Mark Caserta: Open the Republican Primary — Don’t Close the Door on Common-Sense Conservatives

4 Aug

West Virginia has changed dramatically over the past two decades.

There was a time when a candidate almost had to be a Democrat to win statewide office. Today, the political landscape has flipped. In many races, the Republican primary has become the election that ultimately decides who will represent us.

That reality raises an important question:

Should nearly one-third of West Virginia’s registered voters be locked out of the election that often determines who will govern them?

I don’t believe they should.

Choosing to register as an Independent isn’t necessarily a rejection of conservative values. For many people, it’s a decision to simply place principle above party. 

Many Independent voters are simply frustrated with both major political parties. They are hardworking, taxpaying West Virginians who believe in limited government, fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, and common sense. They simply don’t want a political label to define them.

Yet today, if those same citizens want to vote for the Republican candidate they believe best represents conservative, common sense values, they are told they cannot.

That doesn’t make much sense.

The argument for a closed Republican primary is that Democrats could cross over and intentionally vote for a weaker Republican candidate in hopes of making the general election easier to win.

I understand that concern. But where is the evidence that it is occurring on any meaningful scale in West Virginia?

More importantly, even if that possibility exists, should we punish thousands of Independent voters because of what might happen?

The practical effect of a closed primary is certain: thousands of Independent voters who share conservative values are denied a voice in choosing the Republican nominee.

During this year’s primary election, many Independent voters arrived at the polls expecting to vote for a Republican candidate, only to discover they couldn’t. Some left frustrated. Some left angry. Others simply accepted a Democrat ballot without even asking for one. 

Instead of creating new Republican voters, we created disappointed citizens.

Ask yourself this:

Is that really how we grow the conservative movement?

If someone consistently supports conservative ideas, believes in constitutional government, wants lower taxes, supports law enforcement, believes in personal responsibility, and shares our values, why should we tell them they are not welcome to help choose our nominee?

Political parties should earn support through sound ideas, principled leadership, and faithful representation—not by requiring voters to change their registration before they can participate.

If Republican ideas are truly the best ideas, we shouldn’t fear more conservative-minded voters participating in the process.

We should persuade them—not exclude them.

West Virginia’s voter registration has changed dramatically. 

The days when Democrats dominated our elections are gone. Today, many people who once identified as Democrats have become Republicans. Others have simply become Independents—not because they’ve abandoned conservative values, but because they’ve grown weary of partisan politics.

Ironically, some observers have noted that candidates with traditionally Democrat viewpoints have chosen to register as Republicans because that’s where today’s electoral advantage exists. 

Whether or not that’s widespread, it illustrates a larger point: party registration is no longer a reliable measure of a person’s beliefs!

What should matter is the principles they support—not the label beside their name.

I would also submit it’s worth asking a constitutional and fairness question.

Yes, courts have generally recognized a political party’s right to determine who may participate in its nominating process. 

But should a publicly funded election exclude thousands of taxpaying West Virginians from participating in the contest that, in many races, effectively decides who will represent them?

That isn’t just a legal question. It’s a question of good government, representative democracy, and plain common sense.

This is also a matter of political and mathematical reality.

We cannot lock out nearly one-third of the electorate and then expect those same voters to enthusiastically support our nominees in November. 

If our goal is to build a stronger Republican Party, we should be inviting conservative-minded Independents into the process—not pushing them away.  

There isn’t a single major political faction or campaign in America that would simply concede the independent vote. They absolutely know they need it to win!

Winning elections isn’t about building smaller circles.

It’s about building larger movements.

I believe it’s time for the West Virginia Republican Party to reconsider its decision and reopen its primary to unaffiliated voters.

Let’s compete for their votes.

Let’s earn their trust.

Let’s persuade them with conservative principles, constitutional and Biblical values, and strong candidates.

Because in the end, a stronger Republican Party won’t be built by locking people out.

It will be built by welcoming every freedom-loving West Virginian who wants to help shape our future.

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Mark Caserta: It’s time to re-open the WV GOP Primaries

1 Aug
The dynamics have changed. It’s time to allow independent-minded voters to make their voices heard in the GOP primary elections.

