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Joe Manchin is hurting the working uninsured in West Virginia and it makes me sick. This guy never ceases to amaze me. Manchin is posturing to undercut the most important Democratic policy achievement of the last three decades. Not only is he exposing himself as a rube in Washington DC but the K Street lobbyists seem to have him in their back pocket.
Manchin has indicated that he would roll back the expansion of health insurance for the working poor under Medicaid. This is suppose to cover about 180k West Virginians. Manchin has also said he would roll back the insurance mandate. Apparently without the mandate the coverage expansions for those receiving subsidies are not possible. I read a Rockefeller quote that indicated something like 170k West Virginians would be eligible for these subsidies. That is 350k West Virginians that Manchin is throwing under the bus.
He must be getting his talking points from the RNC or the Chamber of Commerce because he certainly doesn't care about the plight of the common West Virginian. Manchin is an embarrassment and he is hurting our State without his ineptitude.
Senator Tomblin's pretend reign over the State needs to come to an end. Phil Kabler calls it a lust for power. I have heard others call it disrespectful and some call it delusional. The Rufus calls it dangerous and thinks most reasonable people would agree, when they really give it some thought, that Senator Tomblin could do the State a great deal of harm as he pretends to be Governor- a special election must be held as soon as possible.
After the last election there was a great deal of political fatigue and people, when asked, were not quite ready to go another round. The Rufus sympathizes with those people but hopes they remember that our brave men and women fighting overseas for our democracy don't get to take a break just because they are fatigued. Our soldiers are risking their lives so that we can exercise this freedom and it is offensive that we dishonor them by saying we are too annoyed to have an election.
What about the cost? You hear people saying the cost of this election is such that we can't afford it. Frankly, that is BS. Senator Tomblin is proposing tax cuts left and right, teacher and state employee pay bonuses, and several other initiatives that cost tens of millions of dollars. This is not to say that those issues should not be addressed but they need to be addressed by someone we have all elected to make those proposals. Furthermore, according to the Secretary of State's Office, the special election primary cost around $3 million. Extrapolating from that, a special election and primary for governor would cost about $6 million. Nothing to sneeze at but a small price to pay to have the people select their leader.
What about uncertainty in governance? I never bought this argument but those that make have to admit that the lack of certainty now is ten times greater than that if we had an elected Governor. This entire process has been a joke.
Separation of powers? This has been a true joke. Tomblin tried to have his cake and eat it too when he was pushing the status quo in the WV Senate. Tomblin only capitulated when it was obvious to everyone that he could not even muster the votes he needed to block the new leadership in the body he is currently President over (what leadership). This mistake by Tomblin will likely be the straw that breaks the camel's back for the Supreme Court when they order the Legislature to make arrangements for a special election.
Leading without being the leader? You better believe it. All these initiatives proposed by Tomblin are without legitimacy as much as they are without details. Tomblin is promising a little bit to everyone to try to win over their support and hold off an election. It is deplorable. You hear about vote buying in WV but doing so in a faux State of the State? Wow. All these big money promises with tax cuts and bonuses fall on deaf ears Senator. These issues, and others, need to be addressed, which is all the more reason to have an election sooner rather than later.
This all comes down to a joke of a power grab by a Logan County Senator. Tomblin is not the legitimate leader of the State but he is trying to act like it. It is offensive that he is trying to disregard the "act as" designation and even more offensive that he has not called a special election. Governing is hard enough when you are elected. It is impossible when you are not. As a result, West Virginia is currently in a leadership vacuum and Senator Tomblin should "act as" a leader and "put West Virginia first" by setting up a process for a special election in the next couple months.
SENATOR JOE MANCHIN NAMES CHRIS KOFINIS AS CHIEF OF STAFF
Washington, D.C. - Senator Joe Manchin today announced the appointment of Chris Kofinis as chief of staff.
"I am extremely pleased that Chris has agreed to lead my Senate team," Senator Joe Manchin said. "I have known him for several years now and value his friendship, experience and expertise. He will bring years of knowledge and professionalism to this office that will not only benefit me, but all West Virginians."
Throughout his political career, Mr. Kofinis has worked as a Democratic strategist, communications advisor and most recently as a campaign and media consultant with McMahon Squier & Associates. In addition, he was a personal advisor to then-Governor Joe Manchin and to his 2010 Senate campaign.
"It is an honor to serve as Senator Manchin's Chief of Staff," Mr. Kofinis said. "Senator Manchin is a true champion for West Virginia and hard-working families. His love for family, country and West Virginia is clear, and as I found out, his commitment to public service is truly infectious."
