Olympic Flaming Idiots

I see that both Hillary and BO have now called on President Bush to boycott the opening ceremony of the Olympics. I guess they can't spare the time from their campaigns to go there, and would have to pay the going price, or get some lobbyist to pony up for them, so they don't want the President to go either. Whether or not the President chooses to go is his business, not the business of Hillary or BO.

No other senators have called on the President to boycott. I wonder why not? Could it be that only Democratic Senators who happen to be vying for any headline of any sort while they are still locked in a primary battle see this as a battle cry with any valence whatsoever. Look for them to run out the battle cry for Armenian independence next week, and make a ceremonial visit to the Little Bighorn the following one, while stocking up on Absolut Vodka in a play for the Hispanic vote.

So far the White House has dismissed Hillary and BO beautifully, deeming it to be merely a Presidential scheduling issue. For the Repulicans, it certainly isn't much of a campaign issue. There was not much the United States could do when a substantially less formidable Communist China took over Tibet and sent the Dalai Lama scampering with little more than a simple little orange dress to his name. To give him credit, that worthy has made a good living from his status as whatever it is that he is. However, despite his best efforts, and the protestations of Hillary, BO, or many another bleeding heart, there is still nothing much we can do about China's handling of the Tibet issue. Boycotting the opening ceremony would insult the Chinese, of course, but I suppose that the television contracts have long been signed, the coverage will be there, and the people here will mostly be watching what probably will be a magnificent show. If Hillary and BO don't watch any of it, I'd be surprised. On the other hand, they will be busy trying to flip superdelegates, which may prove difficult at that particular time, because the superdelegates will probably be busy eating, drinking and merrily watching the opening ceremonies on really big-screen TV's just like most people around the world will be.

The decision by President Bush to attend or not attend the Olympic Opening Ceremonies is an important one. Fortunately, he is not running for re-election, so he gets to make the decision under circumstances quite different from Hillary's or BO's. His decision is unlikely to have any particular impact on the campaign one way or the other, so he doesn't have to decide before the Pennsylvania primary election, either, not that the Tibet issue is likely to be a big one anywhere but Haverford.

There is actually something to be said for not insulting China over an issue as non-momentous as Tibet, regardless of what the Dalai Lama might say. We do a lot of business with China. We have strategic interests to consider. Do we want to risk worsening Taiwan's situation by some theatrical gesture in favor of Tibet's situation? Do we want to annoy the Chinese, who have sometimes been helpful in trying to get a lid on North Korea and may be needed in that situation in the future?

Hillary speaks of her foreign policy expertise. Yeah, right, she played dress-up in India. BO has played dress up in Africa and he went to madrasa in Indonesia, and possibly he has eaten in a Chinese restaurant or two, but he's no expert on foreign policy by a long shot either. George W. Bush has quite an edge over BO and Hillary in foreign policy, and he has a highly educated and competent Secretary of State to advise him. Fortunately for Hillary and BO, the President is not a cruel man. If he were, he could make a mockery of Hillary and BO's stupid call for him to do as they are telling him in this instance, or for that matter in just about any instance.

Green Grass

I saw a commercial the other day for a grass that grows with substantially less water than standard grass. This new, environmentally friendly, grass seed from Pennington made me laugh. The commercial ends with a statement that this grass is better for the environment. Better? Better than, say, normal grass? I always thought of grass as environmentally friendly just because it's...well, grass.

I am in favor of environmentally aware actions and living. Like most people, I want my children to appreciate nature and enjoy the mountains that we live in and around. But this new environmental movement seems a little phony to me. I am overwhelmed with organic, green, and Fair trade products, but nobody really knows what these labels mean. Is there a traceable impact in purchasing a few organic or green products, but continuing one's normal lifestyle?

My office is about 1 mile from my home. If I walk to work, people think I am either crazy or lost my car and I get offered rides to work or church by everyone who sees me walking. The streets of Keyser are full of people like me who could easily walk to work each day if they really wanted to make an impact. In this area, people have a different sense of the environment. It surrounds us and as West Virginians, we identify with the natural beauty of the state. Just ask the Governor about his experience trying to change our state motto.

