Charleston Gazette - Right now, Sen. Joe Manchin is getting a lot of attention from bank lobbyists who are trying to convince him that allowing some of the wealthiest corporations in America to write their own rules is somehow good for us here in one of the poorest states in the union. Read What these lobbyists…
OpEds
Gazette-Mail - Republican leadership in Congress has promised to move quickly to change the fundamental nature of the Medicaid state-federal program partnership. What could these proposals mean for West Virginia? In 2016, about 30 percent of West Virginians were covered by Medicaid, including children, low-income adults, people with disabilities, low-income seniors and many people in long-term…
Charleston Gazette - What if a company said they were going to invest over a billion dollars a year in West Virginia to create thousands of jobs, improve the health of our workforce, and save lives? Most would probably say that we would be foolish to turn down this company’s unprecedented investment in our state. But…
The Beckley Register-Herald - For too long, policymakers in West Virginia have relied on a trickle-down approach to state economic policy that emphasizes putting more money in the hands of the wealthy and large corporations. Instead of pushing money upwards in the hope it will trickle down, policymakers should focus on expanding the middle class —…
Charleston Gazette - For too long, policymakers in West Virginia have relied on a trickle-down approach to state economic policy that emphasizes putting more money in the hands of the wealthy and large corporations. Instead of pushing money upwards in the hope it will trickle down, policymakers should focus on expanding the middle class —…
Charleston Daily-Mail - Tom Crouser’s commentary, “Economic Diversification depends on us” (Oct 17), wrongly attributes the rise of the semiconductor industry to just individual effort, specifically Robert Noyce with Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel. Along with entrepreneurship, the federal government played a central role in the creation of the U.S. semiconductor industry. World War II funding for…
West Virginia Record - Earlier this month, an editorial in The West Virginia Record described attempts to restore consumers’ right to hold criminal corporations accountable in court as nothing more than a money grab for trial lawyers. Read I wonder if that includes Wells Fargo’s recent scandal – secretly opening more than two million fake accounts…
The State Journal - A recent guest column from Bryan Hoylman of the Associated Builders and Contractors of West Virginia and Jason Huffman of the West Virginia chapter of Americans for Prosperity made the claim that the repeal of the state’s prevailing wage law has saved the state $20 million in just two months. This claim…
Weelunk - When you look around Wheeling, the signs of a collapsed steel industry and a community trying to rebound are all around. The stress and frustration of working families who struggle to make ends meet throughout the Ohio Valley is palpable. ReadIn fact, Wheeling has become the most economically divided places in West Virginia with…
As the Legislature discusses the West Virginia budget, I hope that they will bring a smart business approach to our budget dilemmas. Nobody like taxes but everybody wants good roads, good schools, health care, police protection and other services that require investments by our state. Read West Virginia legislators should understand that upfront investments are…