Mr. Kofinis served as a senior advisor to two presidential campaigns, Wesley Clark (2004) and John Edwards (2008) and advised political candidates and parties internationally. He has worked closely with labor and was a consultant and communications advisor to a number of Fortune 100 companies. Most recently, he served as the senior communications advisor to the Democratic Governor's Association during the 2010 election cycle, and worked as a strategic communications consultant with Purple Strategies - a bipartisan public affairs firm headed by Steve McMahon and Alex Castellanos.
"I share Senator Manchin's belief that the significant and profound challenges we face as a nation demand more from all of us, and I am committed, for as long as is necessary, to doing all I can to help the Senator fulfill his mission to better the lives of the people of West Virginia and the nation," Mr. Kofinis added.
Over the years, Chris has been a regular commentator on politics and elections, appearing frequently on MSNBC, FOX News, CNBC, FOX Business, CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC and Bloomberg TV. He has been quoted extensively in the Associated Press, Politico, The Hill, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post as well as other national and international news media.
Mr. Kofinis earned a M.A. in Public Policy and Ph.D. in Political Science from Claremont. He is a former professor who has done extensive teaching, research and writing on public policy and international affairs.
Chris Kofinis is the latest addition to Senator Manchin's staff, with Kelly Goes as state director and Sara Payne Scarbro as deputy state director and press secretary.
If a lie is stated often enough does it become the truth? The liar sure hopes it does. Corporate Coal has spent millions upon millions not only lobbying Congress but also inundating the public with a multi-million dollar and multifaceted propaganda campaign. Sitting on their piles of money, Corporate Coal has not only bought politicians, they have brainwashed the public. West Virginia is ground zero in this war for public opinion and with most of our politicians being either cowards or culprits, there is little leadership in the political arena representing the vast majority of us that demand a balanced approach to coal mining.
Coal Lies Author Jeff Goodell's recent article on the strength of Big Coal today is disheartening as it is honest.
Reflecting just some of Corporate Coal's expenditures, Goodell writes:
The first and most obvious way that Big Coal gains leverage is simply with money. By any accounting, Big Coal - and by that I mean not just coal mining companies, but also the railroads that haul the coal, as well as the electric utilities and power companies that burn it - exerts a huge influence not only in Washington D.C., but in state and local governments, too. The Southern Company, a large Atlanta-based power company that is one of the largest coal burners in the country and a longtime opponent of global warming legislation, spent about $9 million in federal lobbying fees this year alone - that's nearly as much as ExxonMobil, a company that is 10 times larger. Peabody Energy, the largest privately-held coal company in the world, spent almost $6 million.
According to an October article in the NYT,
Political spending by the coal industry is on track to exceed what it spent in the 2008 cycle, when the presidency was at stake and Congress appeared determined to move forward with a national energy policy designed to address climate change by cutting back on the use of coal and petroleum.
As of early October, the mining industry, which is mostly coal, contributed more than $3 million to federal candidates, the great majority of it going to Republicans. The industry backed up its contributions with a major media blitz - the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, an industry front group, spent more than $16 million on ads this year touting the virtues of "clean" coal.
So what lies has Big Coal been shoving down all of our throats? Here are just some of their more insidious fabrications:
*Lie #1- If you are against mountaintop removal then you do not support coal mining. This is lowest common denominator logic and further from the truth than a Don Blankenship interview but this association is made and no where more than in the WV Democratic Party. Not to worry, these cowards and culprits shall have their day. For the record, MTR is the most destructive mining technique ever unleashed on God's Earth. It destroys communities with floods, blasting, and poisons; covers up watersheds with waste and rubble; and poisons WV people, plants, and animals with heavy metals like selenium. I am against that. I am not against other types of coal mining. I want well paying coal jobs for WV as long as they are safe and not permanently and perversely destructive.
*Lie #2- Obama is launching regulatory jihad on coal. The National Mining Association's racist jab at the President of the United States underscores Corporate Coal's strategy of propagandizing citizens into thinking that outsiders are trying to come in and change your life for the worse. The reality is that this has already taken place. Absentee coal kings, hiding behind regional and local henchmen, have robbed coal producing regions blind, especially in Appalachia, especially in West Virginia. The regulations Corporate Coal complain about are meant to protect the citizens of West Virginia. Be it safety or public health, these absentee robber barons don't care about West Virginians- never have, never will. Corporate Coal would have us eliminate the already weak stop gap between them and scorched earth greed in the West Virginia hills. There message is effective and it is dangerous.
