Joe Manchin is single-handedly derailing the Biden Presidency. I want to know who’s paying him. It’s gotta be some huge payoff to be willing to be a piranha in his own party. Why aren’t journalists exposing the fraud he is?
Yes, déjà vu, but I’m moving on from worrying about obstructionists whose sincerity I question, or the cynical brand of empathy displayed by some congressmen toward their constituents. Your concluding message about older Americans is a reminder of the season in which we find ourselves, and the values that define many of our political choices. I look forward to expressing those values in support for candidates at the voting booth.
I still find it hard to believe that there’s not a deal to be made to save the voting rights bill. Do Manchin and/or Sinema want to be the vote that tore down democracy? Only if they believe that a Republican wave is inevitable next year. If they have not bought into that idea irretrievably, there’s a deal to be made, probably a very, very narrow exception to the filibuster. Although my thesis is weakened, I admit, by the fact that neither of them is likely to survive the 2024 campaign. Sinema is already a political corpse, whether she realizes it or not—-her own party is virtually sure to reject her. Still, you would think that neither of them wants to go down in infamy.
Robert, you covered a lot of bases very well today. All I can add is "voting rights, voting rights, voting rights". And voting rights. My next letters to my Senators will be about...
In discussions with many of my friends who are real Independents and voted for Biden they believe as I do that voting rights legislation is the most critical item on the agenda. There is a perception that unless the voting rights bill is passed the gerrymandering by Republicans will result not only a loss of the House in 2022 but for many years to come thus enabling either Trump or a wanna be to destroy our Democracy. This is real to them and frankly the most scary and frightening thing they are worried about. For many on the fence Biden supporters failure to pass this legislation shows lack of leadership,,I don’t support that position.
In addition to the candidates that Len's Letter advocates, another top place to look for whom to support is called Force Multiplier (forcemultiplierus.org). Interestingly, their list of candidates overlaps with Len's Letter on (only) 2 names: Jared Golden (ME 02) and Cindy Axne (IA 03). Oh well - support 'em all, if you can.
Dismaying disbelief for this 90 year old as the battle is not just a partisan dispute, but a battle for democracy versus an authoritarian regime. My history includes WWII and victory gardens and scrap metal drives, rationing, Pearl Harbor, Normandy--all those vivid memories when our nation was so unified; the McCarthy Hearings, Watergate, the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy, Korea and Viet Nam, The Terrorist Attack of 9-11 and the Insurrection of January 6 following Impeachment and The Big Lie still being told after Biden's election. We Seniors are distressed and thank you for your comments today and thank you for the never failing optimistic views you express to shine a light on the possibilities.
In today's Morning Shot with Charlie Sykes, Tim Miller hit the nail on the head:
"Manchin does it by going along with the Democrats just enough to get by, while bucking the party loudly enough to keep the Trump voters in his state happy."
This is all in an effort to retain office - in other words, to gild his ego. It's about money, power and ego rather than doing the right thing for his constituents. These are not the moral standards of a true Democrat.
In the meantime, I agree with other readers that the Voting Rights acts are the most important legislative issue because without these laws that undue the effort the Autocratic effort of Republicans, there is zero likelihood passing any BBB for the foreseeable future.
As for the BBB, sometimes one needs to get off their high horse and accept reality - especially when considering the big picture which is demonstrating that Democrats get things done that help middle class and lower class people. Temporarily give Manchin what he wants. Let the child credit go. Live to fight another day. It is politically more important to pass a watered-down BBB than fail to pass anything at all.
Thanks for mentioning we older progressives. The thing is, after founding parts of the women’s movement, I had to resist Reagan’s attempts to tear it all down, along with civil rights gains I had celebrated. That gave my generation hope to carry us through these even worse times, since we won a lot back again. We have resilience and perseverance from seeing it all go down the drain before.
These antics of Manchin and Sinema are sickening and obstructive. We all know that. I heard an interesting take on Att General Garland. I would like to know what you think of his passive behavior. The broadcast I heard was quite emphatic that he should indict anyone who has participated in the craziness of 1/6/21. He seems so weak to me. Anyone else would have been put away for a long time....What is the Attorney General's capability to act forcefully and with authority? Just because he was denied access to become a Justice in the Supreme Court was no reason for Biden to appoint him to this high position in his cabinet.
