Continuing Coverage: Tortured Woman Found in Southern WV
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Updated: 8:59 PM Sep 19, 2007
Continuing Coverage: Tortured Woman Found in Southern WV
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WEDNESDAY EVENING COVERAGE
Prosecutor Brian Abraham says that the majority of the preliminary hearings will be next week. We will keep you posted.

Megan is now recovering at home.

WEDNESDAY COVERAGE
The prosecutor and judge along plan to sit down today to sort out what will come next in the case. We should know more this afternoon.

TUESDAY EVENING COVERAGE
All six of the defendants in the Logan County tourture case now face kidnapping charges. It's a charge that could land them in prison for life.

Originally, Frankie and Bobby Brewster were the only two facing kidnapping charges.

In court Tuesday Frankie Brewster learned that she now faces a first degree sexual assault charge rather than the orginial charge of second degree sexual assault. The change means if she's convicted she could face more jail time. Also Tuesday the magistrate went ahead with her preliminary hearing. The magistrate ruled there was enough evidence to send her case to the grand jury. The criminal complaint states that Brewster admitted to the crimes it lists.

Also in court Tuesday was Danny Combs. Karen and Alisha Burton, along with George Messer were arraigned via video. Karen Burton had a lot to say during her arraignement. Things like "You aren't going to get me on that." Her daughter Alisha cried the entire time. Danny Combs, George Messer and Frankie Brewster were very quiet. Only talking to their lawyers or the magistrate.

Bobby Brewster was not in court Tuesday because his charges were not changed.

Tuesday's court proceedings revealed that Megan Williams went to Logan County willingly on August 2nd. It's the same day Bobby Brewster got out of jail on other charges. At some point- before her rescue on September 8th- investigators say the six held Williams against her will. During that time it's alleged that Williams went without food or water for four days.

Police say the victim was being held in the shed behind Frankie Brewster's trailer. The back door to the trailer was padlocked. Frankie Brewster allegedly sat on the front porch- even slept there to make sure Megan couldn't get in. Police say the suspects made threats that they would kill Williams if she tried to leave.

New criminal complaints reveal that Williams was hit with a fly swatter and a wooden stick. She was allegedly choked with a phone cord. Hot water and hot wax was poured on her. The complaints also allege she was also forced to bathe in a trash can in the back yard. She also told police that she was beaten while she was sexually assaulted.

TUESDAY MORNING COVERAGE

One of the six suspects charged with torturing a 20-year-old Charleston woman in Logan County was back in court Tuesday.

During a hearing, Tuesday morning, the Prosecutor dropped the charges against Frankie Brewster and then re-filed them. Brewster is now charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, and several misdemeanors including, battery and lying to investigators.

During her preliminary hearing, A magistrate found probable cause and sent Brewster's case to the Grand Jury.

Danny Combs, another suspect charged in the case, is also expected in court Tuesday.

The victim in the case, 20-year-old Megan Williams of Charleston, was allegedly forced to eat animal droppings and drink from the toilet of a home in Big Creek.

Williams' ordeal ended when an anonymous tip led to her September 8th discovery by Logan County sheriff's deputies.

ALSO Tuesday, Williams turned herself into to a magistrate in Kanawha County. Warrants were out for her arrest in Summers, Raleigh, and Greenbrier counties on worthless check charges. She was released on $8,000 bond.


MONDAY COVERAGE
From the Associated Press:

LOGAN, W.Va. (AP) - Additional kidnapping and sexual assault charges are expected to be filed against some of the six people accused in the weeklong torture of a woman in Logan County.

Prosecutor Brian Abraham declined to elaborate on the new charges, except to say they would be filed either Monday or Tuesday.

Four of the defendants were expected to have magistrate court appearances Monday, but only one hearing actually took place. Abraham says the other hearings were pushed back because of questions over which magistrate will hear the cases.

Bobby Brewster appeared in court Monday afternoon. He didn't request a new magistrate, but the judge ruled Brewster will be held without bond.

Abraham says some of the six defendants have also secured new defense attorneys. Those lawyers were meeting with their clients Monday afternoon to make sure there are no conflicts of interest.

The hearings for Frankie Brewster and Danny Combs are still set for Tuesday. Alisha Burton, George Messer, and Karen Burton could also be in court Tuesday.

The victim in the case, 20-year-old Megan Williams of Charleston, was allegedly forced to eat animal droppings and drink from the toilet of a home in Big Creek.

Williams' ordeal ended when an anonymous tip led to her September 8th discovery by Logan County sheriff's deputies.


SUNDAY COVERAGE
From the Associated Press:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The six people charged with torturing a 20-year-old Charleston woman in Logan County are scheduled to appear in court in the next two days.

Four defendants are set for appearances in Logan County Magistrate Court tomorrow , and two others are scheduled for Tuesday court appearances.

Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham, though, says there could be delays for some of them.

At least two lawyers for the defendants have recused themselves from the case because they represented one or more of the defendants in the past.

The defendants scheduled to appear tomorrow are Bobby Brewster, George Messer, Alisha Burton and Karen Burton. Frankie Brewster and Danny Combs are scheduled to appear Tuesday.


SATURDAY COVERAGE

Black ministers and civil rights leaders today urged patience for the legal process and prayer for the physical and mental health of a black woman who was allegedly tortured for about a week.

Leaders from the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and
local groups met at a church in the Logan County community of Cora.

Most of the public's questions centered on the racial aspect of
the case. According to a criminal complaint, Megan Williams was
called a racial slur while she was being abused by at least one of
the six white suspects.

Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham has said a hate crime
charge remains an option, but he wants to first pursue charges that
carry stiffer penalties.

State NAACP Director Kenneth Hale asked the black community not
to arbitrarily demand the hate crime charge until the investigation
is complete. But some in the church audience questioned that call.


FRIDAY COVERAGE
Two Logan County Magistrates will no longer work on the Megan Williams torture case.

An attorney for one of the six defendents filed a motion asking the magistrates to step-down because they made comments about the case to the local media.

That prompted Leonard Codispoti to recuse himself from the case. Magistragte Dwight Williamson responded by saying he could be impartial, but a Logan County Judge said he must be removed.

Magistrate Jeffrey Lane will now handle the cases against the six suspects. If more help is needed it can be brought in by a neighboring county.

Meanwhile, community activists in Logan have planned a rally for Saturday. The NAACP is hosting the event at the St. Phillips Baptist Church at 10am. The Church is in Cora. Members of the Logan County Improvement League will also be on hand. Reggie Jones with the league says he wants to work with the NAACP to show all of Logan County that racism will not be tolerated.


THURSDAY COVERAGE
5 p.m.: Pushing for Hate Crime Charges:

We spoke again with the Logan County Prosecutor about the possibility of hate crime charges being filed.

He says that is still a possibility, but that the hate crime charges right now aren't the priority. He says there are so many other stronger charges he's focusing on right now. He adds he respects the family’s opinion but says his office needs to make its own determination.

As for whether or not Megan knew any of these people before. Her parents say they didn't think so but beyond that aren't commenting. They say that has no relevance to what happened to her.

That’s what many are asking about the torture of a woman in Logan County. The U.S. Attorney's Office has said they won't bring federal hate crime charges against the people accused. That is not sitting well with the family of Megan Williams.

They say it couldn't be any clearer and, in fact, they were outraged to think hate crime charges weren't going to be filed. Now while it's true the federal government isn't pursuing those charges, that doesn't’t mean the state won't, but Thursday the parents of Megan Williams along with three local pastors held a press conference at CAMC General.