Roughly 1/3 of registered voters in West Virginia align with Independent or a party outside of the 2 major parties.


They exceed the percentage of registered Democrats now.


The dynamics have changed. People are upset with both major parties and are aligning with Independent voters.


We must re-open the GOP primaries.


We can’t disenfranchise these voters and expect them to vote GOP in the general election.


In fact, Independents who showed up to vote Republican were automatically given a Democrat ballot in some polling locations.

RINOs are going to vote for their candidate, regardless.


Originally I agreed with the concept of a closed primary,


Times have changed.

We must change with them if we expect to win.

The GOP can attract the independent voter because the left has gone totally insane!

Open the GOP primaries.

Mark Caserta: Many Americans are literally giving our country away. Are you one of them?

30 Jul

Mark Caserta has been an opinion columnist for 26 years and was candidate for WV House of Delegates in Wayne County in 2026

Many Americans—including many Christians—are literally giving their country away.

Get angry with me if you want, but don’t complain about what you permit to happen.

Voter apathy is killing our nation.

According to multiple sources, only about 75 percent of Christians are registered to vote. Remember, your vote is your voice.

Of those Christians who are registered, only an estimated 75 percent actually vote. That means, roughly speaking, only a little over 56 percent of those who identify as Christians cast a ballot. Turnout among the rest of the eligible voting population is even lower, which is equally troubling.

And that’s during a presidential election year. In off-year elections, voter participation drops even further.

Nearly every day, I talk with people who tell me they are sick of politics and have lost faith that their vote makes any difference.

Politicians bear a great deal of responsibility for that.

In a constitutional republic, elected officials work for the people. They are hired by the voters for one purpose: to represent their constituents.

Too many politicians have forgotten that. They say what they need to say to get elected, then spend their time advancing their own ideological agenda or that of their party’s leadership instead of faithfully representing the people who sent them to office.

So, how do we begin to change this?

I believe it starts with three simple steps:

1. Politicians must return to the foundational principle of our republic: represent the people who elected you—even when their views do not align perfectly with your own.

2. Congress should act to strengthen election integrity, including measures such as the SAVE Act, which supporters say would ensure that only American citizens vote in federal elections.

3. Every eligible voter—including every Christian—must study the candidates, make an informed decision, and vote.

Just as important, if your elected representative fails to do the job, fire them at the next election.

These ideas are not complicated. In fact, our Founding Fathers intentionally designed our system to be this straightforward.

I still believe there is hope for America.

But hope alone has never changed a nation.

Action does.

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Mark Caserta: Unwarranted government surveillance under the guise of protection is only the beginning.

20 Jul

History records the progressive movement will use this foothold to advance their agenda!

My entire adult life, I have observed, studied, and written about the progressive movement. What began as a movement that many viewed as advancing society has, over time, evolved into an effort to transform society itself.

In 1973, the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade recognized a constitutional right to abortion while also acknowledging limits intended to protect the health of the pregnant woman and what the Court described as “potential life.” Under the Court’s original framework, abortions after viability could generally be prohibited, except when necessary to protect the life or health of the mother.

Over the years, however, the national debate expanded dramatically. Controversial procedures, including what became known as “partial-birth abortion,” and even “live-birth abortions were performed, heinously murdering an innocent life.  The original decision was the catalyst for disaster.

The cultural shift did not stop there.

In the 1970s, network television was vastly different from what we see today. Sexual content was limited. Profanity was heavily restricted. Violence, while present, was generally restrained. Families could sit down together during prime time with a reasonable expectation that the programming would be suitable for everyone.

Today, I don’t need to describe how different things have become. What is now considered mainstream entertainment would have been unthinkable on network television in that era.

Likewise, legal and social debates surrounding LGBTQ issues have continued to evolve over the decades. Questions involving marriage, employment protections, military service, and gender identity have all developed on different timelines.

Today, we have biological males competing in women’s sports and having access to women’s locker rooms—issues that would have seemed unimaginable to many Americans just a generation ago.

The same pattern is emerging in another area that should concern every citizen: government surveillance.

