West Virginia Blue
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(Reposted in case you missed it the first time. - promoted by Clem Guttata)
By Clem Guttata
Coal CEOs get political representation, what about the rest of us?
Logan County Commission President Art Kirkendoll requested a meeting and he got it. Michael Browning reported (emphasis mine):
Kirkendoll has asked Gov. Joe Manchin for a meeting with him, commission presidents from Lincoln, Boone, Mingo and Kanawha counties, the EPA, the Division of Environmental Protection, Congressman Nick Rahall, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, representatives from U.S. senators Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller's offices and officials from the coal industry.
Today at 3 p.m., the group will meet privately in the governor's office to discuss coal's future and the economic impact it has on the state and nation.
"This meeting was way overdue to have all the major coal producers' officials together with the EPA and the DEP, the congressional people and the commission presidents from the five major coal-producing counties that spend the money and try to create activities on coal tax," Kirkendoll said. "Everybody that has a stake in what we do will be there. Instead of each of us writing letters, I wanted to get us all together - the people who are investing their money, who are spending the money, the people who are making laws and making the rules - so that we can ask how do we a qualify permits that are solid and work. I sent the governor a letter and he thought it was a great idea so he put the meeting together."
Kirkendoll doesn't think anyone downstream has a stake in coal mining. He doesn't think it matters that we drink the same water, breath the same air, or--point of fact--actually pay for the electricity that makes that coal valuable.
...the list of expected attendees includes Massey Energy President Don Blankenship, CONSOL Energy CEO Brett Harvey and International Coal Group President Ben Hatfield. Two members of Congress will be there, as will county commissioners from the state's major coal producing counties, and top officials from a dozen or more other coal companies. It's a big deal to get all those folks in the same room, and it seems like the public ought to know what is said.
With enough twists to fill a pretzel factor, Gov. Manchin and his communications director, Matt Turner, said there was no need to invite potential critics of coal mining practices because:
"the meeting is not about environmental regulations." (AP - via)
"This is not about the environment. This is about the economic plight the (coalfield local government officials) are being put in." (source)
The meeting happened this afternoon outside the Governor's Mansion in a party tent literally bought and paid for by coal industry donors, (I kid you not... you couldn't make this stuff up) and was followed by a press conference.
Nov. 10, 2009 - CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov. Joe Manchin, joined by West Virginia elected officials: U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Congressman Nick Joe Rahall, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, House Speaker Rick Thompson and various other state leaders, county commissioners, representatives from the coal industry and labor met to discuss the future of coal in West Virginia during a press conference. Photos by: Steven W. Rotsch
West Virginia political leaders promised Tuesday to speak "with one voice" to clarify the Obama administration's proposals to more strictly regulate mountaintop removal coal mining.
Gov. Joe Manchin, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, and Reps. Nick J. Rahall and Shelley Moore Capito said they would join forces to seek a high-level White House meeting to raise coal industry concerns about tougher permit reviews instituted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"It's about the economy of West Virginia," Manchin said at a news conference after a two-hour, closed-door meeting with industry leaders. "We're just trying to find that balance right now."
I'd like someone to ask Gov. Manchin what it is that he's trying to "balance"? As far as I can tell, "balance" is his code word for stopping any tighter environmental regulation enforcement.
Coal company CEOs have been guaranteed a voice in Washington. The Gov. of West Virginia, Sen. Rockefeller, Rep. Rahall and Rep. Capito stood at a podium this afternoon and promised to speak "with one voice" in Washington, DC on their behalf.
The citizens of West Virginia did not elect these officials to represent coal company executives, they serve to represent us all.
What is good for Don Blankenship is not what is good for all of West Virginia. What is good for CONSOL Energy CEO Brett Harvey is not what is good for all of West Virginia (just ask the residents of the Dunkard Creek watershed). What is good for International Coal Group President Ben Hatfield is not what is good for all of West Virginia.
