Annals of hypocrisy

You really can't make this stuff up. As my friend Ken Ward reported in yesterday's Gazette-Mail, WV's Republican representatives in the US House, who rode to power in part by pretending to give a ____ (fill in the blank) about coal miners, voted to cut funding on the federal Mine Health and Safety Administration.  Fortunately, the measure failed to pass the entire House.

UMWA president Cecil Roberts had this to say about that: "I am gratified that a majority of the House agreed with our position that we should not be cutting coal mine safety at a time when we are experiencing rising fatalities and serious injuries in America’s mines."

I guess you get what you vote for.

Speaking of abominations, then there's this.

Calling em like you see em

Usually this blog on weekends is devoted to silly stuff, with the heavy lifting saved for the week. Today, however, I can't help but break tradition and give a shout out to Congressman David McKinley, a Republican who represents West Virginia's First District.

Congressman McKinley was one of only four Republicans to vote against Congressman Paul Ryan's radical budget plan that would gut Medicare and severely damage Medicaid and CHIP while giving more tax breaks to the affluent.

I don't live in his district but felt led to call his Wheeling office to express my gratitude. His staff person told me that he promised long ago to protect programs for seniors and I remember that during his campaign he promised to act independently.

His courage and adherence to principles over partisanship and reality over ideology is very commendable. I would encourage anyone who lives in West Virginia, and especially those in his district to contact his office and express gratitude for his vote on this crucial issue.