The Fourth Amendment has protected Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures since 1791. Yet today, many progressives casually support warrantless camera systems, such as Flock cameras, that record and track the movements of law-abiding citizens without individualized suspicion.

Some argue that this type of surveillance is not specifically prohibited by the Fourth Amendment. But the Framers anticipated that future generations might attempt to narrow the people’s liberties by exploiting technicalities. That is precisely why they included the Ninth Amendment.

The Ninth Amendment makes clear that just because a right is not specifically listed in the Constitution does not mean the people do not possess that right. It was intended to prevent the federal government from claiming authority over every aspect of our lives simply because a particular liberty was not expressly enumerated.

This is how progressivism often advances. Change rarely comes all at once. It begins with policies that appear modest, reasonable, or even beneficial. Then the boundaries continue to move. What was once described as an exception becomes the norm. What was once considered unacceptable gradually becomes expected.

It’s the desensitization of Americans.

The objective is not merely to reform society but to redefine it.

There comes a point when every generation must decide whether it will preserve the principles it inherited or surrender them one compromise at a time.

For me, that decision is clear.

It is time to exercise common sense. It is time to stand for the enduring principles found in the Holy Bible and the Constitution of the United States. If we fail to defend them today, we should not be surprised to find that future generations no longer enjoy the freedoms we inherited.

How to Fight Deployment of Flock and Other Mass Surveillance License Plate Readers in Your Community | American Civil Liberties Union

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Mark Caserta: The Price of Freedom

18 Jul

“Today, the threats to liberty may not come in the form of muskets and cannon fire. More often they arrive quietly—through complacency, the steady erosion of constitutional freedoms, or the willingness to trade liberty for convenience, security, or political expediency. Who are we to casually relinquish our freedoms brave men and women have died to protect?“

Young George Washington was suddenly awakened by the deafening roar of muskets and cannon fire. He had been unconscious, suffering from a severe case of dysentery, but the thunder of battle gave him the strength to rise and discover what was happening around him.

Having failed in his first military command against the French and their Native American allies, Washington had resigned his commission. Yet when the call came again, he volunteered to serve in any capacity he could, determined to do his part in defending the future of the New World.

Amid the thick powder smoke and chaos of battle, Washington mounted his horse to assess the situation.

“The battle is lost,” he was warned. “Turn back, Washington. Save yourself. It isn’t worth the risk.”

But George Washington knew his fellow soldiers were trapped on the front lines. He refused to abandon them. Instead, he spurred his horse toward the fiercest fighting, determined to lead from the front rather than seek safety in the rear.

History records that George Washington was remarkably protected that day. As bullets ripped through the air around him, he rode fearlessly across the battlefield, rallying frightened soldiers and helping as many as possible escape certain death. Though General Braddock’s army had been overwhelmed and the battle was ultimately lost, Washington’s courage prevented an even greater catastrophe.

With General Braddock mortally wounded and panic spreading through the ranks, Washington organized the retreat, encouraged his exhausted troops, and directed them to use the cover of the trees rather than continue fighting in the open. His calm leadership amid chaos saved countless lives and transformed what could have been a complete annihilation into an orderly withdrawal.

By the end of the battle, hundreds of brave men had sacrificed their lives at the Battle of the Monongahela, also known as Braddock’s Defeat. Yet George Washington emerged from the battlefield untouched, despite having two horses shot from beneath him and multiple bullet holes through his coat.

Many who witnessed the battle believed Divine Providence had preserved his life for a greater purpose—a purpose that would eventually lead him to command the Continental Army, guide a fledgling nation to independence, and become the first President of the United States.

Freedom has never been free. It never has been, and it never will be.

Our nation’s liberty was purchased with the courage, sacrifice, and blood of men and women who believed there were principles worth dying for. They understood that freedom is never guaranteed. It survives only when ordinary people are willing to stand against extraordinary odds.

George Washington could have turned his horse and ridden to safety. Instead, he rode into the battle.

That decision did more than save lives. It revealed the character of a man who would later lead a revolution and help establish the greatest experiment in self-government the world has ever known.

Today, the threats to liberty may not come in the form of muskets and cannon fire. More often they arrive quietly—through complacency, the steady erosion of constitutional freedoms, or the willingness to trade liberty for convenience, security, or political expediency.

