Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia has benefited from waiting to reveal where he stands as the swing vote in a chamber closely divided between Democrats and Republicans.
He’s taken the same approach when it comes to the next phase of his political career: The moderate Democrat has teased possible retirement, a run for reelection to the Senate or even a presidential campaign in 2024 — possibly as an independent candidate.
During a multi-day trip to West Virginia’s capital this week, the 76-year-old expressed growing frustration with the polarized U.S. two-party system.
The party system isn’t the problem. The ability for your stupid ass to be a spoiler candidate is the problem.
Ok but the two party system is why he can be a spoiler. He might be a dickhead, but he isn’t wrong that our first-past-the -post election system (which begets two party races) is a huge problem.
Ranked Choice would stop a lot of these dicks from running these spoiler campaigns. Wouldn’t be worth the effort at that point.
The Mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from their dens by night or day.
Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said:
"I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful.
All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat’s neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming."
All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said:
“I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But let me ask one question: Who will bell the Cat?”
It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it.
–Aesop
There are three things that are the problem:
1: Citizens United
2: Past the Post
3: Apathy in far to many voters who literally could care less but are the first to bitch about the outcomes.
Fix the first two and you right the ship.
Fix the last one and finally fix the propeller and the rudder.
Fix the first two and the last one will go away. People are only apathetic because companies own politicians and tons of voters in solid districts don’t make a difference.
The last one I blame on civics not being taught in school, and I’m 100% positive thats by design (looking at you GQP)
Kids in high school need to have a full blown class on their government starting freshman year till they graduate, so they learn how government is supposed to function and their roll in maintaining it. That would fix so much that is wrong in this country.
Someone really needs to unalive this massive piece of shit. If he runs, we all know why. He’s hoping to ruin Biden for his rich doner buddies.
His frustration with the two parties being so divided is it makes it harder for him to fence sit and take bribes from both sides. This breathing sack of human excrement is just upset he can’t be a greasy ass old school politician voting for whichever side has deeper pockets.
I’m curious who you’d want to better represent people from West Virginia? Trump won the presidential vote ~69% to ~30% in 2020 (and by a similar margin in 2016). If Manchin retires, he’s going to be replaced by a MAGA republican. Even though he is far to the right of the typical Democrat, he’s really the best the Democratic party can hope for from that state
I mean, if I get to pick who represents west Virginia I’d pick… No one? It’s a fucking travesty that they get two senators the entire state has less people than most decent metro areas. They can share a senator with another cousinfucksville state. That’s my choice.
Interesting position. Seems very elitist and non-inclusive. Maybe that stance contributes to why rural areas in America don’t support the democratic party.
If Manchin peels off enough centrists that he acts as a spoiler, centrists will blame progressives anyway.
Honestly, progressives will be blamed no matter what happens.
Would love to see progressives break away from Dems and try for a legit 3rd party run to spite this. We’re long overdue for the corporate wing of both parties to converge into the new GOP, and with MAGA imploding it seems the time is right.
