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Abernathy Strategies
RepublicanGazette
Friday, February 15, 2008 "When news breaks, we fix it" Published daily except some days
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All opinions are those of The Republican Gazette and its editor, Gary Abernathy, except letters or commentary signed by others, and do not reflect the views of anyone else, including clients of Abernathy Strategies.
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Having Fun With Mojo
McKinney says GOP convention a success, urges a united front
Del. Blair prevails on area code controversy
Delegate calls PSC reversal a victory for all West Virginians
West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Doug McKinney said Thursday the recent GOP presidential convention was “a tremendous success on all counts,” and created excitement and participation by Republicans around the state.“Hundreds of Republicans who have not been actively involved in our party became motivated because of the convention,” said McKinney. “We drew three top-tier candidates to our state, drove the national news cycle for almost an entire day, and had a financial boon when it was all said and done.”McKinney praised convention CEO Bob Fish for his volunteer efforts to make the convention successful, as well as state party staffers and volunteers who worked tirelessly for a common goal. He also praised the staffs and supporters of the various presidential campaigns who contributed to the success of the convention.“Through this process, we have obviously learned a lot, and we’ll study every aspect of the process to improve it for the future,” said McKinney.McKinney added, “Supporters of the various candidates for president were passionate and devoted to their respective causes, and the energy and hard work they displayed was amazing to watch. Now, it’s time for everyone to rally around the Republican nominee for president, unite toward our common goal of victory in November, and march forward in unison to bring about a better West Virginia and a greater America.”The chairman asked that all West Virginia Republicans follow the lead of former candidate, Governor Mitt Romney, who Thursday endorsed Senator McCain, the Republican frontrunner, in uniting behind the eventual Republican nominee for president and all other candidates in West Virginia. It is clear that the impediment to “Unleashing Capitalism” is the Democrat party and that the key to prosperity is electing more Republicans to the legislature, said McKinney. The chairman said the party will be seeking to continue the momentum and excitement of its recent convention with a series of rallies, training sessions and meetings throughout the spring and summer.DOUG McKINNEY
CRAIG BLAIR
Delegate Craig Blair on Thursday praised the decision by the Public Service Commission to reverse an earlier decision and instead implement an "overlay" plan in regard to a new area code for West Virginia.Appearing on Hoppy Kercheval's "Talkline" program on Thursday, Blair modestly refused to accept Kercheval's conclusion that Blair had won the debate on the issue. Blair said, "The people of West Virginia won."Demonstrating the tenacity that has made him one of the boldest members of the House of Delegates, Blair has for weeks argued against forcing various regions to switch to a new area code, citing the costs to businesses, government and individuals in regard to advertising and information. Blair has pushed for a plan to add the new area code to cell phones, since those devices are rapidly outpacing land lines in terms of new demand.New recusal request just another judge shop
Did Blankenship play a role in recruiting Benjamin? Hardly
BRENT BENJAMIN
The latest effort at judge shopping comes from Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel and Mountain State Carbon, who want Brent Benjamin to recuse himself from an upcoming case before the West Virginia Supreme Court involving Massey Energy's appeal of a judgment against the coal company.The plaintiffs toss in all the old arguments -- Blankenship spent millions to elect Benjamin, etc., etc. -- and also want to know what role Blankenship played in 2004 in recruiting Benjamin to seek the position.That last item is a hoot. No one recruited Brent to run for the court. He probably had more people trying to talk him out of it than into it. I will always remember the day Brent came into my office at WVGOP headquarters to somewhat sheepishly float the idea of his candidacy. I'm sure I responded with some sarcastic remark, in fitting with my sometimes caustic nature.And when I realized he was serious, I'm sure my response was less than entirely supportive. Brent was a sharp attorney and had been serving as treasurer of the WVGOP. But he had never been a candidate for anything, and was basically unknown outside of his circle of friends in Charleston.But one thing was certain -- no one, but no one, had planted the seed in his head to run for office. It took root and grew slowly from within the fertile garden of Brent's own mind.If you recall, the "business candidate" of the 2004 Supreme Court campaign was originally