Now we have to listen to Hollywood stars and big city power players and politicians tell us how we are destroying the world because our cars use too much gas on our 1 mile commute, or because we use bad grass, or leave the lights on when we leave a room. Afterall, the Neo-Environmentalists that are emerging around us care more, just look at their shopping carts. But is this really an effort to make an impact, or does everyone just want to look like tehy are trying? Take the grass example. The goal of course is a lush, green, better than the Jones', lawn that requires less manual watering from the property owner who is trying to conserve water. Afterall, the property owner is economically aware and wants to conserve water. Then again, if the property owner really wanted to conserve water, couldn't they just forego having the greenest lawn on the block? Afterall, they are saving water but probably using gas powered lawn maintenance equipment that is filling the air with toxic vapor and increasing our demand for foreign oil...Clearly this is the Presiden'ts fault. A spotty, untreated, unwatered, natural lawn should be a badge of honor to a true environmentalist. Mow your spotty lawn with a rotary, self-powered mower that uses no gas or electricity and I will applaud that you are trying to make an impact. Otherwise, create a beautiful landscape with non-native plants and I will applaud your creativity and commitment to creating an aestheticly beautiful place to live.

Rockefeller Insults Veterans

A big thank you to Vic Sprouse for bringing this to our attention.

Our United States Senator, Jay Rockefeller, in an attempt to defend his backing of Barrack Obama, lashed out at John McCain's service. He belittled McCain's role as a combat pilot. Rockefeller criticized McCain's role as simply being a guy that dropped laser guided bombs on people, then he flew away never for a moment considering the fate of the people he bombed.

You know that the state media will never publicize these comments. That is why it is so important to supplement the traditional news by reading these conservative blogs. Rockefeller gave us a clue as to his entire elitist mindset about the military and those who serve. He thinks nothing of the danger those pilots faced. He thinks nothing of the fact that McCain was eliminating threats to soldiers on the ground fighting for their lives. No, Rockefeller is an elitist guy from an elitist school who will never understand the sense of duty and honor that John McCain represents.

I am going to cut and paste Vic Sprouse's blog entry in its entirety and send it to my friends and relatives who served. Here is a link.

http://www.changewv.com/2008/should-jrock-continue-as-head-of-intelligence

Spread the word and donate to Jay's Republican opponent. We need to get this information over the television and radio airwaves next fall.

US ROUTE 50 IN FREDERICK COUNTY VIRGINIA WILL HAVE MAJOR CLOSURE April 18 to 21.

ROUTE 50 IN FREDERICK COUNTY WILL HAVE MAJOR CLOSURE

Closure will be April 18-21

STAUNTON – Motorists traveling on Route 50 near the Virginia border with West Virginia should be alert for an upcoming temporary but major traffic pattern change. The Route 50 westbound lanes will be closed due to railroad work in Gore.

The closure will take place beginning at 7 p.m. on April 18 and lasting until 5 a.m. on April 21. The westbound lanes of Route 50 (Northwestern Pike) in the Gore area of Frederick County will be closed. This location is approximately .1 mile west of Route 752 (Knob Road) and is near the Virginia and West Virginia state line.

The closure is due to railroad work being performed by the Winchester and Western Railroad in the Gore area. All work is weather permitting.

The detour for the Route 50 westbound closure from April 18 -21 is as follows:

For trucks:

From the Winchester area take Route 37 to Route 522 northbound to Route 127 westbound to Route 29 southbound to Route 50.

For passenger vehicles:

From the Winchester area take Route 37 to Route 50 westbound to Route 600 north, to Route 684 east, to Route 522 northbound, to Route 701 to Route 703 to Route 50.

Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. In areas where 511 is unavailable, dial 1-800-578-4111. (TTY/TDD users, call 711). Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 511Virginia.org.

Highway safety is everyone’s responsibility. Virginia’s highway safety partnership — the Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and Virginia State Police — challenges you to help prevent highway fatalities. Buckle up. Avoid distractions. Share the road. Drive drug- and alcohol-free. Obey speed limits. For more information on the Highway Safety Challenge and things you can do to avoid becoming Virginia’s next traffic fatality, visit www.safeVAhighways.org.

Guns Make Citizens

Last week I came home to find the Washington DC local news on. The local station was doing a story about a gun search. That's right. Without warrants, people's homes were being searched for guns that are currently illegal in Washington DC. Presumably this is because they fear that their law will be found in violation of the Second Amendment. Of course these are likely the homes of law abiding citizens because no one would just barge into a drug lord's home to demand guns. My daughter said that it sounded like something that the British might do shortly before the Revolution.

