Hey kids! Governor Manchin here! The media sure is making a fuss over so many of our state lawmakers taking a trip to Puerto Rico! And I agree! I told all of them that me and Larry and our wives were flying over, and we'd be happy to come back and give them a full report! But nooooo. They had to come, too! Now look at all the criticism they're getting! And it's even starting to rub off on me! No one would have said a word about me and Larry and our wives flying over there if it hadn't been for all the Senators and Delegates clamoring to go, too! Geesh! When will these people learn -- just sit down, keep quiet, and wait until I tell you what to do! How hard is that?
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Wednesday, June 6, 2007
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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.
Is John Unger young, or is he just young?
As noted in the Republican Gazette's profile of John Unger, the state Senator works hardest at garnering media attention. He succeeded Tuesday with an article in the New York Times, as well as a favorable promotion on the Campaigns & Elections website.
The Campaigns & Elections entry includes this passage:
"...the latest coup is that of getting 38 year old State. Sen. John Unger to run against Shelly Moore Capito in WV-02. He's a fantastic candidate, young, a Rhodes Scholar, and one of the youngest people ever elected to the West Virginia State Senate. He has a great deal of experience in the State Senate, having been elected in 1998, at age 29."
Did you catch the subtle references to his youth?
FOUR DAYS OF DRUDGERY -- Pictured is the El Conquistador Resort and Golden Spa at Fajardo, Puerto Rico, where Gov. Joe Manchin and 25 state legislators will be meeting for a four-day conference starting this weekend.
On knowing when you've lost in the court of public opinion
Gov. Joe Manchin and about half of the West Virginia Senate and eight members of the House of Delegates are taking a four-day trip to Fajardo, Puerto Rico, beginning this weekend, drawing much media scrutiny about its costs and purpose.
Some legislators have adamantly defended the trip and the value of the Council of State Governments conference. They may be entirely right, but they've already lost the argument.
Try telling the average West Virginian that a trip to the posh resort hotel pictured above is a necessary and wise expenditure of taxpayer money. Then try it again with a straight face this time.
As reported by Justin Anderson in the Charleston Daily Mail, Gov. Manchin and Chief of Staff Larry Puccio are flying with their wives in the state airplane, while the 25 legislators are apparently roughing it on a commercial flight.
Wisely, no Republican Delegates signed up for the trip.
If a few of the attendees were smart, they would hold a press conference tomorrow to announce they had changed their plans and were cancelling their trip.
They would say something like, "Even though this conference has immense value to the state of West Virginia, on reflection and after discussing the matter with several constituents, we have concluded that taxpayers do not consider this a wise use of their money, and we are respecting their opinions on the matter."
Now, there would still be some ridicule, as in, "Why did you just now reach this conclusion?" But they would score more points by recognizing the obvious than by stubbornly insisting the trip is justifiable.
Regardless of its merits or whether the story has been overblown, it is a LeBron James slam dunk in your face that no amount of reasoning will convince the voters or the media that the same benefits could not be gained by a two-hour conference call around a big table in the Capitol Building as will be accomplished lounging by the pool under the picturesque palms.
There is an art to knowing when you have lost the argument in the court of public opinion, and when to cut your losses. So far, there appear to be few artists among those legislators with reservations at the El Conquistador.
Legislators may be right in justifying their Puerto Rico trip, but it turns out they're wrong
The book that's shaking up WV
'Unleashing Capitalism' a must-read for politicians and candidates
Seldom has a book about economics created such a stir, and mostly by word of mouth, as "Unleashing Capitalism: Why Prosperity Stops at the West Virginia Border and How to Fix It." The book, edited by Russell S. Sobel, Joshua C. Hall and Matt E. Ryan, offers the clearest explanation possible about why West Virginia is in the sad economic state it is in, and how to make it all right.
Looking for a stuffy, hard to read tutorial written only for those with advanced degrees in business and economics? Then this is not your book. "Unleashing Capitalism" is an easy and enjoyable read that leaves you wondering why its straightforward but profound lesson has been so long ignored. Click on the image at right to order it, then vote only for candidates who adhere to its message.
