A Few Words From an American Patriot and Supporter of Tea Parties

Resolution in the Continental Congress Introduced by Richard Henry Lee Proposing a Declaration of Independence June 7th 1776

Resolved That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown,and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual meausres for forming foreign Alliances

That a plan of confederation bed prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.

Passed July 2nd 1776.

The Right Thing to Do

We call upon our State Legislature as soon as possible to do the right thing and call for a special election to fill the vacant Senate seat this year without consideration of whom it may help or harm.

Let's consider the various scenarios of who benefits from 2012 or 2010, assuming that these people want to pursue higher office.

If the election is held in 2010 it benefits:

Governor Joe Manchin. This man may be the most popular political figure in state history, definitely of the past two decades. As President George H. W. Bush can tell you, the only way to go from here is down and down could happen quickly. If the state slips into further economic difficulties that ruin the state's solvency, the bloom could go off this rose in two years.

Earl Ray Tomblin. If Manchin runs and wins, Tomblin will be state governor for two years, giving him incumbency going into 2012. He will have no real Democratic opposition unless he does a Bob Wiselike job. Tomblin will also be in a strong position vis-a-vis any Republican challenger.

If the vote is held in 2012 it benefits:

The Republican Party. Incumbents in West Virginia do not make a habit of losing. Republicans could mount a very strong challenge for the Governor's Mansion if the seat is open. Also it is possible that Manchin could be vulnerable in 2012 running for Senate where he is not today. Shelley Moore Capito is in the strongest position possible right now. The Democrat led Congress is driving away support. Every vote and statement Capito makes on behalf of the people helps her and she is not saddled with the stupidity of what they do. Betty Ireland is also a strong contender for any higher office. She was a successful and assertive secretary of state and her luster is only increased by the actions of her successor.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant. She benefits from a 2012 election as much as any other Democrat, or anyone else who aspires to be governor besides Tomblin.

Despite the fact that Republicans would probably benefit from keeping the special election in 2012, the right thing to do is to move it to 2010. Playing politics with elections would not help our cause in the long run. Most Republicans do seem to support the move to 2010, as they should.

Earl Ray Tomblin's Wild Card

Who potentially has the most to gain for certain if West Virginia decides to hold a special election this fall? State Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, maybe.

It is well known that Governor Joe Manchin wants to serve in the United States Senate. It has also been rumored that Earl Ray Tomblin would not object to serving as state governor. Right now he is second in succession and would assume office should Joe Manchin run for, and win election to the Senate. Should that happens, he would have two years to serve as incumbent governor, sweeping the field of Democratic challengers and putting him in strong position against a Republican nominee.

This would thwart the alleged gubernatorial aspirations of Secretary of State Natalie Tennant who would be in a much better position if the special senatorial election took place in 2012. Her interpretation of state election laws serves her very well and does not threaten the Governor's aspirations. However there is a special session of the State Legislature looming on July 19th in which they could choose, according to Hoppy Kercheval, to "clean up" the election law. If Tomblin wants to force the issue and perhaps become governor, he is definitely in the driver's seat as Senate President. Add to that the fact that it is simply more democratic to give the choice to the people sooner rather than later.

Britain calls election years the "silly season." It is going to get a lot more interesting than usual this coming month.

Shelley Moore Capito Is Taking Care of Our Money

Democratic lawmakers try to craft legislation that will create a special class of businesses considered "too big to fail" regardless of whatever foolish decisions they make. Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito is fighting to prevent this from happening. She stated emphatically that "taxpayer dollars should not be used to cover mistakes made on Wall Street or by any private corporation in the future." She also demanded that the government "stop playing CEO with taxpayer dollars and get out of the business of picking winners and losers."

Ms. Capito is right. When government decides which businesses should always be helped while others slide into failure, this opens the door wide to corruption, not to mention violating the spirit of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. What incentive does a business have to make reasonable decisions when they believe the taxpayers will always bail them out? How is that fair to a business outside the loop?

Shelley Moore Capito believes in capitalism and the rule of law. She proves it every day by fighting for fair capitalist competition instead of protection for the friends of fat cat Democratic congressmen.

The Military Has a Term For This: FUBAR

If you know what FUBAR means, you get it. If you don't, ask a friend in the military or look it up. In any case, this term perfectly describes the process that will take place between now and 2013 to deal with Senator Byrd's seat being unexpectedly open.