The first thing that dictatorships seize is people's guns. Other countries, such as Japan, hesitated to directly invade the US due to widespread gun ownership. Thomas Jefferson saw them as key to a free people protecting their freedoms from a tyrannical government. The right goes back to the Middle Ages when King Henry II of England required people to arm themselves to protect the nation. He as a result understood that he needed to be better acquainted with the people's needs and traveled widely to keep in touch with their wishes. Later kings found it more convenient to call assemblies later known as Parliamant into session. An armed population is one that the government goes to greater lengths to keep happy.

Certainly the biggest threat on the horizon, besides the current case before the US Supreme Court, is Barrack Obama. According to many, his actual views as he wrote in his book are far to the left of the mainstream. He is the stalking horse for George Soros and MoveOn.org who continue their quest to revolutionize the United States and transform it into something quite alien from the original dreams of the Founding Fathers. Their guiding star is not George Washington, but Karl Marx. Of course the people must be rendered impotent first.

The American definition of rights is freedoms granted by God or nature. The American definition of citizen describes a person who not only enjoys, but fights for these rights. Gun ownership ensures our rights now and forever, or at least until we elect governments that obliterate their enjoyment.

Gary Howell Fundraiser Last Friday

Last Friday night, Gary Howell held his first fundraiser of the campaign season. This event was organized by Christy Barnett with help from Gloria Howell and the good folks of the Old School Cafe. Campaign consultant Gary Abernathy hosted the event.

Gary was supported by a roomful of people who came to show their support and donate money. Included among Gary's local friends were State Senator Dave Sypolt and Republican nominee for governor Russ Weeks. Gary gave a tremendous speech that explained his priorities, namely economic reform in West Virginia to ensure a prosperous future.

Many items were donated for the silent auction. Included was some truly "fabulous fudge" as it was called. Let me tell you, that was truth in advertising! Others baked some delicious looking pies. West Virginia University professor Russ Sobel, Abernathy, and Weeks also donated autographed copies of their books. Barnett donated Washington Senators tickets and Cheri Gannon donated a gift basket from the Keyser sandwich and coffee shop On Common Grounds. Many other donations (I wish I could remember from whom) helped Gary raise a substantial amount to help his senate bid.

The Republican Party has a vision for the state's future that involves a drastically different course than we are following now. We need to put the development of state business first and create a solid foundation for growth. Only through a GOP Legislature will this ever be achieved. Gary Howell can be a big part of the solution that West Virginia needs. A whole lot of his friends that showed last Friday agree with that idea.

Press Release: Lynn Staton Seeks National Committeewoman Seat

Dear Potomac Highlands Conservative,

On June 21, 2008 the West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee will meet in Flatwoods for our State Committee Summer meeting and West Virginia Convention. I am a candidate for National Committeewoman. The election for this office will be held during the state Committee meeting portion of our gathering. I would be honored to have your support.

Because of the nature of our government affairs consulting business, my husband, former Congressman Mick Staton, and I are frequently in Washington. Over the years, I have become acquainted with our national Republican leaders. Additionally, our proximity to the nation’s capitol and frequent trips into DC make it easy for me to be in touch with the Republican National Committee.

As a lifelong Republican, I have worked hard for the election of our candidates on the local, state and national level. We have been involved in a number of successful campaigns in West Virginia including State Senator Sarah Minear, the late State Senator Harry Dugan, Governor Cecil Underwood and the 2004 Bush campaign, just to name a few.

In 2004 I was appointed to fill a vacancy on the State Committee from the 16^th Senatorial District. In 2006, I ran for, was elected, and presently serve in that capacity as well as my position as Associate Chairwoman of the Republican State Executive Committee. In years past I served as Assistant Treasurer of the State Committee. Most recently I served as the General Chairman of the West Virginia Republican Presidential Nominating Convention – a very rewarding position.

As you know, the national party will be formulating a new system for presidential primaries. I believe my experience working with and understanding other states’ processes will aid me in helping the party arrive at a new system that works.

Now I am asking for your vote to become the next National Committeewoman from West Virginia. I believe my experience on the national scene, my work on behalf of Republican candidates and my service to the party equip me well for this position. I am confident that I can help West Virginia Republicans on the national level as well as here at home. I will do my best to keep West Virginia “Red” and carry our message of small government, lower taxes and individual freedom to the national party. I hope I can count on your support. I look forward to discussing this with you and will call you soon to see if you have any questions for me.

