Marcellus shale

The voters have spoken and they demanded a national relapse. With the impending stampede of Republicans into the circus that is our Congress, will their “Hell No!” hubris further force the hapless hoards into hopelessness?

It’s naïve to believe a pro-business, anti-regulatory Congress will have any compunction to slow down the juggernaut that is Marcellus shale exploitation. The question then, is, will West Virginia cave in to Megagas? If history is any indicator, we will once again travel down the low road, overshadowed by outside entities who own over 85% of West Virginia’s natural resources. While urban America suffers from gas pains and clamors for cheap gas, rural America suffers from anemic wages and poverty, and clamors for more and better jobs. With farm earnings depressed, gas lease signing bonuses and royalties are manna from heaven.

Will the glitter of gold blind the masses, leaving us all living in a gilded cage? Will the malodorous and toxic “King Coal” be forced to abdicate the throne to Megagas? In what is our corruptocracy, money talks and good intentions walk, leaving the voice of money to resonate throughout the halls of Congress. The elephants in the room can no longer be ignored as they dance to the sounds of sordid money, filling their coffers in preparation for 2012. Cha ching, Cha ching, Cha ching!

By the way, I can see a Marcellus gas well from my house.

--Jim Dodgins