*Lie #3- They are taking our jobs and ruining our economy. Another whopper of a lie but one that folks sometimes go too far in arguing against. West Virginia does benefit from coal through employment and taxes. As a resource rich State, we were able to keep our State budget out of the Red during the Great Recession. However, let's be honest on what West Virginia is actually getting out of this arrangement. We rank near the bottom of every national fiscal category and allow billions in coal profits to leave our State, while only charging a pittance of a severance tax.
Beyond that, the number of coal mining jobs has dropped by tens of thousands thanks to mechanized mining. How many MTR miners are there really? According to the US Energy Information Administration, there were only 3,600 surface miners in 2007. Given that some of those surface miners may be engaged in other methods of surface mining that is not MTR, I am not sure what the real figure is. This is not to say that these jobs are not important, but if you calculate the coal that would be extracted via other more labor demanding means on top of other job opportunities that are permanently eliminated (wind mills, tourism, timber, etc) then I would wager you would find a long term net loss in jobs because of practices like MTR.
How to Fight Back So in the face of this onslaught of propaganda what can folks do to fight for a more balanced approach to coal extraction in West Virginia?
Be tenacious- Don't give up. They may have more money but we have the truth and the resolve to defend our State, our People, and our childrens' future. It is like a street fight. When debating, hit the other person first and never stop swinging. Keep them on the defensive. Continue to blog, talk to neighbors, write editorials, call politicians, and organize. Continue to fight.
Have the facts but don't confuse the message- Have research readily available and cite it when debating. There is no need to come up with whopping lies like they do. Structure what you are trying to say and infuse a few stats to back it up. Always end with a simple branded message- I personally like "Our Coal, Our Way" because it goes right in the face of the opposition's message.
Push for a moderate, balanced approach- I truly believe that coal can be mined and used responsibly as a resource. It is those that would put their heads in the sand regarding the destruction of mountaintop removal or the long term threat of global warming for short term energy and profit that are radical. We need balance and balance sells with the public.
Stay positive and stay simple- These are both hard as hell given the tough subject matter but pushing positive solutions and being able to wrap your argument up with a bumper sticker line is crucial to marketing a political message. You can get painted in a corner on a coal debate by trying to be too elaborate in defense. Hit em' with your talking points and always brand your argument.
Hold folks accountable- Cowards and culprits litter WV Democratic Party leadership. Coal politics are cutthroat. These folks need to be strategically identified, isolated, and forced to defend their position. We have to be relentless, smart, and organized and we have to have one another's backs. I do not believe in single issue advocacy but we have to be willing to use political capital if we really want to make a difference in the State and in the Democratic Party.
Lt. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced Monday that he wants to hear from voters on what course should be taken on the Special Election. Tomblin also announced that he will not preside over or vote in the Senate while acting as Governor. I commend Tomblin for taking such steps.
During an interim committee hearing this year, staff counsel in the Legislature stated that the Special Election does not need to take place until 2012. Tomblin has not opposed having a costly Special Election but indicated he wanted to hear from voters.
This was a pretty hard election for a lot of West Virginia Democrats. We were outspent, had mud thrown on our face by dirty political ads, and lost the longtime Democratic seat of Congressman Alan Mollohan. We didn't even put up a fight against Capito in the Second and, making matters worse, we lost six seats in the House of Delegates, including one of the most respected policy minds in state politics, Bill Wooton.
Strategies Moving Forward I would make three strategic suggestions for the WV Democratic Party moving forward. Brace yourself because this will probably piss some folks off ;)
Today is judgment day and I just decided this morning that I will loan my vote to Joe Manchin to be our next U.S. Senator. This decision was going to be hard regardless of whether or not I voted for Manchin or wrote in a throw away vote. This was not an easy decision, but I would feel even greater guilt if I woke up tomorrow morning and John Raese was West Virginia's Senator.
Manchin's Flaws
As many of you know, I have berated Manchin's campaign for its cowardice in running against President Obama. I have ridiculed the Manchin camp for undercutting core Democratic principles, doing what I think will be long term damage to the Democratic brand in West Virginia. Manchin's selfishness will not be forgotten and neither will the complicity of those in the WV Democratic Party leadership encouraging his cowardly campaign tactics.
The day after the primary I wrote that I would vote for Manchin:
I will likely vote for Manchin in the special election as long as he does not go off the deep end distancing himself from Obama. I disagree with Manchin on social issues, the environment, and am ashamed of his perpetual bow to the coal bosses. I know I will never agree with Manchin's radical support of Corporate Coal but there are other issues out there that must be considered. Beyond that, Manchin will be the best candidate on the ballot and the balance of power in the Senate must remain in Democratic hands.
