The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Editorials

August 23, 2011

‘We’ve got nothing, and we’re not getting anywhere’

The Register-Herald



Now that the House of Delegates has made a complete mockery of the redistricting process, at least one member of the junior chamber has turned his focus toward the floundering Marcellus shale controversy.

Delegate Tim Manchin, D-Marion, has unleashed a torrent of criticism against the Senate for not having members of the upper chamber’s joint panel, assigned the task of developing new Marcellus shale regulations, taking a more active role on the subject during this past special session, which ran for four days.

The group didn’t meet, according to Manchin, and the matter is stalled.

“We’ve got nothing, and we’re not getting anywhere,” Manchin lamented in an interview with WVMetroNews. “We’re very frustrated, our constituents are frustrated, and the House members are frustrated. It’s disappointing to say the least.”

Frustrated is a good word.

We’re frustrated that the House leadership acted irresponsibly during the redistricting fiasco, and we’re frustrated again that they can’t seem to get together with the Senate to come up with some Marcellus rules.

We again find ourselves questioning how effective the leaders of our Legislature really are.

Manchin suggested that state residents start applying some pressure on their lawmakers to get this done.

Interesting concept, but for whatever the reasons, it seems like our legislators can’t walk and chew gum at the same time; they wait until there is a crisis or deadline, and then they become reactive instead of proactive.

The time for coming up with Marcellus rules was earlier this year. It wasn’t achieved, and now it just keeps dragging on — with no real signs of progress.

Work this way in the private sector and you get fired.

Maybe West Virginians need to think seriously about firing some lawmakers come next year’s election.

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