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Questions remain

The possible sale of four state-owned long-term care facilities to a private company could be a win for West Virginia taxpayers, but questions remain. Last week, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that New York-based Marx Development Group (MDG) will purchase Hopemont Hospital in Preston County, Jackie Withrow Hospital in Raleigh County, John Manchin Sr. Health Care Center in Marion County, and Lakin Hospital in Mason County for $60 million. Once the sale closes on Tuesday, Sept. 30, the deal includes MDG replacing the facilities with between three and five new long-term care ...

How dare anyone question wokeness at the Smithsonian?

The central strategy of media bias is defining your terms. The most obnoxious strategy of liberal journalists is defining the Republicans as ideological extremists engaging in culture wars and weaponizing partisan narratives for political victory. They pretend Democrats are nothing like this. The epic political battles of our time are between the ultraconservatives and the nonpartisans. The same exercise happens with federally funded messaging, from public broadcasting to national museums. When President Donald Trump demands a review of these taxpayer-subsidized narratives, it’s ...

Historic redistricting

In assessing the current controversy over Texas Republicans’ proposed redistricting of the state’s U.S. House seats, two historic facts should be considered. One is that the principle of equal representation by population is well established in American history. In 1787, the Constitutional Convention required the members of the House of Representatives to be apportioned according to population as determined by a census to be conducted within three years and every 10 years thereafter. This was a remarkable provision — the first example, so far as I know, in which representation ...

Education emergency in Randolph

In early August Randolph County Board of Education had a visit from state Board of Education efficiency experts explaining why our county has Emergency status now. Our BOE must create a plan to trim the RCS budget over the next five years or the State will take over the management of our schools. Alexandra Criner, Director of the WVDE Office of Accountability, suggested that the local board form a collaborative leadership team to work with Superintendent Dilly in order to create a plan for consolidation of county schools by December 2025. I believe this leadership team should include ...

Coercive tactics

In the category of oldies but goodies is the long-forgotten non-aggression pact. The most famous was the one agreed to by Germany and the Soviet Union in August 1939. Now it has been revived in a peculiar way in the form of tariff agreements. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on India simply because they purchased Russian oil. Add to that Brazil, which insisted on placing its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, on trial for an attempted coup. Trump, playing the role of a Republican Wilsonian, also hiked tariffs on a country with which the United States enjoys a trade ...

Today’s workplace needs a little more ‘Gung Ho!’

My wife, Rishy, and I are owners of the Beloit Sky Carp baseball team, the high-A minor league affiliate of the Miami Marlins. I received a nice note from an employee saying they liked that I had ended an email with the words “gung ho!” I replied with a group message explaining a little more about the term and how it sums up what we want in the Sky Carp culture: an enthusiastic atmosphere created by an energetic group of people working together.  After some reflection, I felt this subject might make a good column. Most organizations can use more of the “gung ho” ...