President Biden has nominated Gayle Conelly Manchin to co-chair the Appalachian Regional Commission.

[demmiblue]

Link to tweet

[CottonBear]

1. Does this mean that Senator Manchin will now support the filibuster rule changes? nt

[Bleacher Creature]

3. My first thought as well. nt

[PatSeg]

14. Ah yes, I wonder

Biden knows how to negotiate better than a lot of presidents. Hopefully this will bring Manchin to the right side of history.

[panader0]

2. Is this a bone being tossed to Joe Manchin?

[mtngirl47]

5. That's my guess! n/t

[FSogol]

4. Let's see raised hands for everyone who heard of the Appalachian Regional Commission before today

(Since this is the internet, I'm sure everyone has heard of it.)

Cue the outrage!

[demmiblue]

10. Not me... I had to look it up.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a United States federal–state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life. Congress established ARC to bring the region into socioeconomic parity with the rest of the nation.

The Appalachian Region, as defined by Congress, includes all of West Virginia and portions of 12 other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. ARC serves 420 counties that encompass roughly 205,000 square miles (530,000 km2), with a population of more than 25 million people.

The Appalachian Regional Commission has 14 members: the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. A professional staff carries out the work of the Commission.

The current federal co-chair is Tim Thomas. Thomas was appointed by President Donald Trump and sworn in on April 3, 2018. The 2019 states' co-chair is North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.[5] Grassroots participation is provided through 73 local development districts, which are multi-county organizations with boards made up of elected officials, business people, and other local leaders. The ARC is a planning, research, advocacy, and funding organization. It does not have any governing power within the region.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Regional_Commission

[Omnipresent]

11. West Virginia needs a project, something to do...

You can only drink so much moonshine and stare out into the foggy hills.

[Volaris]

18. My response was going to be similar.

If we want things like infrastructure and Green New Deal, we need to make it nearly impossible to vote against it.

Shove those jobs into the reddest parts of the nation. My suggestion would be to let the dept of energy build a solar panel factory in every single state, and then since you already paid for it on the front end, we just offer to put them on your roof for free.

You can be an asshole and say no, but then your lower property value and higher energy bill isnt on anyone else, AND the people who got those jobs still got paid already. Shit like that.

Theres no reason at all that every square foot of empty wal mart rooftop shouldnt be making energy. Complain all you want, but do it or dont run that store, cause that's the new cost of doing business.

[CottonBear]

19. I have. My family originally settled in Appalachia back in the mid 1700s.

I live not far from the Southern Appalachian mountains now.

[Phoenix61]

6. Yet another qualified appointee.

Hopefully, this makes her husband a little happier. Can’t wait to hear McTurtle whine about nepotism.

[PatSeg]

15. Ha, ha, ha!!!

Yeah, wouldn't that be a hoot?

[Johnny2X2X]

7. Biden is no dummy

This is how the game is played, you take Manchin in, you make him your ally. You give him responsibilities that increase his loyalty.

Here's how we kill the filibuster, let Joe Manchin work hard writing a big piece of legislation that he thinks might get bipartisan support, let him be the champion of it. Then when reps kill it, Manchin will be ready to do away with the filibuster.

Joe Biden knows how these games are played, he knows how you get things done. Unfortunately, it's your adversaries who extract things like this from you, but it's all for the greater good.

[Tom Rinaldo]

16. Yes. Actually Biden and Manchin seem to have had a good relationship for years

So I don't think it's as much a case of "making him an ally" as keeping their relationship in good standing, but essentially I agree. I have never viewed Joe Manchin as a soulless politician devoid of any true values, I'm sure he actually cares about the region that he represents (which happens to be very conservative.) I assume Manchin wants someone he fundamentally agrees with in that position and it's a safe bet that his wife fills that bill. Fortunately for all of us, she actually has relevant personal experience and qualifications to serve in that capacity.

And of course it also is good politics, both for Manchin and for Biden. A good move all the way around to keep things moving forward.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. ...

(whatever it takes)

ETA - this applies...

[Arazi]

9. I understand this even as I rage at USPS Postmaster DeJoy still in office

Why oh why is that taking so long?

Are we still waiting on Senate confirmation of the three new USPS board members?

[lagomorph777]

13. DeJoy is a serious, ongoing danger to every American.

DeJail DeJerk!

[BumRushDaShow]

17. "Are we still waiting on Senate confirmation of the three new USPS board members?"

Yes.

The 3 nominations were "officially" just sent over a little over a week ago - https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/15/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-4/

Nominations Sent to the Senate
March 15, 2021 • Statements and Releases

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Anton George Hajjar, of Maryland, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2023, vice Carolyn L. Gallagher, term expired.

Bonnie D. Jenkins, of New York, to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, vice Andrea L. Thompson, resigned.

Amber Faye McReynolds, of Colorado, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2026, vice David Williams, term expired.

Ronald Stroman, of the District of Columbia, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2021, vice Ellen C. Williams, term expired.

Ronald Stroman, of the District of Columbia, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2028. (Reappointment)


# # #

From House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney to Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Chair Gary Peters - https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/chairwoman-maloney-introduces-new-postal-bills-calls-on-senate-to-confirm

Chairwoman Maloney Introduces New Postal Bills
Mar 5, 2021
Press Release
Calls on Senate to Confirm President’s Board Nominees


(snip)

Chairwoman Maloney has led the charge in holding DeJoy accountable for causing nationwide delays. She called the hearing where he finally admitted that delays caused by his sweeping changes were far worse than expected, and she issued a subpoena for documents that are now being produced. She has also released new documents and successfully passed bipartisan legislation to provide the Postal Service more funding.



Since only the Board of Governors can remove the Postmaster General, Chairwoman Maloney sent a letter urging Chairman Gary Peters of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to swiftly confirm President Biden’s nominees. She wrote:



“I am writing to express my strong support for President Joe Biden’s nominees to the Postal Service Board of Governors— Ron Stroman, Anton Hajjar, and Amber McReynolds—and to urge you to hold confirmation hearings as soon as possible. They bring unique perspectives to the operations and public service mission of the Postal Service and provide much needed diversity to the Board of Governors. I strongly commend President Biden for his choices. The swift confirmation of these nominees is critical to address the dual financial and service crises it faces.”



###

There have been some hearings with (excuse my ranting language) FUCKING DEJOY the past couple weeks - so they have also subpoenaed docs from USPS to probably eventually use to show a "for cause" to have the board fire his ass.

[mahina]

20. Is that enough of them?

To have the majority?

Thank you.

[BumRushDaShow]

21. Yes

The board has 9 members and this would make it 5 (D) - 4 (R).

(the max # of members representing one party is set at 5)

[old guy]

12. The more things change,

the more they stay the same.

[hlthe2b]

22. At least she appears highly qualified, Joe's wife or no.