LIBERALS say Obamacare is not government-run health care, but given the many edicts from the federal bureaucracy on what insurers must cover soon, it's obvious that is not true.
LIBERALS say Obamacare is not government-run health care, but given the many edicts from the federal bureaucracy on what insurers must cover soon, it's obvious that is not true.
The latest rule from on high is a requirement that all health insurance policies provide birth control services. The rule does not apply directly to churches, synagogues, mosques or temples, and faith-based nonprofits are exempt as long as they serve primarily members of their own religious communities.
This has the Catholic Church in an uproar, because if it holds, Democrats will have forced the church to provide something it thinks is a sin.
Bishop Michael Bransfield of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese said the rule "is a severe attack on religious liberty.
"Even those who are not in agreement with the Catholic Church's teaching on the sanctity of human life recognize that this is a radical break with the tradition of religious liberty and respect for conscience rights," he said.
Delegate Patrick Lane, R-Kanawha, pointed out on the House floor Thursday that the rule also "means that the Catholic Church can't operate a food bank unless it only lets Catholics in."
Lane said his church would have to choose between following the law or its mission as laid out by Jesus Christ, and is wholly at odds with what many churches have done for more than 2,000 years - serve all mankind.
It could also affect church-supported schools that welcome all students, and church-supported hospitals as well.
For congressional Democrats to have enabled government to dictate to religious people what they may and they may not do betrays a truly dangerous arrogance and disregard of the First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech . . . "
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THE overall valuation of all property in Marshall County shot up a whopping 17.5 percent this year, yet not a single property owner complained to the Board of Equalization and Review, also known as the county commission.
It turns out the increase of $278 million in assessments reflects growth in the natural gas industry as drillers use fracking to tap the Marcellus shale.
Marshall County Assessor Chris Kessler said only $15 million of the increase comes from owner-occupied structures, including $5 million in new construction.
Kessler is calling for a decrease in the tax rates to reflect the increase in valuations.
Certainly, that kind of increase in commercial property values should make it possible to lower homeowners' tax bills while increasing revenues for schools and county government.
Just another benefit of economic growth - and another reason why state officials should provide the kind of competitive policies that encourage it.
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LIBERALS say Obamacare is not government-run health care, but given the many edicts from the federal bureaucracy on what insurers must cover soon, it's obvious that is not true.
The latest rule from on high is a requirement that all health insurance policies provide birth control services. The rule does not apply directly to churches, synagogues, mosques or temples, and faith-based nonprofits are exempt as long as they serve primarily members of their own religious communities.
This has the Catholic Church in an uproar, because if it holds, Democrats will have forced the church to provide something it thinks is a sin.
Bishop Michael Bransfield of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese said the rule "is a severe attack on religious liberty.
"Even those who are not in agreement with the Catholic Church's teaching on the sanctity of human life recognize that this is a radical break with the tradition of religious liberty and respect for conscience rights," he said.
Delegate Patrick Lane, R-Kanawha, pointed out on the House floor Thursday that the rule also "means that the Catholic Church can't operate a food bank unless it only lets Catholics in."
Lane said his church would have to choose between following the law or its mission as laid out by Jesus Christ, and is wholly at odds with what many churches have done for more than 2,000 years - serve all mankind.
It could also affect church-supported schools that welcome all students, and church-supported hospitals as well.
For congressional Democrats to have enabled government to dictate to religious people what they may and they may not do betrays a truly dangerous arrogance and disregard of the First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech . . . "
***
THE overall valuation of all property in Marshall County shot up a whopping 17.5 percent this year, yet not a single property owner complained to the Board of Equalization and Review, also known as the county commission.
It turns out the increase of $278 million in assessments reflects growth in the natural gas industry as drillers use fracking to tap the Marcellus shale.
Marshall County Assessor Chris Kessler said only $15 million of the increase comes from owner-occupied structures, including $5 million in new construction.
Kessler is calling for a decrease in the tax rates to reflect the increase in valuations.
Certainly, that kind of increase in commercial property values should make it possible to lower homeowners' tax bills while increasing revenues for schools and county government.
Just another benefit of economic growth - and another reason why state officials should provide the kind of competitive policies that encourage it.
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THE housing industry has gone to the dogs. Now the Raleigh County Humane Society wants the dogs to go to the housing.
As part of a Valentine's Day promotion, the society is collecting old doghouses. The Subway on Prince Street in Beckley is offering $5 coupons for each donation.
Nancy Smith, spokeswoman for the shelter, said many dogs in the county are simply left out in the weather. The pre-owned doghouses would be given to pet owners who could not otherwise afford them.
The shelter also offers a program to help low-income families have their pets spayed or neutered at a discount price.
People interested in helping can get information at the shelter or at the Subway on Prince Street.
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THE National Council On Teacher Quality gave West Virginia a big, fat D on teacher accountability.
Among the weak policies the council cited:
• West Virginia gives teachers tenure virtually automatically.
• Student learning is not the main factor in a teacher's evaluation.
• The state makes it inefficient and almost impossible to fire bad teachers.
• There is no system to determine whether a teacher has mastered the subject he or she teaches.
That last item is the worst on the list.
A teacher who does not know his subject is not a teacher; he is a babysitter. Before Johnny can learn math, his teacher must know it.
West Virginians are tired of getting bad evaluations on their school system.
Legislators should stop kowtowing to teachers unions and just fix this stuff.
