit of our rail system is the service it provides in keeping our highways and roads from being even more congested with truck traffic than they already are. If the Staggers Act is repealed or seriously rolled back – as legislation in the last Congress would have done – our roads would be even more congested and damaged by shippers using semi trucks to an even greater degree than they are used today.

As everyone traveling our highways knows, our roads and bridges are deteriorating quickly, and we can hardly meet the needs of pothole repair and general repaving and maintenance as it is. Legislation that would raise the cost of doing business with our railroads would only increase the damage to our roads.

It’s important to compare the efficiency of our railroads with the extra burden that would be placed on our highways if the Staggers Act was repealed. For example, one typical multi-car locomotive does the work of more than 280 semi trucks. It costs $1 million to $3 million per mile to add capacity to rail, as opposed to $10 million or more per mile to add a lane to urban highways.

As the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials said in its Freight Bottom Line Report. "Relatively small public investments in the nation's freight railroads can be leveraged into relatively large benfits for the nation's highway infrastructure, highway users and freight shippers.

Furthermore, railroads are there times as energy efficient as trucks. A train can move a ton of freight 423 miles on one gallon of fuel, and are also three times cleaner. Since truck fatality rates are four times higher than train fatality rates, moving freight by rail will also save lives.

Since the Staggers Act was passed in 1980, the freight railway industry has seen drastic, quantifiable improvements, including a 168 percent increase in productivity, an 85 percent increase in rail traffic, and injury rates that have fallen by 68 percent.

For some reason, Sen. Jay Rockefeller has long been seen as an opponent of the railroad industry. But in this case, all West Virginians should hope that he will join many of his colleagues in opposing any effort to roll back the Staggers Act and reregulate our rail system. The railroad industry has been good for West Virginia, and for the coal business. Just as importantly from my point of view, our current system helps keep our highways and roads less congested than they otherwise would be. Let’s keep it that way.

Individualized Democratic Tax Cut For the Liberal Wealthy and England Shut Down By A Snowstorm

In 2002 Tom Daschle declared war on President Bush's plan to make permanent his groundbreaking tax cut plan. We now know that those cuts laid the foundation for seven years of prosperity.

Daschle fought hard against tax cuts. Like most Democrats, he screamed about "tax cuts for the wealthy." His primary goal was preventing the repeal of the estate tax from becoming permanent. Tom Daschle while in the Senate wanted to make sure that the government got its hands on fifty percent of every estate upon someone's death.

We also now know that Daschle did not exercise such diligence when paying his own taxes. Call it the Individualized Democratic Tax Cut For the Liberal Wealthy. It is very simple. Wealthy liberals choose when and if they pay their taxes. Easy as pie! Now three powerful Democrats nominated to high office by Obama have been revealed to have owed tens of thousands of dollars in taxes. Daschle owes over $128,000.

$128,000 is about three times what the average American earns in three years. One year of that salary makes an American well off. Daschle owes that much in taxes.

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"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Winston Churchill said this during World War II, a testament to the grit and determination of Royal Air Force fighter pilots downing German bombers as they tried to annihilate German cities. During the Blitz, Britons continued to work and live as normally as possible. Everyone strove to overcome relentless attack from a bitter enemy.

The Germans should just have sent snow.

A snowstorm brought London and much of the rest of England to a halt this week. Was it two feet? Three feet? No. Four inches. Four inches of snow did what the Luftwaffe could not. Everyone stayed home from work and the country was paralyzed.

Pretty laughable for a major city this side of Atlanta to get shut down by four inches of snow. It might even have political fallout in a country that has wedded itself so much to laws addressing the myth of man made climate change.

The Cost of Zoning on the Average Citizen

Consider these excerpts from February 9th's Washington Examiner.

The cost of doing business with Fairfax County’s zoning regulators would skyrocket under a proposed fee increase to be considered by the Board of Supervisors.
The package of fees could hit homeowners and the ailing Virginia home-building industry alike, and follows measures proposed by Northern Virginia governments in similarly desperate financial straits.

Fairfax County faces a $648 million shortfall, and county staff wants to recoup $2 million by raising the cost of some permits, zoning appeals and other applications. The price of appealing a zoning administrator’s unfavorable decision, for example, would increase from $375 to a maximum of $2,455, according to documents provided by Fairfax County.

Michael Toalson, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Virginia, called the proposal “government at its worst.” As builders endure rounds of layoffs from the shrinking volume of work amid the housing downturn, zoning staff should follow suit, he said.