Every generation is called to defend freedom. Ours is no different. Who are we to casually relinquish our freedoms brave men and women have died to protect?

The question is not whether freedom will require sacrifice.

The question is whether we will have the courage to pay its price.

But even a pawn can take the King.

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Mark Caserta: Voter question to politicians regarding 4th amendment rights.

16 Jul

“Do you support warrantless surveillance and a searchable record of a person’s every movement?”

Voters deserve to know where their elected officials and those running in November, stand concerning every issue!

So this is worthy of a share.

It’s our jobs to learn all there is to know about a candidate’s position on an issue. It is ALSO the candidate’s responsibility to be transparent about where they stand!

But the silence surrounding the constitutionality of warrantless surveillance through Flock cameras has been deafening…
…not only from some local elected officials, but also from those asking to become our next representatives.

What concerns me is when politicians avoid taking a position on important constitutional issues because they fear it may cost them votes. Too often, those positions don’t become clear until after Election Day.

We all understand that this is ultimately a city decision. That’s not the question.

The question is this:

Do you believe warrantless government surveillance through Flock cameras is consistent with the Constitution?

I would genuinely like to know “where our local elected officials—and every candidate on the November ballot—stand on this issue”.

The voters deserve an answer.

IRAN DEAL PROVIDES ENEMY TIME AND MONEY

10 Jul

Iran gamble gives Tehran time and money

Dec. 12, 2013 @ 12:00 AM

The Obama administration is gambling on the world stage, and the stakes are very high.

A deal was reached last month with Tehran and six major powers meant to freeze key components of the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

At the time the deal was signed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “historic mistake” and one that made the world a “much more dangerous place.”

Consider first, the players at the table — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

An argument can be made that the interest of our closest ally and the nation with the most to lose from these negotiations was missing from the table. That is Israel.

Second, both China and Russia are known to be actively engaged in assisting Tehran in its nuclear and missile technology. In fact, the very foundation of Tehran’s nuclear program can be traced to extensive Chinese and Russian cooperation.

Tehran has received extensive missile testing and guidance assistance from China and Russia, according to multiple reports. In June 1996, the results of a Congressional hearing cited U.S. intelligence findings that China had already “delivered dozens, perhaps hundreds of missile guidance systems and computerized tools to Iran.”

With Russian help, Iranian scientists have set up two sites to use laser technology to “more efficiently” enrich uranium which could be used for a nuclear bomb. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports Tehran expects Russia to build two “additional” nuclear plants in the Bushehr province where they’ve been assisting the Iranians for years.

Two years ago, the IAEA released a comprehensive report on Tehran’s nuclear program based on intelligence from multiple countries, interviews with scientists who helped Tehran develop their program and the IAEA’s own investigations.

The report clearly indicated Iran engaged in “activities relevant to the development of a nuclear device.” These activities include:

Research on uranium cores and detonators for nuclear weapons.

Acquiring nuclear weapons information and documentation from a clandestine supply network.

Developing an indigenous nuclear weapons design and testing of the components.

Computer modeling of nuclear explosions and logistics for nuclear testing.

Engineering studies to adapt missiles for nuclear warheads.

The IAEA’s May 2013 report noted Tehran already had a sufficient stockpile of enriched uranium to produce weapons-grade uranium for seven nuclear bombs and was continuing to increase its capacity to enrich to weapons-grade.

Remember, Tehran is considered to be the leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing financial support and training for organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and others.

The United States seems to be the only nation with no “down cards” in this apocalyptic game. Inspections and “fail-safe” measures aside, once a rogue nation has technology, it cannot be extracted!

A good gambler knows when to walk away. Right now, President Obama is “all in,” wagering the safety of millions on the hope we can trust Tehran, China and Russia — and the odds aren’t favorable.

Staying in this game provides our enemies with the two resources they need most — time and money.

Mark Caserta is a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

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Mark Caserta: Democrat policies have heightened the appetite for Socialism/Communism

26 Jun

I remember a time when socialist-leaning politicians tried to hide their Marxist tendencies for fear of public rejection. Today, many are openly campaigning on those ideas — and in some places, they are winning.

