Please remember this when thinking or writing about Joe Manchin and West Virginia

[Botany]

West VA politics are now and have been for years very dirty. Coal, energy producers, chemical companies,
and big money run the state and its politicians end of story. Since the UMW and other unions are now
almost gone from the state WV's people now vote against their own best interests consistently. I can't be
100% certain but I think Joe is owned by powerful forces who are against Joe Biden and what is good for
the American people and the people of W.V. too.

[JI7]

1. No, he just wants the attention

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Then why give it to him?

[JI7]

5. I don't give it to him much but others do. Maybe pay more attention to Sinema

since she is in a state that democrats actually won and can win again. The Democratic Senator voting with Biden has higher approvals than she does.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. It's those "others" I'm thinking about.

[Snoopy 7]

15. wrong

Just look at his voting record he has consistantly voted with the republican party and always questioned and consistently voted against the bills brought forward by the Democratic Party. Don't take my word just do your homework and look up his voting record.https://www.manchin.senate.gov/about/bipartisanship/legislation

[Deuce]

20. Thanks! Seems like he was proud to vote with Trump. Or just playing to his base.

[Mysterian]

23. Manchin voted for the ACA and voted to convict Trump

You're the one who needs to do some homework.

[olegramps]

18. Every vote is unfortunately primarily predicated on how it will affect their reelection.

It has very little to do with doing what is right for the American people. This is especially true in districts in which they don't have a strong majority of support for their party. I do think that this could be rectified in the future as more voters register as Independents. Political parties have been mired in constituencies that back a party candidate regardless of any other concern. This has been intensified with the barrage of extreme right-wing propaganda that dominates the conglomerate broadcast enterprises.

Its, "I know he or she is an absolute A-hole, but they are our A-hole."

[Funtatlaguy]

3. I think we should be a little careful about saying

someone is owned by any particular industry.
I know that our current President was called by some people to be owned by the banking and credit industries in Delaware.
I don’t think that was fair.
My beef isn’t so much with the very conservative people of West Virginia for giving us the countries most conservative Democratic Senator as it is with many other states that didn’t give us a more moderate or progressive one. Hello Maine. Hello NCarolina. Hello Iowa. Etc. etc.

We need to correct the situation in 2022 by flipping a few Senate seats and then we won’t have to rely on corralling everyone because of such a razor slim one vote majority to pass legislation.

And, hopefully, imho, we finally get rid of the archaic filibuster too. 😃😃😃

[True Blue American]

4. The statement that nothing

Will pass without his approval is just a little bit narcissistic, but Joe always gets something that will change his mind.

He is over doing it when Chris Wallace asks him if he is not enjoying his power too much.

[kentuck]

7. What happens if he switches Parties?

It could very well happen. He could win in WVA as a Republican/

[empedocles]

9. Imho, Manchin's personal identity is as a tough, independent.

He is 73, and can win as a longterm, successful Dem or a republicon. Why switch?

He grew up in hardscrabble W. Va. Been in politics for most of his adult life. Knows his constituency.

Since childhood, a longterm friend of also another successful ex football player, Nick Saban of college football fame.
Both had Croat mothers. Both are very tough, successful and very independent.

Both have their fierce, righteous critics, which doesn't seem to bother them much.
Both are in a position to play their own game as they see fit.

[FBaggins]

11. A whole bunch of people will have to live with Josh Lyman's nightmare

Carrick: "I'm not leaving the party because of you - but you made it a whole lot easier.”

At least... we hope so. They might have to live with the reality that it is because of them.

[lagomorph777]

29. How would we know?

I think it would be hard to see the difference.

[True Blue American]

8. Claire McKaskill

Just said that Manchin is setting up Republicans to say no, then he can say he tried.

You think?

[femmedem]

13. I think she may be right, at least for reconciliation.

I say that only because he does call out the Republicans for obstruction in his op-ed.
I don't think he's going to change his mind about the filibuster, though. He didn't leave himself any wiggle room.

