Most Americans are decent, caring, reasonable, and patriotic people. But we do not see those traits reflected in our politics today…
— ‘Common Sense’ booklet from NoLabels.org
I haven’t been following U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s political career.
…what with so many other things to do. Trimming my toenails… recycling my aluminum cans… feeding the cat….
My life is pretty full.
But then I heard that Senator Manchin wasn’t going to run for re-election in 2024, and was instead going to be touring the country in an effort to “unite the middle.”
Reporter Caity Coyne quoted him in the online West Virginia Watch:
I believe in my heart of hearts that I’ve accomplished what I’ve set out to do in West Virginia,” Manchin said. “… What I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together.
Joe used to be a Democrat, back when he was West Virginia’s governor. And I guess, technically, he’s still a Democrat. For the time being at least. I hear it’s not easy getting elected to public office as a Democrat in West Virginia, but Joe managed to do it somehow. Several times.
His handsome smile, maybe?
In his official portrait photo (which I hope my editor inserts at the top of this column) he looks like a TV defense attorney who consistently talks the jury into a “not guilty” verdict.
According to reporter Caity Coyne, Joe has been vocal about his dislike of the two-party political system. Hear, hear! Me too. We ought to have at least three viable parties, but five or six would be even better.
As the songwriter Prince reminded us, “Life is just a party, and parties aren’t meant to last.” Our two parties have lasted entirely too long. Nothing is worse than a party that lasts too long. What we really need, right now, is a designated driver to get us home.
Maybe that’s what I’m actually seeing, in Joe’s photo. Not a TV defense attorney, but a designated driver.
Someone to “mobilize the middle and bring Americans together.” Like me, for example… I could probably be mobilized, and brought together. To be entirely honest, I’ve been avoiding my fellow Americans whenever possible. People have seemed a little bit threatening lately.
If there was party for those of us “in the middle”, maybe I could meet a nice girl — one who isn’t an extremist — and Joe could drive us home, after the party.
And we’re talking here about a “third party”.
Apparently, Joe Manchin isn’t the only American looking at a third-party option. Earlier this year, he appeared in several events hosted by No Labels, a political group interested in forming an independent ticket for the 2024 presidential election.
I’m willing to overlook the fact that the name “No Labels” is, in fact, a label.
And I was willing to download the group’s Common Sense booklet, which I assume Joe Manchin has also read. The booklet takes its name and inspiration from the original Common Sense pamphlet, published in 1776 by Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine was a pretty influential guy in 1776, even though he was an immigrant. (Which is not to suggest that the No Labels’ Common Sense booklet was written by immigrants. Probably not. Joe Manchin is not an immigrant; just so we have that cleared up.)
Personally, I think Joe Manchin looks more like a U.S. President than either of the leading candidates from our worn-out Republican and Democratic parties.
And now that Joe has declared his intention of traveling the country and speaking out, I will probably be paying more attention to the 2024 election cycle.
When I’m not trimming my toenails.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all.