How did this happen?

How could a nation that became the most economically powerful and prosperous country on earth through capitalism now have a growing segment of voters openly embracing socialism and even communism?

Here is what happened — and far too few people are willing to say it.

The chickens have come home to roost for the Democrat Party.

For decades, far-left Democrats have worked to build voting blocs, not by inspiring independence, opportunity, and achievement, but by creating dependency, division, and grievance. Rather than earning votes through policies that strengthen families, create jobs, and restore hope, they have too often attempted to purchase loyalty through government control and political promises.

They have appealed to women through abortion politics and cultural movements. They have sought the LGBTQ vote by elevating identity politics above common sense. They have fanned the flames of racial resentment while claiming to represent the very communities their policies have failed for generations. They have expanded a nanny-state that weakens industry, eliminates good-paying jobs, and leaves too many families dependent on the very government that helped create their struggle.

They have also opened the door to millions entering this country illegally under the banner of compassion, while offering free housing, healthcare, benefits, and services that many hardworking American citizens can barely afford.

This did not happen by accident.

The far-left ideology of today’s Democrat Party has helped create a voter base that has not fully experienced the promise and discipline of true capitalism. Too many have not been encouraged to work, build, fail, learn, grow, and achieve the American Dream. Instead, they have been told that government is the source of success.

They were told, “You didn’t build that.”

Government did.

Now that culture has come to full fruition in many blue states and cities. People look around and see decline, chaos, poverty, crime, broken families, and a growing lack of hope. And sadly, many of the people voting for socialist Democrats are not bad people. Many are simply trying to survive in the very system they were handed.

When hope disappears, people become willing to try almost anything — even failed ideas that history has warned us about again and again.

Winston Churchill is often credited with saying:

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”

Whether one studies history, economics, or human nature, the lesson is clear: socialism does not lift people into prosperity. It spreads dependency, envy, and misery.

The failures of the Democrat Party have helped give birth to the very appetite for socialism they now pretend is compassion. Their policies have not produced strength. They have produced dependency. They have not produced unity. They have produced division. They have not produced hope. They have produced desperation.

I believe this movement will continue to grow unless it is confronted not merely with words, but with results. People do not just need speeches. They need jobs. They need safe communities. They need strong families. They need opportunity. They need leaders who are more interested in restoring hope than preserving political power.

Make no mistake: the appetite for socialism and communism in America did not appear overnight. It was cultivated through decades of failed policies, broken promises, and political dependency.

As this ideology spreads, I believe we will see the socio-economic gap grow even wider between states and cities that embrace freedom and those that embrace government control.

Perhaps it will take a massive failure — a real-time history lesson — for some voters to understand why America became the greatest nation on earth in the first place.

But I pray it does not come to that.

May God bless and protect this nation along the journey.

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Mark Caserta: Democrat Party is failing Americans with their insane ideologies.

13 Jun

The Democrat Party has abdicated common sense, along with its responsibility to represent and protect its constituents and the American people.

I would describe it as intellectual dishonesty, but that would require at least some evidence of intellectual activity from the Left.

The recent insertion of four-letter expletives by Democratic leaders in their protests against our president only confirms what many Americans already know: their vocabulary is shrinking in direct proportion to their reasoning ability.

Their political methodology increasingly resembles kamikaze tactics. They seem perfectly willing to crash and burn on the hill of radical, ultra-left causes, while representation, responsibility, and loyalty to the founding principles of our Republic never even enter the conversation.

Frankly, it appears as though they have given up any serious hope of winning another election on merit. Instead, they flail about wildly like an inflatable, wacky, waving tube man, firing insults at Donald Trump while desperately trying to draw as much attention to themselves as possible.

It is sad that Democrats no longer seem capable of feeling humiliation. If a real leader does not emerge soon to provide a badly needed course correction, they may find themselves wandering even further into political irrelevance.

No doubt, Trump Derangement Syndrome — along with the stupefaction that Donald Trump not only survived their relentless and shameless attacks, but was re-elected president — has stripped them of the capacity to produce a rational thought.

