Hello, Everyone!

Hello, I am Charles Bolen, Vice-President of the West Virginia Republican Club. I am above with the love of my life, Crystal. You can visit my MySpace page at: http://myspace.com/charlesbolen

I live in Charleston, and am also occasionally known in the blogosphere as the unofficial chief of the "South Hills Bureau" of Don Surber's world famous blog at the Charleston Daily Mail (closing in rapidly on 2 million served - click on his counter and look at where all the hits come from. It is amazing.)

I was invited to participate by my good friends at the Potomac Highlands Republican Club, and I hope to be able to share some interesting news and commentary in the future.

To learn more about the West Virginia Republican Club, you can visit our website at: http://wvrepublicanclub.org/ and you can visit our blog "Think Tank" at http://blog.wvrepublicanclub.org/. My good friend Gary Howell will also be posting there from time to time.

O, O, it's Magic? No.

Oprah Winfrey has thrown her hat into the ring. Sort of.

Winfrey has emerged as a very public supporter of Barrack Obama in the past couple of weeks. Her media empire and friends have geared up to try and place the young whippersnapper into office despite his lack of experience and occasional zaniness. The question is, why?

The question of the United States having a black president is resoundingly when. Certainly it is likely that this is an issue Winfrey cares deeply about and she has decided to place her influence behind Obama. However, is this merely an issue of a black media figure supporting a black politician? Likely not.

Obama as a senator from Illinois has served in a position to help the Chicago based Winfrey if possible. Since Obama presently trails by a considerable margin in the polls, if he somehow emerged as a winner, this bolsters Winfrey's stature considerably. The president would be beholden to Winfrey as a result. Since Winfrey and the shirtless dancing twit are involved it is packaged as fresh and hip. Really it is old fashioned power and media politics.

Winfrey may be able to sway book sales and movie viewership, but her effect on voting is likely not going to be overwhelming. First, she backed a dud. If this was merely a question of "it is time for a black president" then Condoleeza Rice is the most qualified contender. A more seasoned Michael Steele in the future would also be a prime candidate. However it is unlikely that Winfrey could exercise influence over either of these people.

Most likely Winfrey will experience a slight backlash. Celebrities such as Winfrey gain influence because people see some of themselves in the media figure. Perception is shaped by the idea that "she is like me." Politics represents one of the most divisive issues of any democratic state and Winfrey risks alienating part of her audience. Celebrities don't understand that their audience watches them to escape stressful issues such as politics. Winfrey's audience watches her because she is not Olberman or O'Reilly. Some are Republicans and likely quite a few support Hillary Clinton (many of them because they feel "it is time for a woman president"). Once she breaks that boundary, she becomes another political hack.

Obama will get less of a bump from Winfrey than Mike Huckabee has gotten from Chuck Norris. Winfrey's touch in this case will not produce any magic.

Senator Weeks' new book blows lid off WV government lies and malfeasance

(Press Release) BECKLEY — Former State Senator Russ Weeks has written a new book about his four years in the West Virginia Legislature, blowing the lid off various cover-ups, lies and examples of malfeasance in state government.

In "No Strings Attached," Senator Weeks exposes the corruption, duplicity and self-serving interests of the politicians who hold West Virginians hostage.

Senator Weeks, a Navy veteran who ran for office believing one man could make a difference, exposes the hypocrisy of state government in the Mountain State, and reveals an insider’s account of the true story behind:

• Governor Joe Manchin’s handling of the Sago tragedy and the real reason behind the emergency mine legislation that followed the event.
• The cover-ups and government interference regarding serious allegations at a West Virginia healthcare facility, and the heavy-handed efforts to stop Senator Weeks from pursuing the truth.
• The charade of the lawmaking process, and how bills are often changed long after being approved by the legislature.
• The real reason West Virginia ranks last in almost every category.
  

"No Strings Attached" is a riveting first-hand account of government malfeasance at its most shocking, told by the man who held the same Senate seat once occupied by Robert C. Byrd.

And Sen. Weeks issues a challenge to readers: “Now that you know what’s going on with your elected officials, what are you going to do about it?” You can order the book by clicking here.

Former state Senator Russ Weeks is a lifelong West Virginian who served in the Navy, where he was directly involved with the Cuban Missile Crisis. After a career in private business, he was elected to the West Virginia Senate.

He and his wife, Helen, reside in Beckley, West Virginia.

Shelley Moore Capito Delivers on National Security Again

The nightmare scenario that few of us want to think about and that the liberals want to pretend won't happen is all too possible. Imagine a WMD strike on Washington DC, turning the metropolitan area too "hot" for habitation. Hundreds of thousands flee the stricken area. Our region turns into the front line of the war on terror.


