Democrats Timidity Will Kill Us All – The New Republic

Manchin, on the other hand, is a literal coal baron and the fossil fuel industrys inside man. If hes supposed to be a centrist, what exactly is he in the middle of? Nazis on the one side and people who (checks notes) want a livable future on the other? Theres no way to label Joe Manchin a centrist without validating folks who believe in actual lizard people as a legitimate side of the political spectrum. In his enthusiastic and unquestioning support for a clearly violent industry, Joe Manchin is nobodys centrist. He is a fossil fuel hawk, and we should call him that.

But, the story goes, we have to support Joe Manchin because he is the best Democrat we can possibly get out of West Virginia. As a Southerner, I find that notion offensive. It seems clear to me that the reason we cant get a more progressive Democrat in West Virginia is because the Democratic Party has disinvested from the South since the 1970s. Its quite apparent when you look down the ballots and notice that so many Republican candidates run in the South unopposed. When Democrats do compete in the races, their strategy is simply to meet voters where they are, but once elected, they never take them anywhere else. No wonder so many citizens in these districts fall victim to misinformation that tells them climate change is a hoax and the election was stolen.

The Democratic Party has given ground for decades then turned around to proclaim that our salvation lies in moderation. How much longer can we do the same thing and expect different results? In the face of the climate crisis, moderation is madness. There is no more time for pussyfooting and half measures. The science is clear, and the fire is getting hotter. If the Democrats believe the science, its time to act like it. We know what we need to do, and theres nothing moderate or centrist about it.

Go here to read the rest:

Democrats Timidity Will Kill Us All - The New Republic