They say their daughter is making some physical improvements but believe the mental damage will never fully go away and they say everything she's told them only leads to one conclusion.

From the wire...
Representatives of black church groups are calling on prosecutors to reconsider their decision not to pursue the alleged torture of a young woman as a hate crime.

This afternoon, the church groups held a news conference attended by the parents of 20-year-old Charleston resident Megan Williams at Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital.

The Reverend Emanuel Heyliger of the Ferguson Memorial Baptist Church in Dunbar called Williams' ordeal barbaric, heinous and despicable.

Heyliger says whether or not Williams was known to any one of these perpetrators, that is no reason why this case should not be treated as a hate crime.
Williams' parents attended the news conference but declined to comment on the investigation.

Six people are accused in the sexual assault and beating of Megan Williams. Police say Williams was held captive for at least a week at the Big Creek home of one of the suspects. Williams was forced to eat animal droppings and drink from a toilet.

Logan County sheriff's deputies rescued Williams Saturday.

Crossed the Associated Press Wire at noon
KITCHEN, W.Va. (AP) - A relative of two people charged in a Logan County torture case says they've had a hard life.

Sixty-eight-year-old Carrie Brewster of the Logan County community of Kitchen is the mother of Frankie Brewster and grandmother of Bobby Brewster, but says she hasn't seen either of them for about two years.

Carrie Brewster confirmed that when he was 14, Bobby Brewster was accused of fatally shooting his father, Bisha Tomblin, in 1998. Other than that, the grandmother didn't want to talk about her grandson's or daughter's criminal pasts.

The Brewsters are among six people accused in the sexual assault and beating of 20-year-old Charleston resident Megan Williams. Police say Williams was held captive for at least a week at 49-year-old Frankie Brewster's Big Creek home, where she was forced to eat animal droppings and drink from a toilet.

Logan County sheriff's deputies rescued Williams Saturday.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

From WSAZ reports...

Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham says that preliminary hearings for the six suspects- set for early next week- could be pushed back. That's because he believes the appointed attorney's might have conflict of interests with the clients. It likely comes as no sup rise. Since 1991 the six suspects have a total of 108 charges against them.

Abraham says that he will meet with the Logan County Sheriff today at the earliest to amend the complaints in this case. He says that they are still actively interviewing suspects.


WEDNESDAY COVERAGE
6 p.m.: Investigation Latest:

At this point, investigators believe that race was a contributing factor to this woman's torture she is black the six suspects are white, but according to the law and the nature of the crime the suspects did not meet the criteria to be charged with a federal hate crime.

The Logan prosecutor will have to decide if he will pursue hate crime charges on the state level. We also learned Wednesday that the victim Megan did know at least one of the suspects.

When deputies found Megan Williams' bruised and battered body inside this Logan County home investigators say it wasn't the first time she had been here.

According to court documents back in July Williams filed domestic battery and assault charges against Bobby Brewster one of the six suspects now charged with her torture.

"Which would lead us to believe she was there in the Logan County area, at least on that date-- Whether she remained here from that time until now is still being investigated," Brian Abraham said.

With Megan in a hospital room and under heavy sedation Tuesday, Carmen Williams spoke for her daughter, saying it wasn't uncommon for Megan to disappear for days at a time, but she never suspected her daughter was in danger.

"I just thought she was running around town like she usually does. I had no idea she was in Logan. Is it common for her to go to Logan,” Carmen Williams said.

Carmen Williams has now learned her daughter went to Logan County with a friend and according to the prosecutor she had some sort of social relationship with Brewster.

"As to whether it was a romantic relationship with these individuals, I can't comment on because we don't have that back for certain yet, but it is pretty clear to us that she was interacting with these people on dates prior to this most recent occurrence, which would negate the fact she was apprehended from some where else in the state and brought back here for this purpose," Abraham said.

If you recall, Williams was found in the Brewster’s home on Saturday when police went there to investigate an anonymous tip.

All six suspects are in jail on a $100,000 bond each. Logan County's prosecutor says there is nothing in the investigation that leads police to believe she was lured to the Brewster’s' home by someone she met over the internet.

The details of the accusations against the six suspects are beyond disturbing, but we can share with you some of the broad aspects of the allegations and the charges the six suspects are facing.

According to the criminal complaints Bobby Brewster raped and stabbed Megan during the time she was held captive in his home.

He also forced her to eat animal feces, lick-up blood, and drink from the toilet. Brewster's mother Frankie forced the 20 year old to perform oral sex and beat her.

Another woman Karen Burton allegedly choked Megan with a cable cord and cut her ankle, while taunting her with a racial slur.

Burton’s daughter Alisha is charged with pulling out Megan's hair and choking her. George Messer is accused of scalding Megan while she was sexually assaulted and Danny Combs is charged with rape and stabbing Megan.

Four of the six suspects will be in court Monday. George Messer, Alisha Burton, Bobby Brewster, Karen Burton all have hearings starting in Logan County.

Frankie Brewster and Danny Combs will be in court on Tuesday. The two hearings will start at 9 that morning.

First at Five: No Hate Drime Charges Being Filed

We found out late Wednesday afternoon that federal hate crime charges will not be filed in this case.

Investigators still believe that race was a contributing factor to this woman's week-long torture. She is black and the six suspects are white, but according to the law and the nature of the crime, the suspects did not meet the criteria to be charged with a federal hate crime.

The Logan prosecutor will have to decide if he will pursue hate crime charges on the state level. Prosecutor Brian Abraham says he's not willing to say it was the motive in this case, but again, he and police do believe it was a factor.

"If that's something we think can be filed once the investigation is complete, something we will consider,” Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham said, “Right now, we're focusing on the main part, the meat and potatoes, kidnapping, sexual assault, and malicious assault."

Prosecutor Abraham says kidnapping charges alone can carry a life-time sentence.

Williams is still recovering in the hospital Wednesday night. She is listed in fair condition.


WSAZ Adds Web Extra to Video Section
In 1998, WSAZ reporter Jala Anderson traveled to Big Creek to do a story on the shooting of Bisha Tomblin, the father of Bobby Brewster. Brewster was accused of shooting his father.
Watch that story on the video section of this page.

Crossed the Wire at 2:03 pm Wednesday

Prosecutor: Logan County torture victim knew suspect

LOGAN, W.Va. (AP) - A Charleston woman held captive and tortured in a Logan County home for a week was apparently not a random target.

Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham tells The Associated Press that 20-year-old Megan Williams had some sort of prior social relationship to one of the six people accused in her sexual and physical abuse.

Abraham says there is nothing in the investigation thus far to indicate she was lured to the home by someone she met on the Internet -- as authorities were first led to believe. And he also says there is no evidence she was abducted from another point in West Virginia and taken to Logan County against her will.

Twenty-four-year-old Bobby Brewster was arrested July 18th in a domestic dispute involving Williams. Brewster was charged by State Police in that case with domestic battery, domestic assault and providing false information to an officer.

In the latest case, Brewster is charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and assault during the commission of a felony.

Williams was found, battered and bruised, on Saturday at the Big Creek home of Brewster's mother after deputies went there to investigate an anonymous tip.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Posted at Noon Wednesday from WSAZ reporter Amanda Barren

Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham says that at this point investigators believe race was a contributing factor in this case of torture. What they are still investigating is whether or not it motivated the six suspects.

Abraham says that Tuesday night he met with an assistant from the US Attorney's office, the FBI and local law enforcement. We should know more later today about the role the Federal Governement is playing in this case.

