October 14, 2020
During my 34 years in the West Virginia House of Delegates I had the honor to serve with many state legislators, including Joe Manchin. During those years in the 1980s and 1990s, he seemed to operate in a non-partisan fashion generally representing the conservative values of our state. It is most disappointing to see him now aligning with the far Left that has become the new Democrat party with his possible vote against Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
According to our U.S. Constitution, we elect the President for a four-year term, not a 3-½ year term. This is precisely spelled out in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution. According to the 20th Amendment, for President Trump that four-year term began at noon on January 20, 2016.
Manchin seems to have forgotten about the four-year term provision. We do not expect the President to stop doing his job just because it is an election year, just as we do not expect Sen. Manchin, elected to a six-year term, to stop voting and doing his job after 5-1/2 years. There is nothing in the Constitution that states how fast the party controlling the Senate must act in approving appointments.
The President the voters elects elect or re-elect November 3 will take office January 20, 2021, including four full years to make judicial appointments.
Please send Sen. Manchin a copy of the U.S. Constitution and highlight these two relevant sections. Also, remind Manchin that the courts do not set policy. That is done by the legislative branch where Sen. Manchin serves.
John Overington (Retired)
WV House of Delegates (1985-2019)