title:  Why The Hell Is Joe Manchin Still Pretending To Be A Democrat?
text: When people go to the voting booth, they expect certain values to be represented when they pull the lever for someone with a (D) next to his or her name. If a candidate for office says (s)he is a Democrat, we expect that person to be pro-choice and in favor of equal rights for women, pro-LGBTQ rights, pro-criminal justice reform, in favor of raising taxes on the rich, in favor of unions and workers  rights, and in favor of comprehensive immigration reform, among other things. However, this is not always how things shake out. Case in point  West Virginia  Democrat  Joe Manchin.Manchin voted in favor of racist Jeff Sessions for Attorney General, bucking Democratic values of the defense of equal rights for all. He has also been staunchly against equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. That is just for starters, too. Manchin has consistently voted with Republicans in the Senate more than he has voted with those of his own party, and at Donald Trump s first address to a joint session of Congress, he could be seen cozying up to the bigoted president, and hopping to his feet with a standing ovation during the speech at every chance. At the end of it, he eagerly went to shake hands and kiss Trump s ass, rather than standing in solidarity with #RESISTANCE   minded Democrats.Liberal pundits and bloggers are not the only ones noticing Joe Manchin s bizarre, Republican-like behavior, either. Right-wingers believe he is just doing this stuff in order to make sure that his deep-red state re-elects him in 2018. West Virginia GOP Chair Conrad Lucas says of what Manchin is doing: It is obvious that West Virginia was the most pro-Trump state and Joe Manchin was a steadfast supporter of Hillary Clinton since Day One of the 2016 campaign and he is up for re-election in 2016, so he is going to do everything he can to mask his past. But I think voters in West Virginia are much smarter than falling for Joe Manchin. However, liberals have a different   and likely more accurate   theory of Manchin s true leanings. Progressive Change Campaign Co-Chair Adam Green Committee says: Senate Democrats running for re-election in red states will lose their general elections if they don t inspire independent voters and the Democratic base. To win in 2018, he needs to be more in touch with the times and stand up more strongly to Trump and his team of billionaires and bankers. Adam Green is correct. Someone needs to primary Manchin and defeat him. He is doing the bidding of Republicans and Donald Trump in the Senate under the guise of being a Democrat. He isn t   he s just a DINO, a wolf in sheep s clothing. I wouldn t be surprised if it turned out he voted for Trump once he was in the privacy of the voting booth.Look at candidates, not just party, folks. If you find rethugs hiding behind a (D) get rid of them.Featured image via Mark Wilson/Getty Images