According to West Virginia MetroNews, Governor Manchin can appoint an interim replacement. That interim can hold the seat until November 2012 at which point there will be an election. The same elected seat will have two races. One will be to see who will serve out the last five or six weeks, the other will be to see who takes over afterward.

As far as I can see, this is a combination of the state code and a 1994 State Supreme Court case over the replacement of a judge.

Major media outlets have bombarded the Secretary of State's office to ask clarification of the succession. The Secretary claimed that the office originally wanted to hold off on discussion out of respect for the dead. I see her point, but the plain fact is that this is a question that needed answered this morning in a quiet press release. That is, unless the process is so Byzantine that it actually took them all day to figure it out.

I blame the State Legislature. It's not like no one has asked these questions before. It's also not like this situation was sneaking up on us. We needed the State Legislature to create a rational and simple process and they did not do so. They must address this in the next term, even if it does not apply to the present situation. Fact is that it is not a secret that our other Senator is no spring chicken himself.

Add to this whole mess is the fact that it is probably open to a number of interpretations. We may not have seen the final process mapped out in how we get from today to the final man or woman who will end up in the seat.

Rule of law means that we need a code of law that is easy to understand, efficient, and restrained. In this case, the state law is not any of those desirable characteristics.

Finally, the Governor has not yet indicated who he will appoint, or when that appointment will occur.

Breaking News

According to Melody Potter, Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee Chair, the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office will have a press conference at 4:30 today.

There is no announcement on the WVSOS website as of yet.

It is expected that Secretary Tennant will clarify state law on the matter of the late Senator Byrd's succession. One journalist has stated that there will be a "snap election" in November, while others have disputed that interpretation.

Robert C. Byrd (November 20, 1917 – June 28, 2010)

West Virginia has lost one of its best friends and most staunch supporters in Senator Robert C. Byrd. The Republican Party joins with the people of West Virginia and around the world whose lives were touched by this great individual.

We differed with Senator Byrd on many principles, but we never for a second questioned his integrity and love for the United States Constitution and the State of West Virginia. He battled in the name of our founding document against political friend and opponent alike. Byrd earned one of the highest honors due a Senator, the position of Majority Leader. However he abandoned that post during a time when West Virginians suffered from severe economic distress to chair the Appropriations Committee. From there he steered billions of federal dollars here. Again, we may disagree with the method in which he worked to benefit the Mountain State, we do not question his heart or positive intentions.

Senator Byrd followed in the footsteps of a long line of great West Virginia legislators such as Stephen B. Elkins, Harley O. Staggers, Jennings Randolph and many others. He carried on a tradition of common sense principles on the national level coupled with the desire to advance his state.

We also remember the scholarship of Senator Byrd, advancing the national discussions on law and rights. He wrote on the history of the Roman Senate, but was more famous for his works on the United States Congress. Historians for some time to come will remain grateful for his compilations of senatorial statistics and important addresses. We would certainly not be honest if we claimed to agree with all of his other writings, particularly those about President George W. Bush, but we definitely respect these expressions in the great tradition of our natural right to disagree with the government and its leaders.

Senator Byrd always cut a unique figure. In his early years of campaigning he loved to talk politics to voters while entertaining him with his fiddle. In later years he brought powerful constitutional issues up for debate in his beloved Senate. Regardless of where he was or what he did, Robert C. Byrd was a leader and people appreciated him.

West Virginia already misses him. He lived to work in a land where political storm clouds rose, but now the Lord has called him home to the land of unclouded days.

Thanks Again, Keyser Police Department and Mineral County Sheriff's Department

I'm very thankful for our fast acting and efficient local law enforcement today.

I was helping out a little this afternoon with the bi-yearly clothing drive put on by Cheri Alt and Helping Hands, getting ready to take my son down for football sign ups. Normal summer day in Keyser, West Virginia.

Then I looked outside and saw a Keyser patrol car going the wrong way down Main Street. I walked out, thinking "that's odd." Then came people running and shouting. A man with a gun was behind the building and he had already shot at an officer.

We probably spent thirty minutes, men, women, and small children locked in the kitchen in the back of the Legion Hall. Oh, also my son Jared was there. On the phone the city police tried to get us information as soon as it became available. Luckily it did not take too long for police to corrall and apprehend the suspect at the Grand Central Business Center. They did their job quickly and no one got hurt. Yet we have to remember that they took their lives in their hands to keep us safe.