They seem committed to taking the wrong side of every argument, even on the most obvious issues affecting the well-being of the American people.

On the issue of allowing men to participate in women’s sports, every single Democrat U.S. senator recently voted against legislation designed to protect the dignity, integrity, and safety of female athletes by banning men from competing in women’s sports.

The fact that this is even up for debate is a prime example of the progressive agenda in America. That agenda has had far too much success because of our apathy and our unwillingness to engage in defense of Biblical values.

Democrats are clearly comfortable with women being forced to share locker rooms with biological males.

They are aligned with males who, unable to successfully compete against men in men’s sports, redefine themselves as females in order to win trophies and deny deserving young women the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.

Democrats are also apparently fine with allowing stronger male athletes to compete physically against females, potentially risking both physical and emotional harm to female athletes.

Regarding your tax dollars, Democrats are defending the obvious waste, fraud, and abuse of your hard-earned money now being exposed daily by the Department of Government Efficiency.

I find it insulting that, year after year, Democrats predictably call for higher taxes simply to bankroll their greed and dereliction of duty — all while knowing that the money you need to feed your family, fuel your car, or pay your bills is being wasted, misused, or stolen.

One cannot help but wonder who and what will ultimately be exposed as complicit in this waste and fraud.

Democrats are proving to the American people that a vote to keep them in power is worth far more to them than your health, safety, and welfare. Their opposition to President Trump’s pledge to shut down illegal border crossings makes that painfully clear.

They would much rather see millions of illegal migrants — including some criminals of the highest order — enter our country unfettered. Their desired return on that investment is simple: future votes from those receiving food, housing, education, and healthcare at the expense of the American taxpayer.

The bottom line is this: the Democrat Party hates President Donald J. Trump far more than it loves our country or its citizens.

Their priorities have been exposed by their actions, and every American should take note.

Through it all, the re-election of Donald Trump has allowed the American people to recognize one thing liberal Democrats have truly mastered.

Lying to the American people.

Mark Caserta: The Cost of Apathy: Our Responsibility to Preserve the Republic

18 May

One of the most troubling realities in America today is not merely political division or disagreement—it is voter apathy. Across our nation, elections at every level often reveal a painful truth: many citizens simply choose not to participate. While countless Americans passionately voice concerns about government decisions, taxes, schools, the economy, and the future direction of our country, far too many never take the time to perform one of the most fundamental responsibilities of citizenship: voting.

Our Founders entrusted the American people with something extraordinary. They gave us not a monarchy, not a dictatorship, but a constitutional republic—a government in which the people themselves bear responsibility for choosing those who represent them. Benjamin Franklin famously remarked that America was “a republic, if you can keep it.” Those words still ring true today because maintaining our Republic was never intended to be a passive exercise.

For nearly 250 years, brave men and women have fought, sacrificed, and died to defend the freedoms we often take for granted. From the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, through the beaches of Normandy, the mountains of Korea, the jungles of Vietnam, the deserts of the Middle East, and countless other conflicts, generations of Americans answered the call to preserve liberty. Many never came home. Others returned carrying visible and invisible wounds that would remain with them for a lifetime.

They fought not merely for land or politics. They fought for principles—for freedom, for self-government, and for the right of Americans to determine their own future.

Freedom is not free.

We often hear those words repeated at patriotic events and memorial ceremonies, but sometimes we fail to stop and consider what they truly mean. Freedom has always carried a cost. It was paid with blood, sacrifice, hardship, courage, and devotion to something greater than oneself.

Yet today many citizens willingly surrender one of the most powerful tools they possess by choosing not to vote.

When good people remain silent, decisions do not simply disappear. Elections still occur. Policies are still created. Laws are still passed. School boards still make decisions. Leaders still take office. If we refuse to participate, we effectively allow others—people who may not share our values, principles, or vision—to determine the future direction of our communities and ultimately the future for our children and grandchildren.

Voting is not merely a right; it is a responsibility. It is our opportunity to honor those who sacrificed before us and preserve what they fought to protect.

The future of America will not be determined solely by those who vote. It may also be determined by those who choose not to.

The Republic belongs to all of us. Keeping it requires all of us as well.

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