IN 2009, when conservatives protested bailouts and Obamacare, they occasionally were loud at town hall meetings, but their crowds were polite.
On Tuesday, some of the left's Occupy protests across the nation led to smashed windows in business districts and confrontations with the police.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that protesters attacked more than 30 stores and restaurants in the Mission District.
"All I heard was, 'bang, bang, bang,' and some dude had the valet sign, trying to break our window," said Adam Kosoff, manager of a restaurant in the area. "I didn't even see the crowd, and I ran outside and got egged."
President Obama once received praise for a speech that called for civility in public discourse.
It is time the president spoke up again and reined in his supporters not only for their lack of civility but for their violence.
***
IN 1773, a group of patriots tossed tea in Boston Harbor to protest a tax on tea. Candace DiCarlo and her neighbors in South Philadelphia have a simpler plan.
If their mayor goes ahead with a plan that will double their property taxes, they will sell their homes and move to the suburbs.
DiCarlo pays $2,275 a year in property taxes. That may rise to $5,500.
"I make a living," said DiCarlo. "I'm that middle section that gets squeezed every time. Do I give up my health insurance - or what do I forgo so I can pay an extra $3,000?"
Such is the nature of politicians. Unwilling to cut their spending, they force everyone else to cut theirs.
People do not vote only with ballots. They also vote with moving vans.
IN 2009, when conservatives protested bailouts and Obamacare, they occasionally were loud at town hall meetings, but their crowds were polite.
On Tuesday, some of the left's Occupy protests across the nation led to smashed windows in business districts and confrontations with the police.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that protesters attacked more than 30 stores and restaurants in the Mission District.
"All I heard was, 'bang, bang, bang,' and some dude had the valet sign, trying to break our window," said Adam Kosoff, manager of a restaurant in the area. "I didn't even see the crowd, and I ran outside and got egged."
President Obama once received praise for a speech that called for civility in public discourse.
It is time the president spoke up again and reined in his supporters not only for their lack of civility but for their violence.
***
IN 1773, a group of patriots tossed tea in Boston Harbor to protest a tax on tea. Candace DiCarlo and her neighbors in South Philadelphia have a simpler plan.
If their mayor goes ahead with a plan that will double their property taxes, they will sell their homes and move to the suburbs.
DiCarlo pays $2,275 a year in property taxes. That may rise to $5,500.
"I make a living," said DiCarlo. "I'm that middle section that gets squeezed every time. Do I give up my health insurance - or what do I forgo so I can pay an extra $3,000?"
Such is the nature of politicians. Unwilling to cut their spending, they force everyone else to cut theirs.
People do not vote only with ballots. They also vote with moving vans.
***
EVERY few years, somebody proposes a bill to require West Virginians to pay deposits on bottles or cans when they buy soda pop and seek refunds when they return the empty containers.
There are many problems with this plan, as the experience in other states shows.
According to BusinessGreen, Michigan loses $13 million a year paying for containers from Ohio and other states. Authorities in Michigan have begun sting operations to catch smugglers from Ohio.
Three people in Maine were indicted for cashing in 100,000 out-of-state containers worth more than $10,000 in illegal refunds.
In considering bottle bill proposals, West Virginia lawmakers should keep such experiences in mind.
***
MORE than three-quarters of Americans now file their federal income tax returns by mail. Will divorce be next?
Officials in Ohio are testing an electronic system that will allow people to file for divorce, child custody and protection orders from home.
The experiment will be open to the public in the Columbus area beginning next month.
Federal bankruptcy courts have used e-filing for years, said Bob Ellis, an attorney in Marietta, Ohio.
Paying taxes and filing bankruptcy papers is relatively impersonal.
Getting divorced is very, very personal.
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