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Obsessed with appearances, not results

Jed Clampett, when shocked by Jethro's behavior or lack of discernment, moaned, "One day I'm going to have a long talk with that boy." White House aides must be having that same thought after Donald Trump's "address" to the nation. Instead of talking about the economy or Iran, the President focused on a non-existent election "crisis" which he failed to explain. Instead of making America great again, he turned MAGA into Make America Gripe Again. No one wanted to hear it. Even Fox was reduced to analyzing highlights rather than covering a speech that they believed was suspect in its ...

Images of Italy by Nasra Adan

On Tuesday at 7 p.m., Nasra Adan will present her amazing travel photographs again this year for her fourth summer slide show at Kump Education Center. Nasra and her husband teach overseas and return to Elkins with their two sons each summer to visit his parents, John and Ginny Zuboy. Adan’s photos have taken us to Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Pakistan. This year she will share her photographs of Italy. We will see images of ancient Rome where Caesar Augustus was Emperor when Jesus was born. Also, we may see Vatican City where the popes have led the Catholic Church for ...

Illusions reign supreme

Illusions reign supreme in this summer of moral rectitude. Both Donald Trump and his opponents celebrate the glories of American exceptionalism, although they greatly differ on what that means. Broadly, the idea of "exceptionalism" holds that the United States is so superior to other states and cultures that it has the right to lecture any nation on its behavior. To Trump, America is an example of a successful nation because it allows people to go as far as their talents or connections can take them. But both of these interpretations are somewhat limited. Many Democratic views rest on ...

Trump’s tough weekend

Fourth of July weekend was rough on Donald Trump. At Mount Rushmore, he fulminated against “Communists,” becoming again a “divider” rather than a “uniter.” Admittedly, that is his style, but the nation's birthday should rate a gentler presentation. Add to this the Great American State Fair, his arrest of an Olympic athlete for allegedly defiling the reflecting pool, which Trump’s no-bid contractor had already damaged. All in all, Trump had a bad week by any measure. And as with most of Trump’s second term, it was entirely unnecessary. The stock market went up, gas prices ...

Real hope for our WV public schools

At last we can begin to expect good news from local public schools because we are getting new local leadership and more effective state quality assessments. This week the Charleston Gazette-Mail and The Elkins Inter-Mountain both published articles reporting changes in county leadership and in private school assessment from state government. I sincerely believe that new county leaders will tell the truth, and that West Virginai Legislators will decide to establish meaningful assessment for institutions receiving tax dollars from the State of West Virginia. On Tuesday, our new ...

Remembering Madison at 250

As the United States prepares to celebrate 250 years of its Independence, it is proper to examine the career of James Madison, the fourth president of the Republic. More than any other, he shaped the Constitution in the 1780’s. Both as a politician and as president, he worried about the “fell spirit of factious opposition.” He borrowed copiously from the scholars of the Roman Republic. Cicero, Polybius, and other worthies were invoked to illustrate the fragility of representative government. Certainly, Madison had much to be concerned about. He witnessed in 1798 the efforts by ...