>
People might downvote me for this, or reply saying he's the best we're going to get out of WV and it would be a republican otherwise. (which is true).
But I personally believe having this guy in the party diminishes us.  He's everything wrong with politics. >

I personally don't buy that it's either Manchin or a Republican. WV was once a hotbed of militant labor-- clearly things can change. Ultimately what diminishes Dems is an unwillingness to change-- running the same candidates over and over again because they're out of ideas. The working class is tired of establishment politicians, and Dems are all too happy to allow Republicans to claim to be the anti establishment party. >

It was once a hotbed of militant labor... When the jobs were safe.  When the jobs left, and people couldn't afford to support themselves, and Unions were dismantled, West Virginia changed. >

A lot of union workers walked away from the unions because they were seduced by Reagan and the hatred of Liberals and those the Liberals sought to protect. >

Manchin's protectionism is sickening. This is a guy who is going out of his way to prevent even market-lead modernization, moves to renewables, or efforts to retrain.
He sees all of these as attacks on coal and god-given rights to die of black lung like a coalminer's pappy did. >

Amen! It’s all for the money 💰 the Manchin family has “earned.” >

That seems like it shouldn't be allowed, like at all >

Coal, he continued, “has so many values to it, not just for burning.” He accused the administration of ending “some promising projects” because “they want to eliminate [coal].”
“This administration continues to wage war on coal,” he said. “They can say what they want to — I’m from coal country, so I know what’s happening,” >


Coal, he continued, “has so many values to it, not just for burning.”

What a bullshit argument. The vast majority of coal is burned. We could probably stop mining coal entirely and not need more for a hundred years for the remaining uses, just from the coal we've extracted and haven't burned yet. >

Why should the American people invest in a mature industry which stands on its own well enough (financially)? No, I don't think we should. >

It’s amazing how politics has become a ‘for profit’ and not a ‘for the people’ career move. >

Hey lets bring back whale oil lamps while were at it.