“Now that the dirty deal is done, I have a two page, self-congratulatory letter from Senator Manchin, in which he boasts “On June 1, 2023, I proudly voted for the Fiscal Responsibility Act because it included many of my priorities, including (1) preventing economic default, (2) restoring fiscal responsibility and (3) promoting American Energy Independence with completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.” (MVP)

First, “another day older and deeper in debt” is hardly a solution to preventing economic default.

Second, the continued orgy of so called “defense” spending gobbles up over half of every federal budget dollar and is exempt from any meaningful audit or oversight. Ignoring this disgrace compromises our “national security” and enables the illusion of “restoring fiscal responsibility” that Senator Manchin takes credit for.

Third, promoting “American Energy Independence” with the MVP is penny wise and dollar foolish. The environmental crisis we live in is already way beyond any serious attempt to describe it in terms of dollars lost.

The tag-along amendments allowing the MVP to proceed without challenge in court guarantees that the abuses and dangers already suffered will be continued and multiplied as resistance to them is stifled. Will we have to be choking to death on the air and poisoned to death by the water before we see that “energy independence” is an empty, fraudulent ideal?

Senators Manchin and Capito say the pipeline should be finished because it is so close to completion but how is a complete disaster any better than an incomplete one?

This project will wipe out the benefits of some recent environmental rehabilitation efforts and keep West Virginia in it’s traditional role as an exploited sacrifice zone.

“Our” representatives are selling us to the profiteers.

Photo From of Appalachian Voices in Press Release above.