In such a situation, those guarding the ramparts ensuring our safety become our National Guard, state troopers, and fire fighters. That is why Representative Shelley Moore Capito's work to secure a $66,500 grant for the Capon Springs Volunteer fire department is so vital. As Capito explains, “The Capon Springs Volunteer Fire Department is vital to the local community, but faces challenges with limited financial resources." The equipment such grants help these departments obtain will prove vital whether these men and women respond to a local emergency or regional disaster. According to Capito, “This grant will help purchase a much needed mobile compressor trailer that will service all fire departments in the area. These are volunteers that willingly serve their neighbors in need and it’s important that they have the resources to do their job.”


Once again our Republican Representative in Congress has shown that her office can bring home needed help for some of our most necessary organizations, even when hers is the minority party. We should be thankful for Representative Capito. While liberals in the House of Representatives raise the bar on foolishness, for example debating articles of impeachment against Dick Cheney of all people, at least Representative Capito and other Republicans get some real and important work accomplished.

Unions’ Power Grab Threatens Democracy, Funds Left

The text is a spotlight article in the Townhall Forum. I have occasionally seen mention of this scheme elsewhere. No doubt it will be coming soon to the West Virginia legislature.

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Did you know that the radical Left and its labor union allies have a scheme to dump billions of new money into political races in support of left wing candidates?

Their plan is to end the requirement for secret ballots in unionizing elections and to substitute a process called “card check” that would let union organizers intimidate and coerce workers into joining a union by signing cards publicly, instead of casting ballots in private.

Union leaders like Andy Stern are crowing that “card check” will mean “unions will grow by 1.5 million members a year, not just for five years but for 10 to 15 straight years.” That’s why organized labor expects up to $5 billion in new forced dues as unions organize thousands of additional workplaces.

This windfall will provide labor and the far left with unprecedented political resources and power. The federal government will grow, taxes will rise, social entitlement programs will swell, and free-market policies will be eliminated.

In 2007 unions successfully passed a “card check” law through the House and convinced a majority of Senators to vote to eradicate workplace democracy. Only the threat of an extended filibuster stopped their drive in the Senate. But the unions expect to have enough Senate votes after the 2008 elections.

But there is good news. When asked which system they prefer, the public overwhelmingly chooses secret ballots over “card check” (78%-12%). Yet few Americans are aware of organized labor’s back room lobbying that threatens to push “card check” passage in early 2009.

Unless the public hears about this potential hijacking of democracy in their workplace, they won’t object to it. And they need to hear about it soon and often.

That Ron Paul Thing

Depending on who you ask, Ron Paul is either a minor blip on the Republican radar or a force with the capability to derail both our state nominating convention and the presidential race (at least as far as Republicans are concerned.) Paul runs for the Republican nomination on ideas of isolationism and staunch economic libertarianism. His supporters tend to show tremendous zeal and uncompromising enthusiasm for their man and his stands.

Count me as one not worried. Ron Paul's ideas sound like the platform of James A. Garfield or some other GOP nominee from over a hundred yeas ago. Less government and less regulation I can support to an extent. However the Great Depression proved that free trade is essential to maintaining prosperity and security for America in the world. Paul's supporters want to return to the old "Fortress America" concept of isolation. Who would they rather guide the affairs of the world? Russia? China? In an age of ICBMs and terrorists, America will never be safe in an isolated cocoon. The evil doers of the world hate the example of freedom we set. No amount of non involvement would save us.

Paul does have zealous supporters and gained a strong foothold in West Virginia's state Republican presidential convention. However, as Gary Abernathy points out, the declared delegates are all Paul will get. Paul's supporters will not go uncommitted. It is unlikely that more than a small handful of uncommitted will choose a non mainstream candidate except as perhaps a protest vote. Republicans do not tend to protest.

Nationally some worry about Paul forming a third party and siphoning votes from the GOP nominee. The fact is that someone like Paul runs in every presidential election and that party has remained in existence a very long time. The Libertarians are not, as some put it "Republicans that smoke pot," but they do share values with free market GOPers. At the end of the day, as usual, many Libertarians will choose what they see as the lesser of two evils. They will vote against Big Government Hillary.

Paul does have committed and hard working supporters. They have effectively marketed him in the new media. Over time mainstream candidates in both major parties will study Paul's campaign and try to emulate the positive features. However, Paul's campaign (if indeed he does move to a third party candidacy) will likely not pose a strong threat to Republican chances IF the nominee can charismatically and effectively stand behind true GOP principles this spring, summer, and fall.

