As a resident of central Maryland my family often enjoyed day trips to nearby W VA especially the scenic and historic town of Harpers Ferry. My wife also had relatives living in W VA and they were always very cordial and welcoming to us city slickers. One of the homes where we stayed had a well containing 'sulfa water' (from sulfur in the water) that filled the house with the smell of rotten eggs and was only suitable for bathing. Despite that our days spent there were enjoyable. Back in those days, the 1980s through the early 2000s the state was fairly blue and even had Jay Rockefeller as a US senator. Unfortunately, the state is now ultra MAGA and despite its boast of being 'Almost Heaven,' a tune sung by the late John Denver, heaven it is not. Not only is there decay everywhere but the previously independent minded residents have fallen under the spell of the Trump / MAGA cult. My feelings toward the state have turned negative and I doubt that I will ever visit there again. What a shame that the disease of Trumpism is so epidemic in this country.
It is disappointing but not surprising that this woeful excuse for a state with a collective IQ below Zero would eagerly send 'them thar country boys' to rough up 'them DC libtards.' If any group of Trump's / krazy Kristi Noem's Brown Shirts ever start shooting my guess is that the trigger happy jerks would be those W VA boys.
Previously a blue state, W VA is now totally red. Totally forgotten is all the good paying federal jobs that the former Democratic senators relocated to their state in the 1990s to place a bandaid on its pitiful economy. The state would be better off convincing its rapidly dwindling population to stay and stave off the loss of another congressional House seat leaving them with only one. Maybe the state Billy Bobs could convince the Trump family to build another plush golf course there for the use of their billionaire friends. Don't bet on it.
Where are all the good paying 'clean' coal jobs Trump had promised the W VA (and PA) miners, what's left of them, since coal mining in now more profitable in a few western states. At least the decline of coal mining in W VA has curtailed mountaintop removal, a process where the top of mountains are blown up to expose coal veins. What a beautiful sight that is. I've seen photos. Needless to say the technique causes extreme environmental damage and dangerous effects on human health. But who cares. Jobs are more important argue the Republicons, even unsustainable ones. The natives, and I personally know several, think Trumpy is a god and a great proponent of family values who will save them from blue state immorality and all those horrible libtard environmental regs. They are perfectly welcome to do his bidding much to their detriment.
So sad. But we can't cure stupid with people who lack basic civics education and critical thinking skills. Worse, the misdirected hatred of the natives aimed at Democrats is simply stupid in the extreme. What have the Republicons ever done to make W VA great again? How about - not much!
My sympathy to all the decent W VA natives.
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