September 1, 2008
Potpourri
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Clarksburg native Cyrus Vance, this newspaper's West Virginian of the Year in 1963, was a noble diplomat who spent his life in top echelons of U.S. government. He resigned as secretary of state when he couldn't dissuade President Carter from attempting an ill-fated military rescue of American hostages in Iran in 1980. After Vance died in 2002, a Gazette editorial said his career was spent "trying to save lives, avert wars, stop violence, end torture and uphold human rights." Now, The New York Times says, his son, Cyrus Vance Jr., is building a campaign fund and preparing to run for Manhattan district attorney, as soon as 89-year-old District Attorney Robert Morganthau leaves the post.

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  • Charleston scene: Bumper sticker saying "I'm not anti-Bush - I'm pro-intelligence."

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  • Various reports say April Myers, a nurse trainee, was angry about a Detroit gang peddling narcotics in her West Side neighborhood. She reportedly threatened to expose the intruders - and one of them clubbed her to death with a heavy steel object. The alleged clubber, Latrice Hunter, has been arrested. If police confirm this story, Myers is a hero - and the whole West Side community should launch a crusade in her memory to denounce and expose every drug dealer who stalks local streets, spreading addiction.

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  • Bobby Roddy, who claims to be an American Indian named "Running Cougar," is serving a West Virginia prison sentence for child-molesting. He filed a lawsuit saying prison wardens won't let him perform two "prayer pipe" ceremonies per week and hold four Indian religious feasts per year. Let's conduct a poll: How many folks think prisons should grant special religious status to child-molesting Indians?

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  • Since 2000, coal, oil and gas executives have given $524,000 to Rep. Shelley Capito, $295,000 to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, $135,000 to Rep. Alan Mollohan, $126,000 to Sen. Robert C. Byrd and $77,000 to Rep. Nick Rahall. The energy chiefs are trying to buy favors in Congress. America's system of campaign finance almost consists of disguised bribery.

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    Posted By: Follow the money (11:44am 09-01-2008)
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    Don't forget the $275,000 donation by King Coal to Governor Manchin's party tent slush fund. That payola resulted in the WV DEP failing to enforce the Clean Water Act for the past five years with a loss to West Virginia of over $2.4 billion dollars. These are not donations they are bribes and this example alone explains why we need campaign finance reform and third party independent candidates for office.

    Posted By: jediknight532003 (9:49am 09-01-2008)
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    "Disguised bribery" with campaign contributions? Not very well disguised - all one has to do is follow the money. Public financing would allow the voters to reclaim control of our public policies from the big contributors1

    Posted By: Michael (7:03am 09-01-2008)
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    Oh faithful Gazette: getting awful close to racism on the Bobby Roddy comment aren't we? Thank God there are courts to make such judgments and not your editors! Do you reach the same result by substituting fat white guy for Indian and requesting to take communion?

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