If we were to measure any single politician by his or her voting record, one might come up with some sort of accurate analysis of what that person believes in, stands for, and is wiling to fight for. There is a sort of natural self serving division or dichotomy that politicians often exhibit, self interests vs what is best for constituents. There is the wishes for what is best for the people, who the politician represents, and then the wishes of the political donors who typically give the most financial support. So there may be three factors, self interest, donor interests and constituent interests. It too often occurs that what is best for the people and the nation is not what the donor class wishes to take place. This is an often obvious conflict. This some times explains why a particular politician supports or rejects particular legislation and it often comes down to donor support.
Joseph Manchin III, an American politician, a “Democrat” and businessman and senior United States senator from West Virginia appears to be working for the Republican Party when looking at his alleged obstruction of pending Democratic legislation in 2021. This senator along with Kyrsten Sinema have vastly diminished the Democratic agenda and resulting reputation of that party. This strongly works to improve the GOP but not the American public.
Why? What could be the reason for allegedly working for the gains and betterment of the Republican Party?
One rather obvious answer is that the political contributors for Joe Manchin tell him that this is what they want. They definitely do not want higher corporate taxes, spending that expands the national debt, restricts their industrial sector, and anything else that is perceived as being a negative factor toward their corporate success and profits.
Look at the donor list for Joseph Manchin provided below. Note how many businesses in the list might work for the GOP and against the Democratic Party. His donor list favors giving to Republicans. The smaller amount of donations to Democrats just might be to Joseph Manchin to sway his vote to give back to his self serving libertarian billionaires.
Rank
|
Contributor
|
Total
|
Individuals
|
PACs
|
1
|
Tellurian Inc (Oil & Gas; Natural Gas transmission & distribution). 62.28% to Democrats, 37.72% to Republicans
|
$24,750
|
$19,750
|
$5,000
|
2
|
Starkey Hearing Technologies. Pharmaceuticals/Health Products; Medical Devices & Supplies. 0.00% to Democrats, 100.00% to Republicans
|
$19,900
|
$17,400
|
$2,500
|
3
|
Votesane PAC. 73.91% to GOP and 26.09% to Democrats.
|
$19,500
|
$19,500
|
$0
|
4
|
SV Angel LLC
|
$11,600
|
$11,600
|
$0
|
5
|
United Distributors
|
$11,600
|
$11,600
|
$0
|
6
|
Student Systems Software
|
$11,600
|
$11,600
|
$0
|
7
|
Continental Resources. 0.00% to Democrats, 100.00% to Republicans
|
$10,100
|
$5,100
|
$5,000
|
8
|
Coterra Energy
|
$10,000
|
$5,000
|
$5,000
|
9
|
Apollo Global Management
|
$10,000
|
$5,000
|
$5,000
|
10
|
Arena Energy
|
$10,000
|
$10,000
|
$0
|
11
|
Nacero Inc
|
$10,000
|
$10,000
|
$0
|
12
|
SoftBank Corp
|
$8,700
|
$8,700
|
$0
|
13
|
Coury Financial
|
$8,700
|
$8,700
|
$0
|
14
|
Crow Holdings
|
$8,400
|
$8,400
|
$0
|
15
|
Baker, Donelson et al. 58.88% to Democrats, 41.12% to Republicans
|
$8,300
|
$5,800
|
$2,500
|
16
|
National Mining Assn 14.44% to Democrats, 85.56% to Republicans
|
$8,000
|
$2,000
|
$6,000
|
17
|
LHC Group. 49.93% to Democrats, 50.07% to Republicans
|
$7,900
|
$2,900
|
$5,000
|
18
|
Akin, Gump et al 44.59% to Democrats, 54.74% to Republicans
|
$7,500
|
$6,000
|
$1,500
|
19
|
CBRE Group
|
$6,800
|
$6,800
|
$0
|
20
|
Jones Walker LLP. 23.56% to Democrats, 74.34% to Republicans
|
$6,500
|
$1,500
|
$5,000
|
Source: https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/joe-manchin/contributors?cid=N00032838&cycle=2022
We are now agonizing over two senators who control the future of this country due to apparent past American voter ignorance.
Summary: It is incredibly unfortunate and somewhat stupid that the American voting public apparently really screwed up the last national election by not giving President Biden a larger working congressional majority. 2020 was the big win the Democrats needed and didn’t get. The result is that the American public now really wants the President Biden’s three-part agenda to rescue, recover, and rebuild the country to succeed. But the American public failed to view how to best improve their future as a result of their vote. This situation is now, today, compounded by allowing just a few politicians to wield control over the Democratic agenda. Just a couple of alleged corrupt Democrat politicians can now work toward their own selfish ends that their GOP donors wish them to while trying to hide who is paying them off using snowball theatrics.
Possible Solution: The American public should consider not supporting any individual and corporation that is now, or in the recent past, who has been discovered working against the Build Back Better Agenda. Let’s send these corporations a direct message that they can no longer hide behind their paid politicians when they work against what is best for the whole nation. Corporate greed will no longer be tolerated!
References: How Not to Let Corporations Kill Biden’s Agenda, Oct. 21, 2021
Related Issue: In The Atlantic magazine, November 2021 issue there is a very good article, The Men Who Are Killing America’s Newspapers, Inside Alden Global Capital, The Secretive Hedge Fund Gutting Newsrooms and Damaging Democracy by McKay Coppins. This article reveals how Alden Global is diminishing, eviscerating, some of this country’s best newspapers to gain monetary gain over all other considerations. This is just one more example of powerful corporate money interests working toward ruining the United States of America.
Summary: In the examples above, you should can come to realize that corporate greed often times works against the values and best interests of the American people. Currently, the United States is under attack by the forces that want to remove our Democracy and replace it with an authoritarian form of government so that the plutocracy class of people gains control. Congress should come up with some form of protections.
Posted October 23, 2021