Calls Build for Manchin to Follow Sinema in Leaving Democratic Party

[Polybius]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Newsweek

Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced in an op-ed on Friday that she's ditching the Democratic Party to register as an independent. Now, some are demanding that another Democratic senator follow suit: West Virginia's Joe Manchin.

Along with Sinema, Manchin is viewed by many political observers as one of the country's most powerful people. Their less-reliably-liberal votes can either grant the green light or spell doom for legislation in an otherwise stalemated U.S. Senate.

The Democrats narrowly held on to their Senate majority following November's midterm elections. And this week, after Republican candidate Herschel Walker conceded in Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff election against Senator Raphael Warnock, Democrats locked in a 51-49 majority.

Yet while critics have decried Sinema as a "traitor," news of her defection has also energized some conservatives. Many right-leaning social media users are egging on Manchin to similarly jump ship.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/calls-build-manchin-follow-sinema-leaving-democratic-party-1765952

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I doubt that he switches now, but if Jim Justice announces that he's running for the Senate and starts polling ahead of Manchin, he may do the same.

[catbyte]

1. Sure! They couldn't take the Senate legtimately so they're resorting to cheating.

What a shocker.

[onenote]

4. How is it cheating?

I've seen multiple posts here over the years suggesting that Democrats try to get Republicans to switch parties.

If she caucuses with Democrats, this means little in the short term. It would be no different, in the short run, than having Sanders and King caucus as independents.

[agingdem]

2. he has more power as a Democrat

he sees himself as a shadow president, more powerful than Biden...the guy Biden's advisors have to romance to get legislation through the Senate...

[in2herbs]

6. Agree. He has a lot of power as a D but if he were to become an R he'd just be a small fish in

their cesspool. If he switched parties it's unlikely he'd win his state as an R -- there are way more right-wingers waiting in the wings able to take his place. And, the word is that no other D could win in his state.

Manchin has already "gotten his way." The last I read his coal bill that was rejected a few months back has been given new life and has been inserted in the must-pass before the end of the year budget bill. If you don't think he'll leverage his power to assure this and other legislation gets passed I have a bridge in AZ to sell you.

[agingdem]

7. the Dems will give him what he wants as long as it

suits their interests and if they can tie something they want to his crap of a coal bill

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. Calls from who? Name names

Remember folks, Newsweek is a RW rag that gave coup-architect John Eastman space to promote his legal theory that VP Harris was ineligible to serve because her parents were foreign born.

[EarlG]

5. Just to be clear

The "calls" referenced in the headline are coming from "right-leaning social media users" including Dinesh D'Souza, who is quoted in the article.

At the very end of the article there's a single paragraph that says:

Some liberals have also weighed in. One Twitter user, @Blake_Allen13, posted a picture of Manchin posing with a statue of the Mothman, a West Virginia cryptid, along with the caption: "The worst thing about today is I respect this man a lot more than I did yesterday."

No offense intended towards you, OP; this article is just a right-wing propaganda fart.

[wolfie001]

14. Isn't he a convicted felon?

That should always precede his name in any political convo.

[EarlG]

15. You mean, convicted felon Dinesh D'Souza?

Why yes, I believe that Dinesh D'Souza is a convicted felon.

[wolfie001]

18. Yeppers!

Cheers!

[MerryHolidays]

23. Now, c'mon, EarlG...you know that's not true

He was PARDONED by Trump. That means he is a good person who has done no wrong, right? Just like his pardoner, right?

[Hope22]

8. It seems to me that elected officials

Should have to keep their party designation or resign the office should they decide they can’t remain in their party for the duration of their term. Shear manipulation for greed and power is an insult to voters and the election / governing process.

[ColinC]

9. He should run for governor.

And announce sooner that he is not running for re election to the Senate to give room for somebody else early.

[Polybius]

10. There's no one else but him who could win as a Democrat for the WV Senate

Trump won with 68.62% of the vote in 2020 there. Justice would crush any Democrat not named Manchin. Heck, he'd probably beat him too.

