It’s time for Senator Manchin to come out of the closet and publicly switch his party allegiance. No longer should he hide behind a Democrat skirt after thoroughly repudiating Democratic values by casting the sole Democrat vote to nominate the most reprehensible (from a Democratic perspective) Supreme Court candidate in history, a man whose flawed character, as demonstrated in his politically biased, contemptuous, well-rehearsed hysterical rant before the Senate Judiciary Committee, was condemned by 2,500 law school professors, retired Supreme Court Justice Stevens, a protestant religious group and prompted a re-evaluation by the American Bar Association, a man who patently lied to the committee about material facts, and a man who may have committed a sexual assault as a teen and lied in denying it.

I urge Senator Manchin’s self-exposure not mean-spiritedly, but for the good of all: Republicans, Democrats and the Senator himself. Republicans would be happy because they would then have two Senate choices in November instead of just the one crazy candidate. Democrats would be assuaged in the loss of their representative by the knowledge that one, the Senate will most likely remain Republican controlled regardless of Manchin’s presence and two, his lost vote will not be missed anyway because he votes with Trump and the Republicans 61.5 percent of the time. (projectfivethirtyeight.com) He shares so few Democratic values that, again as the sole Democrat, he voted on SB231 with Republicans to criminalize abortion rights in violation of Roe v. Wade. Besides, with Kavanaugh on board, Republicans are going to fully eviscerate the Affordable Care Act and overturn Roe v. Wade through the courts, and Trump will continue to administratively undermine environmental and climate change regulations.

The Senator will be able to unabashedly bask in the love and affection which Trump is sure to shower upon him as reward for his loyal service. Manchin must be careful though, and not slight Trump’s main squeeze Vladimir Putin, a jealous man who would not take kindly to [that]. Those who cross Puty have a way of disappearing or dying.

So, Sen. Manchin, liberate yourself and join Gov. Justice on the other side. But, be forewarned, as Justice Kavanaugh spitefully threatened to the Democrat senators, “What goes around, comes around.”

Patrick Radcliff

Vienna