6 defendants in torture case all have criminal pasts

BIG CREEK, W.Va. (AP) - The six people arrested for allegedly torturing a woman for days at a Logan County home are all familiar to law enforcement.

Since 1991, they have faced a total of 108 criminal charges.

The most serious of those charges involved 49-year-old Frankie Brewster, the owner of the Big Creek mobile home where the alleged abuse occurred. She was charged in 1994 with first-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter and wanton endangerment. Brewster was released from prison in 2000 after serving five years.

Brewster, her 24-year-old son Bobby Brewster, and four others are now facing charges in the alleged kidnapping, sexual assault and beating of 20-year-old Megan Williams of Charleston.

Among the other alleged abuses, Williams was forced to eat dog and rat feces, made to drink from the toilet, doused with hot water and had her hair pulled out and cut.

She was found Saturday by Logan County sheriff's deputies investigating an anonymous tip.

Authorities are also looking to see if hate crimes charges are warranted.

At least one of the six defendants, all of whom are white, allegedly referred to the victim, who is black, with a racial slur.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Community stunned by alleged abduction, torture of woman

BIG CREEK, W.Va. (AP) - Newborn pups sleep in the entryway to a small shed on a remote hillside in Logan County, their mother protectively barking at approaching strangers.

A few days earlier, the shed allegedly served a different purpose -- a part-time torture chamber for a young woman.

Authorities are investigating Megan Williams' weeklong captivity as a possible hate crime that one officer described as straight out of a horror movie. The 20-year-old Charleston woman is black and the six defendants charged in the case are white.

Williams was allegedly forced to eat rat and dog feces and drink from the toilet of a nearby mobile home. Criminal complaints say she was doused with hot water, choked with a cable cord, stabbed in the leg, and had her hair cut and pulled.

While residents who live near the Big Creek residence where the abuse allegedly occurred have expressed shock, the suspects have been known in some circles for their long arrest records. Since 1991, police have filed a total of 108 criminal charges against the six defendants.

Two others suspected of driving the woman to the home are being sought.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


TUESDAY

Tuesday, the mother of a woman, only twenty, who suffered both physical and emotional abuse and was held captive for at least a week, spoke out to the news media.
Carmen Williams told reporters she wanted people to know about this kind of abuse.

"I don't understand how anyone could go through the lengths they did, you know, things they done to my daughter," Carmen Williams said.

Williams says what happened to her daughter is an act of hate that's hard to understand.

"You never thought it could happen to your child. But obviously, I never thought.. that.. But here we are," Williams said.

In her hospital room, Megan is slowly recovering from the physical pain. There are scars around her neck where police say she was choked. Her arm is fractured in three places.

There are patches on her heard where her hair was cut out. But she may never heal from the emotional toll.
Police say she was repeatedly raped, forced to eat animal feces, drink blood and toilet water.
And the words hurt too. Investigators say during the torture, the suspects taunted Megan with racial slurs.
Carmen Williams says her daughter is living through a nightmare.

"She wakes up crying. The first thing she hollers is, "Mommy". She wants to make sure I'm here. As long as I'm here, I think she's pretty much OK. Now that she knows the people are in jail. She's been more relieved," Carmen Williams said.

Associated Press Story Tuesday

The mother of a Charleston woman who was held captive, beaten and sexually assaulted says her daughter will be scarred for a long time.

Carmen Williams says that family members are angry. She says they've been praying and asking God to help them through the ordeal. Carmen says it's important to tell her daughter's story to make sure this never happens again.

Police say the 23-year-old victim, Megan Williams, was held captive for at least a week at a Logan County home.

The FBI is investigating the case as a possible hate crime. The victim is black and all six defendants are white.

Police say Megan was sexually assaulted, stabbed in the left leg and beaten. She also was allegedly forced to eat rat and dog feces.

Logan County sheriff's deputies investigating an anonymous tip discovered Megan Saturday at the Big Creek home of 49-year-old Frankie Brewster.

Brewster and her son, 24-year-old Bobby Brewster, also of Big Creek, are charged in the case. The other defendants are 46-year-old Karen Burton; Burton's 23-year-old daughter Alisha Burton and 27-year-old George Messer; all of Chapmanville; and 20-year-old Danny Combs of Harts.

Local and federal officials plan to meet Tuesday evening to decide whether to file hate crime charges against the six people accused.


MONDAY COVERAGE
6 charged in Charleston woman's weeklong torture

LOGAN, W.Va. (AP) - The FBI will investigate whether the alleged torture of a Charleston woman held captive in a Logan County home for at least a week was a hate crime.

Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Jay Bartholomew says the Logan County Sheriff's Department asked the FBI to look into the incident.

The 23-year-old victim, who is black, is being treated at an undisclosed hospital.

All six defendants are white.

Logan County sheriff's Sergeant Sonya Porter says the woman was sexually assaulted, stabbed in the left leg and beaten.

The criminal complaint says the woman was forced to eat rat and dog feces and drink from the toilet. One defendant also allegedly referred to her with a racial slur.

Deputies investigating an anonymous tip discovered the woman Saturday at the Big Creek home of 49-year-old Frankie Brewster.

Brewster and her son, 24-year-old Bobby Brewster, also of Big Creek, are charged in the case. The other defendants are 46-year-old Karen Burton; Burton's 23-year-old daughter Alisha Burton and 27-year-old George Messer; all of Chapmanville; and 20-year-old Danny Combs of Harts.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Comments

Posted by: noneofyourbusiness on Mar 14, 2008 at 04:10 AM

Deano, you seem awfully proud of the fact you're studying criminal justice...that's about as prestigious as marketing or journalism in my book. The last thing we need is another angry cop with a chip on his shoulder. I hope that's not the road you're headed down The victim in this case is no angel, but she is the victim of a savage crime. As for her knowing them or being romantically linked, so the f what? A majority of crimes are committed against people you know or are close to. Her captors and abusers are troglodytes who should have been in prison already. I hope black people realize not all white people secretly resent them...I hope not all black people secretly resent white people as well, because racism is a two way street
[ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: taasha on Feb 7, 2008 at 03:56 PM

The crime that megan was subjected to is horrific in many ways and I just want to send my love and support to her and her family. Megan you are absolutly amazing in your efforts of true recovery. I know that YOU will make a full recovery and your family will as well. I am only One of thousands that this horrible torture you have endured has touched and I admire your strength. I hope that more women will be able to come forward after you have. YOU MAKE A DIFFEENCE!! Please trust me when I say YOU HAVE TOUCHED ME. I will pray for you and your family. I hope that you will get a chance to read this, as I donot have any other way to get you my message of love and concern. GOOD LUCK MEGAN! sincerly Taasha Taylor
[ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Pam on Nov 8, 2007 at 06:03 PM