Not the most ringing endorsement but considering the other guy, there was a lot of factors to consider in the calculation of my vote. Also the day after the primary I wrote this of Raese:
Looks like John "rich man" Raese bought his way into the special election. I guess growing up with a silver spoon in your mouth does have its perks. Thankfully I get a chance to vote against the Floridian. Raese will make this election with Manchin a referendum on Obama and I say bring it on. Once you get passed the empty talk radio talking points and get to substance then you realize that Obama has did a hell of a job given all the problems he was left by the GOP. There is a lot more the Dems need to accomplish and we truly cannot afford to reverse course like the radical right wing wants us to do.
Seemed simple enough except Manchin did go off the farm in distancing himself from Obama. In late September, early October I started writing a series of posts on FB and Blue about Manchin's dangerous campaign. On October 12 I wrote:
Joe Manchin is running against people like me. I am a West Virginia Democrat...How I wish this were just about John Raese and his policies. Manchin has taken that away from us by trying to be John Raese. It did not have to be this way...I am not going to vote for Joe Manchin unless he makes an obvious effort to come back from the right wing fringe and defend core Democratic principles. Our vote is our only real leverage against self serving politicians and unless we take a stand here then I fear the template will be set in the West Virginia Democratic Party for years to come. Undercut the weak kneed base and go for the propagandized right wing vote- there are no repercussions.
There are repercussions. Manchin was undercutting the base and lost thousands of moderates and progressives in the process, most of which will just stay home today, ultimately pulling down the ticket for other Democratic candidates as well.
Manchin Saves Campaign
Early to mid October were bleak for Manchin. He was down in the polls and getting battered by huge sums of cash from shadow 527 groups and the Raese fortune. I thought he was going to go even further to the Right and bring down the entire Democratic Party with him. Due to pressure from Dems all over the State, Manchin pivoted back to the base. It started during the Daily Mail editorial board interview where Manchin defended the role of government as a safety net. Manchin's ads started slamming Raese on issues like Social Security and the minimum wage. Manchin placed a huge caveat on his support of extending the Bush tax cuts for the rich (really the point where he lost me in late September) by saying that you can't eliminate those tax cuts "during an economic downturn," which is a compromise position that I do not agree with but can at least compromise on myself. Despite having flip flopped on his support of health reform, he began to defend core components of it, saying that he agrees with several of the core principles. He remarked on health care:
The only people without a guarantee (of health insurance) are working people", the governor said.
Manchin quit trying to outflank Raese on the insane and positioned himself as someone that would work with everyone- often touting his endorsements by labor and business. Manchin even said he wanted to work with the President:
He's my president, he's your president. I think it's a shame...when people are rooting for their leaders to fail...You can't continue to divide and be against everything.
Raese's arrogant response:
I just don't sit there and tell a lot of people in the state of West Virginia or the United States, 'Yeah, these are problems and we can work together,' " Raese said. "Well, there are bigger problems than, 'We can work together.'
After that Manchin dominated Raese in the debate, defending both his independence and core Democratic values. All the while, Raese continued hammering Manchin with just one message, "Manchin = Obama."
In some ways Raese is right. Obama needs Joe Manchin in the Senate Democratic Caucus. Obama needs Manchin's vote on the minimum wage, extending unemployment benefits, and education. Raese would vote against Obama even if he knew it would hurt the country. We just cannot afford that type of blind divisiveness and arrogance. Ultimately, Raese not only showed that he has radical positions but also that he would be unwilling to work with anyone that disagreed with him. Manchin beats Raese hands down on this metric.
Conclusion
We need Joe Manchin in the Senate Democratic Caucus but we must watch him like a hawk. When I started this post I said that I was going to loan Manchin my vote. Well, Manchin has to run again in two years and you better believe someone like Raese will be spending millions and millions of dollars to beat him. Manchin is likely going to win by the edge of his teeth today because he disenfranchised so many in the Democratic base. Enough of us will come back to push him to victory but if he goes to Washington and positions himself to the Right of Tom Delay then he can be guaranteed a loss next time. Just remember this Joe Manchin, you can capitulate to the radical Right all you want but in this polarized political climate these folks are voting for that R beside the candidates name. Don't forget the values of the people that allowed you to get into this position.
Thanks for taking the time to read my attempt to justify a difficult vote and for the 110,000 that did not early vote, get out there today and vote against John Raese.