Last I heard, and this is unofficial, the guy was walking to the pool to shoot his family. That could be wrong, you know how stories go in a small town. I'm just thankful for the police and deputies today.

Does this change my feelings on gun control? Not at all. Had there been a law abiding citizen among us who was acarrying his own weapon, I'm sure folks would have felt much more secure.

Anyway, the story of the day is our law enforcement. Thank you guys for doing what you do!

Potomac Highlands Conservative Endorses Dr. Doug McKinney to Remain State Republican Chair

The Potomac Highlands Conservative is proud to endorse Dr. Doug McKinney to be re-elected as West Virginia Republican Party Chair.

At the end of July, the state Republican Party will have its annual summer meeting. At that time the state executive committee will vote to either retain Dr. McKinney as party chair or select Mike Stuart of Charleston.

The old adage says that you don't change horses in midstream. That in itself is true, unless the horse cannot get across the river. Lincoln had to change his horses several times in midstream before finding a winning general. However, Dr. McKinney has been able to put together a strong list of accomplishments since becoming chair. Under his leadership the state party retired its fairly considerable debt. He also worked to build upon the professional staff in place, trying to obtain for the party an experienced and professional executive director to build up the organization and other efforts. In the past few years, the evolution of the state party's internet presence has been very worthy of praise. Finally, Dr. McKinney led the effort to get the state Republican Party into its new headquarters on Kanawha Boulevard.

Dr. McKinney's opponent and his supporters have led an aggressive campaign that has tried to attack the incumbent chair's record. The attacks create some serious questions:

They have voiced their dislike of Executive Director Troy Berman. What would Stuart propose to do with Mr. Berman and the executive director position?

They have also attacked almost every aspect of the relocation of the party headquarters. Would they move the headquarters again?

And finally, what is Stuart's vision? In what way would he operate that would be substantially different?

The biggest problem created by a changeover in leadership at this time is the inevitable learning curve. Unless you have actually done the job before, there is a period of time where you have to get acclimated and learn the job. If you are cleaning house and bringing in your people, they also have their own learning curves. It is a short period of time from July to November. If elected, how long would it take for Stuart and his people to learn the job and then become effective?

Another obstacle in the path of a Stuart chairmanship is the byproduct of the negativity spawned by his campaign. On the blog that backs his candidacy, you get a daily dose of hatefulness, albeit generally from those leaving comments. They get their shots in at Dr. McKinney and his wife most often while also occasionally attacking House of Delegates candidate Gary Howell and Buddy Randolph. Some of Stuart's supporters have raised issues of method and leadership, but others more often stick barbs into other loyal Republicans. The cloud of negativity won't disperse quickly. A few words from Stuart would have shut down his supporters who simply seek to insult rather than raise legitimate questions.

Not only do we endorse Dr. McKinney, we also believe that the selection of a new chair should take place after the election. Changing the leadership on the eve of the contest makes little sense.

Abandoning a Sinking Ship

In the last days of the Bush White House, you had a sense of things unraveling. The tight ship sprang leaks, efficiency seemed to evaporate, staff jumped ship in large numbers, and the Bush presidency coasted into history.

You get the same sense of unraveling with Obama, but it is only a year and a half into a contentious and remarkably unsuccessful administration.

Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel is apparently preparing to leave after the midterm elections. His approach reeked of political thuggishness, but he remained the most pragmatic of a leftist lot. Emmanuel reportedly clashed repeatedly with idealists such as David Axelrod, demanding that initiatives be pared down to meet the reality that America did not want to buy what the Democrats were selling. Then Emmanuel got the blame when Obama ideas torpedoed his popularity and made him look more like a Columbia professor than an engaged president.

Rumors point towards a possible run for mayor of Chicago or governor of Illinois, but the stench will stick with him for some time. Obama has turned out worse than Carter even by the standards of the Left. Clinging to the idea that he appointed a Nobel Prize winner to the Department of Energy is pretty typical of Obama in desperation mode.

It will be interesting to see who all leaves the White House after November, especially if, as expected, the Democrats take a major hit. He joins White House Budget Chief Peter Orzag, expected to leave his office this fall.

Conceding the Border?