I could not believe this happen, it's so unreal to know there are people like this. When I heard about this my mouth hit the floor. It sounded like the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, are they related or what? How can another person take their mind and thoughts to this level in order to carried out such a horrid crime is truly unbelievable. I am a black woman and it's scary. I don't care what color your skin mat be, it's wrong to hate. When I saw these people pictures, they look like a dysfunctional family. They appeared to be angry, hateful and resentful, mad at the world for what ever wrong they feel was done to them. I don't know sometimes about the world we live in or the people we see everyday. I just recently heard about this. There wasn't a lot of media coverage, that's shameful. I just hope for the best for the victim and may God have mercy on the sould of the ones who committed this hateful, hateful, hateful crime.
[ Report Abuse ]
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The Yell: Comments for the Week of 11/1
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  • Posted By: : stupid americans (im one too so i can say that with pride)
  • Posted By: well: I live in a trailer and i live in a trailer park and im not on welfare so but i believe we need to go back to the basics if a man wont work he shouldnt eat i too am tired of working hard just to see people who wont work get things free that i struggle to pay for
  • Posted By: Ashley: To KY girl>> Those business on Wal-Street applied for the vaccine. It was the NY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS who decided who got how much of the vaccine. And you want to let these guys manage your healthcare? UNBELIEVABLE!
  • Posted By: Barbara: Why do none of our local stations show UK football and basketball games--when we were asked to send e-mails to get Time-Warner to carry MyZ it was under the promise that UK sports would be shown on it. But only one or two a season are carried while Marshall and West Virginia are shown on local stations? Why?
  • Posted By: Have A Little Faith: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (author often forgotten) We often curse our infirmities, our reproaches, our persecutions, our distresses but we forget those are the things that make us stronger.
  • Posted By: unbeeeevable: just saw dianne sawyers interview with a muslim chaplain.you ll be glad to hear that it really wasnt the muslim shooters fault.he was a victim of people who was suspicious of muslims.nothing badwill be said about this man,he will always be a person who thought it was the right thing to do.its time for america to understand what we are up against.not sugar coat it with tolorance.obama news net works can malign christians and conservatives as the right thing but muslims,communist every thing unamerican is praised.remember obama refused to observe the national day of prayer.???????
  • Posted By: just wondering...: did the shooter feel free to kill american soldiers because of the presidents disrespect for the country he and mechelle are finally proud of?is there 57 states of america.is the sweet memories of the call to muslim prayer still sweet,does bowing to a muslim king but not to a christian queen indicate his upbringing,can he still speak an aramic language ,prayer for muslims,what did his school records say his religious beliefs were,are,he wont release them.farrakahn,j.wright,a domestic unrepenent terrorist are his mentors and role models.you can say this is not the right time to bring these things up.this military man could have resigned but didnt,chose to kill the infidels instead.telling.
  • Posted By: john is a....: john is a true freedom loving american.i couldnt have said it better myself.he must have been raised by honorable parent like we were,like we tried to be also.billions could be saved if the whole welfare"entitlements"were headed by only productive americans,not somePUBLIC SERVANT whose lifetime job is rewarded by numbers and control over another human being.ky girl,the only right we are entitled to is freedom.if you dont want to pay your own bills,what makes you think you re entitled to some one elses hard earned money?patriot?look up history on slavery.lincoln was republican.my ancestors fought for freedom of slaves.ignorant people say o.was elected by guilty americans who just wanted to make things right.not me,i have not one feeling of guilt.never have never will.the sooner this facist,socialist,communist administration is gone.not color of skin ,but color of their agenda.i,m a conservative not a republican,but freedom from slavery was brought about by r.party.byrd,dem,n.word.proud.
  • Posted By: Okay: Every body wondering what Bush done that was so great well here is one that none of you thought of,he stated he would fix social security and he did he didnt get his way with investing your money into a 401k type fund and that turned out to be the only thing that saved the country.By the time he left office everyone who had planned to retire had to rethink their plans and now they have to work longer so SS will have more people paying in so it wont go broke as soon as forcast see by breaking the country and wrecking the stock market he actually saved SS never mind that many people lost half of their life savings and have to work longer heck they may die now before they can afford to retire and that just means their will be more money to balance the SS coffers until the next republican gets in office and figures out a way to get your money
  • Posted By: ray: to tim irr not eveyone with tattooa are crimnals we are respectful people if you dont like us then dontlook at us
  • Posted By: Bluebird: Good post Roane Co. I am interested to see how this plays out. I don't know who is to blame for all our jobs going overseas, but we are all upset about that. I don't know about Rush because I don't listen to him. Keith makes sense to me. But when you leave God out of your posts, you make excellent sense as well. Our country is going bankrupt and we need to do more than just blame it on each others party. We need to understand how it happened and how to fix it. Who do we elect? Are there any politicians making progress? Who do we throw out? Please keep debating. What you are both saying is important. There is nothing made in the USA anymore. How can we survive that? The only business I see growing is government and the rest of us just live to serve them. Give us solutions, please.
  • Posted By: RoaneCo.: Well let's just take the Big Three for an example. Are you going to tell me that they haven't receive enormous tax breaks throughout history? What did they do with their savings? Did they invest in America? No, they being the greedy Big Business they are, took their operations to foreign countries. They, with the help of our sorry legal system, weaseled their way out of contractual obligations with hard working employees and retirees. And this is just the Big Three. Where is your Levi's made now? Where did all the steel mills go? Who fields questions regarding your phone service? But let me guess, the working class people are solely to blame for our economic crisis. I tell you what, I'll buy into tax breaks for these companies...when they are forced to keep the jobs in America.
  • Posted By: To: Re/Patriot: First of all, self described conservatives now outnumber self described liberals 40%-20%, so we are not the minority, you are; secondly, it was Southern Democrats who are widely credited with stoking the fires of secession that led to war. The Republican party was founded as an anti-slavery party. Simpleton...
  • Posted By: To John: Could not have said it better.. If you are not willing to work for it then you do not need it, why should hard working people have to pay for all you free loaders. I haved worked hard to rise above the welfare system and I am proud of it. SHAME ON PEOPLE WHO THINK IT IS OWED TO YOU.. IT IS NOT.. Americas about choices and freedom, make the choice to do something with your life.
  • Posted By: John: Why do people who are 3rd and 4th generation welfare/medicaid/disability leeches feel that they deserve the best of everything? Maybe, for once, in their miserable existance they should consider getting a job, and pulling their own weight. assistance programs were put in place to help people for a short period of time. They were never meant to be a generational support system. I don't care if one has to work 3 jobs to support themselves. That is the honorable thing to do. To be the 3rd generation welfare leech in your family is a shame, or at least it used to be. I personally am sick and tired of working while these loosers sit in the trailer in the "holler", or in the housing projects, waiting on the next check. What are these poor excuse for humans going to do when those of all income brackets say NO MORE, your free ride is over? Cut welfare programs and save a few billion a year.
  • Posted By: Re/Patriot: ...and all you ultra conservative minorities who voice yourself on here so loudly: You are the exact same types who would have been arguing to keep slavery as an institution in the Civil War.
