Good business Democrats; Bad business Democrats February 26, 2008
I’ve said all along that calling some of the House Democrats - “business” Democrats - is a misnomer.
But, you have to give credit to the EIGHT (of 72, mind you) Democrats who actually voted with the business community on the Captive Audience bill. Remember, that was the bill where the unions are trying to keep employers from talking to their employee during union drives (while they have the complete ability to talk to them).
Of course, many so-called business Democrats had their knees knocking when the union leaders showed up at their door and many curled into fetal positions and voted for their union brethren.
But, a few stood out against this ridiculous bill.
Delegate Richard Browning (actually, he comes from the hardest core union area of the bunch, but it probably helps that he has neither Democrat or Republican opposition in running for the Senate this fall. But, it took some backbone for him to vote the way he did.)
Delegates Sam Cann, Harold Michael, and John Pino. Part of the previous leadership who were actually willing to stand up against the new labor kings in the House.
Delegates Dave Higgins and Corey Palumbo. This was an important vote for both to separate themselves from the crazy horde of labor fashionistas in the 30th district. Of course, Guthrie, Brown, Hatfield, Wells and Spencer voted with the unions - can’t wait to see the business endorsements in that race after that vote (my guess is at least one business organization will go off the reservation and endorse them).
Delegates Bill Hartman and Kevin Craig. Is it me, or is Kevin Craig one of the few actual Democrats who supports business? He should be inducted into the Business Democrat Hall of Fame. He can join Bob Kiss as the only other inductee. Maybe that’s why he always comes in first in his district. And, Hartman deserves credit too.
Now for the so-called business Democrats who cracked on the first bill with any controversy brought before them.
First, jaw droppers were Delegates Jim Morgan and Doug Reynolds from Cabell County.
Holy smokes.
Isn’t Morgan a Chamber official or something? Geez. I’m picturing an officer who disgraced his country and has his stripes ripped off his uniform as his punishment. Hanging him for treason to the cause might be slightly excessive… slightly.
And, Reynolds?
Holy smokes again.
Doesn’t his Dad own the Herald-Dispatch and other business interests? I’m sure if Champion industries has a union drive, Marshall MAY want to be able to pull his employees into a meeting and tell them his side of the issue. Call me crazy.
My guess is this is Reynolds courting Labor for a future statewide run.
Don’t you love it business community? Maybe Reynolds vote was similar to Manchin’s Kroger picket-line jackrock throwing? I’m sure the business community will forgive him as they have Mojo when he whips out the checkbook and decides he is now “business-oriented.”
Those two are shockers, especially considering Delegate Craig is from the same district and actually had the cajones not to prostrate himself at the f00t of the Union Altar.
Other union leadership boot lickers?
Tom Campbell and Scott Varner?
Say what? I had to double check that I was reading that right.
Weren’t both of these guys part of the old leadership team? And, wasn’t Scotty Varner the “business” candidate for the Speaker’s race? Geez Louise.
Are they so whipped by the new leadership that they didn’t have enough self-respect to stand up to the leadership that just stomped them into the ground during last year’s election?
That’s like the high school geek (no offense, Kabler) who continually gets beat up by the “cool” guys in school, but keeps trying to pal around them because he so desperately wants to be part of the “in” crowd.
Doug Stalnaker? That one was also a jaw-dropper.
I mean, how’s this for giggles.
Many in the business community were holding a fundraiser for Stalnaker, get this… THE VERY NEXT NIGHT! How would you like to be those guys writing out big checks the day after that vote?
It’s complete insanity.
The sad part is as I look through the list of others who voted for it, it is actually shocking how many labor backed Delegates are now in the House.
And, it’s shocking how many labor leaders and trial lawyers are in the House.
You have actual (current and past) union members - Caputo, Burdiss, Klempa, Martin, D. Poling, Hutchins (former, I think) and Tucker. Wow, that’s a stunning number of ACTUAL union officials in the House.
You have trial lawyers - Webster, Hrutkey, Manchin, and Shook.
You have the crazy liberals who seem to continually try to outduel themselves to see who can be the most liberal - Perdue, Fleischauer, Wysong, Hatfield, Brown, Spencer, and who has to lead in the insanely liberal category after that Castro-like (communistic and barely understandble) appearance for the ages on Decision Makers, Nancy Guthrie.
Then, you have the people who barely know they are on Planet Earth, so they will go along with whatever the leadership tells them to do, there are many more than this, but their leaders are - Wells, Paxton and Kessler.
Holy smokes. That House lineup is scary.
Where’s Don Blankenship when you need him? We should all give Blankenship his due. He foresaw what others couldn’t, that this House was made of up people who would stab business in the back the first chance they had.
Remember the wailing and gnashing of teeth at the thought of going after guys like Stalnaker and Varner and Morgan? Remember the cries from some in the business community? Oh, no, why would Don want to defeat people who vote with us?
Well, you just found out why.
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9 Responses to “Good business Democrats; Bad business Democrats”
Can we get an “AMEN”? Blankenship was derided for going after people like these guys. But, the fact is, these guys will be for business - as long as that doesn’t mean in opposition to the labor unions and trial lawyers.