We have a border problem. Public lands almost a hundred miles from the Mexican border have been closed due to the presence of bandits coming across. The police chief of Nogales, Arizona, according to CNN, received threats that his officers would be targeted for assassination by Mexican drug cartels.

Mexico has lost control of its own territory and we have lost control of our border. Meanwhile the president plays more golf and entertains celebrities while occasionally pausing to condemn state governors for doing his job.

It is time for border state governors to mobilize their own National Guard and patrol their Mexican border. During the Boer Wars, the British built blockhouses along lines of sight. These blockhouses were impregnable and were constantly manned by small units or individuals. Anyone attempting to cross was killed on sight. It has come to that because the Mexicans coming across are not merely folks looking for the easy way to improve their lives. They include hardened killers who are ready to exploit our land of freedom to spread chaos and fear.

If we had a real president, what could he do? First of all, return the Central Intelligence Agency to its roots and launch covert operations. Blow up cartel facilities, assassinate cartel leaders, and in all ways possible, go old school on them. Drug cartels cannot match the level of destruction and violence that American intelligence can bring to their doorstep. If they want to ruin their own country, go ahead. When they threaten U. S. law enforcement, the time has come to strike and strike hard. There is little difference between a drug cartel and a terrorist group when both threaten our nation. Second, support the National Guard and Border Patrol with Predator drone technology or a spy satellite that can indicate when groups are coming across. Keep helicopter gunships available.

Lastly, cut off all social and educational aid to illegals. Jail employers that knowingly violate the law. Cut off the market forces that bring over workers and scare the bejesus out of the drug lords.

Some have not yet conceded American territory to violence. In a National Public Radio story below, a Texas sheriff has advised residents to arm themselves and prepare to kill if violence spreads across the border from the nearby Juarez Valley.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125737965

Don't Miss John Boehner in Morgantown!

From the Desk of: JOHN A. BOEHNER
House Republican Leader

David McKinley needs our help. That's why I hope you'll join me in Morgantown, West Virginia this Saturday, June 26th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Waterfront Place Hotel, to help him raise the critical funds needed to spread his message of fiscal responsibility and true conservative values. We need a new conservative majority in Congress to cut government spending, get control of the debt, and help create new jobs - and the path to that majority runs directly through West Virginia's First Congressional District.

This fall, we have the chance to stop the jobs-killing agenda being rammed through Congress by Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, and President Obama. But we need to elect conservative Republicans like David McKinley if we want to make it happen. In fact, the only way to scrap ObamaCare and stop a disastrous "cap and trade" national energy tax from becoming law is to pick up at least 39 Democrat-held seats in Congress.

You can help take the first step right here in West Virginia's First Congressional District. So please join me at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, West Virginia for a reception with David this Saturday.

Thank You,
John Boehner
House Republican Leader

P.S. Please RSVP to (304) 214-9495 or visit Mckinley2010.com to make your contribution and show you support today.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's Statement on the Oil Crisis

No one has looked more presidential in the past several months than Governor Jindal. This is how government is supposed to work and this is why states' rights are important.

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We are fighting a war. There is no doubt that the ongoing BP oil spill is a full frontal assault on our Louisiana way of life.
From the beginning of this disaster more than 50 days ago, there have been many sorrowful sights of devastation in our wetlands and wildlife habitats. But there also have been true heroes emerging in the battles to protect our coast.
In the first weeks of the spill, we asked BP and the Coast Guard for their detailed plan for responding to an oil spill of this magnitude. As the oil started to come ashore and boom was late arriving in many areas, we again appealed to BP and the Coast Guard to meet the requests for resources outlined in our detailed parish plans. We were told to wait while they found more boom. Again, we did not wait. We moved ahead on our own, mobilizing the Louisiana National Guard to begin filling dozens of gaps in barrier islands along our coast.
Wind and weather conditions moved the oil into our coast again and again. We knew this oil spill was not going to be a single event for Louisiana; it is a war we will need to fight on many fronts.
We proposed 24 segments of sand booms to fortify against the oil. While the Corps' review process drug on, we took matters into our own hands and redirected our state-operated dredger on East Grand Terre to begin creating a sand boom wall of protection on that island. Only days after we directed this work, oil hit that area and today the sand boom on East Grand Terre is actively holding oil back from entering interior wetlands and waterways.
After weeks of delay, the Corps finally approved six segments in our plan. But the Coast Guard announced it would only call on BP to pay for one segment. We wouldn't take no for an answer. We got together again with coastal parish leaders and met with the president and National Incident Commander Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen.
We told BP to stop sending us lawyers and lobbyists; they had two choices — either begin work on the segments or get out of the way and let us begin the dredging work ourselves. We chose option two for them and signed an emergency contract to begin work on the sand boom segments ourselves — again taking matters into our own hands to protect our coast.
The war against this oil spill continues today, and our commitment to winning this war has only grown stronger. We will not wait on bureaucracy or wishful thinking. We will continue to move forward on our own to implement our own ideas for protecting coastal Louisiana, even when BP and the Coast Guard don't agree with our plans.
I know we can do this because of the many heroes we have fighting in this war alongside us — our coastal parish presidents, our National Guard troops, the fishermen who are laying out boom and the communities that are banding together to help one another in their time of need. We will protect our people and our communities and industries that make Louisiana the greatest state in the world.
And we will not rest until every drop of oil is off of our coast and out of our marshes and our water — and our seafood and our coastline are 100 percent whole again.
Bobby Jindal is Louisiana's governor.

