Rockefellers Core: The Same as 1972

Forty years ago Jay Rockefeller campaigned for Governor on a pledge to end surface mining in West Virginia and lost to Arch Moore by more than 73,000 votes. He changed his tune made an effort to mend the broken fence with the UMWA and eventually won two terms as West Virginias Governor and another five terms as a United States Senator. Wednesday the 75-year-old Rockefeller finally came all the way back to his roots and carpet-bombed the West Virginia Coal Industry, our coal miner friends and the states fragile natural resource based economy. He did something uncharacteristic for a Democratic U. S. Senator from West Virginia he told the truth. Rockefeller has somehow danced through the raindrops of good journalism and accountability for years in Washington. His 28-year career is easily one of the most undistinguished terms ever for a United States Senator. When oil prices go sky high no one seems to remember that Rockefellers staggering wealth came from Standard Oil. When President Obama began his War on Coal through Lisa Jackson and the EPA Rockefeller made a few comments that seemed to indicate he stood with the coal industry and, more importantly, the miners but it was all a false front. Jay Rockefeller is a phony. After making a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday that threw West Virginia coal under the bus, Rockefeller was praised by no other than Barbara Boxer. I am sure that meant the world to Jay but it doesnt mean much in Mingo County. Joe Manchin, who has vigorously supported both Jay Rockefeller and Barack Obama, voted opposite of Rockefeller Wednesday but his actions in the past speak a different story. Manchin supported Obama as a strong campaigner and Democratic super-delegate in the summer of 2008 AFTER Obama had said he would bankrupt coal in January of that year. He knew what Obama was all about and isnt surprised with the way the President has attacked the coal industry. Even more, Manchin proposed, passed and signed West Virginia House Bill 103 in 2009 a cap and trade bill that will cut West Virginias coal production by 25% when fully implemented. Manchin stood by Rockefeller and Obama. He knew what they thought and what they would do. The difference in these three men is that Obama and Rockefeller have told the truth about where they stand but Manchin continues to be Pinocchio. Rockefeller has misled us for forty years. Dont let Joe Manchin do the same. Our chance for change on November 6th is simple: New President, New Senator, New Result.