‘Manchin votes for the 1%,’ not West Virginians
A poll conducted by End Citizens United/Global Strategy Group/Alg Research between April 14 and April 18 shows 68% of West Virginia residents support the American Jobs Plan (infrastructure) and 79% support For the People Act. I can’t imagine these numbers have changed much since then.
Who, then, is Sen. Manchin representing? It’s certainly not the citizens of West Virginia. Without filibuster reform or elimination, these bills don’t stand a chance. Mitch McConnell has stated that he will do everything he can to stop Biden’s agenda. So Manchin’s stated excuse for not supporting reform doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
Only seven Republicans might vote with Democrats, not the 10 required. Again, his excuses don’t hold up.
Plain and true, Manchin votes for the 1% — the true power behind our democracy.
Wayne Cox
Westover
HR 1 a popular and nonpartisan solution
In an era where public faith in government occupying both sides of the partisan line is at an all time low, the American people need Congress to pass HR 1, the For the People Act, to get corporate money out of politics, secure our elections, expand voters rights and much more.
The Democratic House passed HR 1 with every Democrat voting “yes” and it’s time for the new Democratic majority to do the same. Sen. Joe Manchin will be a decisive vote on this issue, and I am urging Sen. Manchin to follow the Democratic House’s lead to pass this resolution and prove he is who he claims to be, “a true West Virginian who values family, common sense, fairness and hard work.”
I am demanding Joe Manchin to stand with his constituents and resist the pressure to sacrifice West Virginians on the alter of performative bipartisanship.
It is time to recognize this legislation is a truly nonpartisan solution that transcends party affiliation and is supported by the majority of West Virginia voters across party lines. Sen. Manchin’s vote on this issue will be a landmark move, for better or for worse, on his reputation. Manchin has the opportunity to put his constituents first and vote, truly, for the people.
Shana Reed
Morgantown
Manchin parroting Republican talking points
On Sunday, Sen. Joe Manchin wrote that he would not support the For the People Act, calling it “partisan voting legislation” that will “destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy.” These common Republican talking points sound exceptionally harsh coming from a Democratic senator.
HR 1 includes provisions that eliminate partisan gerrymandering. It includes provisions that would expand early voting. It would prevent voter-roll purges. It would expand mail-in voting. It would reduce the influence of dark money, wherein nonprofits participate in political spending without disclosing their donors.
Despite the lies told by Republicans, voting in America is secure. According to the conservative group The Heritage Foundation, there have been 16 examples of voter fraud here in West Virginia in the past 17 years, even with approximately 1.2 million registered voters in the state. According to the same group, there have been 1,328 instances of proven voter fraud in the entire country, despite billions of votes cast since they began tracking.
Studies have shown that neither party receives a benefit from mail-in voting. Studies examining the votes of states that used exclusively mail-in ballots from elections prior to 2020 showed that, despite an increase in voter numbers, there was no statistical advantage for Democrats.
According to Data for Progress, 67% of Americans support the For the People Act. Despite the deep divisions between the parties, the overwhelming majority of Americans agree that voting rights should be protected, which is the definition of bipartisanship.
The claims of the partisanship of HR 1 are fabrications of the Republican Party. Sen. Manchin ended his op-ed urging his colleagues to “unite this country before it is too late.” By refusing to protect the voting rights of all Americans, he is creating a situation where democracy itself is at risk.
Alise Chaffins
Westover
