With Friends Like These…

[MEJHarrison]

Swap the words Democrat and Republican and that is how many Republicans feel.

I will agree with that. I like to browse right-wing sites from time to time. And I do see many of the same things said on both side. In particular how the other side is so clueless and someday they'll see the truth. I've been struck many times by how familiar the conversation can be if you weed out the garbage.

With that said, many times their beliefs seems to be founded on hopes and dreams rather than factual evidence. Election fraud for example. But that wasn't your point.

 

[Roller]

Swap the words Democrat and Republican and that is how many Republicans feel.

That may be true for Republicans who retain an ability to distinguish fact from fiction, but certainly not to Trump's base, particularly the people who attend his rallies. With few exceptions, they are incapable of accepting any evidence that their dear leader lies to them constantly and only wants their money and vote.

E. Jean Carroll: I didn't know her!
2020 Federal election: Stolen!
2020 Georgia election: I just wanted the 11,780 votes that were mine.
Classified documents: They belonged to me. I declassified them.
January 6 insurrection: I'll pardon them.

If they don't fit the definition of brainwashed cult members, nobody does. And, to the extent that many Republican politicians still support Trump, they're not much better. In private, they'll admit he's lying, but they're not willing to say so in public for fear of alienating the base.

 

[Huntn]

Swap the words Democrat and Republican and that is how many Republicans feel.

A straight jacket design to keep you from living your life* is different than a straightjacket designed to prevent me from abusing you.
*Living you life is not forcing others to conform to your restrictive rules.

They may feel that way, but Equal rights and equal opportunity is a clear concept. This versus stripping rights from others, hindering the ability to vote, stopping the opposition from having a say, so they can get their way, forcing their beliefs down other peoples throats in a restrictive, punitive manner turns “freedom” into “my freedom to walk all over you”. Just like “freedom of religion” includes “freedom from religion”, not “freedom to make you cowtow to my religion or my religious beliefs”. In a nutshell the GOP wants to discriminate for political advantage, the liberals do not. You either believe in “equal” or someone is making up bullshit in an attempt to fool you. One other difference, The GOP have become a pack of prodigious liars.

 

[Herdfan]

Manchin told a WV statewide talk show host this morning that he is seriously considering following Sinema’s footsteps and becoming an independent.

He cites the DC Dem “brand” being so bad. Not the Dem brand in general, but the DC version of it.

 

[rdrr]

Manchin told a WV statewide talk show host this morning that he is seriously considering following Sinema’s footsteps and becoming an independent.

He cites the DC Dem “brand” being so bad. Not the Dem brand in general, but the DC version of it.

Good, because it is a complete farce for him to label himself as a Democrat

Beside his state is one of the worst states with some of the new rightwing rules in place, e.g. women's right to choose and public education.

 

[GermanSuplex]

I don't like Manchin tanking the dem agenda, and I know how many here feel about him. He pisses me off to. But I'll grant him this; he voted to impeach. Twice. In a perfect world, about a quarter or a third of congress would be true independents and require real dealmaking to end the gridlock. As it stands, each side is in a position where one or two senators can kill their agenda.

 

[Herdfan]

Well some of you are getting what you want. Manchin is out:

Sen. Joe Manchin will not seek re-election to US Senate

WASHINGTON (WOWK) — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) will not seek re-election to the Senate, according to a release from his office. Manchin, who positions himself as a moderate who goes against…

www.wowktv.com

Of course this means a 90% Blue seat will become a 100% Red seat.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Well some of you are getting what you want. Manchin is out:

Sen. Joe Manchin will not seek re-election to US Senate

WASHINGTON (WOWK) — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) will not seek re-election to the Senate, according to a release from his office. Manchin, who positions himself as a moderate who goes against…

www.wowktv.com

Of course this means a 90% Blue seat will become a 100% Red seat.

Do you think the replacement will be normal conservative or MAGA?

 

[Eric]

Well some of you are getting what you want. Manchin is out:

Sen. Joe Manchin will not seek re-election to US Senate

WASHINGTON (WOWK) — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) will not seek re-election to the Senate, according to a release from his office. Manchin, who positions himself as a moderate who goes against…

www.wowktv.com

Of course this means a 90% Blue seat will become a 100% Red seat.

Some might argue it was already a red seat. I didn't always agree with him but I liked that he did what he felt was right and didn't march to a party line, I think the country would be better off if we had more like him on both sides of the aisle. Wish him the best in retirement.

 

[Herdfan]

Do you think the replacement will be normal conservative or MAGA?

It will most likely be Big Jim “just follow the fucking guidelines” Justice.

He was originally elected Governor as a Democrat but switched parties in his first term.

As for the follow the guidelines comment, during Covid in one of his briefings it sounds like that is what he said.

He is also the state’s only remaining Billionaire.

 

[Huntn]

Well some of you are getting what you want. Manchin is out:

Sen. Joe Manchin will not seek re-election to US Senate

WASHINGTON (WOWK) — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) will not seek re-election to the Senate, according to a release from his office. Manchin, who positions himself as a moderate who goes against…

www.wowktv.com

Of course this means a 90% Blue seat will become a 100% Red seat.

For AIAP it was Red already. It’s mind boggling that the tier of employee who traditionally works as labor would ever look to the Pulling The Wool Over Their Eyes GOP for a fair shake. Somehow I suspect there is some racial prejudice and white privaledge thrown in there.

 

[Herdfan]

Manchin has officially become an Independent.

Rumor around Charleston is that this is for a possible run for Governor again.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/31/politics/joe-manchin-registers-independent?cid=ios_app

 

[GermanSuplex]

Eh, I still kind of like Joe Manchin. He’s a PITA but he’d be perfectly fine if we had two or three independent republicans like him. Murkowski is pretty close, Susan Collins is too weak and scared whereas Murkowski has shown more backbone.

I truly don’t care, nobody outside of WV or the odd down to the wire vote nail biter cares about Joe Manchin. I’ll give him credit for being there when it matters the most.

 

[Herdfan]

Eh, I still kind of like Joe Manchin.

He was a great Governor. Didn't care which side had an idea if it was a good one.