Joe Manchin is single-handedly derailing the Biden Presidency. I want to know who’s paying him. It’s gotta be some huge payoff to be willing to be a piranha in his own party. Why aren’t journalists exposing the fraud he is?
Yes, déjà vu, but I’m moving on from worrying about obstructionists whose sincerity I question, or the cynical brand of empathy displayed by some congressmen toward their constituents. Your concluding message about older Americans is a reminder of the season in which we find ourselves, and the values that define many of our political choices. I look forward to expressing those values in support for candidates at the voting booth.
I still find it hard to believe that there’s not a deal to be made to save the voting rights bill. Do Manchin and/or Sinema want to be the vote that tore down democracy? Only if they believe that a Republican wave is inevitable next year. If they have not bought into that idea irretrievably, there’s a deal to be made, probably a very, very narrow exception to the filibuster. Although my thesis is weakened, I admit, by the fact that neither of them is likely to survive the 2024 campaign. Sinema is already a political corpse, whether she realizes it or not—-her own party is virtually sure to reject her. Still, you would think that neither of them wants to go down in infamy.
Robert, you covered a lot of bases very well today. All I can add is "voting rights, voting rights, voting rights". And voting rights. My next letters to my Senators will be about...
In discussions with many of my friends who are real Independents and voted for Biden they believe as I do that voting rights legislation is the most critical item on the agenda. There is a perception that unless the voting rights bill is passed the gerrymandering by Republicans will result not only a loss of the House in 2022 but for many years to come thus enabling either Trump or a wanna be to destroy our Democracy. This is real to them and frankly the most scary and frightening thing they are worried about. For many on the fence Biden supporters failure to pass this legislation shows lack of leadership,,I don’t support that position.
In addition to the candidates that Len's Letter advocates, another top place to look for whom to support is called Force Multiplier (forcemultiplierus.org). Interestingly, their list of candidates overlaps with Len's Letter on (only) 2 names: Jared Golden (ME 02) and Cindy Axne (IA 03). Oh well - support 'em all, if you can.
Dismaying disbelief for this 90 year old as the battle is not just a partisan dispute, but a battle for democracy versus an authoritarian regime. My history includes WWII and victory gardens and scrap metal drives, rationing, Pearl Harbor, Normandy--all those vivid memories when our nation was so unified; the McCarthy Hearings, Watergate, the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy, Korea and Viet Nam, The Terrorist Attack of 9-11 and the Insurrection of January 6 following Impeachment and The Big Lie still being told after Biden's election. We Seniors are distressed and thank you for your comments today and thank you for the never failing optimistic views you express to shine a light on the possibilities.
In today's Morning Shot with Charlie Sykes, Tim Miller hit the nail on the head:
"Manchin does it by going along with the Democrats just enough to get by, while bucking the party loudly enough to keep the Trump voters in his state happy."
This is all in an effort to retain office - in other words, to gild his ego. It's about money, power and ego rather than doing the right thing for his constituents. These are not the moral standards of a true Democrat.
In the meantime, I agree with other readers that the Voting Rights acts are the most important legislative issue because without these laws that undue the effort the Autocratic effort of Republicans, there is zero likelihood passing any BBB for the foreseeable future.
As for the BBB, sometimes one needs to get off their high horse and accept reality - especially when considering the big picture which is demonstrating that Democrats get things done that help middle class and lower class people. Temporarily give Manchin what he wants. Let the child credit go. Live to fight another day. It is politically more important to pass a watered-down BBB than fail to pass anything at all.
Thanks for mentioning we older progressives. The thing is, after founding parts of the women’s movement, I had to resist Reagan’s attempts to tear it all down, along with civil rights gains I had celebrated. That gave my generation hope to carry us through these even worse times, since we won a lot back again. We have resilience and perseverance from seeing it all go down the drain before.
These antics of Manchin and Sinema are sickening and obstructive. We all know that. I heard an interesting take on Att General Garland. I would like to know what you think of his passive behavior. The broadcast I heard was quite emphatic that he should indict anyone who has participated in the craziness of 1/6/21. He seems so weak to me. Anyone else would have been put away for a long time....What is the Attorney General's capability to act forcefully and with authority? Just because he was denied access to become a Justice in the Supreme Court was no reason for Biden to appoint him to this high position in his cabinet.
Thanks for the link to Len's Political Notes. I used it to contribute to his top 10 list.
Yes, I agree. I like that Len's list focuses on the here and now. As we know too well, the perfect is the enemy of the good.