Why isn't Manchin a Republican?

[Rockefeller GOP]

Manchin will not flip if the Republicans take the Senate he would be the odd one out in the caucus. He voted for raising the minimum wage, equal pay, funding Obamacare and on most Democratic bills brought up on the Senate floor.

Exactly.  People get so hung up on social issues and cultural issues.  Manchin is as much of a Democrat as any other.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Manchin will not flip if the Republicans take the Senate he would be the odd one out in the caucus. He voted for raising the minimum wage, equal pay, funding Obamacare and on most Democratic bills brought up on the Senate floor.

Exactly.  People get so hung up on social issues and cultural issues.  Manchin is as much of a Democrat as any other.

No, he's one of the most conservative Democrats in every category.
http://www.progressivepunch.org/members.htm?member=412346

[NHLiberal]

Manchin will not flip if the Republicans take the Senate he would be the odd one out in the caucus. He voted for raising the minimum wage, equal pay, funding Obamacare and on most Democratic bills brought up on the Senate floor.

Exactly.  People get so hung up on social issues and cultural issues.  Manchin is as much of a Democrat as any other.

No, he's one of the most conservative Democrats in every category.
http://www.progressivepunch.org/members.htm?member=412346

Sure, but he isn't more conservative than any Republicans on the whole (though he may be to the right of Murkowski, Kirk, Portman, and Collins on LGBT issues alone).

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Manchin will not flip if the Republicans take the Senate he would be the odd one out in the caucus. He voted for raising the minimum wage, equal pay, funding Obamacare and on most Democratic bills brought up on the Senate floor.

Exactly.  People get so hung up on social issues and cultural issues.  Manchin is as much of a Democrat as any other.

No, he's one of the most conservative Democrats in every category.
http://www.progressivepunch.org/members.htm?member=412346

Sure, but he isn't more conservative than any Republicans on the whole (though he may be to the right of Murkowski, Kirk, Portman, and Collins on LGBT issues alone).

That's because the Republican party is just right-wingers now.

[Rockefeller GOP]

Manchin will not flip if the Republicans take the Senate he would be the odd one out in the caucus. He voted for raising the minimum wage, equal pay, funding Obamacare and on most Democratic bills brought up on the Senate floor.

Exactly.  People get so hung up on social issues and cultural issues.  Manchin is as much of a Democrat as any other.

No, he's one of the most conservative Democrats in every category.
http://www.progressivepunch.org/members.htm?member=412346

Sure, but he isn't more conservative than any Republicans on the whole (though he may be to the right of Murkowski, Kirk, Portman, and Collins on LGBT issues alone).

That's because the Republican party is just right-wingers now.

He literally just named multiple sitting Senators who aren't, in any sense of the word, "right wingers," but whatever you'd like to believe.

[NHLiberal]

Manchin will not flip if the Republicans take the Senate he would be the odd one out in the caucus. He voted for raising the minimum wage, equal pay, funding Obamacare and on most Democratic bills brought up on the Senate floor.

Exactly.  People get so hung up on social issues and cultural issues.  Manchin is as much of a Democrat as any other.

No, he's one of the most conservative Democrats in every category.
http://www.progressivepunch.org/members.htm?member=412346

Sure, but he isn't more conservative than any Republicans on the whole (though he may be to the right of Murkowski, Kirk, Portman, and Collins on LGBT issues alone).

That's because the Republican party is just right-wingers now.

He literally just named multiple sitting Senators who aren't, in any sense of the word, "right wingers," but whatever you'd like to believe.

Kirk, Portman, Murkowski, and Collins are right-wingers.

[Rockefeller GOP]

Manchin will not flip if the Republicans take the Senate he would be the odd one out in the caucus. He voted for raising the minimum wage, equal pay, funding Obamacare and on most Democratic bills brought up on the Senate floor.

Exactly.  People get so hung up on social issues and cultural issues.  Manchin is as much of a Democrat as any other.

No, he's one of the most conservative Democrats in every category.
http://www.progressivepunch.org/members.htm?member=412346

Sure, but he isn't more conservative than any Republicans on the whole (though he may be to the right of Murkowski, Kirk, Portman, and Collins on LGBT issues alone).

That's because the Republican party is just right-wingers now.

He literally just named multiple sitting Senators who aren't, in any sense of the word, "right wingers," but whatever you'd like to believe.

Kirk, Portman, Murkowski, and Collins are right-wingers.

Wow.  Okay, all Democrats are left-wingers.

[NHLiberal]

Manchin will not flip if the Republicans take the Senate he would be the odd one out in the caucus. He voted for raising the minimum wage, equal pay, funding Obamacare and on most Democratic bills brought up on the Senate floor.

Exactly.  People get so hung up on social issues and cultural issues.  Manchin is as much of a Democrat as any other.

No, he's one of the most conservative Democrats in every category.
http://www.progressivepunch.org/members.htm?member=412346

Sure, but he isn't more conservative than any Republicans on the whole (though he may be to the right of Murkowski, Kirk, Portman, and Collins on LGBT issues alone).

That's because the Republican party is just right-wingers now.

