election 20008

Andrew Davis is the Media Director for the national Libertarian Party. He's currently in West Virginia to assist with the petition drive to put Bob Barr on the ballot.

CHARLESTOWN, WV -- It's been more than 36 hours since my plane landed in West Virginia and I began volunteering with the Barr campaign's ballot access drive. Though coming to the end of my second day, it's already been an interesting experience in a state traditionally dominated by Democrats and with a history that makes its residents wary of the capitalism of mine bosses and exploitive coal companies.

Before leaving, I was talking with two former professors and told them about my upcoming trip. They noted how poorly West Virginia had developed in recent decades, citing the residents' collective resistance to capitalism, a plethora of business regulations, and a death grip by trial lawyers looking to make West Virginia a venue for class action lawsuits.