Since it’s the most wonderful time of the year, it seems appropriate to point out that West Virginians learned a potentially cost-saving lesson in 2020.
After all, we found out that the cumbersome governmental entity known collectively as “the legislature” is not really needed. Instead, we are perfectly served by a Governor who rules by executive order.
Crisis situations always bring to light the best and worst. In this case, the Covid-19 pandemic showed us that supposedly freedom-loving folks prefer a dictator to a representative legislature. They prefer vesting all power in the chief executive. He may not tell them when to breathe but he certainly tells them how (through a mask).
At least the freedom-loving State Senate prefers to exist under a dictatorship. The House of Delegates actually garnered enough signatures to call itself into session but can’t do so alone. The Republican dominated Senate could not muster sufficient names.
Libertarians believe the legislative branch is the unit of government that directly represents the people. But since March, Justice has issued orders and spent millions in federal pandemic relief funds of his own accord. The peoples’ direct representatives have had no obvious input.
Some GOP legislators — like new Senate President Craig Blair (R-Berkeley) — will insist the Governor regularly consults with legislative leaders before making decisions on the pandemic.
If that’s true, we’ve learned another valuable, cost-saving lesson. There can surely be no need for all the special legislative sessions that have been held over the years.
If it’s best for the Governor to rule by executive order during a deadly pandemic, it is surely best for him to do so when teachers strike, for example. Why call the legislature to town when Justice can handle the job on his own? He can just chat with select legislators with no need for a formal session.
The facts are that there has been virtually no legislative oversight during 10 months of state government by executive decree.
Do we really need a state legislature? Let’s vote on that in 2022.
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Those who want to bury their heads in the sand and condemn President Donald Trump for demanding his rights in the 2020 presidential election routinely say there’s “no evidence” of corruption.
As of this writing, Trump and his allies have not been given a chance to present much evidence. The courts are as mired in the deep.state as anyone else so they just summarily reject him.
It’s amazing that liberals march and demand that alleged criminals be afforded all their legal rights but President Trump appears to have none in their eyes.
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In 1980, Kanawha County’s first computerized election brought out how easy it is to manipulate an electronic voter system. One brilliant computer technician can elect Mickey Mouse if the right adjustments are made.
I sat in on most of the federal trial that attempted to overturn the 1980 results. Unlike 2020, the potential for corruption was covered by the media at that time.
In 1985, David Burnham authored an article in the New York Times that detailed Kanawha’s 1980 troubles. It’s worth the read for those who think electronic balloting is fool-proof.
I’ve pointed out that in the old days, a conspiracy of at least two people was required to alter election results. Only one is needed with electronic balloting.
That crooks could control election results is scary. In Kanawha 1980, it was alleged that politicos circulated the election results BEFORE the polls closed.
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Similar to efforts now to destroy any evidence that might document voter fraud, the 1980 Kanawha ballots were incinerated before they could be examined for irregularities.
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”There is a massive potential for problems,” Gary L. Greenhalgh, director of the International Center on Election Law and Administration, a consulting group in Washington, told the Times in 1985.
He added that the problem with computer-assisted voting systems was that they ”centralized the opportunity for fraud.”
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Does any of this mean somebody stole the 2020 presidential election? Of course not. Does it indicate that a court, given all the allegations of corruption, should have looked at it? Certainly.
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It took nearly a month, due to Covid-19 interference, but the Mingo County Commission finally finished canvassing and declared Democrat Prosecutor Duke Jewell re-elected to a second term.
Actually, three recounts were held with all giving the incumbent a 16-vote victory over Republican challenger Brock Mounts. Earlier tabulations had put the margin at 12.
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Here’s wishing every reader a joyous holiday season and happy new year. It’s only 17 months until the 2022 primary — unless the Governor moves it for us.
Contact Ron Gregory at 304-533-5185 or ronjgregory@gmail.com.
