Month: August 2019

Let us not forget that the Labor Movement was so pivotal in American History that an entire holiday was declared to honor the American labor movement and the power of collective action by laborers.   Some people are bashing the Labor Movement right now and I thought it was a good day to remind them of all the benefits they enjoy that Unions fought for.  And no one, Conservative or Liberal alike, wants to go back to the way things were before unions transformed the American Workplace.

I’ll be out and about celebrating Labor Day and the contributions to our work life that Unions have provided.   I encourage you to do the same.  Some benefits you enjoy that Unions fought for:

1. Unions gave us the weekend!
2. Unions Gave Us Fair Wages And Relative Income Equality
3. Unions Helped End Child Labor
4. Unions Won Widespread Employer-Based Health Coverage
5. Unions Spearheaded The Fight For The Family And Medical Leave Act

–from a short article by Think Progress.  Click here to read the full article.  

Hague for WV Senate
–Change is Coming.

1. Economic Development. Economic Development is the #1 issue facing West Virginia. It is the cause of our population drain and the root cause of the opioid crisis. West Virginians simply don’t have the opportunity for high value employment that other areas of the country have. As such it is unconscionable for Legislators to spend time on ANY other issue. I will vote NO on any issue not directly related to economic development. I make a campaign pledge that I will vote No on any issue that does not directly relate to economic development.  I define those as bringing in more capital from out of state, increasing business development in state, and education and workforce development.  And I encourage all other Legislators to join me in this pledge. In normal times such issues might be a good use of Legislators time. But West Virginia is in crisis and it is high time a sense of urgency and expediency filled the halls in Charleston.

2. Big Ideas, Big Goals. I don’t think it’s acceptable for WV to be 49/50 in this nation. I don’t want to be 49th, or 45th, or even 40th. WV has the best people in the nation in terms of culture, hope, community spirit and all the other things that make a place “home”. What we lack are jobs. We lack economic opportunity. And we could have had this but we lacked the right leaders, leaders with the vision and the will to make it a reality. I imagine a WV where our youth don’t flee the state for greener pastures. I imagine a WV that is an innovator, where other states come to learn from us. I imagine a WV that LEADS the nation in job creation while still maintaining the values that make us a unique people—hope, community, generosity. I don’t think we have to settle for second best anymore. Not in our leadership, not in our economic prosperity. Tinkering around the edges is not going to work. We need wholesale, seismic changes. And that requires a brand new mindset and brand new leaders.

3. Accountability. WV already has many of the government systems in place for economic development. But they aren’t working. They are too disconnected and staffed with career bureaucrats with no incentive to change the system. And absolutely no one is concerned with efficiency. Combine them, streamline their functions, and have a small group of Legislators work with the agency heads to increase efficiency, destroy bureaucratic roadblocks, and get the job done. Government can work speedily – and right now WV needs its government to be an asset and a help, not a roadblock.

These are the big 3 issues that I will address in the Senate. Click on the Platform link above to see a full list of proposals, detailed discussions, everything you might need. And while there consider volunteering to help! This is not a campaign where “I” will be doing anything. “We” are what is necessary. And in order for WV to experience a system wide change WE need to all work together and insist on change. Change in our representatives, change in our laws, and change in the outcomes we expect. Politicians don’t rise to the challenge, they fall to the level of expectations the public has. And we need to demand better of those we select to represent us.  Only then will true change happen.

“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” – Plato

 

Hello all.   Welcome to my blog.  Here I hope to provide a sense of who I am, how I would resolve situations of government, and in general let you know how I would govern.  Before I decided to run for office, myself and a few politically included friends would often joke that it was time to grab our pitchforks and torches and demand change from the Legislature. I have seen two episodes in the last few years that show government can act responsibly and quickly–the water crisis and the teacher’s strike.  But it took the people, acting as one, threatening to end politicians’ careers to make it happen.  And I think politicians should always be afraid for their jobs.  Far too often our political “leaders” view the public as someone to discount, lie to, throw some red meat to, and expect them to take it.  I think that the only way for permanent, systemic change in WV is for the public to stay engaged, active, and very aware of what is going on.  And I promise when elected to make that easier to do. 

Whenever the public demands meaningful change the same pattern is repeated:

1.  The people are ignored.
2. Then the people in power declare that the people are ignorant and unknowing of the complexities of the problem.
3. Then when the demands increase those in power attempt to discredit those advocating for change.
4. Then they try to punish people and cowe them into submitting.
5. Then when those in power realize that yes, this is serious and no this isn’t going away, then they run scared to give in to the demands.
6. Wait a few months then take credit for solving the problem.

Here are some real examples from the Water Crisis and the Teacher’s Strike.

“We’ve got this amazing water filtration system and yes the water smells but it’s absolutely safe.  Here I’ll drink a glass and show you.”

“Yes we’re having an influx of people going to the ER for rashes.  But we think this is just overuse of hand sanitizer and we’d encourage people to realize the water is safe.”

“This entire strike is being agitated by a few union leaders, not the teachers themselves.”

The Attorney General gave a press release where he said the strike was illegal and he stood ready to take legal action against striking teachers should the Legislature wish.

An attempt was made to take away the pensions of the union leaders.

A law WAS PASSED that made it harder for Unions to collect fees.

And a slew of Republican politicians have taken credit for raising the teachers’ salaries when it took a work stoppage to force them to.  They were the problem that needed to be overcome, not the solution.

One last note.   You see politicians … most politicians that is … are only concerned with staying in power.  You find a politician that is willing to give up their job for something they believe in —  reelect that person.  And because of this politicians cater to those who most of the time can secure their reelection.   Political insiders, business leaders, wealthy donors, etc.  But in a democracy the people hold the absolute, final power.  And while it is not often wielded, it overcomes every other form of power out there.  I have seen it wielded twice in the last few years.  And I have seen politicians run cowering away when this power was deployed.  I don’t think it should take the mobilization of public power constantly to secure change and I would like to work to make the public’s voice heard more powerfully.  But never doubt your power to affect change.   Never doubt that absolute power is vested in the people in this country.  Never doubt that each and every one of you is a powerful force for change.

So why Pitchforks and Torches?  Because the threat of that is what makes change happen.  A people engaged, aware, and active is a powerful thing.  And I look forward to helping West Virginia become that and realizing their true power.