Sen. Joe Manchin considers independent 2024 run, warns party system could be nation’s ‘downfall’
apnews.com
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.
I agree with him that the two party system is broken, but we don't need more so-called centrists. We already have a center-right party in the Democrats.
We also don't need yet another self-obsessed septuagenarian calling shots that will have ramifications long after they're dead. Especially one who owes their wealth and influence to fucking coal.
Then use your position in the Senate to pressure the state legislature and Governor to reform your state's election process.
At least it's not 700,000,000$ yacht that president somehow has, while it would take him 6000 years to get such insane aboumt of money in presidential salary.
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.
The party system isn't the problem. The ability for your stupid ass to be a spoiler candidate is the problem.
I think the situation we have with these tiny majorities is exactly because of the two-party system we have. Anybody in his state who doesn't want a hard-right MAGA Senator knows they have to vote for him as long as he's the Democratic nominee.
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.
Yes ranked choice would be a huge benefit for many reasons.
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.
I took AP Civics in high school, and participated in a mock legislature at our state capitol for four years. The way our government works is absolutely nothing like what I learned.
Although it doesn't apply to Manchin, don't forget gerrymandering.
Breaking news: Politician that shit on his party announces party affiliation change.
Can this guy not choke an a whole watermelon or some shit? He needs to fuck off, and soon.
I’m looking forward to all these independent runs splitting the conservative vote and giving Biden an easy re-election.
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.
Nah, it's cause they're dumb and gullible.
Yes, thinking every vote should count equally is very exclusionary. They get two senators for 1.7M people. Multiple cities are larger than that. You expand that to metro areas to include the suburbs and there are states that have multiple cities with a higher population than WV.
I'm sorry that I think every vote should count equally and don't support the system that was built and modified to maintain slavery. The constitution was written by a bunch of racist, sexist, classist old white dudes 236 years ago. I think we can change some things to make democracy, actually work like it's supposed to.
I mean he's not wrong. The two party system is cracker jacks, but I'm not voting for coal joey.
Rank choice, then introduce a viable third party.
LOL ok Joe, propose a Constitutional amendment that would make third parties viable.
Fucking great time to figure that out, Joe. I'm all for ranked choice voting and options like it, but he's just talking about a third party option, which means we'll just feel the negative effects of the party system more quickly, and possibly spoil the election to shoo in Trump for another term. We don't need him running for a third party as though that's the fix, we need to overhaul the voting system as a whole. Things like ranked choice, automatic registration of voters, voting at any location, etc (not to mention getting rid of the EC) would all significantly improve the voting system, and access to it.