Biden Taps Gayle Manchin as Co-Chair of Appalachian Regional Commission

[farmbo]

Source: Axios

President Biden on Friday nominated Gayle Conelly Manchin, the wife of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and the former president of the West Virginia Board of Education, to serve as co-chair of Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).

Why it matters: The ARC is an economic development partnership between the federal government and 13 state governments with the goal of investing in Appalachian communities. Sen. Joe Manchin is a critical moderate swing vote that Biden will need in order to pass any of his priorities in the 50-50 Senate.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/biden-manchin-west-virginia-8125e11e-69f3-4aee-95ce-a0833c05ca65.html

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This is a highly coveted, well paid executive appointment. The ARC controls funding for development projects in the Application region stretching from New York to Alabama.

[NurseJackie]

1. Congratulations to Gayle Manchin!

[Freethinker65]

2. Interesting. I assume more than her name makes her qualified?

[dem4decades]

3. It says" former president of the West Virginia Board of Education ", if she can bring at region to

appreciate Biden's efforts I could care less what her qualifications are.

[Freethinker65]

5. Oh, I agree. Noticed the school board President title myself.

If this is what Sen. Manchin needs to encourage him to do the right thing, great. IF she is less than qualified, it makes Sen. Manchin quite the self serving hypocrite.

[George II]

7. Rest assured Biden would NOT appoint anyone not qualified for the job, to imply that is insulting.

[paleotn]

8. That's how it should work most of the time, but not always. And for good reason.

John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Infrastructure Bill(s). Cleaning up Donnie Covid's federal tax disaster. And so much more are more important than the qualifications of a co-chair of some regional commission. If negative leverage isn't there or isn't working, there's always positive leverage, or a combination of the two. What does Manchin want? That's the grease that's made the federal government work since its inception.

That's why calling earmarks pork back in the 90's and beyond still irritates the shit out of me. They're not. They're tools to get big things done. And who's to say a some local town's new post office or bypass isn't important. It is to them and it is to their Rep or Senator.

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. Whatever it takes to get Manchin closer to "yes" on things he SHOULD already support...

...as a Democrat.

[NurseJackie]

11. So, are you insinuating that Biden is "trading favors" or somehow enriching the Manchin family...

So, are you insinuating that Biden is "trading favors" or somehow enriching the Manchin family in exchange for his vote/support of Biden's agenda?

The suggestion that Biden will do "whatever it takes" is an insult.

[Escurumbele]

15. No, it is not an insult. If she is qualified, and if it helps to get Joe Manchin to stay on point

with the rest of the Democratic party, then that is politics. Would you rather have the republican party offer things to Joe Manchin to get him to switch parties?

Lets face it, republicans are the champions of corruption, but Democrats have to play the game once in a while to make sure the agenda of the people moves forward.

To say that is an insult is naïve to how politics must be conducted once in a while. At least this is not nepotism, Joe Biden is not sitting Hunter, or his daughter, on a political post where they don't have any experience.

[NurseJackie]

18. I don't like the sound of that either.

Lets face it, republicans are the champions of corruption, but Democrats have to play the game once in a while to make sure the agenda of the people moves forward.

So, are you suggesting that Democrats need to "play the game" and dip our toe into the corruption pool every once in awhile?

I don't like the sound of that. It's insulting.

Would you rather have the republican party offer things to Joe Manchin to get him to switch parties?

So, are you suggesting that Manchin is the type of person who could be bought?

I don't like the sound of that either. It's insulting.

To say that is an insult is naïve to how politics must be conducted once in a while.

It's nothing of the sort. There's no need hurl accusations of being "naive" at loyal and proud Democrats. Our party and our elected representatives do not need to engage in such cynical and corrupt behavior.

It really does a disservice to our party (and to Joe Biden) to accuse him of such things, or to try and normalize it by making excuses for anyone doing it.

[eilen]

23. Politically, this is how the sausage is made

and to claim it isn't is really kind of self delusional. Democrats are not angels, just better at government. Getting to 'Yes' takes more than some partisan condemnation on Twitter.

[Texin]

20. I think it's not an insult at all.

[TheRickles]

6. That's one very well-connected family.

There's also the daughter who was the CEO of the pharmaceutical company that jacked up the price of EpiPens. I hope Biden got some sort of clear quid pro quo for this nomination.

[SallyHemmings]

9. I am ok with it if Senator Manchin

remembers the rest of us voted for Biden and not him.

Now what does Sinema want?

[mountain grammy]

10. If it reminds Joe Manchin that the GQP would have nominated

a rich donor with no qualifications (see Louis deJoy) to dismantle any and all working enterprises or projects, then I don't care. She is obviously qualified and if it satisfies Manchin, good.

[turbinetree]

12. This and the history of John F. Kennedy and ARC

On April 9, 1963 President John F. Kennedy established the President's Appalachian Regional Commission (PARC) and appointed them with the responsibility of creating legislation which would increase economic development of the Appalachian Region. PARC enacted the Appalachian Regional Development Act (ARDA) which created the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the ARDA into law on March 9, 1965 making the ARC an official federal agency.

"ARC's mission is to be a strategic partner and advocate for sustainable community and economic development in Appalachia.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local government. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president. Local participation is provided through multi-county local development districts.

https://libguides.uky.edu/c.php?g=223360&p=1478665

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

22. +1...

... good post. A little background (or a lot) can enhance a whole thread!

[turbinetree]

26. Wado................thank you

[PunksMom]

13. President Biden knows what he's doing

He has had a plan since day one. For the first time, in a long time, I have trust in a President.

[liberalla]

19. Yes, I am trusting Joe Biden. He has a plan. He might be the only person who

can safely navigate us through these troubled waters and out the other end.

[twodogsbarking]

14. Appalachia needs help

So many nice little towns that have been left to decay. So many great people. So many problems.

[Eyeball_Kid]

17. Great decision on Biden's part.

What's been sorely needed is a public display of favoritism toward Joe Manchin, who needs a little persuasion to cooperate on legislation and the filibuster/cloture rules. Gayle Manchin appears to be qualified, so the effect is that the Manchins are included and more fully brought into the Biden camp. Senator Manchin will return the favor. That's how politics works.

[cilla4progress]

21. Patronage appointment?

Political smooth move, in any case.

[Talitha]

24. I trust Joe.

[Martin68]

25. Biden is doing what a good politician does. He desperately needs Manchin's support to pass bills

in the Senate. This was clearly designed to persuade Manchin to play ball with this administration. I hope it works.

[COL Mustard]

27. If It Keeps Joe Manchin On The Majority

I'm all for it.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

28. Odd that this article talks about her former position, but not her current one

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142719607


The Chinese sanctions target the chair and vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Gayle Manchin and Tony Perkins. The USCIRF has condemned China's treatment of the Uyghur Muslim population in Xinjiang and endorsed recent U.S. sanctions against Chinese officials.