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Why Democracy Still Matters

A May Primary Election still looming to make history
Why Democracy Still Matters in West Virginia (even when the media isn’t watching)

The mysterious gifting of the executive MBA to West Virginia Governor Manchin’s daughter more than represents the corruption of government by special interests. Persistent evidence of routine government corruption also raises the very interesting prospect of a political upset in, of all places, the state Democratic Party Primary Election this May 13. At a time when most people have given up hope in the democratic process in America, those wild and wonderful hillbillies stand ready to lead a nation out of a political dark age. With many states disenfranchised by unequal primary election dates and with such a late primary date compared to the other states, rational West Virginia citizens have naturally lost faith in their vote ever counting. Except now, with little more than but a nod for one of the remaining war light candidates, Democrats have a real process on their hands. All eyes are on current freshman Delegate, Mel Kessler, having challenged the sitting Governor of his own party, while a large insider scandal involving Governor Manchin unfolds and with two Supreme Court seats up for grabs also under a cloud of scandal, election history is certainly about to be made in West “by God” Virginia.

The WVU scandal resembles the all too familiar pattern of government officials getting off the hook while a few underlings get demoted. This brewing election scandal in West Virginia, then, represents a whiff of the stench and arrogance of corruption. A scandal growing far worse than simply leaving the “Open for Business” signs up until the primary election. This corruption is the same as the political firing of Archives Director, Fred Armstrong. Armstrong refused to bend the rules for political favoritism and was retaliated against. Forget about Senator Rockefellers millions and Representative Capito’s infamous one of the most expensive congressional races in history. Mysterious tents of money, a compliant media and undisclosed campaign contributions in West Virginia politics are solid examples of why the state needs public financing laws for clean elections. Without clean elections, West Virginia can still turn to the voting booth. When faced with widespread corruption democracy may be the last chance to save one state in a nation drowning in corruption.

West Virginia has a case to make in favor of a national primary date. Disenfranchising the people from the political process is not just unequal voter treatment or red baiting being conducted by a simple liberal free press. A large party tent in the yard of the Governor’s Mansion was funded by an unaccountable group of contributors, currying favors no doubt. But this style of secret squirrel isn’t new to this Governor. In 2004 Manchin refused to debate then gubernatorial candidate, Jesse Johnson, of the WV Mountain Party, while Republican candidate, Monty Warner debated Johnson several times. Manchin may be Open for Business, but he isn’t an open government kind of guy.

Even more interesting in 2008, if Governor Manchin should limp away with a primary win, former Senator Russ Weeks, who wrote a tell all book about political cronyism in the state and once again Mountain Party gubernatorial candidate Johnson, are both poised to give Manchin a formidable run for his $2 million dollars in campaign contribution money. This scandal has so tarnished the Governor that even with the media blackout in effect, as no third party candidate has gotten fair media coverage in over a decade, Johnson now a successful Presidential hopeful nominee to the Green Party, will certainly be able to beat Manchin come November, even if the voters don’t privatize him on May 13.

So why are clean elections and this scandal so relevant? Democracy is, after all, about more than money. But, money matters. Looking back at 2004 while Mylan Pharmaceuticals had been gifting WVU with the tens of millions of dollars, they also gifted gubernatorial candidate, then Secretary of State, Manchin with free campaign helicopter rides. This same official was responsible to investigate campaign finance violations. Connections to Manchin and Mylan funny money are not the only problem in the mountain state this spring.

Another incident of corruption has West Virginians upset this year. The Supreme Court story of Justice, Elliot “Spike” Maynard, is nothing compared to the one that started a few years ago, when candidate for Supreme Court, now Justice Brent Benjamin, made his bed with king coal. A. T. Massy CEO Don Blankenship, king coal reincarnated, is not just a friend of Maynard, he gifted Mr. Benjamin with over 3 million dollars in direct campaign advertising for his Supreme Court race. Justice Benjamin has now voted in favor of Massey in a multimillion dollar case, with a larger case pending and Benjamin refuses to step aside, as the ethics laws require. Like Benjamin voting in favor of his benefactor once in office, Manchin smiled when he gutted the Pharmaceutical Cost Management Review recommendation for industry financial disclosure of gifts to doctors and hospitals. An eMBA for his daughter seems an appropriate reward for his corporate loyalty.

However, corruption relates directly to a variety of health problems when government regulators are in collusion with the regulated industry. Not to mention 2.4 billion dollars in uncollected fines and penalties in Clean Water Act violations by an industry responsible for also bankrupting the state workers’ compensation system. You didn’t know about the WV Department of Environmental Protection failing to enforce the Clean Water Act for over 5 years? Alarm bells are sounding. Voting booths are calling.

Our nation now has a taste of the over prescribed pharmaceuticals in the nation’s drinking water. Not because pharmaceutical pollution was detected by any state agencies designated as industry watch dogs and assigned to protect our environment. Disclosure of this water pollution is exempt and enforcement is not required. Pharmaceutical water pollution was identified instead by an alert Associated Press, who also found, with equally professional investigative journalism, industry air reporting exemptions are indeed bad for air quality too. An alert Pittsburgh Post Gazette also reported the mysterious MBA. Thank god for a free press. Most people are upset about the status of fear, poverty and endless occupation. People are ready to vote for a change from corrupt business influences to a sustainable stewardship and honesty in leadership. A state known by her motto “Mountaineers are always free” and at this point in history is certainly worth watching closely.

In West Virginia on May 13 is where a nation will see the return of Government of the people, for the people and by the people. If the elections are not completely rigged, and with 33 of West Virginia’s 55 counties using electronic voting machines rigged elections are a legitimate concern, but if all the votes count, Governor Manchin will be privatized in 2008. All of the eyes of the nation are watching West Virginia as a wild and wonderful state is about to smile on democracy. I know West Virginia, and with the elephant sized donkey in the room, she is about to deliver.
 
 

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