  • Posted By: Hey Roane Co, check your "filter": Lower taxes for big business and the rich do work, because, who hires you for a job-a poor person? Allow people-any people-to keep more of the money they work for, and the ones with initiative and drive will learn to make more money, hire more people, generate more taxes, etc...it is proven fact that tax cuts increase revenues to the treasury because they stimulate investment and growth. Business cannot possibly escape the myriad of regulations designed to check and monitor their actions, unless regulators are negligent. I remember seeing Barney Frank on TV in early 2007, as Chairman of the Banking Committee, saying Freddie and Fannie were fine...wow. As for Rush, he has no power to tax you, wreck your kids future with debt, etc...greed, with other sins, cannot be overcame; but in American, with capitalism, more people have more opportunity than anywhere in the world. Our system does not guarantee equality of results, but opportunity. Each person, based on initiative, can achieve.
  • Posted By: Big Earl: Well hello again good working coal miner people of WV and there familys this is Big Earl and if any of you people have a garden with a nice field of corn in it you better watch out I seen the story it on this very news page it is just like that Alferd Hitchcock movie that used to play on the Chiller theater where the man what stayed with his mother at the creepy old motel that had all the birds that had done went crazy and attacked people in the phonebooth trying to call for help flying into the glass windows and making people scream and yell and loose there dimes well I have warned you people when these PETA types come around these animals cop a attitude this time it is the blackbirds crows and grinches bothering farmers corn fields did you see that one man who said he shot off over 300 shotgun shells and still couldn’t scare them off well I for one will tell you people that if I shot off 300 shotgun shells there would be enough birds laying around to make Morris and Sylvester think they had done cashed in there 9 lives and gone to cat heaven and I would also have my corn patch left alone to.
  • Posted By: Patriot1: The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves. George Washington
  • Posted By: Paul R.: I am writing in Response to the KYs Gov. Holiday/Christmas Tree Dilemma as reported on the 12 o'clock news today (11/5/09) Around this time there are more than just one holiday being celebrated, Christmas is not the only holiday, in fact if you study the history of the season you will find that the icons and symbolism of Christmas have actually been borrowed from earlier Pre-Christian Holiday's. the Evergreen Tree that we decorate actually came from the customs of the Norse/Germanic/Scandinavian People and their "YULE" Celebrations. this all went on at least 1,000 years before Christ was said to have been born. Not everyone celebrates "Christmas" so by saying Happy Holidays or Using the term "Holiday Tree" that is being multi-cultural and recognizing everyone's holiday and customs not just one. This Time of year we have Christmas, Yule, Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Years, and also it's Universal Human Rights Month. "Happy Holidays" is respectful to all.
  • Posted By: to ky girl: did you know that tax payers dollars will be used for the slaughter of unborn babies.i dont want my tax dollars used for sadistic premeditated murder.are you willing to have that happen.you need to see who will run your so called almost free healthprogram.planned parenthood will probably be one.and if you havent investigate o.s czars,i would hope you,d be shocked.one believes animals should have a right to sue,population control by abortion,forced or voluntary,sterilization,forced or voluntary endoctrination of school children on deviant behavior,and the list goes on.complete control in these things can be accomplished with gov.control over every health decision they will force on us.you need to investigate this administrations plan for this country.2 americans were talking to a cuban refugee.they said to him,you sure are lucky to be here.he said no i was lucky to have a place to come to,where will you go for freedom when its gone?
  • Posted By: You bet, you lose...: If you notice I don't bring up Rush; I respond to people that bring him up first and are obsessed with him, and I do admit I am curious as to why a guy on the radio is so feared and loathed by so many, even the president of the US. The object is not to "moan and complain" but to educate; would you prefer the name Hussein to be used instead of Obama?
  • Posted By: RoaneCo.: Keith when I hear Rush Limbaugh speak of lower taxes, more freedoms, stronger defense and opportunity I hear lower taxes for Big Business and the rich. I hear the freedom for Big Business to ignore all rules, regulations and contractual obligations. I hear outlandish defense contracts awarded to campaign supporters. And the only opportunity I see (other than the rich becoming richer) is for the middle class to become low paid subservient labor for Big Business. I do not believe any one person is going to pull this country out of our present situation. We have ALL arrived at this point due to the greed of a FEW. How do we overcome centuries of greed Keith? Rush Limbaugh? Do you think that I am going to support a man like Rush? A man who screams that Big Business has the right to pay a CEO $40 million a year to bankrupt a company while in the same breath he accuses a working class union person of being overpaid. Sorry Keith, I don't feel Rush is some "god" like you believe.
  • Posted By: Kentucky Girl: Wall Street just gets shipment of flu vaccine? Those who are wealthy and powerful get it while the rest of us are facing shortages? We cannot even get an ample supply of the basic flu vaccine. FYI, having controls on the cost of health care does not mean looking for cheaper costs with decreased quality of care. What this means is that ALL people are entitled to the same quality of care without facing costs to the point it is unaffordable. I know for a fact that those who utilize the state-funded Medicaid suffer inhumane treatment by health care providers often. At one point in my life, I had no insurance and the treatment at this area's largest hospital was DEPLORABLE! An animal is treated better!
  • Posted By: to ky girl....: obamas plandoes not give you an option.in one of the bills if anything changed in your private insurance,the premiums change,you go to another job,i think if you change dr s.you will be automatically put on gov.insurance.that was brought out at first,i dont know if they found a way to desguise that piece of info .any thing that has 2000pages has to hide a multitude of sins they dont want you to see or understand.then your premiums or fines will be taken directly out of your bank account whether you like it or not.taxes is a good example of confiscation of your money.they will tell you what you have to pay.s for evil capitalism,who pays your salary,who paid your fathers salary ETC.im waiting for the money from your fathers pension to be distributed to me thats the right thing to do even tho i didnt earn it,it was made thru evil capitalism.and we know marxism,communism,socialism is fair.im waiting for someone else to sacrifice cause i dont want to.so long comrades.
  • Posted By: I bet: 10 will make you 100 that Keith will say the words "Rush Limbaugh", "Liberal" and "Obama" at least 20 more times before this week is over. Your keystrokes will save America Keith and you only have (3) three more years to moan and complain, dont stop now.
  • Posted By: Keith...sorry Roane Co....: My confusion, that was meant for another post. Tell me though, which one of Rush's ideas do you disagree with-Lower taxes? More freedom? Strong defense? Opportunity? I am curious. So what do you guys think about the elections? Two things I hope for-most of all the Republicans got the message to quit running RINOs like DD Scuzzaphobia in the 23rd NY race. An unknown, 3rd party guy comes from out of nowhere and loses by 3%; not a bad showing, but Republicans beware, I don't think the faithful are going to be content with the same old same ole RINOs like McCain and Lindsey Gramnesty anymore. Second-people are now paying attention to the fringe radical they elected president last year, and his policies. Two Blue states, won handily by Obama in 2008, with 20 point swing in VA and 10 in NJ, millions of voters I hope sending a message. Will Obama have Clinton's skill, and "Triangulate?" I really doubt it, he is a committed radical who doesn't like the USA. I hope this kills "health care" too
  • Posted By: to Kentucky girl: Seriously, cheaper is not better.. Have you ever been on welfare? I grew up on the medical card, and it was the biggest mess, you have to have approval for anything major ( which includes having wisdom teeth removed). I waited 2 years, to the point I had stopped eating for 3 days, then finally got "emergency" approval to have my wisdom teeth taken out.. I am thankfull that I have a choice in my healthcare now, I would never use any government program for my healthcare ever again. If they can not handle peolpe with medical cards how can they possibly handle a government run option? I also have multiple providers to choose from, so on only having BC/BS I know nothing about. But I do know we all have choices from big to small, they are ours to make, including where we live!! Even under one federal government different states offer different possibilities.Well for now anyways.