Scare tactics used against Mineral County residents

Thursday night I attended one of the 6 comprehensive plan meetings in Fort Ashby. This is actually the first one that I have been able to attend because of scheduling conflicts with the other events.

One of the things that was repeatedly mentioned was that the whole of Mineral County is running out of water. One person even stated that we should put a moratorium on development, because we don't have any water to support additional growth. It was also stated that there are only two sources of water used for drinking in the county, Patterson Creek and New Creek.

All of these statements were completely wrong. There were several county officials both elected and appointed in the room. County officials just allowed this incorrect information to go unchecked. There were people that left that meeting believing that Mineral County has run out of water. That is wrong and that is a failure of the county government to properly inform the public. This was the 5th meeting so the county had plenty of time to have the correct information at the meeting.

Keep in mind this was a public input meeting on the development of the new comprehensive plan. The public was then using this incorrect information to make suggestions. Suggestions in many cases based on the fear of running out of water. One of those suggestions based on this incorrect water information was the one requesting a moratorium on new development. Think about that for a minute stop new development in a county that has a major job shortage.

Let's look at the real facts that county officials know:

The statement was made that Mineral County gets all its water from two sources Patterson Creek and New Creek. That statement is incorrect and was not corrected in the meeting. The Real Water Source Facts:

• Keyser & New Creek Water Systems - Source: New Creek
• Piedmont Water System - Source: Savage River in Garrett County, MD
• Fountain & Unfinished Burlington Systems - Source: Wells
• Fort Ashby Water System - Source Patterson Creek
• Carpendale - Source: Well
  
• Ridgeley, & Wiley Ford - Source: Evetts Creek in Allegany County, MD and Bedford County, PA.
• Elk Garden Water System - Source: Reservoir in Grant County

Letting people believe the entire county is only serviced by two sources of water creates fear. The drought in Georgia was brought up several times to increase that fear. The reality is much different.

According to the USGS, the average water usage per person in United States is 100 gallons. According to the 2000 Census there were 27,078 people in Mineral County. Working out the math that means that Mineral County on average uses 2.7 million gallons of water a day.

According to the USGS the median (average) discharge over a 68 year period is 61 cubic feet per second at Headsville, which is above the Fort Ashby water filtration plant. That works out to 456.28 gallons per second, or 39.4 million gallons a day. So 6.8% of the average flow of Patterson Creek could supply the entire county and it is not asked too nor will it ever be asked to supply the entire county.

Now Mineral County does not use Jennings Randolph Lake as a water supply. According to the US Corp of Engineers, the design of the dam allocates 41,000 acre feet of water storage for water supply. 1 acre foot of water is 325,851.42 gallons. If the Potomac River was to stop flowing today that 41,000 acre feet of water supply is enough to supply Mineral County for the next 13.5 years!!!! Jennings Randolph Lake holds a lot more than 41,000 acre feet. It holds an additional 51,000 acre feet for water quality control. And additional unused 36,200 acre feet are allocated for flood control.

Below the dam at Barnum in 1976 the lowest Potomac River flow was recorded at 142 cubic feet per second. To put that in perspective 10% of the lowest recorded flow could be supply water to a population of just under 100,000 or roughly 4 times the population of Mineral County. 10% of the average flow could supply the daily needs of around a 1/4 million people, and this is all from a source of water we currently do not use!

Is there a water supply problem in the county? No, water is our most abundant resource. There is a problem with the older water systems needing to be upgraded and a distribution problem.

18 miles of piping can connect the current water systems in county together. This would allow transfer of water between systems if needed. If one systems runs low on water or has quality issues, then another system could supply its needs on a temporary basis. In West Virginia the average cost of laying a mile of water pipe is around $200,000. That means the 18 miles of pipe could be laid for around $4 million. To put that in perspective, the sewer project in the north end of the county is a $40 million project. In addition to those 18 miles of pipe about another $4 million in modernization and pipeline upgrades is needed. All is doable and Homeland Security even has money available for connecting systems together to provide water system security.

So why is the public being instilled with false sense of fear that we are running out of water? One of the statements made in the meeting tells the story. When the person said, we should put a moratorium on development, that was the goal of those pushing the myth we are running out of water. There are people in this county that want no economic growth. They do whatever they can to stop businesses from moving into Mineral County and by scaring people by creating the myth we are running out of water is their latest attempt to stop economic development.

Thanksgiving in WV tells the Economic story

Last week in my travels I ran into a lot of friends in for the holiday's. It was good to see old friends, but at the same time it was kind of sad. The reason I only see these old friends on the holidays is because they had to leave the area for work.