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

It was a spirited and sometimes acrimonious campaign between several men and women with good conservative credentials. They all vied for the Republican nomination for the First Congressional District of West Virginia. David McKinley on the right won while Mac Warner on the left made a strong surge at the end. When they met last Saturday at the Keyser Tea Party event, they clasped hands as old friends and gave each other credit in their speeches for running strong campaigns and being good men. This is a model for how Republicans need to get together and back each other for victory this November and beyond.

Keyser Tea Party has a host of Candidates Speaking

Bob Adams Executive Director of the League of American Voters


Stephen Smoot President of the Potomac Highland Patriots


Mineral County Commission Candidate Dr. Richard Lechliter


Gary Howell 49th House District Candidate


State Senator Dave Sypolt


John Yoder, West Virgina Supreme Court Candidate


David McKinley, Candidate for US Congress


Mac Warner former Congressional Candidate

Keyser Tea Party Scheduled for Tomorrow

A Tale of Two Immigration Enforcement Cases

A couple of weeks ago, the Mineral Daily News Tribune reported that Keyser police arrested a Mexican illegal alien for assault. When they requested that immigration authorities come and pick him up, they declined, stating that it was not important enough for them to make the trip.

Then comes this story told in a letter to the editor written by the wife of a Cameroon native. Apparently they had enough time to come and raid the home of a man from Cameroon apparently trying to stay in the United tates the right way, but no time to pick up a Mexican illegal who committed a felony about fifteen minutes down the road.

The following letter was written to the Mineral Daily News Tribune on June 14th. Immigration policy is completely out of whack under Obama if the facts stated below are true compared to the case of the Mexican illegal alien in Keyser.

