By Stephen Smoot
“Bullfight critics, row on row, fill the enormous Plaza de Toros. But only one is there who knows. And he is the one that fights the bull.”
This was actually a mangled translation of a Spanish poem that John F. Kennedy transformed into quintessential American political wisdom. His point lay in the fact that the man in the ring has the most important viewpoint on what he is doing, why he does it, and what he hopes will happen as a result.
For the State of West Virginia, Patrick Morrisey now serves as the man in the ring, contending with myriad problems that afflict the nation overall and West Virginia specifically. In the last two weeks, he has unveiled two separate initiatives geared toward transformation of two of the state’s major fields of both concern and endeavor.
Through two new announcements, Governor Morrisey has laid out policy plans going forward in both energy generation and rural health access. This publication over the next two weeks will examine his ideas in both areas and what he hopes to gain in each
“Iin West Virginia, we have so much need to lift up our standard of living,” Governor Morrissey stated. The energy plan seeks to boost generation capacity significantly in the next quarter century, putting West Virginia in the forefront of meeting national energy needs for advances such as artificial intelligence. Additionally, with significant support for rural health transformation coming, the Governor has asked West Virginians to share ideas on what the state and people need.
Like United States Senator from West Virginia Stephen Elkins, W. Va Secretary of State Ken Hechler, United States Senator and Governor John D. Rockefeller IV, and Congressman Alex Mooney, Patrick Morrisey’s passion for the state is one of a transplant, not a native.
Just as with those on this list, however, Governor Morrisey won election to office and worked to instill a beneficial vision while in office. For eight years, he served as West Virginia Attorney General, and with his colleagues in other state capitals, successfully protected West Virginia from a number of unwise federal policies ultimately defeated in the courts.
Like many from West Virginia, the Governor took a number of classes in the famous “School of Hard Knocks.”
The youngest of four siblings, Governor Morrisey shared that “I didn’t grow up with much money” and took pride in being the first from his family to graduate from college, waiting tables and working odd jobs to support himself through school.
“I set up my law firm when I got out of school and I nearly went bankrupt,” he added, then said“but I came out of that process stronger (and) overcame the obstacles I had from a lack of money.”
Governor Morrisey emphasized the importance of principle as a shaper of his policies and processes. “That’s how I solve problems,” he noted, “I identify the problem, apply principles to the problem and the solution comes from there.” Principled service in office, according to Morrisey, includes being “not afraid to take on the tough challenges.”
His reason to serve, he explains, is to help “to lift our people up to a better place, as opposed to someone who may not be in there for the right reasons.”
He went on to say that “I’m also a believer in listening, which is why people see me out at these public events.”
Next week will come a special report on the potential in the Governor’s energy plan. In the subsequent week will come news on plans for rural health transformation.
