We rarely find ourselves in agreement with the state Senate’s majority.
Or more precisely, with its leadership. Since January 2015 our newspaper has found itself at odds with the Senate’s Republican leadership.
Despite endorsing several GOP state senators in recent years, with few exceptions, we have respectfully disagreed with many of the GOP-led Senate’s proposals.
But today, make that respectfully agree with that same Senate leadership for finally saying what needed said.
On Monday, Sen. Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, said Gov. Jim Justice should resign. He plans to introduce a resolution of no confidence when the Senate reconvenes in special session.
In recent weeks it’s become apparent the governor is not only not on the same page as the Senate’s leadership, but in a different script altogether.
Of course, there’s a history of petty infighting behind the scenes of the state GOP, which is not uncommon in the Democratic Party, either. However, what’s different is that this infighting has boiled over into public view as several county Republican executive committees expressed no confidence in Justice this spring.
Meanwhile, state Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, has played a cat and mouse game with the governor for years. It’s obvious, too, that the governor’s refusal to live in Charleston, though required to by the state Constitution, has aggravated any number of crises.
Not to mention the governor consistently coming up short because of his ongoing financial and legal issues amid a swirl of social ills ranging from the opioid epidemic to flood relief and road woes.
Then this year, along comes a measure to turn public education upside down that the governor appears to have no real understanding or control over.
The biggest flaw he could find with the recent Senate-approved Student Success Act was that it canceled extracurricular activities in case of a teachers’ strike.
Seriously. That made us wonder if had even read a summary of the 140-page plus bill. For now, we are not going to join in Blair’s call for Justice’s resignation.
Political party infighting aside, we’re holding out for an indictment or two to join this chorus.
But there are two points that need to be made loud and clear here:
Legislators of both parties need to find a spine and stop covering for this governor, despite their politics.
Voters also need to think long and hard next year about electing and then defending such an embarrassing lack of leadership as Justice embodies.
Blair added on MetroNews’ “Talkline” this week: “I know for a fact I am not alone on this.”
We also agree with that: He’s not alone on this.