You're invited to a dinner fundraiser for
Stacy Dugan Candidate for Morgan County Commissioner
Sunday, August 10, 2008
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
At the COUNTRY INN,
Berkeley Springs
Dinner will be provided. Contact Jim Hoyt
Stacy Dugan is a wonderful person to be running for Commissioner. Morgan County has been RED for as long as I can remember - but things are REALLY looking up recently. In '06, Brenda Hutchinson(D-Morgan) shocked several political observers with a fantastic run, and WIN, for the Morgan County Commission. Throw in the fact that the Mayor of Bath is Susan Webster(D-Morgan)and an enthusiastic Executive Committee and supporters such as:
Chuck Wheeler, Cindy Largent-Hill, Jim Hoyt, Joe Lillard, Steve Hutchinson, Connie Perry, Mike McKecknie, Margie McCumbee-Allgyer,
Larry Schultz, Sue Schultz, Jerry Berman, Sally Berman, Nancy Sostaric, Stjepan Sostaric
and Stacy Dugan can be Morgan County's next Commissioner.
(Promoted for the Congressional crowd returning today. - promoted by Carnacki)
Did Shelley Moore Capito give her own party a major diss or what?
In this recent Washington Post article she says Democrats are more appealing to people like her than Republicans are:
In West Virginia, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, the only Republican in the state's congressional delegation, said it was simple: As national Democrats focused on a cosmopolitan constituency, her party made clear that it understood West Virginia's culture.
The Democrats "do appeal more to an upper-middle-class, higher-educated, faster-moving kind of voter," she said.
Let's see... is Rep. Shelley Moore Capito "upper-middle-class"? Yes, her congressional salary alone makes her at least upper-middle. Is she "higher-educated"? Yes, again. She's got not only one, but two degrees, including that Master's Degree from Duke University in career counseling. How about a "faster-moving kind of voter"? I really don't know what that means, but she seems to:
There you have it--check, check, and check--according to Republican Shelley Moore Capito, Democrats appeal more to Shelley Moore Capito.
::
Finally, if I had ever thought about voting for Capito before, I'd be really insulted by her statement.
Not only is Republican Shelley Moore Capito saying her own party doesn't appeal to people like her, she's painting those who do vote Republican in a rather negative light.
According to Shelley, if you haven't done well enough economically during the Bush years, or haven't had the benefit of a college education, or you are the kind of voter the Republican party have written off as "slow-moving", she somehow still thinks she can count on your vote.
It's as if she thinks her voters are both ignorant and fools. She's taking your support for granted because she doesn't think you'll notice the many failures of the Bush administration. Just 'cause you don't have a fancy degree doesn't mean you're not smart enough to know you're being sold a bill of goods!
If the Republican party isn't enough appealing to Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito any more, why should it be right for anyone else?
This may be the most amazing wildlife video I've ever seen...
Democrats could learn a thing or two from these water buffalo about standing up for each other against attacks by the lions and crocodiles of the right-wing noise machine.
So, 4 states are holding primaries (and/or caucuses) today. What do you think will happen?
From reading on the Intertubes, the general "conventional wisdom" appears to be:
- Ohio: Hillary's always been ahead there, though Obama's recently closed the gap in polls. If the nasty weather on the way arrives during the day, it could dampen turnout. Who that favors is anyone's guess. CW is Hillary's late surge will keep Obama from pulling an upset. She won't pick up much of a delegate win, but she'll have an important victory to point out as turning back the tide of Obama's momentum.
- Rhode Island: expect a big Hillary win. This is friendly Clinton territory. Obama did make a recent appearance there, which may help his numbers. Even if Hillary's win is "not as big as expected," other news of the day will overshadowed that.
- Vermont: expect a big Obama win. This is friendly Obama territory.
The net effect of RI and VT: it'll help Hillary's "X of X" win/loss ratio, but do nothing to close her significant delegate gap.
- Texas: The CW is: Hillary's late rebound is probably just enough to win the popular vote even if she loses in the delegate count; or, the popular vote is close enough to a tie and the caucus process is fraught with confusion, thus generating just enough questions about the results to push them out a news cycle or two. Either way, she'll probably hold on to just enough of a victory to give her reason to stay in the race.
So, in summary, Hillary will be hailed as stopping Obama's really strong momentum. On the other hand, she's not going to make up any substantial ground on the delegate count.
Obama supporters will use the day as evidence that Hillary should drop out; Hillary supporters as evidence that Hillary is on her way to winning.
What do I think will happen? I haven't a clue. It's been an election season full of surprises. Hillary out-performed polls in NH, since then Obama has been out-performing polls.
With the combination of early voting, unprecedented turn-out levels and proportional delegate allocations, there's no telling how the day will shake out. For political junkies like me, it's another fun day to sit back and watch.
It's a good time to be a Democrat in West Virginia. This and lots of other events on the Dem Events Calendar
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 : Anne Barth Headquarters Grand Opening 5:30-7:30 PM located 712 Lee St, Charleston, across from State Democratic Party Headquarters. For more information call (304) 932-8282.
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