Until then, if you would like to talk with me, you can reach me at (304) 229-5890 or by email at lynn@caplink.com.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Lynn S. Staton

368 Jaguar Drive * Inwood, WV * 25428

Barbour County Lincoln Day Dinner

The Barbour County Lincoln Day Dinner had a good crowd and lots of candidates. Hiram Lewis was the keynote speaker talking about what the flag meant to him.

Beth Walker talked about the need for a supreme court justice that can follow the law. Numerous other candidates spoke both state wide and local. A lot of credit goes to the Barbour County executive committee for putting on a good show. Annette Santelli made a good MC for the event.

What Are Mineral County's Priorities?

One of the biggest follies of government at any level lies in the fact that public officials often do not balance ends and means. This is a common mistake. Voters often demand changes that government cannot afford. Every small city needs more police to enforce traffic laws and curtail the drug traffic, but very few have the means to work towards that end. In an ideal world we can always find the money to do what we want. However government, business, and individuals often have to try and separate what they want from what they need.

This means setting priorities. What is most important to the people of Mineral County? Certainly a large rural county struggles to provide police protection. With only a limited number of state troopers, the county sheriff's department has a vast responsibility to serve the court and enforce the law. Mineral County's sheriff recently requested two new deputies. The county told them that only one could be funded. This occurred despite the fact that stolen property values in Mineral County jumped 158% between 2006 and 2007 to an amount well over $200,000. Education of local children remains a strong need. Outside of the schools, the county library system provides an alternative center for children and adults alike to broaden their minds. Relatively little money exists to support this important community institution.

However the county now proposes to hire new enforcement officers for the new decrepit building ordinance. There was some community demand to create an ordinance to address unsafe and unsightly conditions on various properties, although certainly it did not receive a groundswell of popular support. A law was created utilizing community input. Currently the two humane officers will be used to investigate complaints. However the decision to hire a new officer to enforce the law is an expense our county cannot afford. It seems to anticipate an extraordinary number of complaints. Do that many people seek to inconvenience their neighbors in this county? I doubt it. The county should start with the resources it has. If the complaints rise above a certain level, then by all means hire someone else. Just wait and see if it is necessary.

We ought to all be concerned about these added expenses. Folks, it is our money they are spending. Tens of thousands of dollars for a special school levy election that failed is another example. They could have piggy-backed it on the regular elections this year. Last fall it was proposed that an extremely expensive study be undertaken to explore whether or not the county has almost run out of water. Luckily Mother Nature has undertaken in the last few months to even out her dry weather with wet. Hopefully this idea has been forgotten.

Government all too often allows its ends to outstrip its means. This usually results in important issues, such as police protection, taking a backseat to issues that should be less of a priority. I would much rather have more deputies patrolling the dangerous roads of Mineral County, deterring reckless driving. I would also love to see our library be able to expand its programs to reach more children. I just don't see how various half-collapsed barns and front porches full of odds and ends warrant such a high expenditure of the people's money. The growing problem of stolen property hurts Mineral County worse than decrepit or messy structures.

Start small and work your way up. The worst case scenario is hiring additional enforcement officers and have them collecting paychecks with nothing to do while we pay higher and higher taxes.

Questions That I Cannot Answer

The specter of $4 a gallon gas is nearly upon us and there is no reason to believe that the climb will stop there. The obstacles placed in the path of getting inexpensive gasoline from the ground into your gas tank push us towards a tipping point. OPEC, the international association designed to regulate oil production, is only one aspect of the problem. Regulated supply combined with ever escalating demand has made the price of oil skyrocket. That is combined with the domestic obstacles of not tapping our own vital supplies, while relying ever increasingly upon foreign refining since we have regulated new refineries out of any possibility in this country.

In other words market pressures on oil are making it more difficult to rationalize our dependence upon this particular product. Meanwhile all energy prices rise along with oil. This produces pressures that can hurt, but also provide opportunities. This leads to my questions.

Why haven't we seen more private interest in coal liquefaction? Governor Manchin is interested and pushing for federal help. One would think that the coal companies would be interested enough to help make it happen. Are they heavily involved? If not, why?

