Posted on 10/31/2010 8:23:47 PM PDT by Qbert
CHARLES TOWN - From the Ohio River to the Eastern Panhandle, West Virginians are fed up.
They're disappointed in their politicians and disgusted with how they're behaving. They're frustrated their taxes helped fund bailouts they'd never get. They're tired of career politicians, yet wary of those who want to replace them.
But that anger makes them unpredictable: Interviews with dozens of would-be voters from Parkersburg to Charles Town suggest that many are just as likely to cast a protest vote on Election Day as they are to stay home.
"We need some Americans, instead of Democrats and Republicans,'' says Ed Kinney, 57, hanging out with friends at Talkington Gun Shop in New Martinsville. "Nothing we have works. And every time they come up with something else, it works less. I'm just not happy with what our government is doing. I'm going to vote against whoever's in there.''
The problem is no one is an incumbent in the state's marquee race, the battle for the U.S. Senate seat that belonged to the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd.
[Snip]
Ryan Crislip has nothing good to say about anyone in the Senate race - or any other race, for that matter.
"There's not one single person to vote for,'' the 23-year-old says as he hustles off to tend to customers at a car dealership in Flatwoods. "There's no one that I feel is up for the job.''
For the first time in his adult life, 81-year-old Glen Beegle is thinking about withholding his vote.
[Snip]
Linda Watts didn't start voting until she was 49 and has historically split her ticket, occasionally voting for a Democrat.
"I won't from now on.''
(Excerpt) Read more at wvgazette.com ...
A lot of people have gotten turned by politicians.
I think they have a point. I’m not expecting the GOP to change things in Washington next year.
There is one elected official they can vote against, he’s the RAT running for Senator ...
This is actually just a manufactured story to reduce votes for Raese. They want more people to say, “I am so pissed, I hate all of them”. Much like the traditional ‘lifelong republicans voting Dem for the first time stories.” Not going to work.
As far as your comments, Things are going to change quite a bit. The bailouts, spending and crazy government intervention is going to come to a close. Whether we see real improvement beyond that is definitely up in the air. This election is first and foremost a major step to stop the bleeding.
West Virginia is 2/3rd Democrat. They claim to be upset with the status quo, but they keep voting for more of the same.
As long as they are Democrats, fine.
I, for one, will be done voting by 8:00 AM Tuesday, even if I have to drive through a rain of liquid fire.
“I think they have a point. I’m not expecting the GOP to change things in Washington next year.”
I’m expecting stalemate. I’m also hoping that the R’s give me a reason to support them in 2012. I need to see the new guys making an effort to knock over the R’s and D’s that have made a mess of things. I need to see the GOP trying to make a spending reduction that is more than some silly, token $100 billion dollars. They don’t have to succeed if they don’t control the Senate. But they need to come close enough to scare our rulers.
I have been voting for R’s since 1968. I have never voted D. But if they don’t shape up now, it’s third party time for ModelBreaker.
It damn sure isn't going to change if we don't vote, short of insurrection it's the only thing we can do. But it won't change with this Congress, however if the losses are big enough it will start and it may take another cycle or two. We have to try to stop or reverse the damage that is being done right now.
I know two Dem voters, a husband and wife, in PA who plan to write in names rather than vote for the Dem candidates.
I read the entire article. Sounds like good news for Raese. The ones who sit out would more than likely be Manchin supporters because Raese supporters are fed up and fired up. So, let them set it out. I’d rather they not vote then to vote Democrat because Grandpa was a Democrat. Screw that.
They keep talking about WV being such a union state, but for those of us in southwest PA, we see it as the state that unionized PA companies flee to in order to break a PA union contract. For instance, the firm that had the contract to print the tickets for the Pittsburgh Pirates did just that, laying off many PA workers, one of whom I know, this man had over 30 years with the firm. No pension. This is what scares our working people, when they scramble for low wage jobs at age 50, when they see Social Security people getting their checks frozen two years in a row, when illegal aliens get all the bennies at the welfare office, they see welfare recipients doing better than they are, taxes going up, and govt mocks the working person as dumb, stupid, clinging to guns and religion.
Anyone who thinks they only had to get active for this one election is dreaming. We have to stay after it, this is just the beginning. There were too many years of people neglecting politics, expecting their fellow Americans to take care of it for them.
Just get out the vote. The GOP is turning out in higher numbers than their registration which is good. I just saw the latest ppp poll but they have almost consistently over polled Democrats. We will see come Nov 2nd but Im betting on a Raese win.
If many democrats in WV stay home and don’t vote then the republican has a very good chnace oof winning since it is close.
“We need some Americans, instead of Democrats and Republicans,’’ says Ed Kinney, 57, hanging out with friends “
I really think statements like these are copouts.
There is not one candidate worth bothering to vote for? I doubt that.
The guy is hanging out at a gun shop. How does he think his gun rights have been protected? By politicians and their appointed justices that we have busted our buns to get into office.
I just think statements like his are lazy and ridiculous. He is entitled to his opinion, and I’d rather he not vote if he “thinks” like this.
“We have to try to stop or reverse the damage that is being done right now. “
Exactly, my expectation is that they will do damage control and prevent more socialist assaults. I don’t think they can do much more, but that is enough to motivate me for now.
2012, I’ll want more.
Actually, it is 1/2 Dem, 1/4 GOP and 1/4 Independent and other - but there are some southern counties that are 10:1 Dem / GOP. Most people I know fully intend to vote.
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