Back on the 18th, the "Their Opinion" column noted the need for diversification in WV. This being from the Bureau of Business and Economic Research by WVU. The report noted that there are only about 8 Counties gaining jobs- about 7,000 of them. The other 47 to include yours truly is still losing them or treading water. Some have had substantial job losses and one could suspect those being in the Southern Coal Mining ones?
There was a comment that in September, the unemployment rate was at 5.2% with only a 53% workforce participation. It did not change in October either. This going into the Winter Season where it is normal for fewer jobs due to Weather. And as we know, it is bouncing along at 3.7%. Many of our unemployed are due to substance abuse and the inability to pass a drug test? The solution is the "Diversify the Job Base". Sounds pretty good to me, but as I have noted before and will again, all we ever get be it from the Daily Blat or anyone in a position to move the boat is just talk, no one knows how to do the walk?
A Gentleman I was talking with last Friday, noted all the "Help Wanted" or "Hiring" signs that are up here in Vienna. But the companies are getting little if any response? At the same time in the County as a whole, we have a large number of folks on the Public Dole? Not what one would call a permanent career position, but he noted it was supposed to be a "food in the door" type of thing. You know, experience, willingness to show up on time and work a full shift sort of thing. Sadly lacking it appears today? We are for sure a State in decline in most areas.
And yet AGAIN, the poor Education System gets the deserved rap for its poor showing to and for the kids. Combine that with the above noted Drug issues and WV. is simply screwed.
Again in the "Their Opinion" column of the 19th (both I note are by a "Myer" albeit not in the same location noted that the "Era of activist Judges may be ending". I have been posting on these issues many times because of trying to get Justice in cases at the local County Court. As long as these Judges/ Justices can and gleefully will legislate from the bench, Justice get mugged, raped and sometimes even murdered by negligent decisions rendered. If one is a Government Employee, paid, unpaid, Elected or Appointed, you are 99.9% above the Law. And it will move and earth to protect those people.
Sadly, the State Legislature got itself turned every which way but loose, all 134 of them by the 5 Attorneys in Black Robes that were only temporary, but rose up to protect the "Machine". That being some of yet to be impeached three at the State Level. Two somehow got tried and convicted at the Federal Level. Says a lot about out our State System doesn't it?
The bad part is that by obeying a Law, some undeserving people get royally screwed because of probable Legislative errors in writing a Law. And they do a lot of poorly written Laws.
To prove the point, in the Daily Blat of the 22d, the Impeachment Process came to an end as the Legislature waved the white flag, rolled over on their collective bellies and surrendered their obligations to establish a process for Impeachments. I don't think so? It was more a lack of fire in the belly by each of the Legislatures in that process to do the job through to the bitter end. It was more about the next time and it will happen than the current cases?
At the Federal Level, Mr. Loughery's attempt at a redo seemingly is going down in defeat (Daily Blat article of the 20th of November). The Court did was it was supposed to do and found it seems, he had not been improperly tried in any way? It would seem that while innocent of any wrongdoing at the State Level, he is on his way to Jail at the Federal level for various issues?
And finally on the 21st, the Daily Blat noted that the State via the Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission is starting to accept applications to fill Mr. Loughery's WVSC Justice seat. In what seems some kind of a "deal", Ms. Davis has withdrawn her Federal Court case while seeming to retain her State Pension and to be called to sit on cases when a regular Judge is not available? It also seems that Ms. Workman will also return to the Bench as Justice? So for all the charges of Sexism against the Ladies on the Court and the allegations of Politicizing of the replacement Justices as shifting the Progressive Liberal SC to a Conservative one, it seems that while a sea change has occurred, the replacement for Mr. Loughery will probably spell out what changes in Truth will or have occurred? So what did we get for all the expense and effort? A legislature totally unable to conduct a legitimate Impeachment Trial or even write a process to do one? Three Justices who resigned before an Impeachment Trial could occur. And finally two going back to the Bench. Not a very positive record for the State.
Going back on the lack of opportunity in the State for people to get a good Education or find decent family wage jobs, I am posting on an Article in the Daily Blat also from the 21st, where many in the State feel we are not going in the right direction (51%). Not likely there will be job opportunities in the next 15 years (70%). This is really the bad number as it will only encourage the continual drain of people from this State to other locations.
It was very interesting on what the top three issues were noted: 1. 31% said job creation. 2. 16% were about road and infrastructure improvement and 3. With 15% on stopping the Drug abuse. Now we must remember that the State Legislature while patting themselves on the back about no new taxes gave Mr. Justice a 1.6 Billion Dollar Levy for Infrastructure work. If one thinks about it, 1 and 2 go hand in glove. Working on Roads/ Bridges, etc., will create jobs and improve the State's ability to move something somewhere? Number 3 will be a back breaker for far longer than many realize and I will post on that later. The people clearly see the need, the Government at whatever level only see the next Election. As I have noted the 2020 Election is already off and running for some. But we here in Vienna/ Wood County keep re-electing the same people to the City/ County/ State positions we can impact and wonder why this City/ County/ District is going nowhere?
The final item for this posting that dropped out also on the 21st in the Daily Blat, was on how the Oil and Gas Companies appear to be using creative bookkeeping processes reduce what they pay to those who should be receiving Royalty payments? It is basically charging back to the land owners various charges that should be paid by the Oil/ Gas Companies. And even though some if not many of the companies have had to make huge settlement payouts, it has not stopped them from continuing to try and take the "hillbillies" to the cleaners. Folks, check your contracts closely and learn what charges are fair and what are just scams. 'nuff said'.