Ridgeley, W.Va. -
To the Editor:My husband’s name is Serge Christian Nyamsi Babo. He arrived in the United States to play in a basketball tournament in Chicago in 1999, at the age of 17 years.He was brought into the country by a gentleman from Cameroon, who had the intentions of selling him and four other boys to basketball coaches. He came into the United States on a Visitor’s Visa. When the man found out that it was illegal for him to sell the boys, he gave them each $20 and told them to go get lunch, then meet back at the hotel.When the boys came back to the hotel, the man was gone. He left the boys stranded, without much money and speaking no English. The slept wherever they could find shelter. Serge ended up being taken in by a family in Indianapolis, Ind. His host father was, and still is, the chaplain for the Indianapolis Colts.Serge attended English classes and taught himself English. He met up with the basketball coach from a local high school. He graduated from Arlington High School in Indianapolis.While attending high school, his guidance counselor told him that they did not have the finances to apply to have his status adjusted to that of a student from a visitor. The counselor suggested that he apply for political asylum. Being young, naïve, and speaking very little English, Serge agreed to apply for the asylum. The asylum case was denied.Serge had an attorney, also a fellow Cameroonian, who lived in the United States. Serge was unaware at the time, but this gentleman had been disbarred and his privileges revoked as an attorney. This “attorney” told Serge that he would file an appeal.The appeal to the asylum case was also denied. Serge was granted voluntary departure. His “attorney” advised Serge to go ahead as planned, and marry his girlfriend at the time. Serge did as he was advised, and carried out their plans to get married. The appeal was filed, however the marriage papers were never filed, although they had been paid for. Serge and his wife (at that time) were under the impression that the petitions had been filed.Serge’s marriage did not work out, and he and his first wife divorced.My relationship with Serge began in 2005. Shortly after we became involved with one another, he contacted the INS to get an update on his case. In listening to the automated system, Serge learned that an order of deportation had been issued to him in February of 2005. Still to this day, he has not received a copy of the deportation letter.Serge and I were married in August 2006. Shortly before that, in July 2006, our firstborn son died at birth. Since then, we have been blessed with two more children. We have two sons, ages 2 ½ years and 9 months. We have an approved I-130 with the INS. We just purchased a house in July 2009.Serge has not been hiding from the INS. He has changed his address with them each time we have moved. He does not have a criminal background. He has a Social Security number that was issued by the government in order for him to obtain a work permit. His first work permit was issued in January 2009. He applied to have it renewed, and in January 2010 he received the renewal.He has been working for almost a year for a non-profit organization that houses abused and neglected children. He is a mentor and a role model for them.His case has been dismissed. It was never denied. We have filed a Motion to Reopen, but it was denied by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Our current attorney filed an appeal to the 7th Circuit’s denial, and that too was denied. When the appeal was denied, ICE was notified to come and pick him up. Although it has been almost 11 years since Serge last saw his family in Cameroon, he does not want to go back there to stay. He wants to remain in the United States with his wife and sons. He has already been in prison for almost four weeks now. That’s four weeks of his sons' lives that he has missed. We are trying to get him released from prison, and get his case reopened so that his status can be adjusted. Serge Babo is one of the most important people in my life. He is my husband, my best friend, and the father to our children.Serge is currently being held in the York County Prison, awaiting removal back to Cameroon, Africa. He was arrested by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 12, 2010 while standing in our kitchen, washing dishes.He is a good man, not a criminal. He should not have to be treated as a prisoner. Prison is not the place for a man of his stature. He does not have a criminal background. He is a person of good moral character, a role model and mentor to children, and is active in our home church.In conversations with Serge, he repeatedly tells me of his two biggest fears: first, that his children will not know who he is when he returns home, and secondly, that he and I will lose all of our material assets which we have worked so hard to obtain.Only 2 ½ years old, Jeremiah is complimented frequently on how well-mannered and respectful he is. This is because of his father’s impact on his life.For the past three weeks, since Serge was taken in to custody, I have had to look into the eyes of this little boy, and try to answer him when he asks, “Where’s Daddy? When’s Daddy coming home?” Try explaining that to a toddler and expect him to understand what is going on. This little boy is hurting. He is heart broken. He sits and cries, and when I ask him why he’s crying, he replies, “Because I want to go get my Daddy.”He only knows that his Daddy was taken away from him by some strangers and they haven’t brought him back yet.Our baby, 9-month-old Jabari, is too little to know what’s going on. He’s not able to ask where his Daddy is, but I am certain that he notices his absence. His face lights up with smiles when he hears his voice on the phone, but slowly, he will forget who his Daddy is and won’t recognize him when they are reunited. Please help me to keep this from happening. These two young boys need their Daddy more than anything! I was rather upset and appalled and could not believe my eyes when I read the article, ON THE RECORD (from June 2, 2010) which read:"9:31 p.m. — Police received a call about a man assaulting a woman in an alley near East Piedmont Street. Arriving at the scene, officers conducted an investigation that determined an assault had occurred. Charged with domestic battery was Jose Velez, 24, who had been staying in Keyser. However, police said Velez eventually advised officers he was an illegal alien. No immigration charges were filed, as police said federal officials from the Immigration and Naturalization Service will not respond to take custody of a lone illegal. As a result of the investigation, Velez was further charged with two counts of obstructing an officer for failing to provide information about his residency, and public intoxication."The INS won't "take custody of a lone illegal"? Are you kidding me? What do you call what they have done to our family? The came into our house, and they took a man into custody that DOES NOT HAVE ANY CRIMINAL BACKGROUND!!I have contacted both Senator Byrd and Senator Rockefeller numerous times. Neither Senator is able to offer assistance. Both offices have given the response that it is legally out of their hands, and they cannot get involved.This is very disappointing. What kind of government do we have? Serge lives in West Virginia with his family. He works in West Virginia. HE PAYS TAXES IN WEST VIRGINIA...yet they still are unwilling to help in our situation.Maybe there is someone out there somewhere who can help us!

