Senator Joe Manchin … he refuses to ditch the ignominious filibuster, doesn’t think minimum wage should be $15 an hour, and in general is acting more like a republican than a democrat. Jeff is nicer than I am at this point, and has written a thoughtful post about the senator. Thanks, Jeff!
One Senator from West Virginia is getting lots of attention these days. Over the last week, we saw the sausage-making legislative process rear its ugly head in the Senate. But finally, on Saturday, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act was passed by a 50-49 strictly partisan vote. That’s right, not one Republican voted for the bill.
But the fact the bill was partisan is no shock. We knew going in that Republicans were not going to vote for it, no matter what the Democrats proposed – unless, of course, they lowered it so much that a couple of GOP members may have voted for it. Never mind. President Biden wanted the massive bill, and he got it.
Indeed, some watering down of the bill occurred. And we owe much of that to Joe Manchin from the state mentioned above, West Virginia. He negotiated to lower the income threshold for people…
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Filosofa's Word 
I asked this question on Jeff’s blog: Do West Virginia still believe they don’t deserve better?
Elect someone who cares, about them!
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Maybe. West Virginia is one of the most uneducated and economically depressed states in the union. Their almost sole product is coal, which is going bye-bye at a rapid rate (as it should). It is also a very much red (Republican) state, and yet Manchin, a democrat, has won election after election there, which tells you something in itself.
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The story it tells is not only sad, but terrifying!
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Agreed. Everything about this country right now is terrifying.
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I think Manchin is using his pivotal position as a power play. He is the wild card that D’s will need to pander to, if they want to get anything done.
At this point I see Manchin as a R, pretending to be a D, using his position as a play toy, to stroke his ego.
But… I want to see how this plays out with the next few bills, before I get too upset over this guy. It doesn’t look like we lost a helluva lot on this covid relief bill, to make him happy. I still suspect, it’s political posturing and ego stroking. Until I see something that changes my mind.
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Well, like you, I have speculated that he is a closet Republican. But, when you consider the demographics of his state, West Virginia, a very red state, perhaps he feels he must pander to the right.
No, we didn’t lose much on the stimulus bill, but my bigger concern is HR1 … if the filibuster is invoked, it will not pass, and the states that are trying to suppress our votes will likely be successful unless the courts stop them. I have grave concerns about the future of this country if the GOP has their way with voter suppression.
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The whole system is busted. Needs to be fundamentally changed. But still that then leaves the people running the show. They need changing as well.
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Some days I think we should blow it to smithereens and start over. Sigh.
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I’d make a comment about West “By God” Virginia, but there is really no point.
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Exactly … I’ve been to W.Va., had a sister-in-law who was from there, and … well, I know just what you mean.
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WV…
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Yep, nothing more need be said.
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He might prove he’s not the puppet of the liberals, but the things he dug his heels in on also prove he’s not interested in getting his constituents what they need either. I doubt it will get him another term but given his get by the next vote, he should be made to retire anyway.
Cwtch
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Just so. It’s one thing to not always follow the party line, but this was a strike against the very people he’s hired to represent, and his own state is among the poorest in the nation! Sigh.
Cwtch
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