The Transpacific Partnership or TPP is a trade agreement that has stirred up considerable controversy. It has been described as a “free trade agreement” - in the tradition of NAFTA and CAFTA and everything “AFTA”. It also is referred to as “Obamatrade”. It would involve twelve nations: the US, Japan, Australia, Peru, Malaysia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Chile, Singapore, Canada, Mexico and Brunei Darussalam. Conspicuously absent from the agreement are China (Asia’s most populous nation) and Russia (the largest nation in Asia by land mass).

It was pointed out to me by the editors of the Spirit that there is a new local website based in Berkeley County called the West Virginia Conservative Review and their URL is www.wvconservativereview.org. Its stated goal is to hold elected officials accountable with regard to campaign promises. I was forwarded their press release which quotes its founder Davy Jones as saying “Too often elected officials say one thing while campaigning for election and then turn around and do the exact opposite once elected”. Adding, “Our goal is to link the legislative session to the campaign session to lift the veil of secrecy in Charleston”. The site has been up and running for about two months and apparently has over 800 users.

I attended the recent Lincoln Day Dinner held for the benefit of the Berkeley County Republican Party. It was well attended. There were numerous speakers, including State Senators Craig Blair and Charles Trump, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Congressman Alex Mooney.

There’s a battle raging across West Virginia over the tests associated with Common Core - known as the Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium tests or SBAC. Interesting name for those tests. I’ve come to realize that whenever the word “smart” is inserted into something that’s in the public sphere - there’s also an agenda attached - the progressive agenda. Think “smart meters” or “smart growth” - both progressive initiatives aimed at controlling us and how we live. It begs the question, are these “smarter balance” tests fair and balanced?

I attended the recent Legislative Wrap Up at the Martinsburg Holiday Inn. It was sponsored by the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce. In attendance were Delegates Walter Duke, Larry Faircloth, Saira Blair, Mike Folk and John Overington - Republicans from Berkeley County; Delegates Jill Upson and Paul Espinosa - Republicans from Jefferson County; Senators Charles Trump and Craig Blair - both Republicans representing the 15th District; Senator Herb Snyder - Democrat representing the 16th District and Delegate Stephen Skinner, Democrat from Jefferson County. Unable to attend were Senator John Unger, Democrat representing the 16th District and Delegate Eric Householder, Republican from Berkeley County. The moderator was Rick Wachtel, President and General Manager of radio station WRNR in Martinsburg.

Much is written about the liberal bias in the media. If you are reading this, then you know what I am talking about without my having to say anything more. Nothing exists in a vacuum - including this article - and the medium in which it appears forms its context. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone is entitled to take those opinions with a grain of salt. The devil is in the context.