Print Magazine
Brussels Morning Newspaper
Friday, July 1, 2022
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
    • About Us
  • EU institutions
    • Commission
    • Parliament
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
Brussels Morning Newspaper
  • Home
    • About Us
  • EU institutions
    • Commission
    • Parliament
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
Brussels Morning Newspaper
No Result
View All Result
Home In Depth The American Angle

Joe Manchin’s Fantasies and Hubris Are Destroying American Democracy

Lincoln Mitchell by Lincoln Mitchell
7 June 2021
in The American Angle
Joe Manchin’s Fantasies and Hubris Are Destroying American Democracy

Washington DC Capitol dome detail with waving american flag

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

New York (Brussels Morning) It is now looking increasingly likely that an already teetering American democracy will suffer another blow due to Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) insistence on living in a fantasy world. In Manchin’s fantasy world, America is a place where the founders, morally and intellectually only one small step away from divinity, crafted an absolutely flawless constitution that is deeply and uniquely democratic.

Manchin’s fantasy world also extends to a belief that the US Senate is the world’s greatest deliberative body and a serious place where well-meaning and thoughtful people with honest but legitimate disagreements work together to craft compromises and bipartisan legislation. It is difficult to believe that in 2021 any sentient American still believes that, but being sentient is, apparently, not a prerequisite for serving in the US Senate.

Manchin’s recently stated positions that he opposes abolishing the filibuster and will not support the For the People Act demonstrate that for Manchin the fantasy is more important than the urgent, and real, task of ensuring that American democracy survives. In an opinion piece Manchin published in a West Virginia newspaper the Charleston Gazette-Mail, the senator used language that was positively Orwellian. “(C)ongressional action on federal voting rights legislation must be the result of both Democrats and Republicans coming together to find a pathway forward or we risk further dividing and destroying the republic we swore to protect and defend as elected officials…

I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act. Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster.” Huh? According to Manchin standing up to a Republican Party, which has made little attempt to conceal its contempt for democracy and fair elections, somehow divides and destroys the republic. 

Manchin’s concern seems to be that passing legislation, even legislation supported by majorities of the American people, weakens democracy and the social fabric of the country unless it passes with bipartisan support. According to that logic, it does not matter that Democrats have majorities in both houses of congress and that the President is a Democrat.

Nor does it matter that a majority of the American people cast their votes for Democrats for the House, Senate and President. In Manchin’s world that should all be overlooked if 41 Republican senators oppose any proposed legislation. There is nothing democratic about that. It simply empowers a minority that has repeatedly demonstrated its contempt for democracy, fair elections and, given its approach to Covid, American lives as well.

The Senator from West Virginia is either unable or unwilling to recognise American politics as it exists today. There is nothing wrong with bipartisanship or compromise between the parties on many issues, but on basic issues of democracy, that approach does not work. There is no viable compromise position between democracy and authoritarianism, between free and fair elections and disinformation campaigns aimed at overturning those elections or between allowing everybody to vote or making it more difficult for African Americans to vote.

Manchin’s views are that the democratic side of these questions is not worth defending unless Republicans, the party of insurrection and democratic rollback, join the fight. This, of course, will never happen.

Manchin’s position is both cowardly and bizarre. However, he is most likely using these high falutin’ words and ideas to conceal the more quotidian truth that he wants to get reelected in 2024 and is fine with seeing further erosion of American democracy in pursuit of that selfish goal. The politics of that calculation are reasonably straightforward. West Virginia is one of the most Republican states and the country.

Other than Manchin, there is not a single statewide elected official in West Virginia who is a Democrat. Moreover, in both 2016 and 2020 Donald Trump won more than two thirds of the vote in West Virginia. Manchin will have a tough race in 2024 when he is up for reelection and being seen as a loyal Democrat would undoubtedly hurt his chances of winning that race.

A closer look at that political calculation tells a different story. Manchin will turn 77 in August of 2024. That is an age where retirement and a life of very lucrative consultancies, lobbying opportunities or board memberships would await Manchin if he loses his bid for reelection, or simply chooses not to seek reelection.

Manchin could easily have it both ways. He could do his part to rebuild American democracy and become a respected, and well paid, figure if he loses reelection. However, it is now apparent that it is more important to him to be called Senator Manchin into his 80s and to enjoy the constant attention and ego stroking that goes along with that title. This hubris has turned Manchin into just another handmaiden of democratic rollback.

Tags: Main-Slider

Latest post

Turkish Drones Changing Warfare Dynamics Overnight

Turkish Drones Changing Warfare Dynamics Overnight

9 hours ago
Club de Madrid asks Tunisian authorities to observe the essence of democratic values

Club de Madrid asks Tunisian authorities to observe the essence of democratic values

9 hours ago

Most Read

  • These are the 10 highest paying jobs in the Europe in 2022

    These are the 10 highest paying jobs in the Europe in 2022

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What Are The Highest Paying Jobs In Luxembourg?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Energy Recovery Fund

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What Are The Highest Paying Jobs In Finland?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • My mind map comes in handy, promoting the full potential of children and young people

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Facebook Twitter Youtube LinkedIn

About Us

Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

Category

  • Ambassador’s Corner
  • Belgium News
  • Brussels
  • Commission
  • Council
  • Culture and Society
  • Diplomacy
  • Economy
  • EU Institutions
  • Europe
  • Europe With Transparency
  • Features
  • In Depth
  • Member States
  • Middle East Eye
  • Opinion
  • Our pick
  • Parliament
  • Place de la Bourse
  • Southeast Europe
  • Sustainable Perspective
  • The American Angle
  • The Macro-Economist
  • Uncategorised
  • US Elections
  • World

More info

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Cookies Policy
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Jobs

Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • EU Institutions
    • Parliament
    • Commission
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Member States
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • The American Angle
    • Southeast Europe
  • Print Magazine

Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT