Any West Virginian who votes Repub after this week is a complete idiot.

[riqster]

http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2014/01/16/any-west-virginian-who-votes-repub-after-this-week-is-a-complete-idiot/

" Yeah, that’s harsh. But after the deregulation the Libertarian Repubs enacted caused an enormous chemical spill there, and after the Teabagging Repubs cut the budgets for enforcing what paltry regulations remain, it seems pretty accurate. Note this simple fact: “Republicans” are to blame for the toxic chemical leak that afflicts Charleston and surrounding areas. They are to blame because they deregulated the industries involved.

Yes, a very few “Democrats” voted for such stupid deregulatory bills: including one that was passed even as the chemicals were contaminating the Elk River. This particular law would pretty much make the taxpayer pay for cleanup of messes caused by private businesses. Jesus Christ on a moonshine still, really?

But it is a 95% “Republican” policy, passed by 98% “Republican” votes, and so it is a Repub policy. And when you vote for a Repub, you are telling them that you support the poisoning of our water supplies. So if you vote for an Elephant, you are cheering on the destruction of your infrastructure and any resulting illnesses or deaths.
You are also approving of the way they kicked you in the nuts while you were down, by passing that recent bill which further deregulated the chemical industry even as you could not wash your hair or brush your teeth because of a chemical spill.

And if you vote to have yourself sickened or murdered, you are an idiot, plain and simple. Remember this come Election Day, and PLEASE don’t be stupid. Your life and health depend on a smart vote."

Source matter at the link.

[Orrex]

1. In fairness, anyone who voted Repub before this week was a complete idiot, too.

Unless they're rich. Then they're just assholes.

[riqster]

3. My opinion as well.

But voting for the motherfucker who poisoned your well takes it to a whole new level.

[Orrex]

9. Yeah, I was going for the cheap one-liner.

But you're completely correct. This goes beyond simply voting against one's interests and actually voting for one's own potential illness and death.

Robert Reich made some good observations about the oppression of voters in economically precarious areas like this.

[riqster]

14. Reich has some good points.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. this. nt

[ananda]

2. True.

But idiocy is well managed and instilled these days.

People are driven to hold conservatives and liberals to different standards.

[theHandpuppet]

4. WV has two Democratic Senators and a Democratic Governor

Fat lot of good that's done us.

[riqster]

5. Yah, they are not the problem in this case.

There is the one Dem Rep who voted for the recent dereg bill, and he needs primaried.

[theHandpuppet]

6. Yeah, but our Dems are barely moderate republicans

And I mean that, i.e., barely. It would help if we had some actual DEMOCRATS in office here rather than DINOs, who would fight to protect ALL West Virginians, not just those holding the purse strings. It's very discouraging.

[riqster]

7. I hear ya. Not much better here in Ohio.

Sherrod Brown is a welcome exception to the rule.

[Proud Public Servant]

8. What I've never understood about WV

Is that it's pretty solidly blue at the state level, yet reliably red in national elections. What's up with that?

[Champion Jack]

11. God,guns,race....

People focus on single issues and refused to look at big things that will affect the whole state like the environment

[theHandpuppet]

13. That's only part of it

It's a lot more complex than that.

[theHandpuppet]

12. Miners' union

The UMW does get its membership to the polls for state Dems but that vote comes at a cost -- no bucking Big Coal. On a national level you're not going to get that vote because the federal gov't is seen as the enemy of the coal industry. Go visit the website for "Friends of Coal" and you'll see just how well-organized and well funded the propaganda machine really is.

Actually, though, WV used to be solidly blue in the national elections. It's only in the last few cycles it's turned red. Obama didn't help much when he snubbed the state during the election cycle. I wrote about years ago (2008) and that thread is still in my DU Journal:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/theHandpuppet/93
And nothing has changed since then. Actually, reading through some of my old threads from that time and on this subject, it might be a good time to take a look back...

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/theHandpuppet/92
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/theHandpuppet/24
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/theHandpuppet/22
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/theHandpuppet/23