From today’s column, “Backsliding Into a Wave Of Death in West Virginia,” by local editor Mike Myer:

It appears some have decided the coronavirus scare is a plot to erode their personal liberties. If so, it’s a heckuva well-done one. The last time I looked, COVID-19 had killed more than 191,000 Americans.

The sky has fallen on them and their families.

Who could possibly see government action as a plot “to erode personal liberties?” Here is that same editor, Mike Myer, back in April:

Those who would sacrifice their freedom for a little safety deserve neither, it has been said. But we do it all the time, and the civil libertarians don’t seem to have a problem.

But COVID-19 has tightened the screws. We are being told we cannot dine in restaurants because social distancing would be impossible. Some are being told they cannot go to another state to buy liquor. Others are being told they cannot buy seeds to plant a spring garden. Some businesses have been instructed to close because what they do would require the same risk of both employees and customers.

In some states, the demands are even more draconian — and the enforcement has been rigid, to say the least.

Myer’s special scapegoat for some of these supposed “draconian” abuses was, and continues to be, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for which he has devoted three columns. In addition to the columns, his papers have carrying at least nine editorial cartoons (most recently, three weeks ago) that single her out for personal attack for taking a strong approach to containing the virus. In July, for instance, he wrote a column telling us how lucky we were to have Jim Justice rather than Gretchen Whitmer managing the coronavirus crisis. Here, I would suggest that our local editor update as the most recent numbers contradict him. 64% of Michigan residents strongly approve or approve of her handling of the coronavirus compared to 56% for West Virginia’s Jim Justice.

Myer yesterday, Myer today. Yes, we have reached a new level of hypocrisy.

Riley Moore coverage

Two posts down I noted that Senator Capito’s nephew, Riley Moore, who is the Republican candidate for Treasurer was in town on Thursday and I guessed that we would soon see special coverage of him. It was good to see that while he was covered in today’s newspaper, his opponent, Democrat John Perdue, also appeared in the same article with similar coverage. Steven Allen Adams’ analysis was informative and balanced. Hopefully, we will soon see similar articles for other major offices.