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Free speech

Why did Marc Andreessen — inventor of the first internet web browser, and perhaps the prime venture capitalist in Silicon Valley today — switch from his longstanding support of the Democratic Party and back President-elect Donald Trump this year? Because, in his view, the Democrats who claim to be the great scourge of “disinformation” are threatening to embed disinformation in the bedrock of society. At least that’s my interpretation of Andreessen’s comments in a wide-ranging interview with The Free Press cofounder Bari Weiss. “My concern is that the censorship and ...

‘Tis the season to bring light into darkness

Last Saturday this column described the holiday decorations and lights that our new Kump Education Center Board members have brought to the 100-year-old Kump House. The public is invited to visit next Tuesday and Thursday [4-7 p.m.] and Saturday, Dec. 21 & 28 from 1-4 p.m. We hope visitors will make contributions to support preservation and education at KEC. The lights you see on Kump House tours are the electric lights that have been turned on to get public attention. What you do not see is the intellectual light that comes into the eyes of a child when new insights develop. ...

Ready for ‘the weave’?

During the campaign, Donald Trump downplayed controversy, which to others appeared outrageous or worse, and referred to this approach as “the weave.” Now it appears that this wink and nod technique will be applied to governance. In an interview on “Meet the Press,” Trump told Kristin Welker that though he would not actively seek to exact punishment on his enemies, he had no objections about his appointees pursuing them. He particularly cited his candidate as FBI Chief, Kash Patel, and his desire to target the “deep state.” This is a not-so-camouflaged desire to do what ...

‘Tis the season

‘Tis the season of Christmas parties and open houses! Recently, Lisa and I opened the Davis & Elkins College President’s home to celebrate the holiday season with our faculty, staff, and friends of the College from the Elkins community. Over the course of the evening, amongst the festive decorations and tables of holiday treats, a sizable number of guests came and went. They spent their time mingling, reminiscing and laughing with old friends or new ones as they celebrated being together in holiday spirit. Reflecting on this festive event, this four-hour party was really a ...

Special session that wasn’t

Either as a reporter or a staff member, I have been under the golden dome of the State Capitol Building for going on 15 years in January. I have seen many things, but I have never seen the confusion that was caused last week for one day over how to call a special session in December following the November election but prior to the start of the new legislative session. It seems simple in concept: The governor has the authority to call lawmakers into special session (called an extraordinary session in the state Constitution, because it is outside the traditional 60-day regular ...

High stakes

You cannot say that Donald Trump does not make the routine of naming cabinet choices interesting. He zigzags between naming fairly mainstream figures like Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary to the unorthodox Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Up to now, Trump has been skillful in averting a showdown — Matt Goetz quickly avoided controversy by pulling his name from consideration over his appointment as Attorney General. But apparently bored with too much stability, he took a supreme gamble by naming Kash Patel to succeed Christopher Wray at the ...