Trump's Card

[Tubby Isaacs]

Yes, but let's see whatever voter intimidation/depression efforts that the Republicans cook up before we count our chickens before they're hatched.

Indeed.

And they'll benefit from having a lot more old people about. Don't know how that pans out, whether it might shift the Mid West over to them.

[anton pulisov]

If I was a Democrat and US Citizen I'd seriously considering donating to the Republican running against Joe Manchin.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Republican opponent, in his day job, is currently trying to sue away lots of people's healthcare.

[anton pulisov]

The Republican opponent, in his day job, is currently trying to sue away lots of people's healthcare.

Which would probably be ruled unconstitutional by the Supr... ah wait.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

My guess is that it is a combination of the downturn in demand caused by the recession and heavily indebted ompanies going to the wall, combined with outsourcing coming fully into vogue, as the real industrial impact of NAFTA took more than five years to manifest itself. There are almost certainly other factors, but those would have contributed to it.

Fair enough, but output recovered. Is that accounting, or did a load of companies "consolidate" and upgrade?

[ursus arctos]

There was a very significant move towards greater automation in the remaining facilities, which could explain the increase in "productivity"

[Tubby Isaacs]

Which would probably be ruled unconstitutional by the Supr... ah wait.

Indeed, but it looks like Manchin's vote doesn't matter on Kavanaugh. If he's the swing vote, then yeah, go for it. If he isn't, primary him next time round anyway, and give your money to one of the Red state Dems brave enough to vote against Kavanaugh this tim.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I mean, how shit is the Senate voting system? Republicans lead 51-49, even with chucking away 3 seats on Roy Moore, Richard Murdouck and Todd Akin.

[San Bernardhinault]

If you primary Manchin, you're guaranteed to lose WV. With Manchin, the choice is having someone who votes with Trump 50% of the time instead of 100% of the time, which is a comparative win. By all rights WV should have 2 Republican senators. It currently has 1.5.

[Tubby Isaacs]

What's happened to this guy? Is he retired? He's only 66, he can do a few years in the Senate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Ray_Tomblin

Handy victory in the 2012 Governor Race, even with all those folks turning out to vote against Obama (as well as for Manchin, I suppose).

[ursus arctos]

He explicitly ran against Obama in 2012. Last seen endorsing Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Are you sure he endorsed Sanders?

Governor Tomblin Endorses Hillary Clinton for President
4/29/2016

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (April 29, 2016) – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today endorsed Hillary Clinton for president:

Although I remain concerned about some of Secretary Clinton's positions on fossil fuels, I believe she is the best choice to unite the Democratic Party and, after being elected president in November, our country. I have had discussions with former President Bill Clinton and representatives from Secretary Clinton's campaign and believe Hillary Clinton is committed to working with us to diversify West Virginia's economy while continuing to find ways to use our abundant coal and natural gas to power the nation.

But seems like he's retired. And even if he did a Bredesen comeback v Capito, he wouldn't win.

[ursus arctos]

Ah, it appears I misread something. Apologies. But he's not going to run in 2024.

[Tubby Isaacs]

If he comes back, he might need someone different on web comms.

Governor Tomblin Announces West Virginia Joins Multi-State Challenge to EPA
4/16/2012

Gov. Tomblin says EPA is killing jobs and the coal industry

Gov. Tomblin today joined twenty-one other states in challenging President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its latest attack on jobs and West Virginia coal. Gov. Tomblin directed West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw to join a Petition for Review in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit challenging the EPA’s MACT Rule. This rule has already caused electric utilities to announce plans to shut down coal-fired power plants in West Virginia.

“This is a shining example of the EPA, an unelected federal bureaucracy, making policy without regard to the economic impact of its decisions,” said Gov. Tomblin. “I will continue to fight for West Virginia jobs and against the EPA’s ideologically driven, job-killing agenda.”

Last year, the State of West Virginia joined twenty-four other states and the Territory of Guam in filing a brief, as amici curiae, in the underlying MACT Rule litigation. The MACT rule regulates emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coal-fired electric plants.

Whoever wrote that last sentence might not entirely agree with the governor on this one.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Bredesen is a hypothetical yes on Kavanaugh.

[Sporting]

What is Manchin's voting record on other issues? And do/will Democrat West Virginians hold their noses when/if they vote for him again?

[Etienne]

Collins doesn't sound like she's flipping.

[Incandenza]

Susan Collins on the floor giving a speech...sure sounds like she's a Yes.

[Lang Spoon]

Fucking scumbag

[anton pulisov]

Iall that liberal dark money holding back corporate freedom

[Tubby Isaacs]

What is Manchin's voting record on other issues? And do/will Democrat West Virginians hold their noses when/if they vote for him again?

He votes with Trump the most of any senator (60%), but some of those votes are for stuff that's passing anyway. He's running very heavily on protecting Obamacare (or as he calls it, "existing conditions"). He seems to have a following in mining/ ex mining communities that other Democrats don't have.

I expect a fair few hold their nose, but I'd be surprised if the Kavanaugh vote (assuming he isn't the swing vote) would affect him too much.

[San Bernardhinault]

It's almost as unsurprising as Flake voting yes. More surprising is that Murkowski's a "No".

[anton pulisov]

Well Kavanaugh promised her he wouldn't gut Obamacare and he's not one to lie.

[Lang Spoon]

Fuck this I fear the only way this hegemony will end is in violence. They’ve rigged the Madisonian safeguards, played the Dems like fools.

[Tubby Isaacs]

What were the Dems supposed to do? Kidnap Kennedy so he couldn't resign?