Democrats Cause WV to Lose

The Charleston Daily Mail | 7/11/03 | Don Surber

[mountaineer]

Published in the Daily Mail:

Charles Bolen
Democratic Party ruined W.Va. - In 71 years, it's taken the state from 34th to 49th
Thursday July 31, 2003; 10:04 AM

State Democratic Party chairman Mike Callaghan recently wrote an opinion piece questioning what President Bush has done to help West Virginia.

As usual, the Democratic leader tried to pin the economic disaster that has been made of West Virginia to Republican presidents.

The Democrats always want to shift the debate and deflect the blame away from the ruling party and its 71-year reign over West Virginia.

If Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan and the two Bushes were such disastrous presidents, how did 48 other states surpass and remain so far ahead of us in per capita income over the last 71 years? Wouldn't North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Ohio be suffering as badly as we are?

When the Democrats took total control of the Legislature from the Republicans in 1932, West Virginia ranked 34 out of 48 states in per capita income. Virginia ranked 46 and North Carolina ranked 44. West Virginia had its share of problems in 1932, but it wasn't at the very bottom rung of the economic ladder.

Fast forward 71 years later and one finds a remarkable reversal of fortune. Virginia is now eighth in per capita income and North Carolina went from third worst in 1932 to 37th today. West Virginia went from 34th in 1930 to 49th today.

"Thank God for Mississippi!" is a common refrain most of us have heard. That may not hold for much longer, as 2001 per family income figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that we have passed Mississippi in the race to the bottom.

The Democrats have been able to write every law, tax and regulation on the books in West Virginia for the last 71 years. The only two Republicans to be elected governor since 1932 were rendered nearly powerless to stop the Democrat-controlled Legislature from implementing its anti-business and anti-growth agenda. Governors Moore and Underwood had only enough Republicans in the Legislature to sustain a veto for a grand total of six years.

This limited power could only slow the Democrats down in their onslaught on our state's economy.

Total Democratic dominance of this state goes further than the Governor's Mansion or Legislature. Democrats have amassed a 101-7 record in statewide executive office elections since 1932. The state auditor's office has been controlled by Democrats named Gainer for the last three decades, whether or not they held an accounting degree.

Democrats even had near-unanimous power to determine the constitutionality of all their taxes, laws and regulations. They have lost only one race for Supreme Court in the last seven decades. Attorney General Darrell McGraw once even argued a case in front of his brother, Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw.

That is not evidence of humble public servants who respect the electorate.

Members of the ruling party like to argue that if you keep them in power, they will look out for the little guy. Why, then, have the Democrats imposed the second-highest food tax in the nation and the third-highest tax burden on families earning minimum wage? Won't our state's poorest families be disproportionately affected by the recent massive tax increases on tobacco and gambling?

The news is out. The Democrats are a once-proud and now hemorrhaging political party that is out of touch with the people of West Virginia. Their futile attacks on President Bush are an attempt to redirect the debate of West Virginia's future.

Our state needs new ideas and new leadership. Soon, a healthy two-party system will lift our state out of the 70-plus years of economic disaster. Republican leadership is long overdue.

Bolen is chairman of the West Virginia Federation of Young Republicans.

This is the type of analysis I'd like to see W.Va. Republicans submitting in letters to the editor of their local papers.

[Timesink]

This is the type of analysis I'd like to see W.Va. Republicans submitting in letters to the editor of their local papers.

Perhaps if the WV Young Republicans would answer their phone calls and emails asking about membership, more such letters would be submitted. But I won't support an organization that doesn't want me to join.

[mountaineer]

Sorry I don't know any of the young Republicans, or I'd try to light a fire under them on your behalf. I guess it's us old W.Va. Republicans who will have to send those letters to the editor!

[Timesink]

Sorry I don't know any of the young Republicans, or I'd try to light a fire under them on your behalf. I guess it's us old W.Va. Republicans who will have to send those letters to the editor!

I honestly worry about the state (no pun intended) of the Republican Party in West Virginia. Just as we're gaining ground for the first time in modern history (didn't we DOUBLE our representation in both houses in the 2002 election?) the up-and-coming young GOPers in this state appear to be major-league elitists. That's the last thing this state needs.

[Timesink]

Appreciate the kind thoughts though, of course.

[FLAMING DEATH]

I was born and raised in WV, and I live here now. You could draw a circle 10 miles in diameter, and all the homes I've ever had would fit within them.

Many of these ideas are true. West Virginians, though they are rednecks through and through, are very friendly. I would think nothing of asking any one of them to help me out should I need it, and they feel the same way.

That being said, we mind our own business, too.

I don't lock my doors at night. I leave the keys in my vehicle. Right now, I have about $600 worth of musical equipment in the back of one of my vehicles that I left there last night, and I don't give it a second thought.

Some of my neighbors even know how to get into my house without the key, should they need to do so for some reason.

We're all heavily armed, too. Mostly this is for hunting season, but everyone here appreciates guns of all types. I have only one friend who lives here who is unarmed. He's a member of the NRA, and is saving to buy a pistol.

I once stopped my vehicle to talk to a park ranger at a local state-owned campground. He saw my Ruger wedged between the driver's seat and the console. "Nice piece of iron", he said. "What does one of those set you back?" You could literally throw your carry weapon on the dashboard and carry it there and probably no one would say much about it.

