Open Yourself for Business, Gov. Joe, Not My Bumper
Sorry to say, but my honeymoon with Joe Manchin is over. (And we didn't even get a shivaree). He earned some serious esteeem -- which I'd been holding back on until then -- for his powerful, personal and dignified response to the Sago mine disaster and subsequent mine deaths. Now, that's how an elected official should manage a catastrophe (You listening Brownie and Georgy?).
But it's the little things that drive couples apart. And there's this little matter 
of the new motto Gov. Joe wants to put on my license plate. Yours, too. I am perfectly happy with the current motto: 'Wild and Wonderful West Virginia.' I know Gov. Joe wishes to project a forward-thinking, energetic, new Industrial Revolution image for West Virginia. Maybe even take us all out to the gym to work on our deltoids. He already ditched the W-and-W motto on the state's 'Welcome to West Virginia' border signs in favor of the 'Open for Business' slogan. Which turns a traveler's first encounter with the Mountain State into the come-on of a painted lady dockside: 'Wanna score, Cisco Systems? Is that a banana in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me, Hyundai?' Yet that was your call, Governor. I'll let you have that one.
But here is my reaction to putting 'Open for Business' on the back of my car for many years to come. In a word: No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. And no. I don't want my car being open to the business of you opening the state up for business. Yuck. Or maybe we can compromise: 'Open for Wild and Wonderful Businesses.' If you're going to open up, get the spirit of the state right.
of the new motto Gov. Joe wants to put on my license plate. Yours, too. I am perfectly happy with the current motto: 'Wild and Wonderful West Virginia.' I know Gov. Joe wishes to project a forward-thinking, energetic, new Industrial Revolution image for West Virginia. Maybe even take us all out to the gym to work on our deltoids. He already ditched the W-and-W motto on the state's 'Welcome to West Virginia' border signs in favor of the 'Open for Business' slogan. Which turns a traveler's first encounter with the Mountain State into the come-on of a painted lady dockside: 'Wanna score, Cisco Systems? Is that a banana in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me, Hyundai?' Yet that was your call, Governor. I'll let you have that one.
But here is my reaction to putting 'Open for Business' on the back of my car for many years to come. In a word: No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. And no. I don't want my car being open to the business of you opening the state up for business. Yuck. Or maybe we can compromise: 'Open for Wild and Wonderful Businesses.' If you're going to open up, get the spirit of the state right.
5 Comments:
I know one bizness the gov wishes wuz opened more often -- VandaliaLounge.
If I could get a state police detail to drive me around, I'd go in the tank, off the wagon, etc. more often.
Frequent Gazette op-ed columnist Jane Claymore was having trouble posting her response to the blogpost, so here it is:
Well, I must say that being "open for business" is a brand new concept to me 'cause I never knew we were close...I mean we've whored our natural resources to lamentably low bidders for a century-plus. If I'm forced to pay the standard fee (all I'm willing to go) for a license plate that basically says I'm a whore, I think I'll have to mount a lawsuit. This is going too far.
The 'Wild and Wonderful' motto is more to my liking and I think descriptive of the people here..if not the scenery once all the mountains are lopped off. As for signs saying "open for biz" greeting visitors ove the Interstates etc? Frank acknowlegement that they're gonna be hustled, not a good move... But so many of Manchin's moves have been (call me a snob because I can take it) ABSOLUTELY TACKY BEYOND BELIEF, starting with the big toys this big boy requires: airplanes, yachts, motorcylcles. Not impressed. Just disgusted.
Given the rise in the price of tolls on the interstate, why not just 'West Virginia: Exact Change Not Required'?
Slogans only impress PR wonks.
Bob Ashley quoted a female constituent on the floor of the House of Delegates, who said she didn't want her car to say "Open for Business" because folks might get the wrong impression.
A catchy slogan (and this ain't one)NOT be enough to solve WV's economic woes.
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