[uponit7771]

25. Yes, Manchin sounds like dems Susan Collins

[samplegirl]

10. My next door neighbor

is a trumpet from W. Virginia that loves Manchin.
So yes I get the idea he tells his people behind closed door his message.

[NurseJackie]

12. So, you're accusing Joe Manchin (a Democrat) of being corrupt?

I can't be 100% certain but I think Joe is owned by powerful forces who are against Joe Biden

So, you're accusing Joe Manchin (a Democrat) of being corrupt? That's what it sounds like. I see you've been very careful with the disclaimer, but the insinuation that he's corrupt is still very obvious. Perhaps you didn't intend for it to sound that way, but one thing is certain: it serves no good purpose to alienate him, diminish him, or to make people believe (or suspect) that he's "owned" and corrupt.

[Escurumbele]

17. You do know about a couple of issues with his daughter, right?

"Bresch is the daughter of former West Virginia Governor and current U.S. Senator, Joe Manchin. Bresch has been a central figure in two controversies: a 2007 accusation of inflating her resume with an unearned MBA degree, and as the CEO of Mylan during the 2016 controversy over pricing of the company's EpiPen products."

I am a Democrat, but it would be naïve to think that our party could not have people who may have weaknesses towards money and big corporations. I am not saying Manchin is one of them, but his pondering to his "republican friends" make me think he is there more for himself than for the people he is supposed to represent.

As a representative you have to fight for the ideals you swore to abide to, as a Democrat it is not very difficult to teach people about the bills that are being presented and how it benefits them, I am sure the Democratic party would support him in any campaign where he needed to present those ideas, why is he not doing it and instead playing the bi-partisan guy? Any person with 1/2 brain knows republicans are not there to be bi-partisan.

[NurseJackie]

19. It was aliens!

You do know about a couple of issues with his daughter, right?

Okay. So?

I am a Democrat,

Of course you are.

I am not saying Manchin is one of them, but his pondering to his "republican friends" make me think he is there more for himself than for the people he is supposed to represent.

In most cases, any sentence that starts off with "I'm not saying..." ends up being the opposite of what someone "isn't saying".

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

22. Manchin is obstructing President Biden's agenda,

and if he continues to obstruct President Biden's very popular agenda, he may be singly responsible for Democrats losing the House and Senate in 2022, and the White House in 2024.

Time is of the essence, and McConnell and McCarthy are ecstatic that a Democrat is willing to help them run out the clock without any more significant popular Democrat sponsored legislation being passed before the 2022 election. They know that further obstruction of the Biden agenda will cause a repeat of the 2010 elections, in which Democrats were slaughtered due to legislation being obstructed by conservatives in both parties.

Obstructing the passage of HR 1, a bill that is critical to overriding Red State voter suppression legislation, and preventing a fascist takeover of our federal government, is the very worst thing any Democrat could possibly do at this point in history.

How will any obstructive Democrat explain actions that directly caused Republicans to take over the House, Senate, and White House after our Democracy is abolished, and a permanent anti-democratic authoritarian fascist minority dictatorship is established over the former United States?

I sure as heck don't want to live in a Handmaid's Tale dystopian nightmare, but it seems that all those who obstruct the passage of HR 1 do.

[NurseJackie]

24. We are SO lucky to have Joe Manchin!! I'm glad he's one of OUR OWN! Count your blessings!

He's not perfect, but it's better than having an actual Republican in his seat who would give the GOP the majority in the Senate.



https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/M001183-joe-manchin-iii/compare-votes/K000384-tim-kaine/115
Joe Manchin III and Tim Kaine are from the same party and agreed on 78 percent of votes in the 115th Congress (2017-18).

https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/M001183-joe-manchin-iii/compare-votes/V000128-chris-van-hollen/115
Joe Manchin III and Chris Van Hollen are from the same party and agreed on 71 percent of votes in the 115th Congress (2017-18).

https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/M001183-joe-manchin-iii/compare-votes/C000141-benjamin-l-cardin/115
Joe Manchin III and Benjamin L. Cardin are from the same party and agreed on 74 percent of votes in the 115th Congress (2017-18).

https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/M001183-joe-manchin-iii/compare-votes/F000457-al-franken/115
Joe Manchin III and Al Franken are from the same party and agreed on 73 percent of votes in the 115th Congress (2017-18).

