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Avoiding solutions

Donald Trump’s rise to power has been marked by both malice and hope. He disliked his enemies, yet he seemed able to craft policies that sounded designed to reverse what he saw as an inevitable decline. His approach to foreign policy appeared to be oriented toward avoiding the George W. Bush style of diplomacy. But lately, the approach has been marked not so much by a positive approach as by a desire for retribution. This pivot is a disturbing departure from his first term, when Trump seemed steadier. Perhaps understanding the essence of Trumpism is to reexamine the twists and ...

Fraying at the edges

MAGA’s problems with the administration continue to grow. One of the disputes regards Israel and the American ambassador Mike Huckabee. He visited with Jonathan Pollard, who spent 30 years in prison for having spied for Israel while working in the Defense Department. Huckabee had no problem cavorting with a convicted traitor whose first allegiance was to Tel Aviv and not Washington. Jack Posobiec, a top MAGA influencer, has emphasized the affair and is not pleased. Once more, add in the Epstein scandal, mixed with preferential treatment given to a foreign techno specialist for Visas, ...

One governor at a time

Larry Pack has a good reputation as an accountant and businessman, having operated an assisted living company until selling it off a few years ago. He was an active member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. He continues to be a respected Republican National Committeeman. He moved on to serve as a senior advisor to former governor Jim Justice and easily slid into a vacancy as Department of Revenue secretary during Justice’s final year in office. Pack won election unopposed as state treasurer, taking office early in January so that former state treasurer Riley Moore could be ...

Many reporters ignored Biden’s decline

The Trump-trashing elitist media erupted in outrage when President Donald Trump told ABC White House reporter Mary Bruce she was a “terrible person” and “terrible reporter” and ABC was “fake news.” Bruce was throwing hardballs at Trump and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince. It’s easy for reporters to tout Bruce as a courageous journalist just doing her job. But they all ignored the other half of the equation: Is this what she did with President Joe Biden? The easy answer is, “A thousand times no” — as in you could probably list a thousand times she repeated everything ...

Changing the focus

Over the past two weeks, as the national press and Democrats have cared deeply about Jeffrey Epstein and political buzz has amplified Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s lurch leftward, the more Americans are offline. And the more they spend away from the constant Sturm und Drang of twenty-four-hour news, the less they care about these stories. Our well-being increasingly depends on being unplugged from the sensational stories designed to keep us angry and engaged. This week, millions of Americans will go to work thinking about when to thaw out their turkeys (start today), which ...

Time for us to be more thankful in Barbour County

Hello from Barbour County! Life has been busy lately and I’ve missed an article or so, but I’m hoping to be back on track now. It’s hard to believe that this year is almost over! There will be a winter craft show today, Saturday, Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Battlers Knob in Philippi. Stop by and see what kind of holiday gifts you can find for someone special. Also tonight, from 6:30-8 p.m., 17 North Event Center will be hosting Christmas carols by Gathered Voices. This is a free event for the whole family. Come on out, sing along, play trivia games, win prizes ...