Manchin

[ajax18]

That’s an interesting statement. I was under the impression WV lost a Congressional seat back in the 90’s so redistricting was something that had to happen. What does your statement above mean in relation to redistricting?

- Doc

You may be partially right. But if you look at the eastern panhandle of WV, it was largely conservative retired D.C. professionals. There are no coal mines in the eastern panhandle. They put Harpers Ferry in the same district as Huntington which is 6 hours away. Democrats did this so that solid coal miners union areas in the southern part of the state would outweigh the Republican voting eastern panhandle of the state. But the Democrats pretty much gave up the coal miners in 2016 as well. That's why I'm surprised Manchin was ever elected as a Democrat in the first place. I guess it's just inertia.

[ajax18]

Manchin is a Senator. Both of a state's senators are elected at large, so there is no Senate gerrymandering.

Interesting, thanks

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

That’s an interesting statement. I was under the impression WV lost a Congressional seat back in the 90’s so redistricting was something that had to happen. What does your statement above mean in relation to redistricting?

- Doc

You may be partially right. But if you look at the eastern panhandle of WV, it was largely conservative retired D.C. professionals. There are no coal mines in the eastern panhandle. They put Harpers Ferry in the same district as Huntington which is 6 hours away. Democrats did this so that solid coal miners union areas in the southern part of the state would outweigh the Republican voting eastern panhandle of the state. But the Democrats pretty much gave up the coal miners in 2016 as well. That's why I'm surprised Manchin was ever elected as a Democrat in the first place. I guess it's just inertia.

I’d have to google it, but I’m pretty sure WV was all Democrat in the 90’s - the state being famous for its ‘Blue Dog Democrats’, which I liked so much I would call myself that. Perhaps you’re right that they ensured with redistricting they would maintain political control of the state in the future.

- Doc

[ajax18]

I’d have to google it, but I’m pretty sure WV was all Democrat in the 90’s - the state being famous for its ‘Blue Dog Democrats’, which I liked so much I would call myself that.

That's interesting. Maybe I would have seen you more as a blue dog when you were younger. But do you see Manchin as a blue dog?

You almost seem to me more like one of the rural liberal Republicans in the eastern panhandle of WV who fled the DC swamp and planted their stakes in the mountain state. Don't be put off on WV because of me. I'm way far to the right of most of them.

ETA: The only thing I could think of you disagreeing with blue dog Democrats was they kind of held out on Obamacare. I'm pretty sure you like the idea of socialized medicine and universal healthcare? Am I right?

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

I’d have to google it, but I’m pretty sure WV was all Democrat in the 90’s - the state being famous for its ‘Blue Dog Democrats’, which I liked so much I would call myself that.

That's interesting. Maybe I would have seen you more as a blue dog when you were younger. But do you see Manchin as a blue dog?

You almost seem to me more like one of the rural liberal Republicans in the eastern panhandle of WV who fled the DC swamp and planted their stakes in the mountain state. Don't be put off on WV because of me. I'm way far to the right of most of them.

I literally would’ve moved to WV this year had a real estate agent returned my phone calls and emails in 2020 when I found a cabin on 5 acres in a hollow (with a running stream!) near the AT - there’s a trailhead about a 1/4 mile away. I love WV. My first real exposure to the state is when I was stationed at Ft. Bragg and supported a thing there my unit was running, and then later I did the Gauley Run:

https://aceraft.com/product/summer-gaul ... r-rafting/

Harpers Ferry is gorgeous, and of course I knew some folks in the Intel Community that’d commute from WV to DC for work and would talk to them about living there. Now that I have a kid living in VA I’m a little perturbed that I don’t live there, but we’re pretty pleased with rural Utah.

- Doc

[ajax18]

That's interesting. Maybe I would have seen you more as a blue dog when you were younger. But do you see Manchin as a blue dog?

You almost seem to me more like one of the rural liberal Republicans in the eastern panhandle of WV who fled the DC swamp and planted their stakes in the mountain state. Don't be put off on WV because of me. I'm way far to the right of most of them.

I literally would’ve moved to WV this year had a real estate agent returned my phone calls and emails in 2020 when I found a cabin on 5 acres in a hollow (with a running stream!) near the AT - there’s a trailhead about a 1/4 mile away. I love WV. My first real exposure to the state is when I was stationed at Ft. Bragg and supported a thing there my unit was running, and then later I did the Gauley Run:

https://aceraft.com/product/summer-gaul ... r-rafting/

Harpers Ferry is gorgeous, and of course I knew some folks in the Intel Community that’d commute from WV to DC for work and would talk to them about living there. Now that I have a kid living in Virginia I’m a little perturbed that I don’t live there, but we’re pretty pleased with rural Utah.

- Doc

I think you would have liked WV and fit in well. I guess the biggest difference from UT is the woods. Imagine trees as far as you see. In the summertime that isn't far because of all the foliage. Canaan Valley is a good place if you like kayaking. I still float the Potomac River through the hills in a canoe to where the north and south branch meet. Biking the C&O canal was great if you want some exercise. It's a good place to retire because it's inexpensive. It sucks for finding a job which is why most young people there don't stay and it remains rural. But I literally left the keys in my ignition from the time I was 16 until left for my mission. It's about as safe and calm as it gets. Of course you would need a 4 wheel drive in the winter, but every West Virginian has that, even if they have the same model in their yard up on cinder blocks to use for parts.

[Morley]

Manchin is a Senator. Both of a state's senators are elected at large, so there is no Senate gerrymandering.

Interesting, thanks

wtf

[Res Ipsa]

You may be partially right. But if you look at the eastern panhandle of WV, it was largely conservative retired D.C. professionals. There are no coal mines in the eastern panhandle. They put Harpers Ferry in the same district as Huntington which is 6 hours away. Democrats did this so that solid coal miners union areas in the southern part of the state would outweigh the Republican voting eastern panhandle of the state. But the Democrats pretty much gave up the coal miners in 2016 as well. That's why I'm surprised Manchin was ever elected as a Democrat in the first place. I guess it's just inertia.

I’d have to google it, but I’m pretty sure WV was all Democrat in the 90’s - the state being famous for its ‘Blue Dog Democrats’, which I liked so much I would call myself that. Perhaps you’re right that they ensured with redistricting they would maintain political control of the state in the future.

- Doc

I looked this up earlier. The Democrats controlled both houses and the governor through 2014. https://ballotpedia.org/Party_control_o ... government

[ajax18]

Ben Shapiro pointed out that Manchin quite possibly saved Biden's presidency. Had Biden, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Bernie Sanders gotten what they wanted, we'd have seen such record inflation and economic devastation the Democrats would have no chance of winning a free and fair election for at least 4 or 5 years.

[Res Ipsa]

Ben Shapiro pointed out that Manchin quite possibly saved Biden's presidency. Had Biden, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Bernie Sanders gotten what they wanted, we'd have seen such record inflation and economic devastation the Democrats would have no chance of winning a free and fair election for at least 4 or 5 years.

What % of West Virginians supported Biden’s BBB and why are coal miners asking Manchin to reconsider? Also, why does Shapiro make such dire predictions about BBB but not the orders of magnitude higher, bloated defense bill? Or the budget busting tax cuts during Trump’s presidency?