Conservative Donnybrook

This fascinating map, via Ross, via Andrew, depicts the counties wherein Clinton captured 65% or more of the vote and may help to explain why the rout was on in West Virginia.

It would appear that the Scots-Irish of the Appalachian belt are turning out in huge numbers for the former first lady. Last night’s solid drubbing of Obama in West Virginia, according to this map, was entirely predictable. And, what the heck, I’ll go out on a limb and predict a similar result when the primaries visit Kentucky next Tuesday. On the other hand, I would expect South Dakota, Montana and Oregon to be much closer. In the end, it is likely that Hillary has one more solid outing in the works and it she will need to make it count, if she wants to sway the outstanding Superdelegates to her orbit.

I saw this story on one of the news channels the other day and thought of LTG. We have had a number of sparring bouts over the role of parents versus the role the of the State. This story is interesting because the State is recognizing the rights of the parent (and every right carries with it a corresponding duty) to provide for his child’s education. Unfortunately for Mr. Gegner, he was found in dereliction of his duty to educate his daughter when she failed the mathematics section of her General Education Development exam. Mr. Gegner was charged with “contributing to the delinquency of a minor” after the court had ordered him to see that his daughter passed the exam. She had a previous history of truancy.

If, as LTG likes to point out, a child’s education is entirely within the purview of the parents, isn’t this an appropriate ruling? With the right, comes the responsibility. Of course, the flipside is: If the onus were on the State to educate the child, would then the delinquency of this minor fall upon her public school teachers? As tempting as it is for me to endorse that outcome, I find both results absurd. After all, the world needs ditch diggers too.

…for waiters, waitresses, bartenders and bar wenches.