Social Media Post May Backfire on Morrisey

Listen to “Social Media Post May Backfire on Morrisey” on Spreaker. Governor Patrick Morrisey took to social media Friday evening. “West Virginians are still waiting for the Legislature to deliver meaningful income tax relief to our citizens,” Morrisey posted. “Today is Day 52 of the 60-day session. Time is running out. Demand your Delegate and

House Holds the Leverage as Budget Moves to Morrisey

Listen to “House Holds the Leverage as Budget Moves to Morrisey” on Spreaker. The big story coming out of the Capitol Thursday was the budget. The Senate amended its budget after receiving the House’s version and then rolled the document back across the Capitol. The House passed the compromise measure Thursday evening. Veteran newsman Brad

SOS Warner rebuffs Trump’s voter registration fishing expedition

Donald Trump obsesses over his defeat in the 2020 election and is paranoid about possible congressional losses in the upcoming midterm elections. As a result, he has weaponized the United States Justice Department to try to prove his unfounded allegations and discredit potential midterm defeats. Meanwhile, he continues to drop hints about nationalizing elections while

Raylee’s Law Protects Kids

Listen to “Raylee’s Law Protects Kids” on Spreaker. Raylee’s Law is less than a page long. It’s somewhat surprising that such a succinct bill has generated so much controversy. House Bill 5669 — named after Raylee Browning — would prohibit a county school board from approving home instruction for a currently enrolled public-school student if

Remembering the “Pasteboard Capitol” fire

Cheaply built, hastily constructed, the simple structure bridged the gap between the first Capitol Building in Charleston and the present day structure

Long History with Iran Adds Context to War Decision

Listen to “Long History with Iran Adds Context to War Decision” on Spreaker. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is dead. Good. His killing marks the end of one of the most consequential and purely evil figures in modern Middle Eastern history — a man whose regime defined itself in opposition to the United States,

A Data Center Deal, Moving TEAM WV, Pushing the Governor Out of LEDA & More

Listen to “A Data Center Deal, Moving TEAM WV, Pushing the Governor Out of LEDA & More” on Spreaker. Friday commentaries lately have taken the form of a legislative download from the week. So, here goes. Governor Patrick Morrisey teased a major economic development announcement on social media just days ago. Thursday, he delivered: a

Legislators Appear to Have a Deal on Hope Scholarship

Listen to “Legislators Appear to Have a Deal on Hope Scholarship” on Spreaker. Sources close to the process say a deal has been reached on the House Finance–originated bill that would place various levels of restrictions on the Hope Scholarship beginning in fiscal year 2027. Thursday’s happenings should confirm whether that understanding holds. As the

60 Minutes Prompts Larger, More Meaningful Questions

Listen to “60 Minutes Prompts Larger, More Meaningful Questions” on Spreaker. Did you watch 60 Minutes Sunday night? The segment, titled “Left Behind,” profiled McDowell County and the continued struggles of its people. McDowell Countians likely appreciate the attention. But the story has been told before — many times — and little has changed. There

Performative politics and hyperbole overshadow Hope discussion

Five years after its establishment, the Hope Scholarship remains a focal point in the conversation about the state’s education future. Proposed changes to the program were met with swift and passionate opposition from families utilizing the program. Performative politics and hyperbole were also on full display as lawmakers and special interest groups predicted the program’s

Trump hits a new low in his rant against the Supreme Court

Our President of the United States has the emotional capacity of a fourth-grade bully and a knowledge of the Constitution to match. That has been evident for years for anyone paying attention, but it becomes ever more apparent when Donald Trump does not get his way.  Take for example last week’s 6-3 U.S. Supreme Court

Hope and Budget in the Game of Politics

Listen to “Hope and Budget in the Game of Politics” on Spreaker. As much as numbers are to be loved — tools of logic that cut through emotion — the state budget is ultimately about politics. Those politics are now fully visible after House Finance released its committee substitute. Veteran newsman Brad McElhinny has the

WV federal judges stop ICE overreach

One of the primary motivations for the American Revolution was the hated “writs of assistance.”  These were open-ended powers for British customs agents to search homes, shops, and properties. Founding Father James Madison wrote that when colonists began to challenge the warrantless searches and seizures, “American Independence was then and there born.”  Madison’s passion for

Breaking Down the Budget

Listen to “Breaking Down the Budget” on Spreaker. The state budget is the talk of the Capitol. Each chamber alternates taking the lead on the budget, and this is the Senate’s year. The version passed out of Senate Finance on Monday makes several high-level moves. Governor Morrisey identified roughly $125 million in offsets in his

Morgan Morgan, not just a tautonym

A key figure in the history of West Virginia

Wakeup Call: Civic Discourse Shouldn’t be Fueled in Anger

Listen to “Wakeup Call: Civic Discourse Shouldn’t be Fueled in Anger” on Spreaker. Debate is enjoyable. It advances issues, brings new ideas to light, and serves as a civic good. But — there’s always a “but” — when debate shifts from those virtues to arguments rooted in anger, when it becomes more about defeating someone

Halfway Home at the Legislature

Listen to “Halfway Home at the Legislature” on Spreaker. Let’s go rapid-fire on Capitol happenings from this week… My Talkline tenure is only a little more than a year old, but politics has long been a pastime. From early fascination with West Virginia politics to a prior professional life tracking more than a dozen statehouses

E-Verify Bill is Blatantly Anti-Business

Listen to “Commentary – TJ Meadows” on Spreaker. Republicans were once known as a party supportive of business, especially small businesses. Judging from those pushing new mandates on private employers to use the E-Verify system, the evidence — at least as it pertains to some in the House — points in a different direction. House

WVU & Marshall have moved beyond complicated relationship

Throughout their histories, the relationship between West Virginia University and Marshall University has been complicated, with each institution looking out for its own interests, often at the detriment of the state as a whole. Now, the universities are not only on speaking terms, they are cooperating and working together for the betterment of the entire

Rupie’s Resolution Sparks Deeper Question

Listen to “Rupie’s Resolution Sparks Deeper Question” on Spreaker. Dave Allen asked me to hang out for a bit last Friday on MetroNews Midday. Radio with Mr. Allen is always fun, so the invitation was my pleasure. Coincidentally, that same time slot aligned with floor remarks in the Senate from Ohio County’s Laura Wakim Chapman.