We need political leaders who will lead for all West Virginians, not political followers catering to the needs of coal company CEOs. We need political leaders who will ask not what they can do for coal, but what they can do for West Virginia. We need political leaders who can honor both our heritage and our future.
The EPA announced in March its proposal to revoke the mountaintop removal (MTR) permit for Spruce No.1 unless the mine, operated by St. Louis-based Arch Coal, was modified to reduce its environmental impact. According to the EPA's website, "we are concerned that the project could result in unacceptable damage to the aquatic system, particularly to water quality and fish and wildlife resources." The agency said the environmental damage would be irreversible.
"We're looking at this as a test of whether EPA will stand behind what they've been saying," said West Virginia Sierra Club organizer Bill Price, below. "The coal industry has been unable to prove it can do this type of mining without extreme impacts on the environment and the communities nearby."
snip
"The EPA is here not about our poverty, not about our political corruption, not about our jobs, not about the loss of our jobs, and it's not about shutting you down," said farmer and native West Virginian Sara Cowgill, below. "It's about the reality of the vital importance of clean water. And there is no question whatsoever that MTR mining is environmentally devastating and catastrophic to every community that it touches, extending into the entire state."
You can either be for destroying West Virginia one mountain at a time or you can be for West Virginia.
We can look at the ongoing mega-disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and no one has a solution how to stop it.
Yet too many in West Virginia, including politicians we support for their stance on many other issues like U.S. Rep.Nick Rahall Jr., are in favor of mountaintop removal.
The first speaker at the May 19 hearing in Charleston was West Virginia Congressman Nick Rahall. "Pursuing this course would have a chilling effect on the coal industry and the Appalachian region," he said. "It will send a message that investing in coal mining is nothing but a high-risk bet."
There should be a chilling effect on the ongoing environmental disaster that is mountaintop removal.
Because BP's oil spill is ongoing in public view (despite efforts by BP's CEO to limit coverage), people see the environmental disaster.
But the destruction of West Virginia has been permitted for decades and the devastation extends beyond the mountains and into the valleys and the water systems.
Just as deep water drilling is now shown that it is as dangerous as environmentalists warned, environmentalists are sounding the alarm bells on mountaintop removal.
We are poisoning our wells through this practice. We are destroying our state. The mountains are not going to grow back. They are gone forever.
Mother's Day is an opportunity to celebrate the most important woman in your life-your mom. It is also a day to celebrate West Virginia history and the mother of Mother's Day, native West Virginian Anna Jarvis.
Most West Virginians know that Mother's Day was started in Grafton, West Virginia but what some do not know is the story of Anna's sheer determination to create an honor to reflect the importance of her mother to her life.
Although Anna was never a mother herself, she set out to make Mother's Day a nationally recognized day to pay tribute to her beloved mother, Mrs. Anna M. Jarvis, as well as all mothers all over the world. It was an effort to call attention to the selfless commitment and unconditional love of mothers - the "unsung heroes" in our lives - whose work day in and day out means so much, yet often goes unrecognized.
Anna was born in the town of Webster, WV in Taylor County in 1864, into a family of eleven children. She moved to Grafton when she was a young child. Anna attended school in Grafton and after attending the Augusta Female Academy in Staunton, Virginia for additional schooling, she returned home to teach in the community for seven years.
Growing up Anna watched her mother helping others. Mrs. Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis was a remarkable woman who was dedicated to her community and went above and beyond the call of duty. During the Civil War, she was instrumental in saving thousands of lives by teaching women the basics of nursing and sanitation, which she herself had learned from her brother, Dr. James Reeves, a local physician. Mrs. Jarvis not only tended to the physical wounds of the soldiers, she also worked to soothe tensions among families from opposing sides of the Civil War by organizing and conducting services for soldiers and their families. Her work helped to heal entire communities that were torn apart by the war. Anna's mother firmly believed that the role and efforts of all mothers was not fully appreciated or recognized and it was her wish that a day be set aside to honor all mothers.
Anna had so much admiration for her mother that she made a promise at her mother's gravesite in 1905 to dedicate her life to fulfilling her mother's wish and began her work to establish a Mother's Day to honor mothers, living and dead.
