| Bob Weaver 2024
America is more politically polarized by far, the worst in my lifetime, emboldened by conspiracy theories, lies, hate and bigotry and its' delivery by social media where every user is their own reporter and publisher, further enhanced by polarized media and Artificial Intelligence, or the ability to step further from reality.
US citizens have often emboldened the "boss" persona from the Godfather to Jesse James, rising their criminality to being cultural icons.
West Virginia is at the apex of being the worst of the 50 states in nearly 100 studies, everything from obesity, health care, childhood deaths, addiction (overdose) to worst broadband connectivity, worst bridges, worst educational outcomes, and lowest college going rates. Politicians don't talk about worst lists much.
West Virginia generally leads the nation with low voter turn out.
In over 100 years the state has been dominated by coal governors, Republicans and Democrats, some of which went to prison, while the state has been ranked as one of the most poverty ridden in the USA, still.
Reviewing the earlier days of Calhoun's political bosses, it was was not good. (Read Election Day in Buckhorn Hollow)
Here in the late 20th Century, James R. Jones and Carl Morris could be considered as the last of the old-time bosses, even switching parties here and there.
Now with the coming of Crystal Laughlin Mersh to Calhoun County and her millions of dollars to make Grantsville and Calhoun great again, it would fair to say she is a shoe-in as current day "boss," excelling by dividing to conquer.
Mersh wrote that Calhoun politicians had a "Stranglehold that has killed our lovely county over the last 40 years."
It is important to note that some politicians show up and do the right thing. I worked with them as a County Commissioner of 18 years, Democrats, Republicans and Democrats-In-Name Only, always keeping the taxes low and squeaking out dollars to pay the bills.
A long time struggle was to pay the Central Regional Jail bill which often exceeded $100,000, in addition to completing numerous outstanding projects and clearing
many hurdles. I feel privileged having worked with those commissioners, decent men, although few will remember their efforts.
About 1970, writer W. O. Bill Umstead recalled some of the fieriest political battles in Calhoun politics during the 20th Century, some ending in violence and death. Here are some excerpts:
Uncle George Washington Hardman and his clan were the domineering figures in the Democrat Party in the early part of the 20th Century, at least until a newcomer from the West Fork appeared.
About 1912 Bob Knotts challenged Allen Hardman for sheriff, known for about 50 years as the Hardman-Knotts ring. If one aspired to elected office, you would have to engage your choice ring, and splits would surface in both the Democrat and Republican parties.
Umstead wrote, "Getting back to the Hardman-Knotts battle - no one gave Bob Knotts a chance. Money flowed freely on both sides. Knotts won the nomination by a small margin, and Hardman lost."
"Each voting precinct had a key man, a good politician... A very interesting aspect of old time elections was that each side knew what was going on inside. They knew how the vote was going and it was stated on several occasions that the actual votes cast during the during the day were not counted until those ballots were burned and the ballot boxes stuffed for their candidates."
"Much stealing went on by it seemed like after it was all over it was forgotten and laughed off."
Umstead said related to shenanigans at certain precincts in the Hardman-Knotts battle, Brooksville was Hardman's home turf and the Brooksville count was something like Hardman 286 to Knotts 2. Frozen was Knotts home turf and the count was Knotts 295 to Hardmans 1.
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