Driving last week I saw a lot of out of state tags. For the most part those tags tell the story of West Virginia's economy. Each one of those tags represent the failure of the states economy to provide for our own. Since 1950 the West Virgina population has dropped from 1.3% of the US population to 0.6%. That represents the state being cut in half.

For over 60 years the state has been making the wrong economic decisions. It is time for a change. We can no longer afford to make the same choices. We need to get away from government intervention in the economy and more to the free market. How bad does it have to get before we make the necessary changes?

CNN Admits they didn't do their pre-debate homework

Proof Is In The Record

Is your Democrat Delegate Really Pro-Life?

By Lisa Peana, WVRC President
http://www.wvrepublicanclub.org/

Many legislative Democrats claim to be pro-life. They run pro-life ads and send out mail pieces promising to protect the unborn.

But for some reason, once they enter the Capitol building, they have a sudden change of heart — until the next campaign.

What actually takes place in the Capitol is what really counts, not campaign ads. Roll call votes are how we know where legislators really stand on the issues.

By looking at the one of the most recent pro-life bills to go through this process: the Parental Notification Bill (SB-519), we can learn the truth about these so-called pro-life House Democrats.

The passage of SB-519 would have closed a gaping loophole in state law that allows a doctor to waive the parental notification requirement before a minor undergoes an abortion. Under current law, at least one parent or legal guardian is supposed to be notified in advance, but the law can be easily circumvented by using the doctor’s waiver loophole.

If parental notification truly needed to be waived, SB-519 would have required that decision to be made by a judge.

SB-519 would have helped place child rapists behind bars, and helped detect pregnancies due to incest as parents would be notified before evidence of the abuse was aborted.

If only a parent in these instances would have known that their young daughters had been violated, it would have helped bring more pedophiles to justice.

When the parental notification bill previously failed in 2005 due to a closed-door House Democrat caucus vote, pro-life legislators promised to bring it back in 2006.

As in the past, when House Democrats went back home, they preached a pro-life message, and when they got their questionnaire from the WV Family Foundation, they vowed to fight for parental notification in writing.

However, on March 7th, 2006, House Democrats abandoned their pro-life promises in favor of their liberal base. Pro-life House members brought a discharge motion to the floor to force consideration of SB-519 as pro-abortion committee chairman Jon Amores and his allies had once again kept it from being considered in the Judiciary Committee.

Sadly, only five of the 68 House Democrats elected at the time (Eustace Frederick, Tom Louisos, Tim Miley, Kenneth Tucker, and Sally Susman) voted to bring SB-519 to the floor for consideration and true parental notification was killed once again.

Of those five Democrats who fought for SB-519, two are no longer in office, as the liberal base that control the Democrat Primaries made sure that Sally Susman lost her bid for the State Senate and longtime Delegate Tom Louisos lost his re-election bid.

Even more outrageous, twelve House Democrats who claimed to support parental notification in their WVFF questionnaire voted to keep SB-519 off the floor.

After the 2006 election, pro-abortion activists and the trial lawyers helped Rick Thompson win the Speaker’s race over pro-life Democrat Scott Varner.

Why? Because Thompson would appoint Carrie Webster to chair the Judiciary Committee, and with Webster holding the gavel, pro-life legislation will never see the light of day.

As with Kiss and company, we once again have a House Speaker and Democrat caucus that profess to be pro-life in their districts, but allow the abortion supporters to always have their way in the House chamber.

Pro-abortion ideologues like Webster and Virginia Mahan (HD-27, Summers) are in positions of leadership, because at the end of the day: Democrats are the party of abortion on demand.

So which one is it? How much longer can we allow the ruling party to campaign on a pro-life platform only to have their minds changed by their leadership once they get in the Capitol building?

Pro-life rhetoric from Democrat Delegates doesn't save one single unborn child. Voting to kill pro-life bills is what aids in the continuation of their death.

If your Democrat Delegate is really pro-life, then it is way past time to work with like minded Republicans to make true parental notification for underage abortions the law of the land.

The following Democrat Delegates claimed to support Parental Notification legislation in the 2006 Family Foundation Candidate Questionnaire and then voted to block consideration of SB 519 (Roll Call # 343 – 03/07/06)

- Bob Beach, Monongalia, H-D 44
- JD Beane, Wood, H-D 10 (No Longer Serving)
- Brent Boggs, Braxton, H-D 34
- Kevin Craig, Cabell, H-D 15
- Richard Iaquinta, Harrison , H-D 41
- Marshall Long, Mercer, H-D 25
- David Perry, Fayette, H-D 29
- John Pino, Fayette, H-D 29
- Dale Stephens, Cabell, H-D 16
- Speaker Rick Thompson, Wayne , H-D 17
- Ron Thompson, Raleigh , H-D 27 (No Longer Serving)
- Jack Yost, Brook, H-D 02

