The coronavirus rescue plan

Here’s the latest polling from Morning Consult:

NEW Morning Consult/Politico Poll

77% support for the American Rescue Plan (only 18% oppose)

59% of Republicans support the American Rescue Plan (only 33% oppose)#UNITY

REMINDER: 100% of Republicans in Congress voted no.https://t.co/YuonRZncOH

— Jesse Ferguson (@JesseFFerguson) March 3, 2021

From Senator Capito:

Many provisions in the so-called “COVID relief package” have nothing to do with COVID at all.

These “wish-list” items have made @potus’ plan more expensive and more partisan.

I cannot support it. pic.twitter.com/dKNkX2cgAh

— Shelley Moore Capito (@SenCapito) March 2, 2021

Yes, Senator, because you have NEVER supported a bill with items that were not directly-related to the bill’s title!

From Senator Manchin:

Here is Senator Joe, yesterday, supporting it with reservations. (Apparently, it must be bipartisan and not include a minimum wage increase.)

“I will vote to move forward with the budget process because we must address the urgency of the COVID-19 crisis. But let me be clear – and these are words I shared with President Biden – our focus must be targeted on the COVID-19 crisis and Americans who have been most impacted by this pandemic. The President remains hopeful that we can have bipartisan support moving forward. I will only support proposals that will get us through and end the pain of this pandemic. For the sake of the country, we must work together with laser focus to defeat the COVID-19 crisis, support our neighbors and communities who continue to suffer and get back to a more normal life as quickly as possible.”

On raising the minimum wage

Again, from the Morning Consult poll:

Here are the advantages for West Virginians from Obama’s Labor Secretary:

Raising the federal minimum wage to $15/hour would benefit 255,000 West Virginia workers.

That's over a third of the state’s workforce — 93% of them age 20 or older.

Overall, wages in West Virginia would grow over $800 million.

Joe Manchin, are you listening?

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) February 26, 2021

From Capito

It's the same excuse:

Senator Shelley Moore Capito Agrees COVID-19 Bill, Minimum Wage Issue Don’t Mix @intelligencerwv https://t.co/fHZpbVMGNR

— Joselyn King (@JoselynKing13) February 26, 2021

From Manchin

Here's the Monday headline at Truthout:

$15 Minimum Wage Is Dead for Now, Thanks to Democrats Manchin and Sinema

Finally

I’ll leave you with some satire from The Onion, "America's Finest News Source":

Joe Manchin Claims West Virginians Too Deficient In Character, Grit To Deserve $15 Minimum Wage https://t.co/6wb58trcxf pic.twitter.com/h0hk4Vw88X

— The Onion (@TheOnion) February 24, 2021

From that article:

“Frankly, Mountain Staters have never shown the work ethic or drive necessary to merit $15 an hour, so what makes them think they have any right to that kind of money?” said Manchin, who added that he hadn’t gone to Washington to bring home benefits to constituents who lacked the moral fiber, backbone, and talent required to provide for themselves. “If the people of West Virginia want to earn a living wage, they need to pound the pavement until they get a job that pays one. Look at me: I went out there, found work in the U.S. Senate, and became a multimillionaire. So don’t tell me a person can’t work his way up.”

Remember, it’s just satire.