Democrat Jim Rowe. If anyone was the annointed candidate of conservatives and business interests, it was Rowe. Only when Rowe failed to clear the Primary did any attention -- including from Mr. Blankenship -- come Brent's way. No matter how much Blankenship spent on behalf of his election, Brent's deep-down belief that he is today a Supreme Court Justice primarily because of his own willingness to take a risk no doubt contributes to his opinion that he owes no one anything.His is an ideal attitude for a judge, and one that will never cause him to readily recuse himself from any case -- and he will likely be even less inclined to do so because of an unfounded notion that he owes his seat to anyone but himself and the people who voted for him. As global demand for energy rises, West Virginia is poised to take advantage through use of our abundant energy resources. West Virginia has produced oil and natural gas continually since the 1800’s. Our mountains allow us to efficiently produce electricity from both hydroelectric and wind energy, but coal is still the energy Golden Goose to the state's economy.Unfortunately instead of feeding and caring for the Golden Goose most of the time the state stalks the Golden Goose like a predator using taxes as its favorite weapon. Some 200 years ago US Supreme Court Chief Justice and namesake of Marshall University, John Marshall warned, “The power to tax involves the power to destroy.” The evidence that Marshall was correct is all around us in West Virginia as we rank 50th in business opportunity due to our punitive business tax structure destroying our economy.The latest hunter taking aim at the Golden Goose is DEP Secretary Stephanie Timmermyer, who went before the Senate Finance Committee February 7th requesting a state tax on coal be doubled. West Virginia is already at a huge economic disadvantage and this will only add more. We have the 7th highest tax rate in the nation and at the same time we rank 49th in per capita income. The destruction of the states economy through a punitive tax structure has dropped the states population from 1.3% of the US population in 1950 to 0.6% today, a drop of more than half. Simple economics explains how the global coal market will respond if the coal tax increase is enacted. West Virginia coal will become more expensive in the market place. Just as we shop for the lowest price on food or gasoline, those in the coal market will also shop for the lowest price of coal. That will put West Virginia coal producers at a disadvantage. It will be harder for them to be price competitive. New coal orders will drop as a result. The drop in orders will mean less need for manpower, transportation, and supplies further increasing the adverse effects on the West Virginia economy. Secretary Timmermyer’s request for an increase in coal taxes personifies the problem with Charleston’s understanding of the economy. Ronald Reagan clearly identified the problem when he stated, "The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much." West Virginian’s have been taxed so heavily for so long that a large unused surplus exists in various state accounts. In 2005 State Senator Russ Weeks estimated that at $1 billion, Senator Herb Snyder at $3 billion, and West Virginians Want to Know at $5 billion. When the state has somewhere between $1 and $5 billion dollars sitting unused in various accounts; we should not be talking about raising taxes. With world demand for energy high and West Virginia sitting on coal, oil, gas, hydroelectric and wind to supply the world, tax cuts are in order to help our economy grow. The money not spent on taxes will be plowed back into the businesses of the state thus feeding the Golden Goose. If the power to tax is the power to destroy, then the power to reduce taxes is the power to create. Killing the Golden Goose with taxes
Guest commentary by Gary Howell, GOP candidate for the 14th State Senate District
With Romney's nod, only Huckabee keeps party from uniting
Mitt Romney's endorsement Thursday of John McCain was another example of party over self for the former Massachussetts governor, and now only Mike Huckabee's Quixotic campaign prevents McCain from focusing on November.Huckabee is painting his continued presence in the race as somehow providing a service to all the states that have yet to vote, including Texas and Ohio on March 4. But no one outside the Huckabee campaign can see it that way, and the former Arkansas governor risks being perceived as someone simply unwilling to step out of a spotlight that has become such a warm and comfortable place for him and his bass guitar.It is interesting to hear Huckabee describe himself as the "conservative alternative," given his economic and tax record. Mike Huckabee is someone most Republicans found themselves able to like, on a personal level. His folksy communication skills are a good fit for many Republicans, and he probably delivered the best remarks at the WVGOP presidential convention.But he risks squandering that goodwill by soldiering on in an effort that in reaity does nothing but drain precious resources from the eventual nominee. What's wrong with state retirees?