WV Family Foundation 2006 Candidate Questionnaire: http://www.wvfamily.org/pdf/2006_House_FVQ_Results.pdf

Roll Call:
http://wvrepublicanclub.org/documents/Parential%20Notification%20Rollcall%20-%20SB519-RC343.pdf

How laws and sausages are made

Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made. Prince Otto von Bismarck

Over the past several months I have had the pleasure of working on the Mineral Coutny Clean Up Committee. The purpose of the committee lay in trying to formulate a law to address abandoned and unsafe buildings. Many on the committee had ideal responses to this issue formulated in their heads before getting to work.

Include me among them. Private property counts as one of the most sacred rights granted to man. Not the right to have it, but the right to work to earn it, then enjoy the rewards of that work. Interference with property rights ought to only occur after careful consideration. Property gives a man, or a woman, or a family a sense of stability and permanence. It is their rock against the slings and arrows fired by life in the real world. I saw no purpose in the ordinance myself (on that point I agreed with Gary Howell and many others), but felt that working with the committee might help create a law with less problems for average owners.

The real world often intervenes with how we view the world ideally. The county commission had a strong interest in seeing an ordinance established. Governor Manchin pushed these actions at the county level by threatening to withold funds. An ordinance would occur in some form or another. The key lay in getting a law that would be as fair as possible to property owners.

Regardless of how the press covered these meetings, they were at times contentious. Gary Howell and his supporters fought hard for a law that would limit government authority, strictly define its actions, and provide maximum protections for property owners, especially the poor and middle class. Others wanted a law that granted more robust powers and a more loosely defined authority to the county. Verbal battles raged over these issues and others. Like almost any heated discussion, the real fight lay over what fundamental principles would serve as the foundation for this law. It was agreed at one point to use a similar ordinance created by Raleigh County as a template and change it to fit Mineral County.

At the end of the day both sides got some of what they wanted. Many irrelevant terms such as "blighted area" and "junked vehicles" were expunged from the ordinance. Otherwise they might have opened a slight crack in the legal door for laws that could affect people's rights in other areas. The most obnoxious parts of the Raleigh County law lay in extremely oppressive fines, but these were mitigated somewhat. However Howell and his supporters were unable to secure a specific sliding scale of fines and time needed to complete repairs based upon income. Proposals to grant special grace periods to the disabled and those in federal poverty programs were also rejected.

Serving on a committee such as this one was a rewarding experience. Everyone who has the time, patience, and the concern for their community ought to participate in something like this at least once. Like Chancellor von Bismarck tried to explain, this was not always a pretty sight. However raised voices, argument, and dissention mean that at least two people care about their community and the people in it. Bismarck said it is better not to see laws being made, but on the other hand he did not govern a country that valued democratic republican government as we do.

I can't speak for sausage making, but take the opportunity to watch a law being made. Whether or not you like the experience, you will definitely learn a lot.

Chinese Toy problem and WV can't take advantage

It hasn't been that long ago that West Virginia was a major player in the toy manufacturing market. Louis Marx toy company was the largest in the world and at one time had its largest plant located in Glen Dale, WV.

If your 30 or older most likely you had a Marx toy as a kid growing up. I had a Big Wheel like the one in the picture.

All of that is gone now like much of West Virginia's manufacturing. Now many will say that Marx being sold and cheap Chinese imports played a part in the demise of the company. For the most part they would be right, but West Virginia's poor business climate played a part as well.

If West Virginia had a good business climate we could take advantage of the problems in the current toy industry. Right now the consumers are demanding US made toys for the safety of their children.

Toys are a business opportunity for a company in the United States, but West Virginia is the last place you would want to start a business. West Virginia has everything going for it to start a business the best people and workers in the nation, the best location for shipping, and abundant natural resources. The reason West Virginia is the last place in the US is because of the business climate. The following things need fixed to help our economy.

• Tax Reform - West Virginia's tax structure runs off business and prevents new business from locating here. Since 1950 WV has fallen from 1.3% of the US to 0.6% of the US population because nobody wants to run a business here.
  
• Worker Comp Reform - West Virginia has the highest workers comp rates in the nation, double the second worse (California). Those rates prevent businesses from locating here. Cost are simply to high.
• Tort Reform - West Virginia has been identified as the Judicial Hell Hole of the US by the US Chamber of Commerce. That is not a dig on WV, that is a respected organization telling the people of this state what needs fixed. Foxnews on Thanksgiving Day made a comment about how bad the legal system was in WV.