He literally just named multiple sitting Senators who aren't, in any sense of the word, "right wingers," but whatever you'd like to believe.

Kirk, Portman, Murkowski, and Collins are right-wingers.

Wow.  Okay, all Democrats are left-wingers.

Actually, very few of them are. I think you are mistaking "right-winger" for a pejorative term. It's not; the simple fact is just that those four individuals have right-wing ideologies.

[Suburbia]

He's a old school Democrat. The Lieberman of our time.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

He is a placeholder, so that it won't be a GOP takeover in 2018. Although, it will speed up that chance if he decides to run for gov and appoint Goodwin.  I doubt he wants to stick around and see what happens in an off year election in 2018.

[Free Bird]

He is a placeholder, so that it won't be a GOP takeover in 2018. Although, it will speed up that chance if he decides to run for gov and appoint Goodwin.  I doubt he wants to stick around and see what happens in an off year election in 2018.

Ummmmm..... there already has been a takeover

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

I meant a GOP pickup of WVA in 2018, should he decide to run for gov and keep the seat in Dem hands  should he appoint a replacement.

[Free Bird]

I meant a GOP pickup of WVA in 2018, should he decide to run for gov and keep the seat in Dem hands  should he appoint a replacement.

Even if he appoints, they'll lose. Only Rocky and Manchin could keep those seats Dem. One is retired now, and the other is poised to in one form or another within less than 4 years.

[Türkisblau]

It is pathetic how exclusive the parties have become, on both sides. Is no diversity of opinion allowed?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

You know, if anything the Democrats are overall more moderate than the Republicans and by corollary will generally will have more moderate Congressional caucus than the GOP.  I think Manchin being in office is a function of that.

[Rockefeller GOP]

You know, if anything the Democrats are overall more moderate than the Republicans and by corollary will generally will have more moderate Congressional caucus than the GOP.  I think Manchin being in office is a function of that.

Maybe on fiscal issues...  However, there seem to be far more socially moderate Republicans in Congress than there are socially moderate Democrats.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

You know, if anything the Democrats are overall more moderate than the Republicans and by corollary will generally will have more moderate Congressional caucus than the GOP.  I think Manchin being in office is a function of that.

Maybe on fiscal issues...  However, there seem to be far more socially moderate Republicans in Congress than there are socially moderate Democrats.

Around two-thirds of Republicans self-identify as conservatives while less than half of Democrats self-identify as liberals.  The Democrats also have a larger moderate core when compared to the GOP.

[Beet]

The last 6 years have wiped out many socially moderate Democrats, unfortunately. If there's ever a Democratic congressional wave, I expect them to make a comeback.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The last 6 years have wiped out many socially moderate Democrats, unfortunately. If there's ever a Democratic congressional wave, I expect them to make a comeback.

That is accurate.  If the numbers of socially conservative Ds in Congress increased in 2006, they should increase again in the next year Democrats flip the House.

[hopper]

He's a old school Democrat. The Lieberman of our time.

True. I could vote for Manchin if he was running for office in NJ.

[Frodo]

The last 6 years have wiped out many socially moderate Democrats, unfortunately. If there's ever a Democratic congressional wave, I expect them to make a comeback.

We're not getting those rural/exurban southern districts back.  

[hopper]

It is pathetic how exclusive the parties have become, on both sides. Is no diversity of opinion allowed?

Yeah I think its sad how the "Moderate Wing" of both parties have died especially Republicans in the US House 90% of members according to DW-Nominate are Conservatives. That's just a whopping number. Its just 60% in the US Senate that are Conservatives(i.e. non-centrists.)

[Rockefeller GOP]

The last 6 years have wiped out many socially moderate Democrats, unfortunately. If there's ever a Democratic congressional wave, I expect them to make a comeback.

We're not getting those rural/exurban southern districts back.  

Certainly not with the attitudes given forth on this forum, which seem to suggest those voters are too backward to vote Democrat (ignoring that they did for decades).

[smoltchanov]

The last 6 years have wiped out many socially moderate Democrats, unfortunately. If there's ever a Democratic congressional wave, I expect them to make a comeback.

We're not getting those rural/exurban southern districts back.  

Certainly not with the attitudes given forth on this forum, which seem to suggest those voters are too backward to vote Democrat (ignoring that they did for decades).

As i said many times- i prefer "district-centered" approach:  if district requires a liberal to  even have chances to be elected - run liberal (and that's relates to BOTH parties)! The same  (and again for both parties) - for conservative districts. Implementations may vary, but basic premise - give district what it wants! - remains.

[Türkisblau]

It is pathetic how exclusive the parties have become, on both sides. Is no diversity of opinion allowed?

Yeah I think its sad how the "Moderate Wing" of both parties have died especially Republicans in the US House 90% of members according to DW-Nominate are Conservatives. That's just a whopping number. Its just 60% in the US Senate that are Conservatives(i.e. non-centrists.)

And at the same time everybody is talking about partisanship. The varied ideological structure of both parties is what caused deals to be made in the past. But yes let us continue to complain about gridlock while denigrating anyone that falls out of step from the party line.

It really is a bit unprecedented in our modern era.