[ColinC]

11. Justice has a more than 60% chance of beating Manchin at the Senate.

If Manchin stayed in the race we would lose the senate seat there, and not have any statewide race in WV. If we give up the seat in WV and support Manchin as gov, at least we wouldn't be losing everything in WV and making a surefire gain in a governorship. 2024 isn't going to be a good map, and we will likely need to put a lot of support elsewhere.

[Polybius]

13. I'm afraid that you're right

I think Manchin could definitely win a run for Governor. Like him or not, he's well-liked in WV. Do you think anyone can beat Justice for the Senate? I know that your posts were a lot more positive than mine were going into Election Day 2022.

[ColinC]

16. haah yeah 2022 sobered me up a little

That being said, I can't imagine there isn't at least a conservative democrat there who has some name recognition that could at least cause Republicans to put more money into the senate race than they anticipate.

[Polybius]

17. There's a big problem with Justice:

Well, two really. The main problem is that he's the richest man in WV, and apparently the only billionaire. The second issue is that he's popular and a bit of a populist. I really hope that he doesn't run.

[ColinC]

19. I didn't realize he's a billionaire

Yeah if he runs, Dems lost that seat entirely.

[Polybius]

20. The only thing going against Justice is his health

He's 71, 6'7 and pretty overweight.

[Lasher]

27. And he's not a billionaire any more.

Gov. Jim Justice No Longer A Billionaire, After $850 Million Debt To Insolvent Greensill Capital Revealed

James C. Justice II, the governor of West Virginia, made a fortune in 2009 when he sold Bluestone Resources, a collection of his best West Virginia coal mines, to Russian company Mechel OAO for $500 million plus several hundred million dollars in Mechel stock. That deal was enough to push Justice into the ranks of The Forbes 400 in 2011, with an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion, later peaking at $1.7 billion.

But the coal industry has deteriorated, and with it, the Justice family fortunes. In 2015, after coal prices plunged, the Russians insisted that the Justice family buy Bluestone back. So Justice paid $5 million for his old company, but also assumed some $300 million in environmental and legal obligations. Justice—in new court documents—says that the Russians left behind a shambles. “The business had been mismanaged under Mechel ownership, burdening it with substantial reclamation, union and trade obligations.”

Despite the challenges, Jim Justice, 69, and his son James C. Justice III, or “Jay,” say in a new lawsuit against Greensill Capital that they have maintained the objective of “returning Bluestone to profitability.” Never mind that Justice long ago earned the reputation of being a businessman who never pays his bills—they just needed some more capital. Justice found a willing party in Greensill—an upstart supply chain lender, which in April 2019 extended the Justices the first of some $850 million in outstanding loans.

(snip)

Justice has long insisted to Forbes that the Greenbrier is worth $1 billion on its own. We'll believe that when someone comes along and pays him that much for it. Meanwhile, as Greensill’s creditors scrutinize its loans, exposures and collateral, we’ll be curious to better understand what Justice spent Greensill’s $850 million on, whether he has any of it left, and how many cents on the dollar he’ll end up settling for with Greensill’s insurers. Until more is revealed, don't expect to see Jim Justice return to the billionaires’ list.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2021/03/30/gov-jim-justice-no-longer-a-billionaire-after-850-million-debt-to-insolvent-greensill-capital-revealed/?sh=3f2caff0433b

[GreenWave]

12. demanding??? They are lying.

[DownriverDem]

21. Who are "some"?

They certainly want to hold the country back worse than ever.

[brooklynite]

22. WHO is "calling"?

[Gore1FL]

24. Weird time for Democrats such as Machin and Sinema to decide to ride the Trump Train, but OK. nt

[maxrandb]

25. "News"-weak" is a frickin right wing rag

Posting shit from that POS is like posting shit from Newsmax.

This post needs to be tombstoned

[marieo1]

26. Disgusting pieces of humanity

I can't stand these fence riders. They both need to go NOW!!

[Omaha Steve]

28. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

Some analysis, no real news.

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