Why are liberals so dead set against wind energy? We can put wind farms on the ridges over towns like Keyser and not ruin any natural, pristine views. If the county commission does not like it, the city ought to annex the land and reap the economic and tax benefits. The city needs money and it lacks industry. This could be a big part of a revitalized Keyser or Petersburg, or any other economically distressed town in the region near a high wind area.

Why have we as a state not looked into hydroelectric power? Tennessee gets most of their electricity from dams on small to moderate sized rivers. How many dams do we have on the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers (which we own!) Why can't we adapt Summersville and Sutton Dam for hydroelectric capabilities? Union Carbide constructed a hydroelectric plant decades ago off of the New River, which is a fairly small stream.

Why hasn't West Virginia tapped into its massive gas reserves more effectively?

At what point will market pressures eliminate the internal combustion engine? To me, we should start seeing these pressures hit a tipping point soon. The beauty of capitalism is that it rewards the forward thinking, the least expensive, and the most efficient. I'd say in ten years or maybe less we'll either see the market pressures subside drastically, or we will (more likely) witness technological revolutions that the oil companies will either be a big part of, or be destroyed by. Same with auto makers.

The best way to see development is to let the market work without excessive intervention. Push and prod, don't tax and regulate. That is how we'll see our energy questions solved most effectively.

Greear Endorsed by West Virginians for Life PAC

For Immediate Release
April 2, 2008
Contact:
Greear for AG Committee
Suzette Raines, 304-437-1306

Dan Greear endorsed by West Virginians for Life

Charleston, WV – Charleston attorney and former member of the House of Delegates, Dan Greear, proudly announces West Virginians for Life Political Action Committee has endorsed his candidacy for Attorney General.

Greear was honored and humbled by their endorsement. “This is a personal conviction rather than a political statement for me,” said Greear. “I believe we have a moral obligation to protect human life. This controversial issue is very simple for me and those who I surround myself with, abortion is wrong,” Greear said.

“When I ran for the House of Delegates I was endorsed by West Virginians for Life and I have always encompassed the same position on abortion issues. I am proud to again receive their endorsement as I seek the Office of Attorney General,” Greear added. “This endorsement sends a strong signal to Republican primary voters that I am the better candidate to represent our party against Darrell McGraw.”

Greear believes West Virginia voters take a strong stance against abortion. Greear stated, “Your position on this vital issue tells a great deal about the type of person you are and I believe most West Virginians would agree.”

Greear noted the state’s public policy on abortion issues is crafted by the Legislature and not the Attorney General. “I strongly believe that it is the duty of the Attorney General to uphold and enforce the laws passed by the Legislature,” Greear noted. Greear added his own pro-life views mirrored the views of the vast majority of both houses of the West Virginia Legislature. Melissa Adkins, Executive Director of West Virginians for Life commented, "We commend Dan Greear for his record of support for the legal protection of the unborn. As a legislator, Greear was dedicated to protecting the sanctity of life. We look forward to Greear bringing that same level of dedication to the office of Attorney General.”

Greear is a lifelong resident of Kanawha County, graduating from South Charleston High School in 1986 as a National Merit Scholar. He graduated from the WVU School of Law in the spring of 1992 where he also served as associate manuscript editor for the West Virginia Law Review. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates representing Kanawha County’s 30th District in 1995 and 1996. Dan currently resides in South Charleston with his wife Amy, a social worker for Kanawha Hospice Care, and their two children, Joshua, 8 and Ben, 6.

Contact:Greear for AG CommitteeSuzette Raines (304) 437-1306

Mississippi showing the way for West Virgina?

In 2004 Mississippi elected Republican Governor Haley Barbour and began implementing many of the reforms that Russ Sobel calls for in his book, "Unleashing Capitalism." Mississippi is showing that the very reforms that the Democrat controlled legislature has been blocking in West Virginia can turn the economy around.

Since 2004 Mississippi's per capita income has risen by 19.5 percent while the while the national average rose only 5.2% and West Virginia only rose by 4.7%. Mississippi has managed to take the worse economy in the nation and turn the corner by enacting tax and tort reform. Those reforms have been attracting business to the Gulf state.

Now is the time for West Virginia to make the necessary changes outlined by Sobel and turn our economy around.

