(Letter to the Editor - Graphic Illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

West Virginians ask why we consistently rank worst compared to our sister states.

Look no further than the recent re-election of Mooney and Azinger. They ran on election and climate change denial, inflation blame, coal recovery and abortion.

While I’m not dismissing those concerns, are they really the big issues holding us back? No, they just divide us. By playing those up, they distract from their abysmal leadership records to get your vote. Again and again and again.

They also count on you voting straight party line. Why, when with a Republican supermajority (now supersuper majority) in Charleston nothing changes? Yes WV is recovering but not relative to other states. If a red government is the answer, where are the results? Same for blue governments. We need balance to check extremists on both sides.

There’s plenty of blame to go around in both parties (I despise them both) nationally. But these two are responsible to us. All we can control is our vote.

What we need is next gen workers and employers, tax reform, better schools and better infrastructure. Not a peep from these two cronies on these. Coal, a water bucket with a growing leak. Despite government pouring water into it, it’s over. Focus on the transition on coal communities and workers, not profits for super-rich coal barons like Justice and Manchin.

High-wage, growth companies with high salary and taxes want smart workers, so all roads start at education. Address the malaise toward education in rural WV families. Give young people role models touting education’s extreme importance to motivate them to excel.

They need high-speed home Internet and funds for the classroom instead of bloated administration.

Our “conservative” government is drowning in surpluses but can’t decide what to do with it. First, cut taxes after investing in education and attracting high-skill workers and new industries. Where’s the supersuper majority on this?

And blaming inflation on one party is ridiculous. Look no further than large corporate profits rising faster than inflation. Companies are rapidly raising prices beyond higher costs to fatten their bottom line. Inflation is 7%. A box of candy at Kroger jumped 100% (99 cents to $1.99). What’s the other 92%? And hot dogs are up 30% with smaller dogs and more water in the package.

How about a windfall profits tax to recover price gouging. Democrats are noncommittal while Republicans ignore it and play politics with an issue crushing West Virginians.

Face it, Trump is a loud-mouthed braggard who did more harm than good. Biden is a wet noodle with poorly executed good intentions. Voting based on allegiance to their parties is not working. Until we vote based on the person, not the party, on constructive, not divisive, policies, we’ll continue in the basement of state rankings.

Eric Thacker

Parkersburg