Official Washington had a bit of a rude surprise when West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin announced that he would not seek reelection and would instead test the national waters for a possible independent presidential bid.
While there seems to be a bit of an appetite for a serious third-party or independent presidential candidate, the logistics of mounting an effective national campaign outside the two-party system is problematic at best.
But being a long-time pol, Manchin has crafted a pitch for just such a bid that has the benefit of not being mired in the craziness that surrounds Robert Kennedy's independent campaign.
Manchon wrote in The Wall Street Journal that voters want something more than what Team Red and Team Blue have on offer:
We need to reaffirm that country should always come before party, but there are real structural issues to get there. Today, the incentives in politics reward bad behavior and demand party purity at the expense of problem-solving. Too much money flows to too few candidates, who stay so long in their offices they are no longer responsive to the people. We have primaries that limit who can participate and elections that are almost never competitive anymore. Democracy is supposed to give the people a voice, but Citizens United v. FEC, toxic gerrymandering, closed primaries and the lack of term limits are silencing that voice. It's time to give power to more people and hold our elected officials more accountable.
I know our country isn't nearly as divided as Washington wants you to believe. We share common values of family, freedom, democracy, dignity and a belief that we can overcome any challenge together. We want leaders who will fight to unite Americans instead of fighting each other. It isn't too much to ask for.
It works as boilerplate – and most certainly as primary text for a fundraising appeal. But does it mean Manchin's the one who can make all these fine words a reality?
That may be too much to ask. Voters are notorious for saying they want a political culture that is more elevated accountable, and responsive. But what they demand – and vote for – is a political culture that prays on their fears and plays up to their conceits.Â
In other words, we have exactly the political culture we asked for. That doesn't mean we can't change. But there's little indication that the majority is interested in buying whatever it is Mr. Manchin intends to sell. The voting record shows it, the political culture reflects it, and our profligate, dysfunctional institutions entrench it.
But good luck to the Senator as he searches for our better angels. They may still exist. The only question is whether anyone can engage them in our political life.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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