Don't Buy Another Vote, I Won't Pay for a Landslide: The Sordid And Continuing History of Political Corruption in West Virginia

By Allen H. Loughry II and Allen H. Loughry

Book by Allen H. Loughry This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0870127489
• ISBN13: 9780870127489
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: McClain Printing Company
• Length: 623 Pages
• Weight: 2.76 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Don't Buy Another Vote, I Won't Pay for a Landslide

Dr. Allen Loughry's "Don't Buy Another Vote, I Won't Pay for a Landslide" is truly a breath of fresh air in a genre that sorely needed it. Most books written these days about the political arena and the corrupt nature attendant to it are riddled with shortcomings and philosophical pitfalls and, in the end, simply don't deliver. More often than not they serve to advance the agenda of their own writer, and the most painful part of the whole experience is how patently transparent that writer's intentions are. They provide little more than a laundry list of rants by an author perched high atop his/her soap box driven by a far greater concern for hijacking the pages of his/her own publication to simply rail against the establishment. The greater problem with this is how rarely they provide anything substantive in the way of suggested remedies for a very broken and morally bankrupt system that rules the day in American politics. With "Don't Buy Another Vote" Loughry breaks that mold. His writing is not only to the complete contrary of such a dissatisfying style, but it downright hits home. This is the political narrative that we've all been waiting to read, and it was well worth the wait. Unlike may authors who complain about the proverbial weather without doing anything to change it, Loughry does plenty, or at least he inspires us to do so. Not only does he call nearly 150 years worth of corrupt West Virginia officials out on the carpet for their egregious misdeeds, but he also provides suggestions for the type of reform he feels is necessary to correct this longstanding crisis. Loughry's "Contract With the Voter" is as innovative and well thought out as it is groundbreaking. Before the smoke settles, don't be surprised if this model for change might very well be adopted as the accepted norm for those seeking office not just in the Mountain State, but in any state. It's prolific in its simplicity and after reading it you'll find yourself saying..."Yes, why can't we implement something like THAT!?" From cover to cover Loughry's message resonates and his voice is true to the mark. A crisp writing style that goes a long way toward walking us through a murky history in which nothing sacred holds. A must read for all of us, irrespective of our own political affiliations. Loughry points out that corruption is not confined to party lines. Neither, for that matter, is the book now chronicling its long and ugly history in West Virginia.

Great Book!

Dr. Loughry has accomplished what very few individuals in the world of politics have ever been able to. He has written a book about politics from a no-bias point of view. Dr. Loughry pulls no punches in this book. He adresses the short comings of a corrupt political culture in both the republican and democratic parties. So many times you read a book and it either sways heavy to the right or left, Dr. Loughrys book does not sway, he appears to be an indidual that does not see left or right, but just sees right and wrong. Finaly we have someone that is not afraid to speak his mind and say what is right. We have a very corrupt political culture in this country and as voters we sit back and allow it to happen. Dr. Loughry gives us numerous examples of just that. Although this book is written about West Virgina politics, you could very easily substitute any state into these stories and be accurate. Corruption in politics doesn't draw a line in the sand at the Wild and Wonderful signs leading into and out of WV. Political corruption is nation wide, and we as voters are allowing it to happen. Politicans will play by whatever the rules are, if we as voters change those rules and start holding our politicans accountable for what they do and say, they will have no choice but to change the way they do buisness. Dr. Loughy not only documents numerous accounts of political corruption, he also has a plan to fix it. A real plan, not just lip service. His "Contract with the Voter" is just what this country needs. If you buy this book for no other reason, buy it just to read the "Contract with the voter". I have meet Dr. Loughry and he is a very impressive man. You can just tell from talking to him that he has a passion for what he beleives in, and he truely beleives that we can change, but it has to start with each voter and at the grass roots level. This book is a must read for not only West Virginias but for every person that takes part in elections in this country. Politics in West Virginia is no different than politics in California, Texas, or even Alaska. Political corruption will not end until we as the voters put an end to it and stand up for what is right. Dr. Loughry has given us a blueprint for how to stand up for what is right. I highly reccomend this book.

