Opinions
Unnecessary intermediate court of appeals 'would serve no purpose'
I must respectfully ask why in the world do some of our West Virginia legislators again want to waste taxpayer dollars by creating an intermediate court of appeals, particularly when every litigant on either side already has the right to appeal from every circuit court ruling directly to the West Virginia Supreme Court in every case?
When so-called solutions are worse than alleged problems
It behooves us to ask who’s benefiting from all the activism, and who always gets stuck with the bill.
Justice gets out from under federal investigation
MORGANTOWN – Being under federal investigation is the legal equivalent of having a dormant virus; You are never quite sure when or if anything is going to come of it.
Right-to-work, if you can get it
Four years ago, West Virginia became the 26th right-to-work state in the nation when our Legislature overrode former Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of a bill prohibiting workers from being required to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment.
Unrigging our society to unleash our state’s potential
CHARLESTON – The U.S. economy is booming, resulting in the lowest unemployment rate in fifty years. That’s great news for families across the country looking for economic opportunities that will make their version of the American Dream a reality.
On the watch list once again
Four years ago, West Virginia managed to climb out of the judicial hellhole we had wallowed in for more than a decade, but we’ve remained on the American Tort Reform Association’s “Watch List” ever since, perilously close to the hole’s edge and perpetually in danger of slipping back in.
Leonhardt, department working towards a better agricultural future
CHARLESTON – A turn of the calendar calls for revision of individual ideals and new goals to avoid any complacency we may have fallen into over the holidays.
Let’s make energy and pipelines great again
Message to all the green bullies: Oil is good, pipelines are good, and we’re not giving them up.
Reviving the non-delegation doctrine means restoring the separation of powers
CHARLESTON – Beginning in earnest since the New Deal in the 1930s, Congress has created an unfathomable amount of executive agencies and tasked them with filling in the details of unfinished legislation. Today, executive agencies are given large swaths of authority — and money — to regulate nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Agency rulemaking has replaced congressional lawmaking at the expense of democratic accountability
If you don’t give the quid, you don’t get the quo
The phrase “quid pro quo” has been bandied about lately, what with Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives charging that President Trump offered one to the president of Ukraine. Trump, they claim, promised substantial foreign aid in return for the promise of an investigation into the possibly corrupt activities of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, while “serving” on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.
We must do better for our children
CHARLESTON – Across our state, we see the effect the opioid crisis has had on West Virginia’s children and families. Reading the headlines regarding lawsuits and the increasing number of children in the state's care, I have become shockingly aware of our state’s failure to properly address the problems facing the most vulnerable population of children: the children who have physical, intellectual, cognitive, and/or mental health disabilities.
Are we the only ones who can still be ridiculed?
Hoosiers, hillbillies, rednecks, and crackers – we’ve all been treated with contempt by our self-proclaimed superiors, and we’ve had enough. They think they’re so smart and we’re so dumb, but they overestimate themselves and underestimate us.
Don’t let scammers steal Christmas
Staying alert for scams can ease worries and help your holiday reach its full potential. Give yourself the gift of security this holiday season.
Moviegoers pay to be propagandized
We weren’t there for the pitch for "Dark Waters," but we do recognize a cheesy, fast-buck formula when we see one.
Unions play an important role in economy, helping workers
CHARLESTON – While attempting to diminish the work of labor unions using absolutely no facts or research, Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Bill Bissett said: “Recognizing self-interest allows one to better understand why you are doing what you are doing.” Indeed. But, let's look closer.
You can't blame Kroger for a pre-existing condition
If insurance companies won’t cover pre-existing conditions, why should supermarkets? You didn’t know supermarkets cover pre-existing conditions? Well, they don’t, actually, but someone needs to explain that to Jennifer Thompson and Carolyn Foster.
It's time to tell the truth about unions
What does Right To Work mean for West Virginia? In a recent HADCO meeting, I asked a site selection expert if West Virginia’s passage of Right To Work was a factor in our region being considered by his company. He answered bluntly, “We would have never considered West Virginia without passing Right To Work.”
Drug crisis calls for action to heal our state
When I look at West Virginia and our debilitating drug epidemic, it shakes me to my core. I cannot understand why our current governor’s plan to address this challenge remains in draft form after being office for over 1,000 days. I know just about every nook and cranny of our state, and this crisis touches all of us. It’s why I recently announced a lengthy and detailed action plan to address this crisis.
Brenda Miller, do your job or find another one!
You wouldn’t think you’d need to explain to someone who’s been an Ohio County Circuit Clerk for 20 years that attorneys deserve the respect and cooperation of court employees. Brenda Miller may be just a clerk, but she seems to fancy herself a queen, with the power and authority to do as she pleases.
Hemp has a chance to be a budding success in the Mountain State
West Virginia can become a national voice for industrial hemp. This is an opportunity we cannot miss. And, with the help of our producers and government leaders in West Virginia, we won’t.