It is not a secret what we need to fix. To most people around the US is obvious. The only ones that can't seem to see it are those in control of the state legislature. Those in control of the state legislature should listen to Winston Churchill when he said, "Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon." Let's trough off the restraints on the states businesses and let them pull the economic wagon forward.

An Armed Population Is a Free Population

When approaching the next election, many Americans will make their decisions based in part upon which candidates will more soundly defend their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms.

Opponents try to argue away the notion that an armed population is desirable or necessary in the modern age. An academic in the 1990s tried to argue that there was actually no tradition whatsoever of Americans or English adhering to such a belief. Attacks on gun ownership are attacks on freedom. If the Second Amendment can be subverted the rest can be as well. Additionally the Second Amendment guarantees that citizens can protect their own rights when it comes down to it. It is a check in the hands of the people on the power of the government. This was why Thomas Jefferson liked this amendment more than any other.

The Second Amendment did not just arise from nowhere. In 1181 Henry II legalized English traditions in the Assize of Arms. From the time of the early Middle Ages, English citizens maintained personal arms and served in a militia known as a fyrd. The king could call upon these men in times of severe danger. Henry II was an autocrat without a doubt, but did not interfere much in the liberties of his people. The Assize of Arms did not simply encourage, but demanded that men arm themselves. Few other kings have seen an armed population as anything but a threat, but Henry II and his successors had faith in the English people. Many of them also paid close attention to the issues and problems of their kingdom. Almost no European rulers at that time held so much concern. It could definitely be argued that the armed condition of the population encouraged the king to look more closely at the needs of the people.

The emergence of a tyrant in the 1600s, Charles I, convinced the people of England that they needed to be armed to fight their own government when necessary. Charles I proved that even a British king can overstep his bounds. When he did so, the people needed to bring their government back in line. American colonists in the 1700s combined this idea with the fact that frontiersmen needed to be armed in case of Indian or French attack.

Second Amendment rights go beyond the need for property protection or national defense. The right to keep and bear arms reflects the relationship between the government and the governed. A government that promotes liberty and property rights need not fear an armed population. When the government decides that natural rights must be systematically violated and that arms must be taken away, it is saying that it fears the people and their freedom of action. The taking away of arms almost always precedes a dictatorship that abuses the people.

The Founding Fathers emphasized the right of a population to remain armed because it reminds the government of where sovereignty actually lies.

Economics 101

When we talk about being in the Global Economy, the illustration as the right is a great visual aid. It shows what the US economy would look like broken down and states put side by side with their comparable country in regards to economic output. Click here for source. You can also click on the map to enlarge.

Preserving West Virginia's History

One of the greatest treasures maintained by the State of West Virginia lies in its official Archives kept in Charleston at the State Cultural Center. Over the past few years, historians and genealogists have grown uneasy about the future of the facility.

Plans have developed under Governor Manchin's administration to transform the current State Archives reading room into a cafe and have patrons utilize a lending library to examine documents. To those knowledgeable about the importance of documents and archives, this potential development sets off red flags.

Some of the documents in the care of the State Archives have real monetary value. An entire underground economy centers around the secret (and sometimes not so secret) trade in valuable signatures. In the past couple of years the State and Regional History Collection at West Virginia University had to make more strict its security procedures. They discovered some of their rare and precious documents on Ebay. Security would be even more difficult at a lending library.

Additionally concerns have been raised over the storage and serving of food in the same building as these documents. Experts fear that food will attract rodents and insects that could damage the documents. Governor Arch Moore rejected the placing of food service in the Cultural Center for that reason. The state has issued assurances that the highest standards of cleanliness will be followed. West Virginia University recently opened a coffee shop in the same library building that houses its important collections.

What raises most concern is the sudden sacking of longtime director Fred Armstrong. Under Armstrong, service at the State Archives facility was always timely and enthusiastic. Governor Manchin did not issue clear reasons why the thirty year employee was dismissed. Commentators from as widely varied political viewpoints as Gary Abernathy (The Republican Gazette) and Phil Kabler (The Charleston Gazette) have questioned this move on the part of the administration. I remember one of Marshall University's most prominent history professors, the late Robert Maddox, speaking very highly of him several years ago. The situation is certainly strange. This follows a series of odd moves by Manchin, such as his intervention in West Virginia University's football schedule, removal of political signs in the 2006 elections, and the infamous "open for business" signs, that raise questions and create negative attention.

At the end of the day preservation of West Virginia's history represents and important and vital trust. We hope that the decisions concerning that trust reflect the fact that preservation will remain one of the state's most important priorities.

WV Democrats set up the WV Republican Executive Committee?

