West Virginia is, dare I say, the canary in the coal mine. Look at what is happening here with energy prices and deepening poverty and you'll see a glimpse of where everything else is headed if we don't find some politicians that *actually* give a shit about everyday people.

Both parties are letting us down.

https://apnews.com/article/electricity-utility-bills-west-virginia-trump-coal-38ad648f99a42eb2c73d7affaddadbcb

#USPol #WVPol #WestVirginia #EnergyCrisis

In coal-rich West Virginia, power bills rival mortgages and rents

West Virginia resident Rebecca Michalski struggles with soaring electricity bills that exceed her income. Despite efforts to conserve energy, her February bill hit $940.08. Many West Virginians are facing similar challenges, with utility costs surpassing rents and mortgages. President Donald Trump promised to cut electricity bills, but prices have risen instead. Nationwide, electricity increased 4.8% in February over a year earlier, with natural gas prices up 10.9%. during the same period. Rising energy costs are driven by increased demand, extreme weather, and infrastructure upgrades. West Virginia's reliance on coal-fired plants contributes to the problem, leaving residents burdened by high utility costs.

AP News

#USPol #WVPol #TaxCuts #FosterCar

From AP News.com: West Virginia governor vetoes help for neglected and foster kids after approving tax cuts

https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-morrisey-vetoes-foster-care-tax-cuts-53d7999ddf3a82d91776669678d6ecf9

West Virginia governor vetoes help for neglected and foster kids after approving tax cuts

Gov. Patrick Morrisey vetoed a handful of bills meant to help vulnerable West Virginians just days after signing a 5% reduction to the personal income tax.

AP News
Maybe they can stop the abductions and violence ice is now inflicting on DC. Patrick Morrisey is a child-like coward who would rather militarize DC than address any of West Virginia’s problems. #USpol #WVpol

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:eclio37ymobqex2ncko63h4r/post/3lwjpd3r56n2z

The inconsistency is what shows the intent. I can see an argument to make for removing things like candy and soft drinks (even if I don't think it's warranted) but the moment these same people end programs that give access to healthy, locally grown, fresh food they toss out any credibility they have to claim they are "concerned about the health" of their citizens.

It's not about health, it's about feeding the rich more money.

https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/05/27/morriseys-request-to-change-snap-shows-poor-west-virginians-lose-when-rich-people-represent-us/

#USpol #wvpol #snap

Riley Moore stands out (again) as being especially egregious here but "taking credit for failing" is such a MAGA thing. Fight to take away rights and protections of citizens and then if they don't succeeded make a public display that rewrites history.

https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/05/20/rfk-capito-and-moore-didnt-save-niosh-employees-jobs-a-lawyer-and-coal-miner-did/

#USpol #wvpol #niosh

#TheGremlinZoo #NIOSH #WVPol

From CBS News.com: West Virginia coal miners lose black lung screenings after Trump slashes worker safety agency NIOSH

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/west-virginia-coal-miners-lose-black-lung-screenings-trump-slashes-worker-safety-agency-niosh/

West Virginia coal miners lose black lung screenings after Trump slashes worker safety agency NIOSH

The Trump administration's cuts to NIOSH have gutted crucial programs affecting millions of workers across the U.S.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that in West Virginia, Child Removal Capital of America, which tears apart families at a rate more than 4x the national average, no impoverished child is safe while the Legislature is in session. The latest bad bill encourages near-instant termination of children’s rights to their parents, no matter why they came into #fostercare And it makes it easier to keep them apart even from their siblings: https://www.nccprblog.org/2025/04/still-another-bad-child-welfare-bill-in.html #wvpol, #wvleg, #wvlegis
Still another bad “child welfare” bill in West Virginia.

The latest bad bill in West Virginia would make it harder to keep siblings together. In some cases, this one encourages moving instantly to ...

We're super-official back to the 80s and 90s with the West Virginia Senate passing a bill to overturn local civil rights initiatives protecting LGBTQ people in cities:

https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/03/24/senate-wields-power-over-wv-cities-with-bill-overturning-local-anti-discrimination-ordinances/

Part of the intent - other than fucking over the queers, of course - is specifically to protect so-called "conversion therapy," which usually takes the form of parents sending their queer kids off to be abused into being straight. Somehow.

#uspol #uspolitics #lgbtq #lgbtqia #wvpol

NCCPR #Childwelfare Blog: In West Virginia, the Child Removal Capital of America, the bad bills keep on coming: https://www.nccprblog.org/2025/03/in-west-virginia-bad-bills-keep-on.html #childabuse #fostercare #wvpol, #wvleg, #wvlegis
In West Virginia, the bad bills keep on coming

First came the bill that would send caseloads skyrocketing . Now, there’s another well-intentioned bill that would produce horrible results....

NCCPR #childwelfare Blog: A well-intended bill will, if enacted, make everything even worse in the child removal capital of America: #wvpol, #wvleg, #wvlegis #fostercare #childabuse #familypreservation https://www.nccprblog.org/2025/03/just-what-west-virginia-child-welfare.html
Just what West Virginia child welfare doesn’t need: A 48.7% INCREASE in “child welfare” investigator caseloads

West Virgina State Capitol (Photo by O. Palsson) But that’s what West Virginia is likely to get if a well-meaning, but ill-thought-out propo...