lauraannegilman:

blisstory:

apparentlyeverything:

tikkunolamorgtfo:

apparentlyeverything:

because the Republican he’s running against is far worse and Democrats need to retake the Senate, period. You can’t do anything without a majority, that’s just how the whole thing works

Normally I would very much agree, but like…if a “Democrat” habitually votes with the Republicans, then how are they actually Democrat? Manchin’s voting recording is scarcely better than that of Rand Paul and Susan Collins. If you can’t rely on a politician as a Democratic vote, then you don’t have them as part of your potential majority. What good is a vote you can’t rely on? 

The Democrats having a majority means they control all committees, which means they control what legislation comes *out* of committees and gets a vote, and what never comes to the floor. They have final say over the rules of parliamentary procedure. They can block Presidential nominees. Controlling Congress, even because of one shitty conservative Senator, basically gives the Democrats the institutional advantage and ability to influence legislation that they completely lack right now, which is why we’re in such constant crisis. People are constantly urging them to fight harder, as if this will materialize a majority out of thin air. If they don’t control either the House or the Senate, they are virtually powerless.

Manchin represents a state that voted 68.5% for Trump, which was literally his largest margin of victory. In West Virginia, Manchin is consistently attacked for being “too liberal.” And like, let’s not forget that “scarcely better” than Rand Paul and Susan Collins still means something, because there’s still a lot of room between the most conservative Democrats and “moderate” Republicans these days. Last summer, Manchin voted against the ACA repeal, while Paul voted for it. Manchin voted against the tax bill while Collins voted for it. 

Also, the primary is over. In November he’s up against a Republican, not a more progressive Democrat. It’s going to be one of them seated in the Senate in 2019. Even if control of the Senate were not in play, there is no way anyone on the left could honestly look at his opponent Patrick Morrisey’s positions and conclude it would be better to have him in the Senate. I hope that Manchin gets sidelined in a Democratic controlled Senate, but I’m not willing to risk everything just to punish him for this cowardly, disgusting vote.

Guys please, FUCKING PLEASE. Learn from what happened in 2016.

SOMETIMES YOU DO NOT HAVE A PERFECT CANDIDATE.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SUCK IT UP AND VOTE FOR THE LEAST SHITTY OPTION.

Manchin is trash and I am EXCITED to donate money to any democrat that primaries against him in the future but jfc people please please PLEASE do not do this shit now. He is the Democratic candidate.

Let me say that again. Manchin is THE democratic candidate. There is no other, more liberal option. There just isn’t. The time for more liberal options was during the last primaries, which are now OVER.

So unless one of you has a time machine (in which case why the fuck have you not fixed the 2016 election bullshit?) MANCHIN IS THE ONLY OPTION.

We cannot and will not survive 2 more years of Republican control of both houses; if you value women’s rights, the environment, LGBTQA issues, tax issues, free and open internet, BASICALLY ANYTHING THAT MAKES LIVING NOT SHITTY, you have one and ONLY ONE option:

VOTE DEMOCRAT.

VOTE DEMOCRAT even if they are a GIANT SHITTY COWARDLY CONSERVATIVE-LEANING WASTE OF A VOTE.

Because that shitty useless democrat is STILL better than adding one more republican to the House or Senate.

Politics is a game.  It’s an ugly game, but it’s one we quit at immense damage to ourselves.  This is a fact everyone needs to learn.

Play the game. Make sure Manchin knows he’s on sufferance, but hold your damn nose and keep a Republican out of his seat until we have a better option

This goes for every Congressional* race:  if they’re a Republican, get rid of them.  If they’re a Democrat, support them.  We have LEVERAGE within the democratic party, once they’re back in power.

*hell, EVERY race this year and next.  Get the GOP out, from the PTA on up.