One Sunday afternoon I had a long political conversation with Tommy Phillips about the direction of the Republican Party in the state. We were just throwing around ideas about what had worked in the past, and what might work in the future to bring the Republican Party back to power in the state to benefit all West Virginians. During the conversation I asked Tommy, "Do you realize the WV Democratic Party set up the structure of a major part of the WV Republican Executive Committee?" Tommy asked if I was serious. I said yes, and began to explain.

68 members of the Republican Executive Committee are all based on the states senatorial districts. Those 17 districts were drawn by the Democratic controlled legislature. They were gerrymandered to limit Republican power in the state. Think about that for a minute. The WV Republican Party is using districts designed by Democrats to limit the power of Republicans as a basis for a large portion of the Republican Executive Committee. Does that make any sense?

It goes further. Under the Republican party platform; I The Government, O. Providing legislative reapportionment with no gerrymandering by the majority leadership, with 100 single-member House of Delegate districts and 34 separate State Senatorial districts that respect community boundaries for increased accountability. OK that is our position, but because we are using the Senatorial Districts drawn by the Democrats we have the very overlap in the 8th and 17th Senatorial Districts we are taking a position against. Does that make any sense?

The Senatorial Districts drawn by the Democrats do not even represent equal numbers of Republicans. 4 Executive Committee Members in some districts represent a large number of the states Republicans, and in others the 4 only represent a few. Does that make any sense?

Our goal as Republicans is to make the state a better place for all West Virginians. Should we look at implementing our own values and our own ideas in our own executive committee?

• 17 Separate - 4 member executive committee districts
• Equal number of Republicans in each executive committee district
• or County Districts with members allocated by Republican Population
  
• No overlapping executive committee districts
• No use of districts designed by the Democratic Party

People fear change. Some may see the idea as radical, some will only see it as common sense. Some may fear loss of power, while others will see opportunity. I only put the ideas on the table to create discussion, for through discussion we will find solutions to challenges.

Lisa Peana enters District 17 House Race

PRESS RELEASE Contact: Lisa Peana
Monday, November 19th, 2007 (304) 730 - 4599

PEANA ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY

Wayne County Republican to run on Tax Reform, Justice Reform and Sunshine Laws

Ceredo, WV – Lisa Peana has tossed her hat into the ring for a seat in the House of Delegats, District 17, Wayne County.

“We need a change in Charleston”, Peana announced, “ We need Fair Taxes for our citizens and businesses, we need severe Justice Reform to bring the courts back into balance and Sunshine Laws to allow transparency so the public knows how their government is operating.”

Peana is a Real Estate Agent for Metro Properties. As a business woman Peana has seen first hand the impact of unfair taxes, and unbalanced courts both on individuals and businesses. “We have a bloated government bureaucracy in West Virginia, and the only cure is to have comprehensive reform both in our tax code and judicial system. When the size of our government grows at a rate faster than the average household income, you have a problem.”

Peana vowed to fight for social issues as well. She said that she makes a promise to push for legislation that will protect the unborn, traditional marriage and gun ownership rights.

President of the West Virginia Republican Club, Peana is the wife of an Air Force veteran, Jamison Jeffrey. They have a son, Anthony who is in grade school.

Free Market doing its job

During my trip out west at the beginning of the month I saw the Free Market doing its job. I have driven across the continent many times and I usually see these oil pumps sitting idle. This time it was different. Most of the pumps were bobbing up down looking like giant birds picking up corn.

The reason is because oil prices are at record highs. The Free Market is bringing these wells online to fill the demand for oil. The supply and demand curve is infallible as price increases more people are willing to supply product.

The few pumps that were not running seemed to be waiting in line for repair crews to arrive, and we saw many repair crews working in the fields. We also saw drilling rigs drilling new wells, especially across southern Indiana and Illinois.

All of this is evidence of the Free Market responding to consumer demand. As the oil from these wells begin to fill the pipeline (both figuratively & literally) oil imports will drop helping the US economy and the price at the pump.

Now many people forget that West Virginia is an oil producing state. In fact we are the second state that oil was discovered in, but our government is holding us back from taking advantage of it. Bad policies by the government cause us to lag behind.

If Del Nancy Guthrie (D-Kanawha) has her way, there would be no business at all in West Virginia. People like Guthrie don't understand how Free Markets work and they fear it. She actually wants more government control over you life. To the point Karl Marx would be proud.

Can you imagen how bad this would be if the government was in total control? The Free Market brought those oil wells online quickly. If we had to wait on government to do it, then I'm not sure if they would have even began to study what to do yet. After year or so of study, they would determine that we would need to start up the old wells, something the free market did automatically.

