“You think I didn’t know that when I looked at the background-check bill that it wasn’t going to be as hot as anything can possibly (be) in my state? You think politically that was a smart move for me? Not at all. It was a stupid move, politically.” – Senator Joe Manchin in Manchin Unapologetic on Guns (But Still Playing Defense) [at nationaljournal.com]

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34 COMMENTS

    • Politicians should be fined the cost of their current year’s salary for lying to the public.
      I say “fined” because actually getting them out of office is next to impossible.
      Here’s hoping West Virginia gives him the ax, and let that be a lesson to gun grabbing politicians everywhere.

  4. The job of an elected official is to represent the views of his constituents. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Manchin just admitted that he was proud to not just ignore his constituents, but act opposite of their interests.

    • Here is my issue…. If an elected representative doesn’t do the will of the people, should the people suffer under this false representation until the next election cycle? 2 or 4 or 6 years is an awfully long time to wait for appropriate representation. A lot can happen in that time and the people (and their interests) can be misrepresented in a lot of ways. There should be a methodology for recall of any and all elected officials, at any time.

    • Don’t you know? True political bravery is not just ignoring your constituents, its calling them a cancer of the soul, that talking with them is tedious and boring, that you can’t be thrown out because the form was not a 100% match with the wording required. That not just your constituents, that the constituents across the entire state are wrong and that they need you to choose whats best for them.

      Its really up to Colorado now to prove that 1994 was no fluke, that America will trample wannabe tyrants who decide they know better than the people who voted for them. Cause I don’t see it happening in the New York or Cali.

    • +1

      “I knew my constituents wouldn’t agree, but I did it anyway. I don’t understand why they don’t like me…”

    • We plan to put him in the unemployment line as fast as possible, but without recall in our state it is next to impossible. If only violating your oath of office was cause for termination.

    • This was unthinkable to us. Most of us did not see this coming. Apparently he is a constitution hater.
      Most of our politicians have always told us up front how they feel. Not Joe, obviously.
      This one is now tied to the puppet masters money strings. He is now personal chattel
      of BloombamaBerg Inc.. I have written to him several time about his betrayal. He always sends a reply that ingnores my point and tries to justify his Judas behavior.
      I wonder how many pieces of silver he actually cost?

      I have been a proud WV voter, since 1974. I have never missed voting. I am telling everyone
      that will listen about this betrayal.
      So now you know that many of us here loathe his actions.

      Molon Labe

  7. It was also a stupid move morally. But it was smart financially. And that’s all that counts for parasites.

  8. IMHO, he will never ever understand the depth of his deceit until the good people of W. VA finally purge him from office. I would like to point out, that he is no friend to the coal bills either. He is in bed with Bloomberg including visiting Bloomberg at his home for a fun raiser for his campaign.

    I know he is going to be in office for some time, but I hope that W. VA remind him from time to time that W. VA voted him into office, and not NYC nor the DNC.

  9. “It was a stupid move, politically.”

    It was a stupid move politically as well as a stupid move because you’re working against the constitution and it flys in the face of common sense. Also remember that you swore an oath to uphold the constitution so, it was stupid for acting contrary to that oath. (Some would say stupid, others might say traitorous.)

  10. Well, folks in Washington are supposed to represent their constituents, take other constituencies into account, allow for international realities and find a way to pay for things— in that order.

    Over all this, they are to apply the Constitution and keep within the bounds of natural law.

    It’s not as simple as “do what the people back home want.”

    However, it seems that it’s the Constitution — “a goddamned piece of paper,” as GWB called it — that instead of the final arbiter is reduced to the last-if-ever thought.

    The laws of nature get pretty short shrift as well…

    :/

    • That “goddamned piece of paper” quote was retracted by the guy who reported it – it seems he has a history of “unreliable sources” (AKA making shit up). Not that Bush was any friend to the Constitution, as many of his actions seem to indicate he never gave much of a shit about the piece of paper in question, but still, let’s be accurate here.

      I agree 100% with the rest of your sentiments, however.

      • The “source” from whom I “heard” it — secondhand, I’ll admit — was a republican congress critter who was present when concerns were raised about the Constitutionality of certain provisions of the Patriot Act and Bush exploded by way of reply.

        I’ve known my “source” for many years, and he the congress critter.

        This is not via MSM or “My mom’s hairdresser’s dog’s walker’s plumber heard it from his sister’s chorus teacher’s tax accountant.”

        YMMV

        • EDIT: One meets a lot people in the Antarctic programme — Distinguished Visitors and such. I actually knew Ted Stevens quite well, although he was rather antagonistic to the USAP, claiming that Alaska was as good a place for identical research.

          There are neither penguins in Alaska, nor freeze fish, 7,500,000 year old ice, isolated and burried million-year-away lakes nor a “stable” pole, but I digress.

          One also meets unusual people installing security systems in privately owned factories, and these Salts of the Earth know People.

          So yes, hearing things outside the Doug Thompson loop can happen

      • EDIT EDIT: While I am no fan of that particular Bush, the only reason I mention the quote is because everyone else professes to love the Constitution.

        They sh¡t on it just the same, but are better liars.

        That the professor of Constitutional law who now “defends it” should so treat that document… Crike.

        • No EDIT EDIT EDIT?

          If we’re being honest, the things the Obama administration has done makes what the Bush administration did look like minor indiscretions.

        • I’d not go that far — what with the Patriot Act, extraordinary rendition, “free speech zones,” Guantanamo and so-on.

          However, Obama is the “defender” I lament in my last paragraph, the one currently feedinit the Constitution into the shredder one clause at a time.

          That man is a serious disappointment .

  12. No evidence that GWB ever spoke those words. Factcheck.org states it is highly unlikely and the author of the story, Doug Thompson, has retracted and wrote in 2011 he believes it never happened. probably should use sources other than Daily Kos and the democratic underground Russell.

  13. Manchin’s move may have been stupid politically, but it was smart financially. Look for Bloombag to host a few more million-dollar-a-plate dinners for West Virginia’s junior Senator. Manchin will make a fortune.

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