Governor Joe Manchin’s renovation of the Governor’s mansion, with a $1,123 shower head, $41,000 marble bathtubs and 12 state-of-the-art flat panel televisions, has been nothing more than a lesson in excess. As the necessary renovations gave way to gratuitous and excessive additions, most legislators (Democrat and Republican) and all Joe-lovers everywhere have stood by and let it happen (Hoppy Kercheval excepted).
Of course the Governor’s position is that the mansion is in disrepair and that the upgrades were necessary. While that may be true, you don’t need 12 flat panel televisions to hold up a wall or numerous poker tables to redecorate a room.
It’s the people’s house, the Governor says. If that is the case, I’m sure the Governor will not mind me dropping by one Saturday with my friends to enjoy all the things Manchin bought for our sakes.
By now we know that Governor Manchin is one who likes his platinum covered, diamond crusted amenities. What if his knee was repaired just like his mansion?
It would be an addition that would make the Six Million Dollar Man jealous. Not only would the whole thing be pure 24-karot gold, it would have twice the number of screws necessary. I’m sure he would install a built in iPod, GPS system (for when he is out playing with the state airplanes) and a magic 8 ball where he can whisper a question into his knee, shake it and get the answer.
You could slap the knee to get his favorite catch phrases played on premium speakers, subwoofer included, like:
* Hey there buddy!
* We gotta work together.
* I understand where you are coming from.
* We’ll pass that next legislative session (my personal favorite).
All this would not come for free. Manchin would initially tell us it costs $1.5 million, but we would later learn the bill is $3 million. Yes, I mean “us” because we would be paying for over half of the operation.
But before you criticize Manchin for getting extravagant, you must understand he is the Governor and the royal knee is the people’s knee. Like the mansion renovations, he did it all for us.
What a man. I think I’m going to go cry now.
Have a great weekend everyone!
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Comments
“The people’s knee”
Sounds very communistic to me…
Although it’s off the topic, have a happy birthday Will! Maybe you could have your party at Joe’s house!
Well, Happy Birthday Will!
What do you recommend we do to stop this extravagance at Manchin’s temporary abode, our mansion? I am currently busy trying to prevent him from taxing everyone else out of their much more meager yet beloved homes. Haven’t you heard the buzz about raising property taxes and/or taxing folks property at market value?
Cindy Frich
WV House of Delegates, 44th
www.cindyfrich.net
William Stewart, keep up the good work! Your exposure shows us what WV’s “government” is doing.
The “Guv” creates a hillbilly Taj Mahal.
The legislative “leadership” perpetuates vote-buying with the “Budget Digest” or a reasonable facsimile of a “slush-fund.”
That’s right in line with what a famous philosopher said when asked: “What do governments do?”
After a slight pause, he replied: “They steal!”
We need to hammer in to the voters and the general populace of WV that elected officials are supposed to be OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS.
They are NOT our leaders. They are put into office to perform some necessary functions that serve everyone.
Their supervisor, “The Guv,” is supposed to make sure all the government employees (including the legislators) do their jobs effectively, efficiently, and frugally.
Nowhere in their job descriptions does it say “Live High On The Hog!”
The mansion was a mess and needed renovating. The capitol is falling to pieces, literally. Upkeep is expensive.
DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!!!! Legislators need to be stirring up a major fuss about this. If Mrs.”Spendthrift” Manchin is calling the shots: what are her qualifications, what criteria is she using, who appointed her, and who can fire her, and on and on.
AT LEAST LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE THERE AND WILL QUESTION THIS CRAP AND MAKE IT AS DIFFICULT FOR THEM AS POSSIBLE.
12 TELEVISIONS? AND FLAT PANEL TOO?
$1100 SHOWER HEAD? (WAS THAT PUT OUT ON BID?)
$40,000 MARBLE BATH TUBS? (What is the average cost of a bath tub and what justifies a marble tub anyway?)
POKER TABLES? Let her explain the need for those.
PERHAPS a WEBSITE for the MANCHIN MONIES:
LET there be a record of the loose money policies of the Manchin administration and those that support them. With all the need that is here in West Virgina we need to keep pressure on out-of-control officals.
California doesn’t have a mansion any more - do we need one? I know of no one who feels benefited by the money pit.
Does the governor’s mansion really need heated potty seats?
Cindy Frich
WV House of Delegates, 44th
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Debra: There is a difference between legitimate repair and excessive amenities. Don’t be ashamed to say the Governor is wrong: it’s quite liberating.
I can definitely say the governor is wrong. I disagree with him on many issues.
I do not understand why Governor Manchin has decided that the governor’s mansion needs 4 marble bath tubs, 12 flat screen TVs, poker tables, copper ceilings, gold leafing or any other excess.
The governor’s mansion should be made safe from potential future water and fire damage. Those repairs may be neccessary, but further enhancements of the mansion come at the expense of making other buildings such as the capitol building safe from water and fire damage. There are legislative members’ offices where safe escape from a fire is questionable and water damage exists. There are legislative members’ offices that are very inaccessible to the handicapped public or senior citizens due to a tall flight of rickety stairs.
The extravagant redecorating by Governor Manchin is inexcusable when there are House of Delegates members’ offices that the public can not access.
When I was a freshman delegate, my office was atop the towering stairs. People fell trying to visit me.
Now I am on the lower level of the same office space, but I myself have fallen and hurt myself on the way to my own office. I am a relatively young woman. My current office remains inaccessible unless a senior with mobility challenges or handicapped person goes all the way around the capitol outside and then they don’t have a key to get in through the governor’s drive to my office space. The legislative session is during the winter when it can be cold or snowy. This inaccessiblity is the case for several legislators whom the public might want to visit.
The funds that the governor is using to embellish the mansion could be better spent allowing for accessibilty of the public to their public servants. But the governor is making the decisions about the mansion, not me.
Cindy Frich
I think Del. Frich has an excellent point. Maybe the House Republicans should file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice under the Americans with Disabilites Act which has acessability guidelines which State Governments are REQUIRED BY LAW to comply with. The disabled, the elderly, and all the public should have easy acessability.
Shouldn’t the Capitol and State offices have priority over the mansion?
It would be a great attention getter for showing who’s looking after the people!
Look, I’m from Ohio and have always admired the capital ground including the mansion everytime I visit. Those who complain talk like its his house. Its not!! He has made long overdue upgrades to a “state property” aking it a suitable place to host VIPs who contribute to moving WV forward…give him a break already!
Sure he needs to entertain VIPs, but 12 televisions? Wouldn’t you agree that is a little much?
Who owns the house is less my concern than who owns the tax dollars that are going toward unnecessary amenities.