Soon after her mother's death Anna began an extensive advocacy campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. She organized an aggressive letter writing campaign and held events where she spoke about the importance of establishing the holiday. By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state, and finally in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday on the second Sunday of May every year.
Anna was a remarkable woman who was ahead of her time. And although she did not fit the traditional role of a woman at that period in history, she not only recognized the timeless dedication and role of mothers in our lives, she revered all mothers - especially those who quietly dedicated their lives to their children and families.
In order to recognize this special day, the House of Representatives voted to pass H.RES.1295, celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day.
Mother's Day is a time for families across the Nation to come together to honor those who gave us life and who, throughout our lives, have given us encouragement, inspiration, and unconditional love. It is a heart-felt and loving tradition, one of which West Virginians can be especially proud. It takes a lot of patience, perseverance and love to raise a child. Luckily for all of us, as Anna Jarvis once said, "A mother's love is new every day."
As we each celebrate Mother's Day let us all be truly thankful for our mothers-all 82.5 million of them in the United States. This day is all about them. Perhaps an old proverb sums it up best, "God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers."
God bless our mothers and everything they have done for our families and our communities on this special day and every day of the year, and thanks to Anna Jarvis who had the determination to have this day officially recognized over 95 years ago.
U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) represents West Virginia's 3rd District
In order to help better acquaint readers who may be out of the news cycle, I have put together (to the best of my ability) a bit of a preview for the district congressional elections that will occur in the fall.
The primaries will be in early May, and there hasn't been a lot of buzz (at least to my knowledge) about them. I only found out a month or so ago that The first district was receiving a democrat to challenge.
So here we go
Let's start with the First Congressional DIstrict.
Current seatholder: Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
The long-time serving Democrat, Mollohan, first got elected into the house in 1983, meaning he has served roughly 27 years at this position. In 2008, Mollohan ran unopposed. Mollohan has seen his share of controversies, and will also see a democrat contending for his seat in the primary. This will be his first Democrat to challenge him since Harley Staggers Jr. in 1992.
Challenger: Michael Oliverio II
Oliverio has worked his way up from the bottom. He was elected student body president at WVU. Eventually, Oliverio ran for a seat in the house of delegates and was elected in 1993, and in 1995 assumed office in the West Virginia State Senate where he currently remains representing the 13th district.
Oliverio has had a tendency to focus hard on the national debt, and how to attend to and fix it.
It should be interesting to see how this one plays out, although I would predict a Mollohan victory given the difficulty of unseating a 14 term incumbent.
Other Challengers on the republican side include Mac Warner, Cindy Hall, Tom Stark, Sarah Minear, David McKinley, and Patricia Levenson. Further information will be provided in the coming months.
WV Second Congressional District
Current Seatholder: Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
Captio is the daughter of the infamous Arch Moore Jr. and has held the seat since 2001. She was elected after Former Governor Bob Wise vacated the seat for the governor position She is the only Republican Congressional representative for the state and she intends to keep her seat. Capito is running for re-election during a good time for Republicans, polls show democrats are favored to lose more than they gain this November. She is considered safe in her district. Last time around, Capito won by a comfortable margin against Byrd state director Anne Barth.
Challenger: Virginia Graf
35 year veteran as an educator who has served as a school principal and is focused on improving education in the district. Graf is very active in volunteerism and political organizations throughout her community. Graf has a steep hill to climb if she wants to take this seat. Democrats are not the most popular delegation, she is facing an incumbent Republican, and the district is considered safe for Capito.
WV Third Congressional District
Current Seatholder: Nick Rahall (D-WV)
Rahall is heading into his 33rd year in the House, being elected in 1977. He succeeded Ken Hechler when he ran for governor. Rahall and his district are considered by CQ Politics to be a safe democrats, and him being a 33 year incumbent will very much improve his chances.