Government can never do what the Free Market does. The best expertise in the world can never anticipate what the market will do. The head of IBM in the late 70's never saw a need for personal computers, but yet we all have them today. The ability of the Free Market to react to changes in the market place is essential to economic growth and that is something that central planning can never replace.

Our Veterans

November 11th marks the date on the calendar that we honor our veterans. We gather in our towns, watch the parades with ROTC members, Veteran local organizations, civic groups and the occasional Uncle Sam on stilts. Whether or not we agree with the War on Terror, on that day, we join together, wave our American flags and enjoy the local marching bands and all those that participate to honor our veterans.

Our veterans are those that have fought before us to preserve our freedoms that we enjoy today. Their selflessness makes it possible for us to be able to enjoy our work, religion and life in general without fear.

The military has been a great way for our youth to serve our country. They voluntarily sign up, and go off to training. They leave their families and communities to go down an honorable road where they become the educated and well-disciplined individuals that we are so proud of.

Everyday that our men and women in the armed forces serve, they leave their families behind and go into harms way. They never know when get up in the morning what will await them when they walk in the front door of their duty station office or when they walk onto the battlefield.

And today, there are thousands of our men and women who serve on our soil but also overseas to fight against those who want nothing more but to harm us here at home.

Many of our soldiers that go off to battle return as combat veterans. They sometimes return as wounded, or worse, in a box draped by a flag. They leave and do not know the fate that awaits them.

They don’t do it for the glory, fame or money. In fact, many of our service men and women don’t make much at all in way of monetary compensation.

They do it because they care. They care about their families, their communities and their country. They want to make sure that the safety we have today, we will still have tomorrow.

So today, as we wake in freedom, we raise our flag, and say a prayer for our military. And when we see a veteran, we can’t thank them enough for what they have sacrificed so that we can have everything we dream of.

Should the affluent be allowed to rule the Middle Class?

Should the affluent be allowed to rule the Middle Class? I think we all subscribe to the notion that all men are created equal and would answer that question with a resounding; NO, the affluent should not be allowed to rule any class.

The founding fathers certainly felt this way when they wrote "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Those also sought to secure property rights. One of the original drafts of the Declaration stated in their list of grievances that the King incited the citizens with the allurements of forfeiture & confiscation of our property. The founding fathers in the Bill of Rights added the protection of the 5th Amendment in the states, "nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation" and the 14th Amendment further defines the protection with "nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."

Let's face it our property rights are what separate us from the 3rd world countries. Property rights are the foundation of our economy. Without solid property rights business cannot operate. In his book, The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx stated, "The theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property."

The founding fathers were heavily influenced by the writings of Adam Smith. In his book, The Wealth of Nations he wrote, "Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is in reality instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all."

In Mineral County the Rich are on the offensive against not only the poor but the Middle Class. The evidence is piling up if you choose to look.

In the October 19th, 2007 issue of the News Tribune and article entitled "Zoning could be part of the Mineral Co. Plan" it states, " areas around Keyser and Fort Ashby need to be zoned, but places like Lakewood did not." Interesting comment about the Mineral County plan. Consider that the areas around Keyser and Fort Ashby are predominately middle class neighborhoods. According to the real estate website Trulia the average home price in the Keyser area is $182,522. This past year the Mineral County Planning Commission approved two building permits for $2 million, both of these homes are located in Lakewood.

On October 30th the Clean Up Mineral County Committee disbanded after handing a proposal for an ordinance to cover buildings that were abandon or had structural defects to the Planning Commission.

There are two interesting facts about this meeting. The first is; prior to this meeting the Clean Up Mineral County Committee had met the 4th Thursday of every month, but the final meeting was moved to the 5th Tuesday causing a schedule conflict for many property owner rights advocates. The second is; most of the protections for the Middle Class, Low Income, and Disabled home owners were removed from the proposed ordinance at this final meeting.

Had the meeting been held on its proper night, most likely the protections for the Middle Class, Low Income, and Disabled would not have been removed. The people that didn't want anybody but the rich to have their rights protected, simply would not have had the votes. No explanation for why the meeting date was moved was ever given, but the move worked to disadvantage of most Mineral County's citizens.

It is easy to see if you look at what is happening in the county that the wealthiest of the county are trying to impose their will on the rest of the population of the county. Adam Smith warned about his over 200 years ago. We are seeing ideas being put forth that will have an adverse effect on the middle class, low income, and disabled while having little to no effect on the richest citizens of the county.

Like the Declaration of Independence says; all men are created equal and if we do not act as equal partners in government, then we will only serve as surf's of the wealthy on our own land.

• Reference Link April 2, 2007 Post