Entries by Jim Bauman

Voting to Make Everyone Believe in Government

We locally here in Jefferson County and in the state are overrepresented by Republicans. In this kind of one-party system of governing, the party in power can (and does) essentially ignore the wishes of the voters. They vote in laws that serve at best only those who voted for them, leaving unheard and unrepresented those who did not vote for them. Often one-party control also means that the legislators obey only those special interests that financed their campaigns, One-party rule isn’t just unfair, it leaves potentially good ideas on the floor and doesn’t best serve communities.

Educational Opportunity: The TRIO Program

The TRIO program at Shepherd University is, or rather was, a Federal program that helped first generation college goers make the transition into a learning environment different from high school. First generation students have always had difficulties in understanding how to navigate though this new experience. The TRIO program was set up to assist them so they can succeed. And it’s been highly successful. But has now been axed by the Trump administration and our community will have lost an important program to grow stronger.