Challenger:
Rahall could be facing opposition from any of the following
Bruce Barilla (D)
America's Christian Heritage Week Founder & Hotel Worker
Lee Bias (R)
Nurse Anesthetist
Marty Gearheart (R)
Sign Company Sales Executive, Ex-Teacher
I saw this link on Justin Williams' Facebook (WVYD President) and thought it was pertinent for these rough times of opposition towards healthcare.
I'll post the link at the end of this but here is a few examples of how healthcare will help us here in the mountain state. This list was compiled by the Democratic Policy Committee.
Provide tax credits for up to 20,000 West Virginia small businesses to help make coverage
more affordable.
Prohibit insurance companies from excluding coverage of pre-existing conditions for the
386,449 children in West Virginia, starting this year.
Close the donut hole and improve other Medicare benefits for 372,000 West Virginia
seniors.
Reduce Medicare premiums for the 300,400 West Virginia seniors who are not enrolled in
Medicare Advantage and will no longer subsidize these private insurance plans.
Ensure affordable coverage options for 256,000 West Virginians who are uninsured and
41,000 West Virginians who purchase health insurance through the individual market.
Ensure immediate access to affordable insurance options for as many as 35,466
uninsured West Virginians who have a pre-existing condition.
Provide tax credits for up to 204,000 West Virginians to help make health insurance
more affordable, bringing $3.3 billion in premium and cost-sharing tax credits into
West Virginia during the first five years of the health insurance Exchange.
Reduce family health insurance premiums by $1,750 - $2,510 for the same benefits, as
compared to what they would be without health reform by 2016.
Provide access to Medicaid for 161,355 newly-eligible West Virginians, and provide
$3.7 billion in federal funding for the cost of their coverage.
Create 1,700 - 2,700 jobs by reducing health care costs for employers.
If Democrats and independents needed any more reason to get behind our guys, Nick Rahall and Alan Mollohan, the wildly careening Sarah Palin has targeted them on her "hit list."
Palin, who dropped out of being governor of her state in order to cash in on being a reality TV star and occasional Faux News commentator, apparently wants to "fire" them.
Considering Sarah Palin couldn't bother to finish a single term of the job the people of Alaska gave her to do, Palin is in no position to tell other people in other states how to conduct their affairs.
It's funny how Palin's type of "populism" is intended to hurt working class people and help big businesses. Also.
The bill is the most sweeping piece of federal legislation since Medicare was passed in 1965. It aims to smooth out one of the roughest edges in American society - the inability of many people to afford medical care after they lose a job or get sick. ...
Right wingers like Palin claim Mollohan and Rahall went against the will of the people despite the fact polls show only 24 percent of the public approve of the way the Republican Party handled the healthcare reform issue.
But the truth is Mollohan and Rahall listened to the people. The people denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Young people unable to afford insurance yet not able to be covered by their parents' insurance. The people pushed into bankruptcy even though they had insurance. The people whose premiums are skyrocketing.
Every working class man, woman and child is going to benefit from this reform passed into law.
Update
The West Virginia Democratic Party has responded quickly:
Former Vice-Presidential candidate and tea party darling Sarah Palin has named twenty congressional races where she will be helping Republican candidates. Among the races that the former Alaska Governor intends to use her resources to flip are those of our Congressmen Alan Mollohan and Nick Rahall.
It's time to send a message to out-of-state politicians and special interests that there tactics will not work here. Please donate to your State Party to help fight the attacks today!
Never the most emotionally mature or stable of people, Sarah Palin is going off the deep end.
The words and the rifle scopes used on the map say a lot about "violence is not the answer."
Sarah Palin may not be a serious, viable candidate for anything, but her coded words and inflammatory rhetoric are very dangerous. She derailed the debate on the HCR with her "death panels", divided the country with her "Real Americans" speech and now appears to be calling for an armed retaliation against elected representatives of the people.
I'll be waiting for Insurance Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, in her role as a member of the Civility Caucus on Capitol Hill, to denounce the uncivil words and illustrations from Palin.
Is Spike Monaco trying to line up an all-expense paid vacation to the Riviera, this time paid for by the insurance industry?
