After a special meeting held yesterday evening, the Monongalia County West Virginia Democratic Executive Committee has announced they have unanimously endorsed the following statement:
The Monongalia County Democratic Executive Committee fully supports Senator Joe Manchin III’s Freedom to Vote Act and any changes to the filibuster necessary to pass this and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation integral to protecting the rights of all citizens to vote. Democracy itself is at risk without these two bills.
We also support President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act. We support transformational investments for children and families, seniors, and saving the planet, which will benefit all of us. Specifically, we support investments for:
- expansion of Medicare to include dental, vision and hearing care for seniors;
- giving Medicare authority to negotiate lower drug prices;
- universal pre-kindergarten;
- investments in childcare, home- and community-based care;
- extension of child tax credits;
- paid family leave;
- and definitively addressing climate change.
We deplore Senator Manchin’s efforts to obstruct and whittle down President Biden’s signature legislation. His actions thus far have only served to appease his corporate benefactors and harm constituents who have actually voted for him in the past.
Senator Manchin has told West Virginians that we do not have another Democrat who can be elected statewide, and that he is free to do as he pleases. Whether this is true or not, it is absolutely true that he is not helping West Virginians. His attitude and actions are reprehensible.
Democrats, Republicans, and Independents in our great state need to have their voting rights protected and will benefit from Build Back Better in its transformational whole. The Monongalia County Democratic Executive Committee urges Senator Manchin to pass these bills by any means necessary.
The Appalachian Oracle 