Brittney (Rinard) Babo
Ridgeley

The Obama Embracing Former Republican Governor of Florida Inspecting His State's Attractions

I'm not going to heavily criticize Florida Governor Charlie Crist for an unguarded moment like this. There's far too much to criticize about him that has real substance. His embrace of Obamunism led to his virtually being read out of the Republican Party. He will probably lose to Republican nominee Rubio this fall.

That all being said, this is a photographic moment that the man probably would rather not be spread.

MSNBC Bashes Obama's Oil Well Blowout Speech

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/06/15/msnbc_trashes_obamas_address_compared_to_carter_i_dont_sense_executive_command.html

The above link takes you to Real Clear Politics. They carry a transcript of some of the remarks made by MSNBC's ultra left wing political team after Obama's oil well blowout speech last night. Their tone is shocking compared to the gushing they did in 2008, ignoring the conservative accusations that an inexperienced Obama may be in over his head.

Of course they do it in a somewhat disturbing fashion. I do not like the idea of executive command as a model. Leadership, guidance, organization, innovation, these would help. Command is too dictatorial a word for me. Unless the situation involves war, I do not want a president thinking in terms of command.

This situation would try any president. Catastrophes either make or break those who aspire to be called leaders because there is so little margin for error. From the early day that Obama's Administration refused help from the Netherlands to his party with Paul McCartney, the president and his staff seem to have no clue that this is something beyond a political problem. It's actually the opposite of the Bush/Katrina problem. Bush was working behind the scenes to prevent economic disaster and deferring, as he should have, to the state governor. He and his people ignored the political issues created by the perceived lack of engagement. Obama's people have reacted as if this was entirely a political issue, hoping it would blow over, then reacting belatedly by putting on some silly tough guy act.

In any case, it's clear that temporarily at least he has lost the Left.

Addendum to Today's Call For Banding Together

Just took a quick peek over at West Virginia Red, something I do about once a week. Sometimes they have articles of interest when they are not continually and relentlessly attacking Chairman Doug McKinney, Executive Director Troy Berman, or any number of other state executive committee members. Today they did something that went a little too far.

Young Republicans Chairman Mike Howerton occasionally indulges in a little small time professional wrestling. It's an activity that lies somewhere between sports and performance art most certainly. To be good at it requires some acting that is more than a little over the top.

Wrestling's not my thing, personally, at least not since I was a teenager. However, I can see how doing it would be a fun way to earn a little extra cash. Don't tell that to a few of the folks over at West Virginia Red. The responses not only bashed Howerton, but also eventually became somewhat offensive with anti gay remarks. (For the record, Mike is about to get married, he is not gay.)

You know, if you have issues with how he was chosen for his position, or how he performs his job that's one thing. Insults should be beneath us.

Also for the record and by way of example, I remember Republican Sonny Bono being elected to the House of Representatives after singing and starring on a variety show. Christopher Guest, formerly of Saturday Night Live, was a member of the British House of Lords until reform laws disqualified him. Comedy sketch shows are about on the same respect level as professional wrestling, but that did not seem to hurt either of them. I guess the folks who don't like Mike were mortified to see "The Rock" sitting in front of former President George H. W. Bush at the 2000 Republican National Convention. Oh the humanity.

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Another thing that is a little more amusing is the attacks they have made on this blog. Basically their beef is that we don't bash Doug McKinney or other people involved with the WVGOP. Maybe they are not aware that not every conservative blog is eager to throw Republicans overboard at least twice a week or more. Over here we do local, regional, and state news along with commentary on current events and pieces on conservative thought, values, and ideals. Maybe that's not as interesting as some of what goes on over there, but our reason to exist is not to insult, tear down, or otherwise carry on against other conservatives and Republicans. There is a serious factional fight taking place in this party. Regardless of what happens this summer, we have to come together afterwards and fight the leftists instead of each other.

Not everyone who writes or responds to West Virginia Red creates vicious attacks, but there are enough to cause hard feelings that won't just vaporize in August. We will all need to work together for West Virginia to do their part, returning Ms. Capito and electing David McKinley and Spike Maynard, plus gaining as many legislative seats and other elected positions as possible.

I don't understand why some folks over there want to make that necessary August reconciliation (again, regardless of what happens!) as difficult as possible.