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Opinion

Doing the impossible

Columnists

Once again, Donald Trump has done the impossible. He has managed to make John Bolton a sympathetic figure. Bolton, who served as the President’s National Security Advisor during his first term, did not share Trump’s views on foreign policy. Bolton is hawkish, and Trump has problems with that approach to foreign affairs. Indeed, Bolton has never seen a military solution that he disapproved of. Bolton has a long record of militancy, which he has often and loudly expressed. The actions that led to Trump having his house in Bethesda, Maryland, inspected were his sharp criticism of the ...

Reader alarmed by beef prices

Letters to the Editor

Beef! It ain’t what’s for dinner anymore. That’s the popular response to the tripling of beef prices in the past 15 years. The underlying reasons have been severe droughts in the cattle producing states of Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas, aggravated by the 50% tariff imposed by Trump on imports of Brazilian beef. Ironically, the droughts are connected to global warming caused in part by methane emissions from cattle. The rising price is expected to reduce consumption of beef, as well as the associated disastrous impacts on our personal health and the health of our planet. ...

Overreach

Editorials

“The President cannot decide major economic and political questions, or significantly alter the balance of power between the states and federal government, without clear authorization from Congress.” Those are the words of then-West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey back in 2021, when he was rightly continuing his fight against the illegal federal efforts and executive overreach of the Clean Power Plan. He was able to make his point because he understood then, “Thankfully, our Constitution stands in the way of (then-President Joe) Biden unilaterally pushing the country ...

West Virginia moving to offense in Backyard Brawl

Columnists

For too long, West Virginia has sat at the bottom of health, education, and economic rankings. Policymakers have spent decades trying to solve these problems, but frustratingly little progress has occurred. Action, not platitudes, is needed for true growth. If we want to truly move the needle, we must stop treating the symptoms and instead focus on the real disease: for too long, our state simply didn’t do enough to create an attractive enough investment and regulatory climate. That’s why I signed an Executive Order establishing an economic Backyard Brawl on my first day in office. ...

Loss of a Leader

Editorials

“He set an example of honesty, integrity, faith and service that was second to none. He was an example of leadership with grace, a man who had a deep faith in God, and loved his family with all of his heart.” Those words from State Senate President Randy E. Smith, R-Preston, must be close to what leapt to many West Virginians’ minds when they learned of the passing of State Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Tim Armstead Tuesday. Armstead was a state legislator for 20 years — minority leader from 2007 to 2014 and then Speaker of the House for four years as he very capably led ...

Return to campus

Columnists

There’s a certain magic in the air when students return to campus. Suddenly, Davis & Elkins College comes alive — footsteps echo across sidewalks, laughter spills from residence halls, and the familiar beehive of energy swirls through the mountains once more. The 121st academic year is underway, and students have traveled from across town, across the country, and even across the globe to begin—or continue—their journey. New friendships are forming, old ones are rekindling, and the campus feels whole again. I asked one of our resident assistants if he was glad to be back. ...