Some in Mineral County look to Fairfax County, Virginia as a model and claim that Mineral County needs zoning. For some reason, the prospect of unchecked growth terrifies them (although many in Mineral County would love to see 10% of the growth these Northern Virginia counties have seen in the past decade.) Now the burden of maintaining a bureaucracy for the Planning and Zoning Board forces the government to raise zoning rates to maintain a bureaucracy that is currently restraining job growth in a tight market. God forbid they lay off their staff as many private businesses have. Instead they raise rates sky high and likely force the layoffs of more private sector workers.

Basically the people must pay more for an agency that restricts opportunities.

That is exactly what we DO NOT need in Mineral County. We need more jobs, not more rules.

Obama's Plan Will Harm the Bailout Banks

Obama recently proposed federal regulations that would cap executive pay at the so-called "bailout banks" to $500,000 per year. It is a brazen step that takes advantage of the current economic problems to impose a populist and socialist measure. After all, $500,000 would be more than enough for us, why not bank executives?

Consider the example of the woeful Detroit Lions. They lost every single game last year. Part of the problem lay in the coaches. The head coach made poor decisions, including sticking by a relative that he hired as a defensive coordinator. Suppose the federal government bailed out the Lions and imposed at $500,000 per year limit on their coach salaries?

The best coach out there without a job is former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher. He brings a unique style and a wining track record as well as an intense work ethic to the job of head coach. Cowher ranks as one of the winningest coaches of his time. If he was looking for a job, the Detroit Lions would love to have him. With their declining status among NFL franchises, a coach like Cowher would have lent immediate credibility along with experience building great teams.

Bill Cowher would not mow your grass for $500,000 per year. He is one of the greatest of his time, a proven winner. Cowher, if he returned to coaching, would command millions per year and a guaranteed contract that would continue to pay him even if he were fired for complete incompetence. It would take a so-called "golden parachute" and a huge salary to attract such a figure to the organization to begin with. A mere half million dollars per year would only bring a mediocre personality and more risk of failure.

So now, at a time when the bailout banks need to find dynamic, quality, proven leadership among the ranks of their executives, Obama wants to put them in a no win situation. Government control is no solution. Obama continues to struggle due to his lack of understanding of politics and now economics as well.

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That being said, some of the banks are doing very little to help their own cause. their own foolishness has given socialists the opportunity to get public support for their plans. Wells Fargo received buyout money, then turned around and planned executive trips to Las Vegas. These were later canceled.

Shelley Moore Capito blasted them, stating "Let's get this straight: These guys are going to Vegas to roll the dice on the taxpayer dime? They're tone deaf. It's outrageous."

The responsible companies simply dealing with hard times need to speak up and criticize their colleagues for irresponsible behavior.

Governor Manchin's Statesmanship

I voted for Russ Weeks last November and I am still proud of that vote because it was a statement against things as usual in West Virginia.

However, we must give credit where it is due. In the past month, Governor Manchin has emerged as a rare bird in state politics. He looks, sounds, and importantly acts like a statesman. As economic indicators drop across the country, he alternates between a Rooseveltian and a Reaganlike tone. Boosting confidence and morale is the job of a leader. Manchin has grasped this concept.

This opinion came to me when I was watching him address the Mineral County delegation on Thursday, February 12. He presented a contrast to the flailing, bumbling, power hungry Democratic president. Where Obama stokes fear, Manchin reassures. Where Obama preaches that government will save us, Manchin asks us to first start saving ourselves. Where Obama has no vision, Manchin tells us that we are not in a panic, but in a planning mode. If we had to have a Democratic president, why could it have not been someone more like this. Of course many assume he is a Republican at heart anyway.

Manchin this week unveiled a mandate demanding that 25% of state production of energy eventually come from some alternative source. This will not hurt the coal industry as energy needs will continue to expand. To the representatives present from US Windforce this was an important boost to their plans to expand windmill production into Mineral County, especially after County Commissioner Wayne Spiggle promised that he and the county would work hard to make all of the Governor's plans successful.

Vision without fear. Policies that emphasize individual effort and private sector initiative. What a welcome change compared to what we have seen from Washington lately.

In confusion there is profit

In the movie Operation Petticoat there is a great line that holds true in today’s troubled economy. When Lt. Com. Sherman (played by Cary Grant) asks where his supply officer, Lt. JG Holden (played by Tony Curtis), is during an air raid the commander is told, “When the air raid started they took off. All he said was, ‘in confusion there is profit.’” It is play on Rudyard Kipling who once reasoned that it was a good thing to keep one's head while all around were losing theirs. Right now across the country the Federal Government and State Governments are loosing their heads over the economy but if West Virginia’s government keeps its head, then we as a state can profit from it.

The way for West Virginia to take initiative is simple. The same bad economic policies out of Charleston that hurt us in good times hurt us in bad times as well and we must change those.

