Posted on 09/10/2005 4:46:12 AM PDT by Colonel Kangaroo
Lincoln holiday on its way out
By Phil Kabler Staff writer
A bill to combine state holidays for Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays into a single Presidents’ Day holiday cleared its first legislative committee Wednesday, over objections from Senate Republicans who said it besmirches Abraham Lincoln’s role in helping establish West Virginia as a state.
Senate Government Organization Committee members rejected several attempts to retain Lincoln’s birthday as a state holiday.
State Sen. Russ Weeks, R-Raleigh, introduced an amendment to instead eliminate Columbus Day as a paid state holiday. “Columbus didn’t have anything to do with making West Virginia a state,” he said. “If we have to cut one, let’s cut Christopher Columbus.”
Jim Pitrolo, legislative director for Gov. Joe Manchin, said the proposed merger of the two holidays would bring West Virginia in line with federal holidays, and would effectively save $4.6 million a year — the cost of one day’s pay to state workers.
Government Organization Chairman Ed Bowman, D-Hancock, said the overall savings would be even greater, since by law, county and municipal governments must give their employees the same paid holidays as state government.
“To the taxpayers, the savings will be even larger,” he said.
The bill technically trades the February holiday for a new holiday on the Friday after Thanksgiving. For years, though, governors have given state employees that day off with pay by proclamation.
Sen. Sarah Minear, R-Tucker, who also objected to eliminating Lincoln’s birthday as a holiday, argued that it was misleading to suggest that eliminating the holiday will save the state money.
“It’s not going to save the state a dime,” said Minear, who said she isn’t giving up on retaining the Lincoln holiday.
Committee members also rejected an amendment by Sen. Steve Harrison, R-Kanawha, to recognize the Friday after Thanksgiving as “Lincoln Day.”
“I do believe President Lincoln has a special place in the history of West Virginia,” he said.
Sen. Randy White, D-Webster, said he believed that would create confusion.
“It’s confusing to me,” he said.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, suggested that the state could recognize Lincoln’s proclamation creating West Virginia as part of the June 20 state holiday observance for the state’s birthday.
Proponents of the measure to eliminate a state holiday contend that the numerous paid holidays - as many as 14 in election years — contribute to inefficiencies in state government.
To contact staff writer Phil Kabler, use e-mail or call 348-1220.
See my post #17.
Don't you wish that anyone believed anything you said?
Say, do you need Dr. Lubar's e-mail address?
And when Patton said that he was going to go to Berlin and personally shoot Hitler (widely reported, undisputed), does that mean that FDR ordered him to do that?
Did Patton have documents on him as Dahlgren did supporting the charges?
Don't bother arguing about the Dahlgren canard. Neo-Confederates will grasp at any wisp to justify their hatred for the United States.
Nonsense, neither I nor any of those on my side here hate the United States - I personally think it's the greatest republic on earth. I just refuse to worship Lincoln as the 4th member of the Holy Trintity as some here seem to do. The facts speak for themselves.
why not head over to DU & join #3fan,cvn76 & wlat???
they are ALL over there waiting on you to make your usual STUPID, hate-FILLED, IGNORANT posts.
free dixie,sw
The fact is that Kilpatrick and Dahlgren were both loose cannons. While their fantasy version of the raid might have included shooting Davis and the rest of the confederate cabinet, there's not the faintest resemblance of a smoking gun that says that Lincoln or, in fact, anyone above Kilpatrick, gave such an order. Meade's investigation came to the same conclusion.
If yOU eVeR sTuMbLe aCroSs a RatIonaL tHoUgHt pleasE sEeK HeLP aT oncE sinCe its UnFaMiLiArItY mIGhT cAuSe a stroke.
you remind us all that you're ONLY a hate-FILLED, arrogant,ignorant, DUMB-bunny.
free dixie,sw
Stoneman's raid to capture Davis failed, as did Butler's. Gen. Meade wrote his wife about Kilpatrick's denial and the authenticity of the papers, stating 'I regret to say Kilpatrick's reputation, and collateral evidence in my possession, rather go against this theory.' Previously Meade had written her about the plan stating '[t]he undertaking is a desperate one', and that 'the anxiety and distress ... of the authorities at Washington is so great that it seems to demand running great risks for the chances of success.' John C. Babcock [liaison officer at Meade's headquarters] wrote, '[l]etters found on Dahlgren's body published in Richmond papers ... [are an] Authentic report of contents.' Capt. John McEntee, who accompanied Dahlgren stated, 'the papers are correct that were found upon Dahlgren, as they correspond with what Dahlgren told him.'
Those are Union officers verifying the contents of the Dahlgren Papers - we already know that previous raids failed, and that both Dahlgren and Kilpatrick met with Lincoln separately. After meeting with Lincoln Dahlgren wrote his father acknowledging the upcoming event but could not disclose the details, he would either be a hero or dead.
The Dahlgren Papers were photographed before being forwarded, later the originals were destroyed by Lincoln's crony Stanton.
Your "all" is a tiny collection of brainless quacks. The vast majority of FR think you should have your head examined.
i performed a informal poll at FReep in DC a few months ago.
all but TWO (2) of the people questioned thought the "DAMNyankee coven" that infests these WBTS threads were a collection of WIERDOS,empty-heads, lunatics,fools,revisionists & losers. ONLY N-S (the Damnyankee Minister of Propaganda) is considered BRIGHT.
SADLY, most of the coven aren't smart enough to know that the average FReeper thinks they are PITIABLE, SILLY and/or LAUGHABLE.
imVho, MOST of the coven are PITIFUL, with the exception of one RACIST. (he is, in one word:DISGUSTING!)
since you hate us southrons so much, you should work for dixie LIBERTY!
free dixie,sw
Any "poll" by you could be fodder for a Clown College Curriculum. The average Freeper does NOT support Treason past or present, does NOT believe in Thrashing one of our greatest leaders or any of the other crap you morons believe in. In Short you are a LIAR if you claim support for your ravings from most Freepers. Most avoid these thread PRECISELY because of raving lunacy from people like YOU. It does not take much investigation to discover that the same handful are the ONLY ones supporting the Traitors of 1861-5.
And any one that has an idea that YOU can detect intelligence is just a big fool. My worst nightmare would be that YOU thought me intelligent. Even those on the same side as you understand that YOU make no recruits to the Cause except the completely unbalanced.
Stand has a habit of hearing what he wants from people, including the tiny voices in his head.
If the orders did come from above Kilpatrick, then it was Stanton. It's a lot more his style than Lincoln's.
Lee considered himself a Virginian first. Washington believed that that belief was wrong, and that loyalty to country came before loyalty to state. There isn't any question what he would have done.
Concurring bump. In his farewell address Geo. Washington warned against the treachery his southern descendants would eventually perpetrate.
" The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to foresee that, from different causes and from different quarters, much pains will be taken, many artifices employed to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth; as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be most constantly and actively (though often covertly and insidiously) directed, it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it; accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity; watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety; discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned; and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest, or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts." -Washington's Farewell Address 1796
The concept that General Washington would ever support southern secession is absurd. Those who suggest otherwise are historical perverts.
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