Shelly Mullenax

From vote buying to sexual assault -- when it comes to political corruption, this book has it all! It is incredible to me that so many politicians from just one state could be so crooked and flagrantly criminal. From false testimony under oath, to money laundering, to sexual assault on a minor, these West Virginia politicians do it all and in many cases continue, after being caught and often convicted, to serve the people of this beautiful state. Practically every day on the national news another politician bites the trustworthy dust with the announcement of yet another scandal or misuse of the public's money and trust. Read this book and then imagine mulitiplying all of that corruption by 50 (states) and then feel confident when you vote in the next primary or general election for a judge or governor of your state. Don't Buy Another Vote . . . gives detailed, well-researched and unbiased information in an easy to read and understandable verbage that makes you look forward to the next chapter of sleazy political corruption. The fact that the forewords are by a Democrat, Sen. Robert C. Byrd and a Republican, Sen. John McCain, show the independence with which this book is written. Because some of these stories are so incredible, I think anyone who enjoys political talk shows and books of political humor would enjoy reading this book. Also, law students and political science majors should have a copy for it's historical significance as well. For readers who don't know the primary characters, senators, presidents, congressmen, governors, judges, magistrates, etc., there is a huge section of photos including pictures of John F. Kennedy, John D. Rockefeller, Arch A. Moore, Jr., etc.

Unbelievably great book!

This is a fascinating read! Not only does it have true stories that read more like fiction, it has great photos and most of all thought-provoking ideas for political reform that should not only be considered for WV, but for all states. It's probably the most non-partisan book I've ever read on politics that does more than just complain about the problems, but actually gives good ideas to start fixing them. Plus, I found it to be well-researched, well-thought out, funny, endearing, and astonishing. I was very impressed!

BOOK REVIEW: `Don't Buy Another Vote; I Won't Pay for a Landslide' Chronicles WV's History of Politi

The past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past. William Faulkner Reviewed By David M. Kinchen Huntington News Network Book Critic Hinton, WV (HNN) - The history of West Virginia is more or less a sordid history of political corruption, with the entire state a rotten borough. That's the impression this constant reader comes away with after reading "Don't Buy Another Vote: I Won't Pay for a Landslide" by Allen H. Loughry II (McClain Printing Co., Parsons, WV, 658 pages, illustrated, annotated, indexed, with forewards by Robert C. Byrd and John McCain, $34.99) The "rotten borough" reference comes from Carey McWilliams, the legendary editor of The Nation magazine, and was made in 1946. A rotten borough in England was one that was thoroughly corrupt. It certainly makes Faulkner's comment about the past appropriate, because not long ago I did a story about more than 6,000 dead voters - or at least dead people who are still on the state's voting rolls - in West Virginia. I've got to say this for the Mountain State: I feel at home here, having spent much of my childhood and early adulthood in Illinois. There's a saying that if you're dead, you should move to Chicago because the dead can still vote in the Windy City. The book's catchy title comes from a comment attributed to Joe Kennedy during the 1960 presidential primary in West Virginia that pitted John F. Kennedy, a Roman Catholic, against Hubert H. Humphrey, a Protestant. Sensing that a state where 95 percent of the residents are Protestants of varying sects, the JFK campaign, masterminded by his father Joseph Kennedy, decided to play by WV Rules and buy the votes necessary for the charismatic young senator from Massachusetts to win the state on May 10, 1960 and the Democratic Presidential nomination at the convention in Los Angeles later that summer. No less an authority than President Harry S. Truman believed this story and is quoted by Loughry, a law clerk to WV Supreme Court Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard: "He [Joe Kennedy] bought West Virginia," Truman said. "I don't know how much it cost him; he's a tightfisted old son of a bitch; so he didn't [spend] any more than he had to, but he bought West Virginia, and that's how his boy won the Primary over Humphrey." Kennedy won the state by an 84,000 vote margin and was particularly strong in the state's southern coal counties, where Catholics aren't particularly thick on the ground. Throughout the book, Loughry states that while political corruption and vote buying is evident in all 55 counties, it's particularly strong in coal counties including - but not limited to Logan - probably the champion - Mingo, Wayne, Lincoln, McDowell and Boone - "all of which were dominated by political factions." "Factions" isn't a word I would use to describe Logan Sheriff Don Chafin or one of two nose-biters cited by Loughry in his tome. A particularly "cornpone" one - who could have been created for Al Capp's "L'll Abner" -- came from the southern part