WVL PAC Endorses Mr. Gary Howell

MORGANTOWN -The West Virginians for Life Political Action committee (WVL PAC) is pleased to announce the endorsement of Mr. Gary Howell for the 2008 primary election for State Senate.

WVL PAC is the internal PAC for West Virginians for Life (WVFL), the state pro-life organization. WVFL is affiliated with the National Right to Life Committee and through both education and legislation is working to build a society where all human life is respected, from conception until natural death.

Melissa Adkins., WVFL Executive Director, stated, "WE commend Mr. Gary Howell for expressing commitment to the unborn."

A Comment on National Stability

This was addressed earlier in the week, but I really cannot help commenting more upon the study that rated the United States as growing more unstable.

The twentieth century saw regimes that were much more stable than the United States at that time or now. Stalin's Soviet Union in peacetime and Saddam Hussein's Iraq had little crime (outside of those committed by the government.) People did not act out or make waves. In large countries, such stability comes with a heavy price.

Smaller countries have an easier time maintaining social stability. Switzerland is also one of the most stable nations of the twentieth century and managed to avoid involvement in both world wars. The key to their stability and survival lay in the fact that they have a heavily armed population. Like the United States and Britain in an older day, an armed citizenry was seen as crucial to national defense against invaders and internal tyranny.

Speaking of stability, probably one of the most politically and socially stable regions of the United States is the Appalachian region. Crime rates remain extremely low despite other social problems. Violent crime is rare compared to other areas such as Washington DC. DC has experienced destructive riots as well as gang rule over entire neighborhoods. DC has the most restrictive gun laws anywhere while West Virginia has the most permissive. I meet young people from these urban areas all the time who come from law abiding families. They are often as strident in their defense of Second Amendment rights as we are. Who is going to protect them if a crazed crack addict tries to break into their house? An overworked police force? Suburban liberals who live behind walls and bars? Nope, just the individual and his or her weapon.

Stability is not always a good concept. Our nation is experiencing a less than stable political cycle. Poll questions constantly ask "who will best unite the country?" The fact is that we are at our most free when we are not united (except in extreme emergencies.) The sign of a healthy body politic and a free society is a little instability. Hard fought political debates over issues between knowledgable individuals is positive, not negative. Crime is something we must live with unless we want unrestrained government power monitoring and guiding our lives (parents of schoolchildren are enduring this more and more every year.) A little instability is a positive sign that we still enjoy the freest society on earth.

It's the Same Old Thing Over and Over

Yesterday I came across an old book entitled American Revisionists. When I started reading it, I came upon a tired old refrain. The president lied to get us into a war. His lies were meant to make his friends in big business richer. It was none of our business. The people we were fighting for were the real enemies and their freedom was not worth the blood of our soldiers. Our president lied to us and betrayed us to start a war that killed young men for no reason. Try and guess who they were talking about.

It could have been Lyndon B. Johnson. Vietnam was certainly an unpopular war that invigorated the anti-war movement like none we had seen since the 1860s. For that matter it could have been Abraham Lincoln who had to brave angry torrents of public opinion when he revised the meaning of the Civil War to include the freedom for slaves. Joe Kennedy, father of John, Teddy, and Robert, held those same attitudes about Franklin D. Roosevelt his entire life.

The target this time was Woodrow Wilson. He led us into World War I after an escalating series of moves by Germany to threaten the United States and cut off its trade with Europe at a pivotal point of vulnerability for the Allies. Until Germany started sinking our ships and trying to talk Mexico into a war with us, Wilson urged all Americans to keep an open mind. His goal going into the war was a breathtaking crusade to use American power to change the face of Europe and end their seemingly eternal cycle of warfare. The end of fighting saw the British and French ignore Wilson's ideals and impose upon Germany a treaty guaranteed to start another war in two decades.

Intellectuals and left wing editors slammed Wilson after research showed the Allies more guilty than originally thought and Germany to be more foolish than evil. Some of the criticism was valid, but by the 30s it reached a shrill crescendo. Some intellectuals blamed France for the war and Wilson for supporting them. France actually tried to avoid the war and was drawn in when Germany invaded it! Emotion had supplanted reason and it started affecting policy. Trouble in Europe inspired Congress to pass a series of acts to restrain Franklin Roosevelt's hand. Some even proposed that the US never enter a war without a national referendum.

