Crocodile Johnson here with my first post under the Mister Dadvice moniker here at Quill and Leaf.

Let me start out by saying it is an honor to have the kind folks at Quill and Leaf take an interest in what I have to say. Of course they saw my FaceSpace posts under Crocodile Johnson’s Inside Downtown Vandalia County and just like the fine folks in Appalachia who visit my page they knew there was something special.

Now, if you have any questions for the Croc just drop me a line using the quill and leaf contact form, and include MRDadvice in the subject area.

This question didn’t come from a reader or anyone special, but from the Croc’s maw itself.

Why y’all in such a gotdang hurry?

One of the things that has been a consistent issue in Appalachia are the roads. Whether its road work on the highways or potholes in the neighborhoods and backroads oyr roads can be described by one word: shit.

A lot of y’all complain constantly about the state of the roads, or the constant construction with no end in sight. I get it. It’s tough to navigate the area without potentially damaging your shocks or needing a new tire. But guess what? Infrastructure costs a lot to maintain. Not just money, but in physical labor as well.

Take West Virginia for example. It’s the heart of Appalachia and just a quick drive from Vandalia County.

Over the years a bunch of carpet baggin’ politicians have come into Appalachia and spoken pretty well to the issues that are facing the area and this has in turn got them into some pretty powerful positions (I’m looking at you Governor Patrick Morrisey who moved to WV in 2012 after a failed bid in New Jersey for the US House of Representatives in 2000). Just from what I’ve read about the guy, he seems to be the type of person West Virginia has always complained about politically. A idealistic sycophant who will say whatever he can to get himself into a position of power and use that power to abuse an exploit Appalachia for his own greed. Just like that felon in the White House.

Let’s look at the facts.

Morrissey after only receiving 9% of the votes took a job as a lobbyist for a bunch of pharmaceutical trade groups from 2004-2012, and even recevied a quarter a million dollars from one group to do so. He was considered an expert in the health and drug related legislations and regulations. And those pharmaceutical trade groups who paid him that quarter a million dollars? The same ones who flooded WV with opioids.

He then took the opportunity (probably from the advice a of a good PR firm), to run for Attorney General of WV where his legacy became frivoulous law suits against the EPA. For those that aren’t in the know. Mining was a huge part of West Virginia’s history and a lot of the southern half of the state is trying to hold onto those glory days when the money ran rampant over the hills. Where’s that money now? Lining the pockets of anyone but the struggling West Virginians who spent their blood, sweat, and tears to pull it out of the ground.

This guy even had the gall to sue the pharmaceutical companies on behalf of the state of WV due to the opioid crisis he helped create.

Now, that lawsuit is one I agreed with, but it kinda seems like a chicken and egg situation. We wouldn’t have needed to sue these companies if we didn’t have the lobbyists fighting for their right to poison people with their pain killers. As thanks for creating and solving that issue, WV elected this Brooklyn born former New Jersey lobbyist Governor. Which brings me back to my initial thoughts.

This guy ran on promises of fighting for coal companies, anti-abortion, and lowering taxes to put more money in WV pockets. Ignoring the first two points I want to address the lowering of taxes.

Now, our country was founded because a bunch of rich old white guys didn’t want to pay the tarriffs (taxes) on tea imported into the colonies and a bunch of other stuff some other rich old white guy was trying to do.

But what are taxes? A lot of Appalachians (the ones who voted for the felon and the carpet bagger) seem to think taxes are this awful thing where the government is stealing their money and using it to fuel some sort of agenda. And they’re right. And a lot of them are being taxed all to hell. But, why? Why are they seeing so many taxes? Well, there for a long time, in the America and Appalachia they’re trying to make great again, welathy individuals, corporations and businesses paid a large share of the tax in what is called the marginal tax rate. Meaning, income over a certain amount was taxed at a much higher rate. Then some movie star with a smile got elected president in the 80’s and decided that maybe the wealthy shouldn’t pay so much and the marginal tax rate fell.

So what are taxes? Taxes are the income of the government and how they fuel the various programs that help to keep the country, state, counties, and cities running properly. Taxes are what pay for the road crews and the materials to fill those pot holes. Taxes are what help to make the bridges safe to cross. To keep our parks clean and green for generations. Taxes help to fuel the social programs that support individuals in areas that are struggling.

Many Appalachians rely on the programs funded by taxes. Many of the things that make Appalachia the greatest place to live rely on taxes. Its not the taxes that are the problem.

It is who is paying them.

We allow companies who are destroying and polluting our area tax breaks for coming in and “creating jobs and businesses,” and they say the profits will trickle down.

All the Croc feels is the warm piss from people who don’t give two shits about Appalachia, or its people.

Anyway, drive a little slower and watch out for potholes and deer. We probably won’t have the tax-money to fix the roads anytime soon.

CHAMP ON!