  • Posted By: Tina: Well, we've had 3 more deaths these are in KY, They are older people with underlying health problems. The kids are healthy. What are trying to do get rid of all the elderly so you can let young people run this state, whether it's OH, KY, or WV,
  • Posted By: Keith...sorry RC, that was for COT: The public option will not increase competition, because no private entity can compete with the govt., explained earlier. You will eventually end up with one option, the govt., because private companies will be out of business. Speaking to the SEIU, Obama stated his goal was the elimination of private insurance, even if it took 10 or 15 years. So where is the competition? He is simply not telling the truth about his plans. He says you can keep your private insurance, but never tells you his goal is to destroy private insurance companies. That leaves you with one provider, the govt., and look at their track record. They promise the moon and deliver nothing. "Soch-scurity" is bankrupt; Medicare is bankrupt; Medicaid is bankrupting states; where is the record of govt. performance that would give anyone confidence they can manage a takeover of our HC? It is simply not there, to trust without evidence and performance is sheer folly.
  • Posted By: thursday...: if any one goes to washington,be sure you let us know what goes on.i m sure there wont be anything on obama news.keep us,the conservatves informed.thank you.
  • Posted By: Lee: TOWN HALL MEETINGS-BAD IDEA.....Stay home so you don't spread or catch the flu. Same as keeping kids out of school so they can go to WAL-MART and spread the germs. I'm sure people are interested in information on H1N1. START A WEB SITE!!!!!!
  • Posted By: Kentucky Girl: The public option would allow those of us who are forced to utilize BC/BS the choice of another provider. Competition would elicit competitive pricing. Surely you two did not miss that part of economics. How easy it is to blame Obama for this mess. Are you kidding? This mess began years ago. You ask if I have investigated anything? I challenge you to investigate the Federal Reserve and their role in the problems facing this country. Go back to when the currency was backed by the government. Tossing around terms like liberals and conservatives is a smoke screen. The true problem here is the wealthy and the desire for power. This problem knows no political party per se. It exists within them both, so quit referring to me as a vested liberal. I am an American, and according to the history which I learned from, all Americans should be treated equally, and that my friend, has ceased to exist. Unless you are a millionaire, some day you will understand.
  • Posted By: Kentucky Girl: I have worked in the health care industry for many years. Medicare and insurance companies negotiate with providers what is acceptable. If the charge to you is 100.00, Medicare may approve 40.00. Private insurance may approve 65.00. However, if you do not have insurance 100.00 is the cost to you unless the provider is willing to accept a lower amount. Example: BCBS allowed 65.00. Your insurance pays 80%, 52.00. They can bill you the remaining 13.00. People with no insurance pay 100.00. These big pharmaceutical companies visit providers daily. They offer big bonuses for prescribing their products, vacations, dinners, and other perks. I have seen it happen routinely. All the while, the consumer is gouged with increasing prices. Unsure of your age Keith, but if you were in Kentucky, your health insurance cost could raise whatever percentage the company chose. Just a few years ago, I was paying a little over 300.00, now close to 700.00, and I pay my own way, thank you!
  • Posted By: Ashley: Kentucky girl>> Yes, in an ideal world healthcare would be much cheaper. I'm single, 25, and in good health. I pay 50% of my premium.... $300 a month!!! Which, for me, is quite expensive. However, have you read the healthcare bill? I highly doubt it, seeing as how no one has. Quite frankly, my political involvement and study has lead me to distrust our politicians at their word. So "Obama says it will make health care cheaper" is simply not good enough. Ask yourself this: when has any legislation reduced the true cost of any commodity or service??? 1913. So ask yourself this, do you really trust a government that has failed to do as promised for nearly 96 years? I just can't believe anyone to be that naive.
  • Posted By: algore: did any one see dianne sawyers interview with a.gore,the sky is falling,the earth is burning up,the oceans are going to flood the earth, minister of doom?at last someone from liberal news asked animportant question.cows polute more than many things are you going to be a vegan?this is a man who sees doom now if we dont do thing his way but guess what, hes still going to eat meat.only peons and peasants must be mandated to sacrific and coal,gas and petrolum should be done away with not his steak and lifestyle.and people still think hes credible.
  • Posted By: Big Earl: Hello again good coal miner people of WV this is the coal miners friend Big Earl and well people Election Day has done come and went it was not to much fun around here this year no hot races to bet on and no extra curricular activities either and no you hippies I am not talking about a basketball game but Charlie Daniels cousin there is nothing no more fun than a good old fashioned Boone Co. election full of picnics and slinging mud and name calling to the other bunch anyway did any of you people out there read that story on this very news channel that the people in the state of Maine is letting the longhairs vote to make there dope legal well thankfully that don’t go on around here all you have to do is tell the State Police to go down to the hardware store and watch the lightbulb rack anybody buying them funny lights is up to something in there hippie greenhouses if you people in Maine let this bunch in next thing you know the tree huggers and PETA types will be right behind them there dope plants will grow so high you will need Paul Bunyon to chop them down and that big blue steer of his to drag them down to the bonfire.
  • Posted By: No Easy Answers: Ky. Girl, you are right about the medical field raising prices to get more from Medicare. But that is only a small part of it. In today's computer world it has become easy to cheat the government out of money as well. Medicare has been billed for billions of dollars it did not owe. This will only get worse. Add more plans and there are more ways to fraud. And they have already stated that the public option would cover very few people. Yet those will be enough to cause our taxes to become so high we cannot pay. And think of all the employees that will add to government payrolls. Keep adding to that and soon there will not be enough of us taxpayers left working our tails off to support them all. It has to stop! And what will happen when you give the government the chance to withdraw from your checking account if you get in a bind and cannot afford the fees. Where will it end? I just do not trust them. They get richer-we still hurt. And pay more, and more....No easy answers...corruption.
  • Posted By: RoaneCo.: Keith how can I be "wrong about Obama" when I have not even mentioned him? Actually, I have not been pleased with some of the actions taken by President Obama. I would say the one thing he has done that I agree with was the unemployment extension. Although I feel this is only a Band Aid, atleast the working class were thrown a bone. But the man was handed a country in economic shambles and what he does with it over the course of his term has yet to be seen. Do I think President Obama can turn our country around? I doubt it. Do I think the likes of Rush Limbaugh can turn this country around? NO! Lets be honest, we do not have a government for the people anymore. Our govenment is controlled by big business, religious organizations and special interest groups. As the old question goes, what would you do if you were President? Well I would put my foot down on big business, throw all lobbyists out of Washington and pull the tax exempt status of the church.
  • Posted By: facts: ky.girl do you investigate any thing?nothing is free.some one has to pay for it.the gov.decides how much of your hard earned money you deserve to take home.the clue word is your.evidently your father has more than his pension to live on.if he is paying 800 now voluntarly the gov.will make that mandatory and maybe even more.in case people have forgotten bidens solution for retirees during the elections heres a reminder.biden said the gov.will take peoples pensions,not s.s.the money they and their company saved for a retirement fund and mandate the gov.take it and distribute it as the gov.sees fit.ifgov.health care is the right thing to do then since i didnt save for an extra pension and live on s.s.i guess you think im entitled to your fathers pension.same difference.its someone elses money.dosome investigating,dont listen to the gov.propaganda.so long comrades.