Two periods of strong economic growth stand out in recent American history the one started by John F. Kennedy in the 1960’s and the one started by Ronald Reagan in the 1980’s. Both have a common thread, both Presidents cut the tax rates which put more money in the hands of the people and businesses. This allowed people to spend more money on good and services spurring economic growth and the businesses used the additional money to expand operations providing those goods and services. In other words growth breeds additional growth.

The additional growth comes because people naturally want to be rewarded for their work and when they work harder they receive additional reward. It is the American Way, it is Capitalism. The problem in West Virginia is when compared to other states our businesses and people receive less of a reward for their hard work because of our tax rates and structure. When the state takes a bigger chunk than other states it simply reduces the incentive to work hard in West Virginia or encourages people to move to another state. The state has created a ‘tax wedge’ against prosperity. The removal of this wedge will lead to people willing to take the risk of starting a business and creating new jobs in the state and in bad economy that is more important than in times of prosperity.

Besides the high income tax rates there are two other primary ‘tax wedges’ hurting West Virginia businesses, the Business Franchise tax and the Inventory tax. The Business Franchise tax is based on companies net worth, it’s not a tax on Franchises as many believe and is paid by all businesses in the state. The tax remains whether or not the company is making a profit. This is a tax that companies in most other states do not have to deal with. So in bad economic times this tax has a greater impact on with West Virginia companies that are struggling to make a profit. If a corporation is looking at closing one of two plants, then it will make more economic sense for them to close the West Virginia plant because of the Business Franchise tax.

The same holds true for the inventory tax. Sales drop as the economy slides downward, inventories of unsold goods naturally raise. In West Virginia our inventory tax punishes companies more and more as their sales slide downward. In many cases, especially with small businesses, this can be the straw the breaks the camels back. In order to pay the additional taxes imposed by the state with falling revenues these companies must find the funding. For most this will result in employee layoffs and some bankruptcy.

West Virginia must now make the hard choices to profit in this confused economy. The worse the economy gets the more our business are punished by the state tax structure. The opposite of the way it should be. Consider that eliminating the Business Franchise and Inventory taxes will reduce revenue to the states tax coffers in the short term, but if we don’t eliminate them and those businesses leave or declare bankruptcy they will pay no taxes at all in West Virginia. The cutting of the tax rates will put more money in the pockets of West Virginians and West Virginia businesses rewarding them for their hard work by making it easier for them to weather the economic storm. Making these changes will allow more West Virginia companies to survive and attract those that want to expand with an atmosphere that rewards hard work.

Removing the tax wedges put in place by bad Charleston policies will allow West Virginia to keep its head while other states loose theirs.

Please Europe, Please, For the Love of God, Do Not Create a Black Hole!

I'm serious about this. We really do not need to know about black holes or the origins of the universe this badly.

The European Center for Nuclear Research runs a facility called the Large Hadron Collider. It plans this summer to initiate a sequence of events that will create a black hole somewhere near Geneva, Switzerland.

No, this is not a story from News of the World. It is a Fox News item.

The intent is to recreate the physical universe as it was at the moment of the Big Bang, in other words, make a point with infinite density occupying no space. Scientists call this a singularity. Singularities in space are commonly called black holes.

Black holes create gravitational forces so powerful that light cannot escape. European scientists assure us that this one will be formed and dissipated in such a short amount of time that the planet will not be affected.

Whew! I feel much better now!

Here is the problem. The Big Bang is a theory while the existence of black holes is a scientific fact. We do not even have a theory to explain what happens in or near black holes. University of Alabama scientists protest that the would be black hole creators have not done their math correctly . . . and not accounted for the possibility that the four dimensional universe is actually embedded in a five dimensional space.

Conservatives will go on and on about cloning being contrary to the will of God. Some liberals will fight tooth and nail against nuclear power because of Chernobyl. In black holes lie the most potent secrets of the universe. Are we ready for them?

In the Book of Exodus, God warns Moses that He cannot reveal His face to human beings because it would destroy them. Humanity cannot handle the power of looking into the visage of God. The most blessed can see the hem of a robe, but not His full majesty. Black holes would seem to be another image that humans should not look at from too close a distance.

Some things we just were not meant to do. I would include making black holes on Earth as one of them.

Obama Executive Branch Called Dangerously Top Heavy

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's the Difference Between Conservatives and Liberals?

Conservatives seek to govern. Liberals seek to rule.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Party of the Common Man Update

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zing! Governor Manchin Slams Obama

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

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

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

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

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

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

Windmill Truths: Economic Impact and Jobs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reference:

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

(2) US Windforce official website

(3) US Census Bureau

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A response to yesterdays Windmill blog from Kolin Jan

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

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

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Kolin,

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

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

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

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

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


Respectfully

Gary Howell

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NIMBY = Not in my backyard

Winds of Change, Words of Deceit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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