Unfortunately this tied FDR's hands at the very moment that he needed freedom to act against the most deadly enemy we had ever faced. Years in which US action might have cowed Adolf Hitler were spent by FDR patiently undoing the damage caused by hysterical intellectuals and their effect upon the public. The lesson we learned between 1941-45 was that the world is smaller and potentially more dangerous. Our president needs to act to forestall aggression, not wait until it hits our shores.

The legacy of the Bush presidency is still playing out. Certainly he headed off a potentially disastrous problem that Saddam Hussein's psychopathic sons would have presented. At the same time he demonstrated the American will to act that enhanced our credibility among those that hate us. History should reflect that as a positive step in our history.

Supporting Local Businesses

I went back "home" for Easter to the town where I grew up, Portsmouth, OH. It seems much more vibrant, new restaurants are coming in, a movie theater was built, stores are expanding, and, my favorite store, Steve and Barry's added a location in the Portsmouth area. The population of Portsmouth has not grown in any significant way. The town has little industry to speak of, having once been a large railroad hub and steel center on the Ohio River. So what is propelling the changes in the area? Small business people. The same guys/gals that owned small stores and "mom and pop" restaurants while I lived there are now able to re-invest in the community. One group of brothers have continued to expand their small restaurant business to include franchises with Wendy's, BW-3s, and others. Together with other investors a once vacant area near a railroad track now features several restaurants, a business center and a movie theater. Other small business owners purchased property vacated by a Wal-Mart relocation and recruited new stores to fill the space (like Steve and Barry's). When I was growing up, we always traveled to do school shopping. With the addition of several clothing stores, locals are now able to shop locally, saving their gas money and time.

Keep this in mind the next time that you are shopping at Wal-Mart or heading to Hagerstown. Have you looked at the local small business stores for what you need? In Keyser, it is probably not possible to find everything that you need in local stores, but you can certainly buy some of the items that you need from local small business people. You may pay a little more, but small, local business owners take their profits and re-invest in offering more items and better locations. Just like you and me, they want to provide their children and grand-children with more opportunities and a better life than they had. That will lead, as it has in Portsmouth, to more variety more jobs and even more investment in the community.

US Falls to 22nd Most Stable Country

The US fell to 22nd in Jane's Country Risk Assessment which ranks the 235 countries and independent territories in the world on risk and prosperity. The top ten were the Vatican, Sweden, Luxembourg, Monaco, Gibraltar, San Marino, the United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands and the Irish Republic. The bottom ten included the West Bank and Gaza, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, the Ivory Coast, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.

The top 30 countries in the world are considered stable. The US scored 93 out of a possible 100. Christian Le Mière, managing editor of Jane's Country Risk Assessment stated the reason for the drop to 22nd was "partly because of the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans and the threat to the population posed by the flow of drugs from across the Mexican border."

While I agree with the study that says our border security increases the risk to Americans. It is not just from drugs as it allows for the possibility for terrorist entering the county. I strongly disagree that gun owning American's increase the risk. The facts are that those citizens exercising their 2nd Amendments add to the security of America.

This study is flawed. Most of the top 10 are the worlds smallest nations. They are not exactly secure. Consider that when Germany invaded Western Europe in 1940, Luxembourg was nothing more than a speed bump in the Blitzkrieg race to the Channel. With the exception of the United Kingdom the rest of the counties in the top ten primarily rely on the goodwill of one country to maintain their freedom. That country would be the United States.

The study does not take into effect the stabilizing effect the United States has on the world. The study is flawed in that respect.

Greear says legislative effort to slow Attorney General did not go far enough

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2008

Contact:
Greear for AG Committee
Suzette Raines, 304-437-1306

Huntington, WV – Charleston attorney and former member of the House of Delegates, Dan Greear, spoke to the Cabell County Republican Women's Club today as he campaigns for the office of Attorney General. The meeting will take place at noon at the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington.

Greear discussed the constant struggle the West Virginia Legislature has encountered with Attorney General Darrell McGraw. McGraw has dispersed settlement money at his own discretion rather than allowing the Legislature to appropriate the money as is their constitutional duty.

In response to the conflict with the Attorney General, H.B. 104 was passed during a recent Special Session and requires McGraw to inform the Legislature of potential monetary settlements.

Greear stated it will not prevent McGraw from employing his normal practice of distributing settlement money, but will only require him to disclose that information to the Legislature. Greear praised the Governor and Legislature for taking the first step, but said HB 104 did not go nearly far enough.