Hey kids! Mojo here! Wow! Did you hear about the rally at the Capitol on Thursday by state government retirees? They're blaming me for switching their health insurance coverage! Why me? I'm only the governor! There were more angry old people gathered together than last week's Democrat Senate caucus! Some of them held signs saying I should only serve one term! Why don't they do what I do to pay for my doctor visits -- give away passes to WVU games!
Adams says citizens always deserve right to have their voices heard on local issues
State Senate candidate criticizes position of his opponent in regard to zoning referendum
BOB ADAMS
State Senate candidate Bob Adams said today that Rusty Morgan’s vote opposing legislation that would empower voters to challenge zoning decisions by him and other commissioners “demonstrates a total lack of respect for democracy and the rights of citizens to have a voice on local issues.”“I am shocked that any elected official would be so open in his disdain for the will of the people to be expressed through the democratic process,” said Adams. “I hope the people of Jefferson and Berkeley counties consider Commissioner Morgan’s attitude when they decide who they want to represent them in Charleston.”Morgan on Thursday voted for a resolution condemning H.B. 4511, whose sponsors include a bipartisan majority of legislators from the Eastern Panhandle, including Craig Blair, Jonathan Miller, Walter Duke, Daryl Cowles, Locke Wysong and Bob Tabb. The bill would allow referendum onamendments to zoning ordinances and on replacing nontraditional zoning with traditional zoning.
But “this is not about zoning, and it’s not about growth versus no-growth,” said Adams. “It’s about offering voters the chance to oppose decisions made by their government, including the county commission. "The fact that Rusty Morgan would deny voters the chance to challenge his decisions displays contempt for democracy and the rights of the electorate.”Adams said the citizens of Jefferson and Berkeley counties deserve representation that recognizes elected officials are servants of the people, not the other way around.“In the State Senate, I will always be an advocate for voters to have the strongest voices possible in decisions that affect their daily lives,” said Adams.Tactically, Starcher, Dems misread Benjamin
Combined efforts to force Benjamin off Massey cases a total backfire
With Larry Starcher's recusal from the Harman-Massey case, let’s step back a few paces and take a big picture view of what the whole Massey Energy-Spike Maynard-Larry Starcher-Brent Benjamin brouhaha is really all about.1.The labor and trial lawyer Democrats have never recovered from Warren McGraw’s 2004 defeat.2. Ever since then, the Democrats, particularly through the rantings of Starcher, have taken potshot after potshot at Massey CEO Don Blankenship, Benjamin and Maynard.3. Finally, the Dems somehow became the beneficiary of photos showing Blankenship and Maynard vacationing together.4. The ensuing publicity, coupled with the fact that Maynard is facing reelection this year, led to Maynard disqualifying himself from re-hearing a Harman Mining - Massey case and other Massey cases (a tactical mistake on Spike’s part, frankly).5. The Democrats believed that the pressure of Maynard’s recusal would be enough to also force Benjamin to recuse himself from cases involving Massey.6. Benjamin has not recused himself. The Democrats are confused.7. So, in the biggest Hail Mary since Doug Flutie lofted one high and long in 1984, Starcher has decided to recuse himself from re-hearing the Harman-Massey case, hoping the media and public will now join together in a chorus of, "Starcher has done the right thing, Benjamin should, too."
8. Benjamin, not facing reelection until 2016 (and not guaranteed to serve that long because of other possible opportunities), and with nothing in his judicial history indicating he should recuse himself (he has ruled against Massey three times), doesn’t care what the media and public say, and ain’t goin’ anywhere.The bottom line is, the only thing the Democrats have accomplished is to knock Larry Starcher off of a Massey case and allow Benjamin (in his role as acting Chief Justice) to appoint one new justice to the Wheeling Pitt-Massey case, and two new justices of his choosing to the Harman-Massey case — meaning that the once-powerful triumvirate of McGraw-Starcher-Albright is now reduced, in the Harman case, to Albright. Good work. With Democrat strategery like this, there is great hope for Republican victories in November.It is, of course, interesting that Starcher has recused himself from one Massey case under the reasoning that his statements about Blankenship could be construed as prejudicial, but has not recused himself from other cases involving Massey. How does that logic work?The Democrat forces seemed to truly believe that if Maynard was forced off a case, Benjamin would have to follow. They were wrong, they continue to be wrong, and they will continue to be wrong in the future. 