Judging from his latest press release, Don Blankenship's former Supreme Court judge and vacation buddy is in favor of making seniors pay more for their Medicare coverage, is in favor of insurance companies denying claims for people who have paid their premiums and is for denying insurance coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.
Spike Monaco also thinks it best that your healthcare decisions should be made by your insurance company instead of your doctor.
Rep. Nick Rahall and Rep. Alan Mollohan had our backs on the healthcare reform vote and we need to remember that as they campaign against Republican opponents this election season.
The corporate interests are aligning against them because Rahall and Mollohan stood up for the people of their districts.
Nearly 20 percent of the people in Mollohan's WV-01 and more than 20 percent in Rahall's WV-03 are currently uninsured. This measure will help the vast majority of them obtain healthcare coverage as well as make life easier for the elderly on Medicare in addition to lowering the deficit for all of us.
This isn't the healthcare measure many of us wanted and think Democrats should have worked for, but it is a step in the right direction to improve the lives of many people.
Yes, this is short notice. Yes, there's some basketball games on tonight. But, hey, that's what TIVO is for, right!
If you're anywhere near Beckley tonight, head on out and remind Rep. Rahall he needs to vote for healthcare reform for West Virginians.
We've come so far, we can't stop now! So please, join Health Care for America Now, West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, WV FREE, Southern Appalachia Labor School and other organizations...
TONIGHT IN BECKELY FOR A VIGIL IN SUPPORT OF HEALTH REFORM.
We need to show Congressman Rahall that we stand in solidarity for this historic piece of legislation that will expand health care for millions.
WHEN: 5:00 - 8:00 P.M. tonight (whenever you can stop in!)
WHERE: 301 Prince Street, which is downtown, next to Rahall's office and across from the Old County Courthouse.
Barely over a month into his candidacy and disgraced judge Elliott "Spike" Maynard has dragged the race into the sewer.
Perhaps he's feeling encouraged by the wall-to-wall discredited smear ads run by out-of state Republican operatives on local television to help him out.
Maynard recently attacked Rep. Nick Rahall for his past efforts to help uninsured Americans get health care coverage, and demanded that the Congressman take a stand before the final version of the bill had been released:
Rahall fired back, citing the scandal that cost Maynard his spot on the bench and led to the ex-judge's decision to come out of the Republican closet:
"I think responsible individuals would want me to undertake my responsibilities as a member of Congress to discern what it is I'm voting on," he said. "It's like a judge using integrity. You can't base it on drinking Kool-Aid on the French Riviera. You've got to base it on facts. You've got to hear all the facts before you render a decision."
On June 25th, 2009, Health Care for America Now put on a huge rally in Washington, DC, Health Care '09-Health Care Can't Wait. Over 10,000 people from all across America attended to show support for the public health insurance plan known as the Public Option. Sorry folks, Oprah was a no show.
Over 200 people from West Virginia attended, including folks from the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, WV Citizen Action Group,WV National Association of Social Workers, WV Nurses Association, religious organizations, social activists, and even Del. Dale Martin joined in on the fun.
Actress Edie Falco of "The Sopranos" and "Nurse Jackie" fame and former Vermont governor Dr. Howard Dean addressed the crowd. People lacking health care or being victimized by the health insurance industry spoke as well, giving people a glimpse into their real life health care nightmares.
The whole point of the rally was to raise public sentiment towards the Public Option in health care reform through the media. However, on that day, two horrific things happened: the King of Pop and one of Charlie's Angels died. Needless to write, the health care rally didn't get as much attention as the two pop icons' deaths did. Not that we're mad or anything.
After the rally, folks met with their Congressional reps. West Virginians met with reps from Rahall and Mollohan's offices (both were busy), plus were given an audience with Sen. Rockefeller.
The Public Option was pushed big time by unions and organizations all across the state. Rallies and town halls (with some booing from our FOX News loving Tea Party friends)were held with great success, despite what negative stories some media outlets ran. WV-CAG, along with its State HCAN coalition partners, petitioned for the Public Option as well, collecting thousands of signatures.
