If you think being a parent of children will tire you out, try bring a Labrador Retriever-Rottweiler mix puppy into a house with two cats!! It's been an interesting few weeks.
Have any of you bothered to read your state constitutions or assorted state statutes? Well maybe you should.
I was asked last year to run against my local Congressman as a write-in candidate. I passed because I'd lived in the DC area for 4 years and have absolutely no desire to do so again. However, recently I was reading some of our statutes, exchangin e-mails with the WV Secretary of State's office, and reading some assorted subject statutes.
I work for the State of West Virginia as a Classified Employee (spelled white collar). In our statutes if a classified employee chooses to run for elected state or national office, that employee will be either placed on unpaid leave fdor the duration of the campaign or terminated. This doesn't apply to a state employee who is a blue collar worker. Nor does it apply to an elected state official, just look at the last election. WV Senator Joe Mancin travelled the state campaigning for Bob Byrd's vacant seat. He did it however while we were paying him to be Governor and run the state. There's definitely something wrong with this picture.
By the way, West Virginia's Constitution makes no mention of a Lieutenant Governor, and we do not have one. Mancin resigned as Governor after winning the Senate Seat. President of the State Senate Ray Tomblin assumed the duties of Acting Governor. He's not required to resign from his state senate seat, and hasn't. Is he being paid for both? As Acting Governor is he pushing the State Senate for specific legislation and than as Senate President making it happen? I don't know the answers to those questions, but I think it's something to look into. Also, much to Mr. Tomblin's chagrin, the WV State Supreme Court has ordered him to hold a special general election for governor this year.
Interesting: Governor Mancin could've appointed someone to fill Bob Byrd's seat until the end of his term (2012). He didn't. The appointment was only until the 2010 election. We paid for an election for the US Senate so our Governor could run for the seat. This year we'll pay for a special election to choose a new Governor. Next year we'll pay for an election to the Governor's Mansion and to Mancin's Senate seat. It would have made more sense, and been more economical, for Manci to remain as Governor to 2012 and than run for Byrd's seat, against maybe his appointed Senator. Oh, I'm sorry - I forgot that cost effectiveness and common sense are not a part of the make up of your average politician!
There's been talk, for years, and even some attempts at meaningful election finance reform. It's way overdue. As of 22 Nov, in California, Barbara Boxer had spent $18.2 million and Carly Firorini had spent $21.3 million for a job that only pays $174,000 a year. Why? In West Virginia, Joe Mancin spent $4.4 million and John Raese spent $7.6 million for a job that only pays $174,000 per year. Why?
Congressman Nick Rahall spent $2.2 million, he raised $1.3 million and still has $518,000. Where did the other $400K come from? Now let's look at where it went. This WV Congressman spent $1,770,688 of his WV Congressional Campaign funds in states OTHER THAN WEST VIRGINIA! Why? Shouldn't that money have been spent here, if he's running for election here? He spent $27,401 in bars and restaurants. Can anyone explain to me why a WV Congressional candidate needs to spend $1,148 of his campaign funds at the Spa Resort and Casino in Palm Springs, California? Why did he have to "give" $172,228 to the Democratic National Committee and to the election campaigns of Congressional candidates in other states?
I think, that as my Congressman, he should represent me at inaugral events. But, he should pay for them out of his salary and than write them off of his taxes as a business expense rather than dip into his campaign funds for that $1,435. He also spent $1,286 campaign dollars at the Congressional Gift Shop buying gifts for his constituents. I'm one of his constituents, I didn't get a gift!
You can dig out all this information, and more, at www.opensecrets.org/politicians/.
Just for fun, Nancy Pelosi raised $3.81 million and spent $3.85 million. She still had $300k left. $1.5 million of her campaign dollars came from PACS. Her opponent raised $2.3 million, spent $2.1 million and $2.3 million of his campaign dollars came from individual voters. Who does Pelosi work for?
Back to my campaign finance reform idea. First, no political candidate may spend more than the equivelent of one year's salary on his/her election. Second, all moneys must be spent in the locale where your proposed constituents reside. Third, no PACS and no Corporate dollars. Fourth, all media activities must be provided for free by the media. Fifth, any campaign funds left over after the election must be donated to a charity of the politician's choice IN THE LOCALE WHERE HIS/HER ELECTORS RESIDE.
This would level the playing field. I could than afford to run against Jay Rockefeller. Spending money on a Spa in California or a tavern in DC would not come out of campaign dollars donated by West Virginians. By eliminating PACS and Corporate donors, the politician becomes accountable to the voter not to the PAC or Corporation. By providing free media services to political candidates the media would be providing a public service, something they USED to be good at. Charity donations in the state of West Virginia would have more resonance with West Virginia voters than spending the moneys for limosines in DC or air line tickets to/from DC.
Finally, none of this will ever happen, because the folks that have to make it happen are the folks who benefit from the current problems!!!
It's people like our elected officials that make me wish George Washington would have accepted being King of the United States when it was offered.
Now, after readin about Mr. Rahall's spending, I'm going to go be ill.
God Bless the Common American, for he needs all the help he can get to reaffirm his control over the nation.
Gunner Sends.
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