Feb. 25, 2010
 
The Stark Truth: Tom Stark, Citizen Activist for WV's First Congressional District
 
By Stephen N. Reed
 
The First Congressional District GOP primary has an array of interesting, qualified candidates, some with prior legislative experience and some with the virtue of having a truly outsider's point of view. Tom Stark of Parkersburg falls into the latter category, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have a wealth of other experience to draw upon as a political candidate and would-be Congressman.
 
Stark describes himself as a Christian, Vietnam veteran, constitutional conservative, and small business person, one whose political activism later in life is directly traceable to the state's burgeoning T.E.A. Party movement. He worked in county government in Orange County, Florida before coming to West Virginia and has a degree from Barry University.
 
In addition to meeting voters through the traditional means of debates and candidate forums, Stark is an active blogger with two sites: www.tstark2010.com and www.stark2010.blog.com. All told, he already has upwards of 50 blog entries on a variety of issues, particularly related to tax and spending issues.
 
Here's a sample blog entry, from February 18, 2010:
 
Everyone who has passed the age of twelve has found out (through learning or hard knocks) that if you try to spend more than you have it doesn’t turn out well for anyone. You would think that someone who could con the American people into winning the Presidency would have reached that point. Apparently the obvious escapes him….or does it?
 
Does it not make more sense that he understands the principle, but is not concerned about that principle because he wants that principle to accomplish what cannot be accomplished in any other way without starting a literal revolution in the streets?
 
The questions that will lead you to that conclusion are as follows:

* What will continued spending far in excess of revenues received cause the deficit to do over the next ten years?
 
ANSWER: INCREASE. And at the rate the money is being projected to be spent, increase a bunch! More than all other Presidents have proposed spending in the past 230+ years!
 
* If continued spending on the same things that he has been spending on for the past 12 months does not increase the number of jobs available or increase the levels of tax revenue generated, what is there to make him believe that it will result in more jobs this coming year?
 
ANSWER: NOTHING. Because historically, increased spending by the federal government has never had a beneficial impact on the economy in recession. Ask Japan. The decade of the 1990s in Japan is known as the “lost decade” because “stimulus spending” prolonged Japan’s recession for nearly the entire decade before taxes and regulations were reduced and the economy miraculously rebounded.
 
* What is the eventual result in continued printing of money and spending of that money by the government going to have on the inflation rate, the value of the dollar, the credit standing of the U.S., and the government’s continued ability to borrow money when it really needs to (as in cases of national emergency, war, etc.)?
 
ANSWER: LOTS! Increased inflation - reduced value of the dollar - lower credit rating for government debt instruments (equaling higher borrowing rates for future bonds) - reduced ability to gain the credit required (people will not want our bonds as in the past because there is fear we will not repay them as promised).