 So I'm not sure how many of you follow this late last month because it was the holiday season So we were all kind of preoccupied but united mine workers of America the union Representing coal miners in West Virginia and a key ally to Joe Manchin came out and they publicly rebuked Joe Manchin he kind of at least Tassily used them as an excuse as to why he wasn't supporting build back better but come to find out They really want build back better and they're mad that he's not supporting it And thus they are abandoning Joe Manchin for not supporting build back better and you know It's not like he specifically said this particular coal miner union doesn't want me to support build back better But the implication was that well, you know as a senator representing a purple state I can't just do what these coastal elites want. This isn't a blue state So I have to represent my constituents But after poll after poll showed that West Virginia and supported build back better for him to still use coal miners as an Excuse was a little bit gross so for them to come out and say actually we want build back better That was pretty huge now at this point in time build back better is basically dead and there's no chance of it passing but regardless the same union is once again coming out and they are Redoubling their efforts to shame Joe Manchin for using them as an excuse and they're basically saying you can't do that anymore You have to choose who you're gonna support Actual coal miners who you say you support for the owners who own the coal mines who have an interest in Putting us through hell so they can make a profit as they also Simultaneously kill the planet so Greg Sergeant of the Washington Post explains for months Senator Joe Manchin has sold his opposition to the build back better proposal as driven Uniformly by a brave and hard-headed assessment of the national interest He has warned that build back better will fuel inflation and that its climate provisions will push energy markets to evolve Too quickly and lead to a dangerous dependence on Chinese supply chains It just got harder for the West Virginia Democrat to get away with this stance And the culprit is none other than coal miners in his home state whose union is redoubling calls from Manchin to support President Joe Biden's agenda what's happening now with miners seems like a seminal point some of the worst tropes in our politics Democrats harbor nothing but elitist ill will towards miners and miners way of life must be defended at all costs are Cracking up and falling away all this emerges from a new report in the New York Times That illustrates the true nature of home state cross pressures on Manchin He's caught between the miners union and mine owners who vehemently opposed build back better now to be clear I don't like that framing from the New York Times article that this article cites because it's not like you know Joe Manchin is trying to Way out competing interests, you know Who do I support the coal miners or the coal mine owners both have really compelling points? And I just can't decide who to support that's not what's happening The owners are the ones who are capable of funding Joe Manchin's campaign coal miners cannot do that They don't have the capital to fund his campaign. So it's a matter of corruption He is serving the interests of his donors not his constituents, and that's what's going on here So we have to be very clear about this and to give you some additional context here So one of the provisions in build back better, which would greatly benefit coal miners is Additional aid to a relief fund that helps coal miners who have black lung So not only do they support a lot of the provisions in build back better and would stand to benefit from these provisions But there's some carve out specifically for coal miners to entice Joe Manchin to support it seemingly but still after that's put in there Specifically to bait Joe Manchin into supporting it He doesn't support it and he still has the audacity to use coal miners in his state and West Virginia's as an excuse As to why he's not supporting it. I mean talk about the slap in the face if this was my senator I would be fucking pissed, but yet he doesn't care He has no concern whatsoever For coal miners the article continues the United Mine Workers of America backs build back better because it will help mine workers Transition to a future they now see as inevitable build back better contains tax incentives to spur Manufacturing and consumption of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar to hasten our transition to a decarbonized economy Crucially some of these tax incentives would steer some of this renewable Manufacturing to coal producing regions to smooth the transition for workers away from fossil fuel oil Miners also support build back better because it would replenish a fund that aids miners suffering from black lung disease But here's the rub the mine owners oppose the tax incentives Apparently this is precisely because they would speed the transition to clean energy sources, which is bad for the coal business So what build back better would do is it would incentivize investment in clean green? Renewable technology. This is new jobs for people Working in coal mines in West Virginia. So they're no longer risking their own health But also destroying the planet for the profits of their bosses. It's it's a win-win-win of course Coal miners in West Virginia would benefit from the provisions and build back better but when there's a provision and they're specifically to help coal miners with black lung and Your senator who in theory should want to support it because of that rejects it. That's just so Morally reprehensible and let's be clear here They shouldn't have to rely on a fund if they have black lung Healthcare should just be free at the point of service because we should have that in the richest country on the planet But it's specifically when that's put there to hopefully get Joe Manchin to support this and he still doesn't You've got to be pissed. So I don't blame this union for turning on Joe Manchin It's a slap in the face and I'm glad that they're actually speaking out I honestly think they should feel shameful for ever supporting him in the first place But to no longer align with him that really is a step in the right direction that I think is commendable So that's good, but Joe Manchin doesn't give a shit He's not going to support them because he's made it abundantly clear he doesn't care about the employees he cares about the employers and He knows that if this industry goes away You know, he's not gonna get campaign contributions from coal miners and he wants that he cares about his reelection And so, you know, he pretends to represent West Virginia He pretends as if his constituents and coal miners in particular wouldn't support this Socialism or these giveaways are all his spending in Build Back Better But yet they're screaming practically at him to support it and he still uses them for his excuse It's just it's truly gross He won't even grant them the bare minimum, which is a fund additional funds to a relief fund That would help them with black long. I mean Jesus. What a disgusting piece of shit But this is not surprising for Joe Manchin He's shown his true colors long ago and the fact that the Union is only now not supporting him is a little bit sad But again better late than ever I'm glad that they are continuing to put pressure on him and their redoubling calls for him to support Build Back Better Unfortunately too little too late. He's done He's not gonna support it and I don't think that Joe Biden is going to use his bully pulpit to pressure Joe Manchin So the opportunity is gone. The moment has passed. He got what he wanted He he won and now the only hope is that there's gonna be at least some political price that he pays Odds are that won't happen. But either way, he's gonna be a winner He makes lots of money as a modern day, you know, coal baron. So He doesn't care, you know, if he loses his reelection He's still gonna be fine. He's a multi-millionaire who's made money off of coal. So Doesn't matter to him at the end of the day. He wins you lose And that's how it goes in America