Across the pond, Great Britain just celebrated the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. The Platinum Jubilee was full of pomp and ceremony befitting the monarch’s influence in a largely symbolic role as head of state.
Back here in West Virginia, Governor Jim Justice gave himself an honorary Golden Horseshoe, an award presented to eighth-grade students from across the state with the highest scores on an annual exam that measures their knowledge of West Virginia history.
Sure, Department of Arts, Culture and History curator Randall Reid-Smith announced Justice would be bestowed the honor, but we all know Justice made it happen. And if he didn’t request it himself, he certainly didn’t stop it from happening.
What else would you expect from a leader who expects to be treated like royalty despite his folksy “Aw, shucks” façade? A man who has a paper trail of lawsuits because he constantly shirks his legal obligations as a businessman. The same man who, after being sued for failing to live in the Governor's Mansion at the seat of government, said he’d do just that. Then, he drove his SUV back to Lewisburg and has slept there practically every night since.
Clearly, subtlety isn’t in Justice’s nature.
Remember, he’s also the guy who made a commentary about a budget proposal by presenting a fresh pile of cow dung on a silver platter in the Capitol rotunda. The same guy who presented his beloved Babydog’s butt to the camera – during the State of the State address in the House of Delegates Chambers, no less! – and told Bette Midler to kiss it after she made a disparaging remark about the Mountain State.
But, yeah, Justice needs a Golden Horseshoe. Let’s make that happen. Give a highly coveted award for teenagers to a man who repeatedly has referred to one high school as Clay-Battleton (it’s Clay-Battelle) and who apparently thinks Morgantown is in Mongolia County (it’s Monongalia).
Remember a few years ago when Justice promised the state a rocketship ride? We didn’t know he meant we'd be taken for a ride as we suffer from spiraling inflation and gas prices that continue to skyrocket. Prosperity, indeed.
(Speaking of which, you should read the claims about the robust and prosperous times we are experiencing in West Virginia made in press releases from the governor's office. They might as well try to tell us Justice shot a 38-under par on his Greenbrier Resort's Old White golf course.)
All the while, he and his administration tout a budget surplus of more than $1 billion. Don’t be fooled. That surplus exists only because the bar was set so low for revenue projections.
Still, doesn’t it make sense to help alleviate the burden on residents some by setting up a gas tax holiday in the state? A month would be fantastic, but even a week would help.
Forget it. Justice says the tax break would create more problems than solutions. He said that after publicly toying with the idea for a day or two. Or maybe he was just toying with his constituents.
It’s reminiscent of Mel Brooks’ portrayal of King Louis XVI in “The History of the World: Part 1” when he does despicable things to everyone while singing, “It’s Good To Be The King!”
All Brooks was missing was that Golden Horseshoe lapel pin.