Right now America has the chance to pass serious reforms in health care. The Public Option might be dead at the moment, but it may very well pop back up after this legislation passes, or even better, Single Payer (Medicare for All) might become the new IT-word in health care reform. Who knows?
It is important West Virginians contact their House reps ASAP and tell them to support the current health care legislation before them.
Sen. Rockefeller Addresses West Virginia Constituents
If either Rep. Rahall or Mollohan are still giving serious consideration to a no vote to the healthcare insurance reform bill, here's something that should give them pause.
The folks who might be happy with them voting "no" aren't the folks who are all that likely to vote for them anyway. Voting "no" is the wrong thing to do on the merits and it's the wrong thing to do on the politics, too.
Alabama Democratic Rep. Artur Davis thinks he's earning brownie points back home by voting against the health care reform bill. You see, he's running for governor in a tough state, and so he needs Republican and conservative independents to win.
But he won't get them and will lose by 20 points, minimum.
There is no politician more stupid, than those who think that pretending to be Republicans will earn them points with conservative voters. Given the choice between a fake and the real thing, the real Republican will win every time.
This healthcare reform bill is the largest deficit reduction bill since 1993. This is a bill that has support from a broad range of groups from the Catholic Nuns to AFL-CIO to the AMA.
This is a bill that any lifelong Democrat can be very proud to vote for.
After extensive deliberation the AFL-CIO Executive Council, with my strong support and recommendation, agreed this afternoon to support and fight to pass the president's health care reform bill.
This was not a decision we made casually because we know this bill is not perfect. But it is the best opportunity we have had in decades to begin fixing America's broken health care system.
If you need proof this bill is worth fighting for, look no further than the swarm of insurance company lobbyists all over Capitol Hill trying to stop it!
Today I'm asking you to join us and do everything you can to help pass this bill. Call your representative now: 1-877-3-AFLCIO and tell your representative to support the health care bill before Congress.
Together we have fought to improve this bill every day for more than a year, and our actions made it far better. The president's health care reform bill will:
* Immediately stop the worst greed-driven insurance company abuses-like denying care because of pre-existing conditions;
* Toughen penalties on employers that try to run from their responsibilities;
* Put the burden of paying for health care where it belongs-on the wealthy; and
* Get life-saving health coverage to 30 million more people.
This is our moment. We can't miss this opportunity. The long-term health security that will result from this bill is the most important thing we can do for our future-for our children and their children.
Today I'm asking you to do everything you can to help pass this bill.
Call your representative today: 1-877-3-AFLCIO, and tell your representative: Pass heath care reform.
Join me as the labor movement helps make history again.
In case you're having any problems getting through to DC (using the 877 number above or the handy calling tool advertised in our side bar) here's the numbers for the regional WV offices, too.
Rep. Nick Rahall
Beckley Office
301 Prince St.,
Beckley, WV 25801
(304) 252-5000
U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (WV) announced [yesterday] that the Community Health Systems, Inc. (CHS) DBA AccesHealth has been awarded $1.8 million in federal funds for operational expenses which will help citizens of Raleigh, Fayette, and Wyoming counties continue to receive quality accessible healthcare at affordable costs.
"Rural health centers like Community Health Systems extend medical services into isolated areas where the need for medical care is great and resources are often scarce," said Rahall. "This funding will help enhance the range of much-needed healthcare services available to the residents of Raleigh, Fayette and Wyoming Counties where accessibility to good healthcare remains a challenge to many residents."
Community Health Systems, Inc. is a Federally Qualified Health Center and a non-profit organization providing comprehensive primary health care to the citizens of Raleigh, Fayette, and Wyoming Counties and surrounding areas.
Give Rep. Rahall a call and thank him for the good news. While you're at it, be sure and let him know you're counting on his vote in favor of healthcare reform, too:
Beckley Office
301 Prince St.,
Beckley, WV 25801
(304) 252-5000
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