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

26. That's pretty good, but means nothing if we descend into permanent fascism due to those who

obstruct the passage of HR 1, which will cause us to descend into a permanent authoritarian dictatorship.

Republicans roll out “tidal wave of voter suppression”: 253 restrictive bills in 43 states

Republicans across the country responded to record voter turnout by unleashing a flurry of legislation aimed at restricting ballot access, citing concerns over unfounded allegations of rampant voter fraud that they themselves stoked for months.

At least 253 bills with provisions restricting voting access have been introduced, pre-filed, or carried over in 43 states, mostly by Republicans, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School, dwarfing the number of similar bills filed at this point in 2020.

Many of these measures are in response to a "rash of baseless and racist allegations of voter fraud and election irregularities" that former President Trump and his Republican allies promoted for months without any evidence, the Brennan Center report said.

"We are about to be hit with a tidal wave of voter suppression legislation by Republican legislatures throughout the country," warned Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic attorney and founder of the voting rights advocacy group Democracy Docket, who batted back many of the election lawsuits filed by Trump and his supporters. Elias said in an interview with Salon that he fears this could result in a historic "contraction of voting rights like we have not seen in recent memory."

https://www.salon.com/2021/02/27/republicans-roll-out-tidal-wave-of-voter-suppression-253-restrictive-bills-in-43-states/

I highly recommend reading the entire article.

https://seditiontracker.com/

[NurseJackie]

27. I'd rather have him than not.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

28. Well, of course. Even if we don't manage to pass any more legislation,

it is at least better than having McConnell as Senate Majority Leader.

[Botany]

31. How about?

I think Joe answers to powerful forces who are against Joe Biden and the American people.

[NurseJackie]

32. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, and hoping that it was just a hasty post...

... that wasn't well-considered or thought out.

How about? I think Joe answers to powerful forces who are against Joe Biden and the American people.

Enhhh... sorry. That's not better. In the end, it all amounts to the same insinuation and accusation, doesn't it? It's just a different way of saying the same thing, isn't it?

The great care spent with the parsing of words and being euphemistic tells me that the original insult and accusation was deliberate, rather than an unintentional lapse of good judgement.

These times are stressful. I hope that we're all able to do our best to think clearly, remember who the true enemy is. We should count our blessings.

[Botany]

33. W.V. is owned by Coal (less now), Chemical Companies, Energy Producers, Extractive Industries, an...

... "old boy" banking and money system, and keeping a large % of the people angry @ the libs, environmentalists,
gays, blacks, gun grabbers, educated people, and people who don't believe in their God so that they will vote against
their own best interests almost all the time. To think that Sen. Manchin does not answer to those powerful interests
(who in many cases do not live in the state) is not being in the real world.

I love the state and I spent a lot of time and money there and many areas of the state are as pretty as anyplace on earth
but you also have many people who are really nasty, racist, and in some cases very poor too.

[NurseJackie]

34. It's a mixed bag.

[Escurumbele]

14. Its his job to convince the people of WV that what the Democratic party is proposing is for their

benefit, not to play to the big donors.

If the people voted for him it is because they want Democratic solutions, not a clown pondering to big business and republicans, if they wanted that they would have voted for a republican.

There is no excuse, zero.

[Snoopy 7]

16. Don't forget

https://democraticunderground.com/100215314176

[UCmeNdc]

21. Someone need to tell Joe Manchin to "man up" and help WV.

He needs to work with Schumer to get extra WV infrastructure projects for himself, then show all of the WV voters how much he and the Democratic party has helped WV. He would become a legend there.

Forget those "fair weather" GOP friends.

[Iggo]

30. Fuck Joe Manchin.

Yeah, I thought about it.