When I fish or tromp around in the woods, I often carry openly. Last month, I was fishing under a bridge, in full view of the passersby on the road, without so much as a comment being made about it.

The wilderness here is incredible. A 10 minute drive from my house puts you in the middle of nowhere. I know the rivers in my county by heart, because I've been on almost every one of them in a canoe. When you do float them, by the way, you probably won't see another person all day.

There aren't a lot of people here, and that's a good thing. When the leaves are on in the summer, I can't see another house.

Property is cheap. I bought 6 acres from a logging operation that had been "thinned", i.e., selectively cut so that it wasn't totally wrecked. I paid $11,000 for it.

Tax on that property, by the way, and for the 3 bedroom house that sits on it, was $211 for the year of 2001.

Yes, there are a lot of bad things about this state, and most of it has been caused by the Byrd/Rockefeller combo in Congress. Even with all that, I refuse to leave for the reasons I just stated.

[flutters]

I would love to see political changes in West Virginia. I just don’t think it will happen. From my own experience, I’ve found that most are democrats because their mom, dad, granny and grand pappy were democrats. It’s almost a tradition. Also, I’ve found that if I discuss individual issues (abortion, death penalty, taxes, etc.) most of the people actually have republican beliefs, but they still vote democrat…why, I don’t know. Perhaps with the right leadership, changes can be made.

We're all heavily armed, too. Mostly this is for hunting season, but everyone here appreciates guns of all types.

I agree. Not only does everyone appreciate guns, but also they learn to use them and respect them. When I was 10 or so a man tried to break into our house while my parents were gone. I simply went to the gun shelf that my dad kept hanging on the dining room wall, took down a loaded shotgun and fired some warning shots at the stranger. When he left, I put the gun back and carried on about my business. Today, parents go to jail for keeping a loaded gun accessible.

I’m glad you’re happy. I would love to be living back in West Virginia, but the economy is just too bad. So until retirement, I’ll just enjoy our little place on the river and hope the next 30 years passes by quickly. : )

[breakem]

thanx

[Xthe17th]

In terms of Gross State Production, yes, little Connecticut is #1 with 46,772.86 ($MILLIONS - year 2000), followed by tiny Deleware, $46,370.60 MILLION, Massachusetts, $44,877.88M, then would you believe #4 is Arkansas, then NJ and NY?

Yep, sure enough, West Virginia is last at $23,375.53 Million. And don't ask me why the figs are quoted that way. Guess that should be $23.37553 Billion. Perhaps the statisticians don't want to help us out any by rounding to $23.4 Bill.

[skinkinthegrass]

KY. not far behind.

[patton]

When I retire, I will move to WVA, from NVA. Love the mountains, love the folk, want to stretch my dollar as far as it will go.

In the meantime, I will keep my kids in the BEST SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY, in VA.

[flutters]

I don't normally share e-mail forwards, but I thought some of you might enjoy this one. (It's probably as old as the hills...I always seem to run behind....lol )


West Virginia gals appreciate their natural assets:
~Freckles.
~A warm smile.
~That unforgettable, West Virginia drawl.

West Virginia gals know their manners:
~Yes, Paw."
~Yes, Maw

West Virginia gals have a distinct way with fond expressions:
~ "Y'all come back!"
~ "How's your Momma?"
~"I'm gonna' whoop you!"
~"Love your hair."

West Virginia gals don't glisten ....they sweat

West Virginia gals know the joys of June, July, and August:
~Sweet Tea
~Summer tans
~Daisy Dukes

West Virginia gals know everybody's first name:
~Honey
~Sweetie
~Darlin

West Virginia gals know their religions:
~Baptist
~Methodist
~Football
~Nascar

West Virginia gals know their country breakfasts:
~ Brown Gravy
~Country ham
~Homemade biscuits

West Virginia gals know their p's &q's
~"P"umpkin Pie
~"Q"uiet ya'll

West Virginia gals know their elegant gentlemen:
~Men in uniform.
~Men in muscle shirts.
~Men in Levis

West Virginia gals know their prime real estate
~Wal Mart
~The local Bar &Grill

West Virginia gals know the three deadly sins:
~Bad hair
~Bad breath
~Bad dancers

West Virginia gals know men may come and men may go, but friends are fo'evah! Now you run along, Sweetie, and send this to someone else raised in West Virginia.

[an amused spectator]

Hey, I know some IT elites in Texas that are always quoting Senator Sheets against Prz Bush. So he deludes a lot of folks...

Most of the IT elites I know are real conservatives. The few lefty IT elite types that I run into either go down in flames with a single burst of high-powered fact, or they look like deer in the headlights when they see me coming.

It's like taking candy from a baby...

[samanella]

Excellent article! I was in WV over the weekend and three of my friends and I had a discussion about Sen. Demetia's contribution to WV. Two friends are VERY liberal. One insisted that Byrd has brought in so many jobs. I questioned "jobs" or "business"? No businesses are coming because of the unions and lack of a right to work law. The "jobs" are government jobs created by and paid with our taxes. Further, I argued, there surely is a more enligtened individual that Robert C. Byrd that would bring more jobs as well as the return dignity to WV's representation and not make his representation and the state a butt of jokes. She had no reply.

[mountaineer]

Related thread (maybe): Wise not running for reelection; Dems circling carcass.

[breakem]

thanx