The Governor’s day came and went with as much fanfare as the Legislature could muster, given the tragedy of the Sago mines.

Never one to do things halfway, the Governor outlined a bold agenda for the 2006 Legislative Session. He promised to do many things: crackdown on drugs, maintain fiscal responsibility, increase penalties for sex offenders and child molesters, and implement universal healthcare.

What do I think? I believe talk is cheap.

I do not mean to deride the Governor. He would be the first to agree that declaring a plan is much easier than enacting one. Now is not the time for me to comment on his ideas, because I agree in theory with every one except universal healthcare. The debate will come when he outlines his methods.

As far as universal healthcare, I can understand the government helping for a brief time when you have lost your job and cannot find work, I understand when the down and out need a helping hand, but is it really the government’s role to cure my cold? Is it worth having another bureaucracy, more taxes, and more chances for government corruption? That is a question we must all ask ourselves.

The Governor also pledged an additional $1 million in the fight against drugs. While I appreciate his efforts, I do not believe that throwing $1 million at the problem necessarily guarantees success. Somehow Democrats and liberals alike have duped us into assuming more money into more programs automatically means more success.

That is not always true. For instance, West Virginia ranks 34th in quality of education, although we exceed the national averaging of K-12 education spending per student by 12%.

The $1 million to fight drugs may help, but do not applaud just because there are six zeros in the figure.

The most notable point in the Governor’s speech was not what he said, but what he did not mention.

Eminent domain

It used to be that the government could only take your land for public use like roads and schools, but now (thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court) they can wrest your land away and give it to another private individual. Under the new rules, your address could become Wal-Mart’s. The Governor not only ignored the problem, he defended the Supreme Court’s decision in a speech at West Virginia University several months ago.

Tax reform

The Governor said much about fiscal responsibility in regards to the state’s budget, but failed to mention why he would not cut a tax that costs $150 million when the state will have a surplus in excess of $300 million by the end of the fiscal year (June 2006).

I too believe in balancing the budget: the citizen’s budget. The state is wrong to require that mothers pay 5% more than they have to for food.

Turnpike tolls

You would think the Governor would have mentioned the turnpike considering the raging controversy in southern West Virginia about the onerous toll increase. Is he going to do anything?

Yes, talk is cheap. With no plan for tax relief and a promise of universal healthcare, let us hope the Governor’s plans are cheap as well.