  • Posted By: Keith: Good post on the gold Gandalf. I would ask though, on matters of national defense, aren't there times when you have to spend money to defend yourself? Health care, historically, never became a "right" until the union contracts of the 1940s, when it was used as a benefit in lieu of higher wages, frozen by the govt. That change, i.e., inserting a middleman between the consumer and the provider, was the beginning of the downfall. KY Girl, My insurance is just under $600.00 per month. As for your figures, can you include a source? Specifically, the bit about "greedy HC industry raised the office visits..." It is unbelievably absurd to suggest a govt. option will increase competition. How can any private entity compete with the govt., which, as the past proves, has no accountability, no responsibility, no success stories; can print money at will to cover losses; how can any private company compete with that? They cannot. Govt.'s goal is to put private insurance out of business, O said it.
  • Posted By: J: Obama's stimulus bill was supposed to cap unemployment at 8.5 - now it's close to 10, with true unemployment (those who are no longer drawing unemployment benefits and who are not working) closer to 17 pct. The measley 3.8 pct GDP growth was gov't spending. NO PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS WERE CREATED. Cash for clunkers simply moved 4th qtr purchases to the third qtr. The 4th qtr will see a steep decline. Stocks are up - yeah, right? - except it's commodities driving up the stock market. Commodities like oil (have you been spending more at the gas pump lately), copper, gold and other finite items are hedges against inflation. Inflation? Yeah, it happens when the gov't spends money like a drunken sailor with no means to pay for it. So yeah, Obama has done plenty for our country in the last 10 months.
  • Posted By: Bluebird: No, Roane Co., I don't expect you will. And Kentucky girl, you think you are paying now, wait until you see your taxes IF the health care bill passes. Can people not understand we can't afford any more big programs? Where are we going to get all this money they are spending? And do you actually want someone sitting in an office, with no health training, deciding if you are sick enough to get the treatment you are requesting? Have you ever applied in a government office for anything? Those employees act like you are asking for money right out of THEIR pocket instead of the money YOU have paid in. This would be no different. If it would not decimate us all, I almost wish you could get what you are screaming for. And there would be so much red tape to get through you may be buried before treatment was approved. Our government is too big! Less government, more money in your pocket.
  • Posted By: Kentucky Girl: So you want to talk now about the cost of Medicare? You wonder why it has astronomical cost? Physicians, hospitals, pharmaceuticals, do I need say more. Medicare was designed to assure our seniors would have health care. Now what happened is that when physicians were charging 20.00 for a visit, Medicare was approving 12.00. Likewise were the charges in the hospitals. Therefore, the greedy health care industry could not do without that 8.00, so they raised office visits to 40.00 so Medicare would now pay 20.00. Do you see how that works? When Medicare was instituted, there should have been price control for the health care industry. There should have also been a public option for health care put into place because as long as there is no competition there will be skyrocketing premiums. Women face astronomical premiums if in childbearing age, and this changes to men when approaching the heart disease age. FAIR? Who are you kidding? If you pay 100% of your premium, what is it?
  • Posted By: Keith...Roane Co. you are one snide dude...: Actually I speak plainly with common sense; it is the way of conservatism. Bush made many mistakes, which I have written about numerous times; no need to re-hash. As for good, lets take the economy: most of his years saw unemployment <5%, which under Clinton was regarded as full employment; record low interest rates and low inflation; successful tax cuts, which spurred economic growth; and record highs in the stock market. At the end he wavered from his conservatism and regrettably caused much harm. You are wrong about Obama. Who is in charge right now? Who can affect our lives, right now? Who can help or hurt, right now? Not Bush, no matter how hard Obama cries. Carter left Reagan a huge mess; Reagan solved it. Clinton's economy was going into recession in late 2000; Bush's tax cuts revived it. Roane Co., put up or shut up. Tell us all, what is Obama doing, right now, to make anything better, even in a year's time? I will make it easy for you, just name one thing. Just one.
  • Posted By: AFT Members: Where do your dues go? I guess we don't really care until we need assistance! Shame on us. We pay over $300 dollars a year in dues and we never ask to see where it goes until its decided that our personal legal needs are unimportant to the MIGHTY Judy Hale. Well, its time to ask her WHERE the money goes...GAY RIGHTS, bribes, her outragous salary,... yes, these are some of the ways our money is spent. Who knows what we would find out if we really tried. You know the truth is that AFT-WV can refuse to help you if you are suspended or terminated. Those things aren't included on the insurance agreement. Are we really given any rights on what AFT endorsing in the political area. Its time to ask our union questions! P.S. Have you ever noticed that your county representative is overly friendly with administration. Who's to say they aren't members too. Just because they tell us we don't protect adminstrators doesn't mean its really gospel.
  • Posted By: Gandalf: Price of one ounce of gold in 1965: $35.00. Todays market price: $1084.00. Inflation? What will your dollar be worth tomorrow?
  • Posted By: Have A Little Faith: "All that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke
  • Posted By: Gandalf: 1965 projection for medicare in 1980; $10 billion. What effect has inflation had on these costs. Military incursions in Vietnam, Nicaragua, Bosnia, Afganistan, Iraq, and who knows where else has cost US taxpayers trillions of dollars.What kind of healthcare would we have if this money had been spent for our good instead of for the benefit of the military industrial complex?
  • Posted By: : Health care should just be the beginning,unfettered capitalism is the problem with our country.The idea that greed is alright is crazy,prices go up,wages stay the same or go lower,all in the name of bigger profit each year.We need regulations to protect us from unethical business practices,and laws that really punish persons who will do anything to get rich.Also when these people are found out every dime and possession they have should be confiscated and divided among thier victims.Yes health reform should just be the beginning.
  • Posted By: RoaneCo.: Keith will need time to confer with the all knowing God and savior... Rush Limbaugh. And I am sure he will return with an answer of such great intellect that we the common man will not be able to comprehend it.
  • Posted By: To kentucky girl: Wow!!! And you seriously think this bill will lighten the load!! What health insurance companies throw at you? Medical law suits, low income people who can just write off their hospiltal bills, people who just do not pay their medical bills, have nothing to do with medical cost I guess.. My husband and I have health insurance, and pay our medical bills, and we have family on medicare so we do know what we are talking about. THIS HEALTHCARE BILL IS NOT THE REFORM NEEDED.
  • Posted By: food for thought: Sherman Tide Rollin' ....google it ..check it out on youtube. These guys need a recored deal.If anyone knows where to get a AA playoff bracket, direct me please. Thanks
  • Posted By: Keith...to Ky Girl: That one is a softball. I do pay for my own medical insurance. Ironically, steep cuts in Medicare will be used to pay for Obamacare. Show me one govt. program that has done what it says. Lets start with Medicare-in 1965 it was projected to cost $10 Billion by 1980; instead it cost $120 Billion; today, it runs well over $400 Billion. Can we afford another big government ran program that will CREATE 111 NEW FEDERAL BUREAUCRACIES? Taxpayer, can you afford this? If this bill was about health, it would go into effect before 2013. Can you explain why it doesn't? True cost control could be accomplished by serious tort reform-Obama will never do that; interstate competition among insurance companies; again, no luck in this bill; we will end up just like every other country that has tried this-shortage of providers, rationing, govt. boards that decide who gets what, and when, just like in England; nobody has read this, nobody understands it, only a class A sucker would support it.
  • Posted By: To Kentucky Girl...: Well said, and so true! The former Canadian president stated on NPR that Obama would have to be willing to "walk thru fire" to get this health bill passed. It's all about money, you know, and the powerful lobbyists of the insurance and medical establishment holding onto what they have. Obama is about change, and people fear it...
  • Posted By: robert a: I am griping about the goverment bail-out. You know, the common everyday person who tries to hold down an honest job, go home, raise the kids, etc. , who's helping us? My spouse is recovering from open heart surgery, hernia operation, has sleep apena, bad knees, etc to name a few things wrong and we can't get any help because we make to much money (minium wage, ha! Who's going to help us with our bills? Since the taxpayers are the ones paying for these bail outs, why dont the goverment help us more with our bills. If we didn't have to pay so much in taxes, etc. we'd have money to pay our bills. Oh well. God's going to take care of all of it before long. Just wait and see.
