When it comes to the recently completed 60-day legislative session, if the only goal was to potentially bring data centers to West Virginia that are powered by microgrids, then perhaps lawmakers should get an A. Other than that — and let’s be clear, data centers and microgrids might create property tax revenue but they do nothing for jobs — the Legislature has little to show from this session that will help Gov. Patrick Morrisey in his quest to win an economic backyard brawl with West Virginia’s neighboring states.

At best, they get a D.

Morrisey this past week did tout that 12 of the 14 bills he pushed this session passed. That’s a good first-session performance for the governor. However, none of those bills — save, perhaps, Senate Bill 458, which allows licensed professionals to practice here if they already are licensed in another state — will do much to make West Virginia more competitive. If that was the stated goal coming in, then what was the point of the past 60 days? To discuss vaccine exemptions? No companies were lining up over that. How about spending the session’s final hours arguing over a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs? Again, that’s not moving the needle on West Virginia’s future.

There are additional examples, but it comes down to this: What is the future of this state? Are we content to simply jog in place, saying some of the right things with no real intention of doing the work to make them happen, as our neighbors leave us behind?

Or, at some point, will our leaders actually … lead? Nothing done in this session will change the trajectory of our state. Are West Virginians content with that?