"The Attorney General should be solving legal problems, not creating them," said Greear. "Once again, McGraw is forcing the Legislature to pass legislation to try to curb his abuses. Considering all the problems our state faces, the Legislature should not be forced to fix the messes of a constitutional officer," said Greear.

"This bill was supported by Democrats and Republicans alike. I believe the bi-partisan support says a great deal about the dissatisfaction with McGraw, but much more must be done to reign in his abuses," added Greear.

Greear is a lifelong resident of Kanawha County, graduating from South Charleston High School in 1986 as a National Merit Scholar. He graduated from the WVU School of Law in the spring of 1992 where he also served as associate manuscript editor for the West Virginia Law Review. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates representing Kanawha County’s 30th District in 1995 and 1996. Dan currently resides in South Charleston with his wife Amy, a social worker for Kanawha Hospice Care, and their two children, Joshua, 8 and Ben, 6.

Why Obama's Pastor Matters

I believe that I belong to a generation of Americans ("Generation X") who have moved beyond the race issue that has consumed this nation from its inception to the present. I, and those I associate with, embrace and live the ideals of racial equality; indeed, I personally have never known any other way. I grew up in a mixed-race neighborhood in New Jersey before moving to West Virginia 15 years ago.

The embrace of the Obama campaign by a large and deep cross-section of Americans indicates that there are many, especially among the young, who feel--as I do--that race is a non-issue in the selection of a President.

That is why Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's spiritual mentor and adviser, matters.

Wright, to get to the point, is a racist. For kickers, he's also a loon, believing as he does that the U.S. government invented the AIDS virus. And as West Virginia Democrats and independents consider their primary election options, consider whether you would vote for someone who joined, as an adult, Fred Phelps' "World Church of the Creator", and made annual contributions that exceed West Virginia's average annual income. Phelps' great contributions to society include protesting Iraq war funerals, in addition to his protest at the Sago Mine memorial a couple of years ago, as a messenger of "God's wrath" against the decadence of America.

And that's the problem with Obama and Wright. Obama put his money where Wright's mouth was. And, in the great scheme of things, Wright is no different that Phelps. Would you vote for a member of Phelps' church for President? Or would you consider it a sufficient lapse in judgment as to lose your vote? To ask the question is to answer it.

Gas Price Protesting

I got an e mail from a family member yesterday. It was a forward that was trying to organize a gas price protest. I usually get these about once a month. They are usually pretty similar in that they target oil companies as the culprit if pricing and seek to diminish their profits by boycotting gas for a day. This one was different in that it targeted corporations instead of the whole industry.

Either way, the resentment is misplaced. Any action ought to be directed at incumbents and candidates for Congress. I sent a response to the e mail that read:

The problem is not the oil companies. The reason they jack prices up is because of supply constraints. They do profit a lot off of it, but the high prices keep demand low enough to prevent a shortage. Only one problem would be worse than high prices and that is complete supply cut off. The oil companies set prices as a response to the very complex situation that the US legal system has created. There are four things that Congress can do to get gas prices down.

First, drill in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and reduce our dependence on foreign supplies. Jimmy Carter shut that down because they thought a few oil wells would endanger reindeer and bear populations. Coal mining has not done that here and oil wells are less intrusive.

Second, cut the red tape necessary to refine oil. We have not built a new refinery since the 1970s in the US and we have lost a few. Much of our oil is now refined in Venezuela, a country led by an anti-American madman.

Also we have a bewildering set of laws that vary from state to state on the cleanliness of gasoline. Refineries have to create a wide variety of blends to match state and local laws. They have to determine the supply and demand necessities for all those localities and that is impossible to do. Why not take the best environmental standard and make that the national standard?

Last, phase out oil fired power plants. We have resources at home that can run our power plants; we certainly do not need to keep importing oil for that purpose. West Virginia itself, between coal, natural gas, and wind, can produce a lot more power than it can possibly consume. All we have to do is construct the plants. If we are smart, we will allow them to be built here in West Virginia near the sources and export the power out.

The first two points came directly from John Raese's campaign for US Senate and they make sense both in terms of our economy and security. Combatting high gas prices while maintaining a strong economy means looking at the complex relationships between supply and demand as well as the obstacles placed in the way of oil companies who desire to meet that demand.