The sad part is the business community will be right there with them fighting the Republicans in the next election. Its pathetic.
Doug Reynolds wants to be the next Governor. He knows he can never be a Democratic governor without labor support. So, business will give him a pass because he “had” to vote with labor, but you KNOW he really supports business.
If we don’t kick the Democrats out soon, there will be no business left in this state.
The only thing that will make WV voters kick Democrats out of the Legislature will be complete and total economic collapse, including the overwhelming loss of jobs (including mining jobs, by the way). So far, while we’ve teetered on it for years, we’re handed the economic equivalent of milk bones (remember table games?) so we think things are better than they are. Those of us who recognize that dogs can’t live on milk bones alone are told to shut up because they just taste so good.
Meanwhile, a sadly large number of WVians are far more concerned with the arrival of their next check from the state. The ones who aren’t dependent on government are best buds with those in the halls of power, and in order for them to maintain their elite power structure, they must at least maintain the number of those in the first category. They prefer, however, to increase that number; thereby enhancing their power.
As long as legislation doesn’t rock their carefully-constructed boat, it passes with little to no fanfare:
-1st amendment restrictions on businesses? Sure, why not?
-Pay raises for legislators? Sure, good ol’ Bill needs more money. God knows he isn’t making enough as an ATTORNEY.
-Tax cuts? Uh…wait a minute…we need to look further into this. We wouldn’t want to jeopardize future budgets (wink! wink! nudge! nudge!), let’s form a committee to look into that, mmmmkay?
It’s a good thing they got those Open For Business signs down.
With this Legislature, the best they can do now for the young people of West Virginia looking for an opportunity is to buy them a bus ticket. Why would any business want to employ more than eleven people in this state? Imagine the paperwork now necessary, if this passes, to document every meeting and conversation an employer holds with his or her employees.
I am curious to know if this law applies to state workers. If so, it seems that Republicans can exit the room if any elected official or political appointee enters. After all, the mere presence of a political Democrat could be construed as offensive to captive audience Republicans.
This is part of a larger disturbing trend, the idea that people somehow have a right to not be offended. This creates an atmosphere where right and wrong is now subjective to how a recipient feels on a particular day, or even later on. It undermines the basic right of freedom of speech and there is no way this can hold up against a constitutional test. If it does stand, the atmosphere of fear will prevent business from locating here in West Virginia.
I also read in today’s Gazette that Speaker Thompson said legislative pay raises are necessary because otherwise, there’d be only rich people in the Legislature.
Um, pardon me, but…
BRAGH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! HEE-HEE! HO! HO! HO! WHEWWWW!!! HA! HA! HA! HA!
B.k.
The State has a sizable budget surplus, evidently that is all that matters to the Legislature.
Wait until Obama kills the coal industry and all the Baby Boomers retire and start sucking State resources. Add that to when PA legalizes table games and opens up real destination casinos and then all the State unfunded liabilities come due
BLAAMO
I am extremely concerned after hearing for the past 50 days of the legislative session how the state can’t afford to give WV teachers a $5,000 across the board pay raise and fix the pension problem which was actually created by “our” elected officials. Shame on you all for now pushing a $5,000 payraise plus additional per diems thru in the end of this session. Representative Doyle’s preposterous remarks that lawmakers “deserve” 1/2 the pay that a teacher earns and thats why the raise is needed only adds fuel to the teachers fire. 210 days plus, versus 60 days plus, doesn’t sound like half to me??? Not to mention, as a teacher I always hear the same thing “low cost of living is one reason your salary is 49th in the nation??? Why doesn’t the same go for lawmakers??? Please reconsider our pay raises, if you need the payraise do what you do for us a splendid 3% and I will feel much better. This does nothing but strike another blow to the already low morale of us measly WV Educators. Support the AFT’s salary proposal and fix our pension. Don’t turn another blind eye to the states teachers. What will this do to recruiting students to enter the teaching field, or retaining teachers??? This would certainly be an enormous problem. I feel that my child’s education and my livlihood is in jeopardy. It shouldn’t be either a pension fix or payraise it should be both.
Concerned Teacher
Vic, you left out the Chair of House Economic
Development. Can’t decide if she a “crazy
liberal” or one of those who doesn’t live on
planet earth. It looks as if all the Monongalia
Co. delegates voted for this. Go figure!
Where are the Vision Shared geeks? Aren’t they the people who claim if we just hold hands and sing Kumbaya that the world will be good.
Here’s the real world. Unions stand strong and fight for what they believe. The business community cowers in a corner trying to be their friends and be just so sophiscated.
Vic - people get angry with you because you tell it like it is, but I like your approach. Peace through strength.
All these guys running around with Mojo, signing bills with big smiles with the union leaders, patting each other on the back, holding hands, then the union leaders turn right around and stick it in their back. You have to love it.
Where’s Vision Shared on this? (that’s silence) Oh, if we could all just get along - and simply give in to the unions and Mojo - then the West Virginia will be a better place. There won’t be any businesses here, but it WILL be a better place.