Target: Joe Manchin, U.S. Senator
Goal: Invest in clean energy and other important efforts to stop global warming’s dangerous trajectory.
The world has come down with a dangerously high fever in the past few years. The symptoms of this fever are felt across the planet, from evaporating glaciers depriving billions of critical water supplies to devastating storms that claim countless lives. Without urgent action, this fever will continue to rise, leading to an inevitably grim conclusion for Earth and all its inhabitants. The United States committed to helping break this fever by slashing the toxic emissions that feed it. An unprecedented investment by the country’s leaders would have funneled tens of billions of dollars into honoring this pledge. Scientists worldwide stress such an investment is crucial because America is one of the world’s mega-polluters. One senator just killed the effort, but revival is not too late.
The robust Build Back Better package championed by the Biden administration would tackle a range of issues, including poverty, inequity, and education. More crucially still, the massive piece of legislation could propel the U.S. at least halfway to meeting obligations to cut carbon emissions it set forth in the Paris Climate Accord. While the support from his party colleagues is near-unanimous, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin has long pushed back on the bill. He recently dashed hopes of passage by giving a “no” to Build Back Better, citing the bill’s price tag.
Senator Manchin’s public proclamations seem more driven by private self-interest, however. The senator’s family has a heavy stake in the coal industry, and this effort to curb fossil fuels would hurt his bottom line. Perhaps even more significantly, this senator appears bought and paid for by fossil fuel special interests. The oil, gas, and coal industries have poured more money into his coffers than any other senator currently in office.
One man should not be able to hold the world’s future hostage to satisfy his own greed and need for power. Sign the petition below to demand Senator Manchin work for the public good, not his bank account.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Senator Manchin,
“That’s a no.” With just a few words, you went against science, and you dismissed the well-being of millions of people and the world we all call home. Are you enjoying your extended run in the spotlight, Senator, and do you love the money flooding into your campaign from special interests desperate to curry your favor? Your five minutes of fame may very well cost this country, and this world, its future.
The United States—the world’s second-largest polluter—made a commitment to cut carbon emissions significantly in the coming decades. The Build Back Better package you just staked would have been the single biggest driver toward fulfilling that pledge. A promise from America used to mean something, and this country used to take its position as a world leader seriously.
The evidence is all around you, in the lives lost from unprecedented floods, storms, and wildfires, in the record-setting temperatures, and in the loss of crucial habitats and water supplies. You claimed “innovation, not elimination,” but with every day of inaction we are eliminating our forests, our glaciers, and our hopes for something better for future generations.
You can’t keep kicking the can down the road, because eventually the road will end. At the current rate, that end will come perilously soon. Take stock of the legacy you want to leave. Vote “yes” on Build Back Better, and vote yes on a rejuvenated Planet Earth.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: United States Senate Photography Studio
Way to go Senator Manchin, thank God you saved our country!! Now you need to be intelligent and become a Republican, be on the proud American side when we take the country back next year!!
When trump the chump passed the tax bill for hte filthy rich and corporations, I feared they would spend less time working and more time on their Vacht. You are a lossy hippocrat
Why do you think that not doing for the people is saving our country? Why do you support a hypocrite that doesn’t keep his word? The majority of US citizens want this bill. Just like they want better gun control laws and the reshaping of our justice and police systems that were invented by straight, white guys to protect straight, white males. Manchin has sold out to the coal companies in West Virginia just like most of Congress uses it as a vehicle to get rich instead of doing what in good for the American people.
By voting against clean energy technology, one of the greatest market and economic opportunities in history? How is that saving your country?
Manchin is a piece of sh..! Only cares for the wealthy, makes money from republican donors, and his coal company. This man is NOT a democrat and should get out of our party ASAP! He is hurting the people of West Virginia and the rest of the world w/ his votes.
And being a republican, Karen Redd, is something to be ashamed of. Republicans don’t believe in helping the poor, children or not. They now believe the last election was stolen (absolutely no proof) and have passed voting restrictions everywhere! They also have passed tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations and want to cut social programs. If it’s not for the military and the wealthy, they don’t vote yes on anything, just throw a cog in our democracy!!!
Long before Lincoln was President, Senators stood in street of Washington to greet passers bye, with empty pants pockets turned inside out, telling people they could do anything people wanted in government if they put money into their pockets. This has been verified by historical papers. Sadly, as with Senator Manchin, it still exists. He gave his word but to no avail. Manchin used and wasted the time of the President and his fellow officials to taunt and tease, knowing all the while he was not going to support the Build Back Better Plan. Manchin dives one of the most expensive cars in the world, has an amazing yacht and lives like a king. Good for him. Yet I have personally seen and experienced how Appalachia West Virginia lives and it is the poorest area of any state. The beauty of nature is beyond words and the people are strong and hard working but also exist in the depth of poverty. Coal companies flattened so many mountains leaving the once magnificent mountains now ravaged. Coal just walked away leaving any place they touched to wither and die. These people, as the song says, owed their souls to the company store. Coal owned everything, rented people their houses, owned the stores, owned all land and treated people horribly. I have no respect for the coal industry and what I did have for Manchin is now gone. He does not serve his people. He appears two faced and is still speaking of Biden’s plan but he has a forked toungue. The people need the child care tax and all the other benefits of Build Back Better. Most live in extreme poverty. I hope by now all see through the lies and will vote Manchin out. He, like others we all know, is only affected by what is better for him, not the people who voted him into office. He should resign as he has disgraced himself.