  • Posted By: TO KEITH: Hey Keith, do me a favor will you? Please tell me what good President Bush (W) did for this country? I mean, you get on here every day and talk about how Obama has ran this country in the ground but yet, you just can't seem to be honest with yourself and admit that it was already there, thanks to Bush. The unemployment rate can still not be blamed on Obama, it was heading that way long before Obama started his run. So please, tell me...what did George W. do that was so great? Thank you.
  • Posted By: annonymous: what do you think of our preisdent who said put a tax on coke to fight obesity,why why is it always the poor man that gets the taxes what about your resturant likes mcdonalds greasey fattie foods could that be obesity problem not the poor man coke tax them they can afford it,really i guess it dosnt matter how much we are taxed they are just going to give it away without our approval and well never see any of it anyway ,we can send a rocket to the moon but in thirty years no one has figured out how fix social security, hey i got it,, put the rocket money in there mistrmy solved,,,,,,,
  • Posted By: Mike: Isn't it funny that WSAZ does a story about how restaurants in dry towns need to sell alcohol to make any money then turn around and say smoking should be banned in public places including restaurants? Smoking is bad for you but so is drinking and driving.
  • Posted By: Kentucky Girl: All of you who complain about the health bill, you have not a clue what it costs to provide your own health care. My parents are in their 80s and on Medicare. They have now had their BC/BS increased 66%. They now pay a little over $800.00 monthly which is all of my dad's retirement. My husband and I pay almost $700.00 monthly. Now you have the audacity to sit there and act like this health care bill is a bad idea. There are 2000 pages because people just exactly like you do not want equal health care for ALL. In Kentucky you have BC/BS or you do not have anything and that is why the premiums are out the roof. Public option is a must. Until you start paying for your own health care and have to pay whatever price the health insurance companies throw at you, keep your mouth shut because you know absolutely nothing about what you speak of! The way you toss your terminology around about liberals is disgusting. Equal care for ALL!!!
  • Posted By: druggie celebs: did any one see the arrest of the magistrates daughe or who ever the politican was?some one said she should go to arizona like rush limbaugh did to get rehabilitated.i got a better idea,,,why doesnt she find out how barak hussein obama rehabilitated himself from illegal weed and cocaine,i think he was proud to admit to.free speech,p.c.wsaz?
  • Posted By: j.wright agenda: worldnet daily has a video speech by jeremiah wright,about half hour in length.let him tell you in his own words what he and other people have planned for this country and who they want to emulate and make policy.he makes very plain the uselessness of the constitution.
  • Posted By: health bill: almost 2000pages in liberal so called health bill,almost 1100words like...penalty,surcharge,tax,fees,impose,require,mandate,obligation,license,regulation.if its free then why are these words in the bill?duh.
  • Posted By: Big Earl: Hello good people of WV and especially coal mining people this is Big Earl and do any of you people remember that movie Matewan where that preacher with the slicked back hair rared back and said Here me now listen to me The Prince of Darkness is upon the land and no you hippies settle down put out your dope cigarette it is not time for the Ozzy Osburne show to come on well I seen on the TV 3 news where this blue sky bunch and there rain forrest friends of the monkeys is running around with signs screaming and yelling saying the sky is falling the sky is falling the coal miners is polluting the air and killing off the people and polar bears and penguins even I know them kind of bears don’t live in no rain forrest they live in WV forests right beside the coal mines and tipples and coal miners and there is plenty of them to I say the coal miner aint no more of a threat to a bear than goldeylocks was keep an eye out people for anybody up a tree bothering a bear call the game warden.
  • Posted By: Lynn: Nova, PBS, "The Evolutionary Arc of Humans" will be broadcast at 8:00 p.m. on Tues., Nov. 9. Watch and comment.
  • Posted By: Keith...get ready for tomorrow: I do hope it will be the beginning of the way back for the country, with governor's seats up in VA and NJ and a special, non-primary house seat in 23rd NY. I hope folks like Nick Rahall and Jay are watching this closely, because if they continue their support of this newer and even worse version of "health care" I can only hope the fury of the voters come down on them so hard they won't know what hit them next year at the polls. Have you seen the tax increases in this new bill? The rationing boards are still there; the mandatory purchase requirement is still there; what a disaster. Folks, call your congressman and senators. Unemployment figures for October will be out this Friday; how bad can it get? Much worse; here is why. This joke of a "stimulus" bill that was passed, that Obama and Biden promised if passed would keep the jobless rate under 8%, have you been reading about the stupid stuff the money was wasted on? Incredible. Nothing is being done, right now, to make it better. Sad.
  • Posted By: concerned parent: To all you parents who are having partys for middle school kids and not supervising them they are having oral sex behind your back in your home!!!!! and also check their cell phones they dont need and look at the text they are sending each other!!!! time to wake up mom and dads or your little girls are going to pregnant at 12 13 or 14! by a little boy whos 12 13 or 14! its not cool to try and be your child best friend be their guide instead! GW Middle School parents!
  • Posted By: Who Knew It?: I saw someone on here complaining a while back about Welfare recipients always seem to have a cell phone. I figured this was just a typical gripe. However, I found out that if you are on government assistance, you can get a free cell phone with apprx. 70 minutes of free air time a month. Yes, taxpayers, you are providing that too. And how much are you paying for your own phone? Great country we live in now, huh?
  • Posted By: frustrated: im tired of the silly pranks as well we woke up yesterday morning to find our car windows had been smashed in and it will be a hefty penny to fix them as well
  • Posted By: geithner the tax cheat is: obamas geithner,the tax cheat is excited to anounce there will be more job losses in the private sector,asked about a tax increase,he declined to say.i think that would be a resounding yes,yes yes.a crisis too good to waste.
  • Posted By: : Do you think it is a coincidence that everytime you mention oil or gas prices on the news that gas prices in the region raise at least by 5 cents on the gallon? I dont think it is. Maybe you could find something else to talk about that doesnt thin my wallet.
  • Posted By: Charles: What is it with teens and eggs? This morning I woke and started to go get gas in my car when I saw shells and yolk all over my car! They had to have hit it with at least a dozen eggs. I tried wiping it off hoping that it would work, but it didn't. I had to go to a car wash and clean my car at 7 in the morning. Luckily none of the paint came off, so I got over it.
  • Posted By: Enough Already: How many more seasons are we going to have to suffer watching talented players at Marshall lose another game under Snyder's poor decision making. After watching the game tonight, hasn't he been around football long enough to know that prevent defense only prevents wins? He needs to be fired and we need to get someone in here who knows what it takes to win.
  • Posted By: Big Earl: Hello again good working coal miner people of WV did any of you people ever watch that show on TV the Waltons starring WV adopted son John Boy seems like every year there was some plage like out of the bible hit it was during the Great depression seems like when the cow died that was a real disaster the cow gave milk butter cheese everything but eggs none of them people ever counted on the VCR being invented now you can rewind and see that same cow every time it died they walked down the road to another farm to trade some fenceposts for another cow and there it was again well if people in this state don’t wake up real quick our cow is going to kick the bucket that cow being our cash cow the coal miner and his job and this time there aint no fancy hi definition or tin foil or rabbit ears on the TV going to bring it back to life again I seen these hippies and tree huggers from the Chunky monkey Rain Forrest crunch bunch is at it again bothering the coal mines and trying to run off jobs well good coal miners will be working hard until the cows come home and I for one am glad of it.
  • Posted By: FED UP: I would just like to tell people about another case of stupidity and child neglect in Altizer. A grown man hit his 5 year old son with a four wheeler this afternoon. This child is still in the hospital this evening. Would like to see WSAZ check into this story.
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