So what is the definition of courage ? According to the dictionary it is defined as “the quality of mind that enables a person to face difficulties, danger or pain without fear.” It seems that people have a different view of what it actually means in real life though.
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin has certainly stirred the pot recently with his withholding his support for the massive social spending bill favored by the progressive wing of the Democratic party. When asked for his reasoning, Sen. Manchin said, “Some in Congress have a strange belief there is an infinite supply of money to deal with any current or future crisis, and that spending trillions upon trillions will have no negative consequence for the future.”
When asked for comment, the progessive standard bearer, Bernie Sanders, commented that Manchin doesn’t have the courage to stand up for the people of West Virginia. This is the same Bernie Sanders that hailed our very own Sen. Mitt Romney for his courage to stand up to the conservative wing of the Republican party last year.
Of course, those on the right are saying almost the same thing, but to them, Joe Manchin has courage and Mitt Romney is a weasel.
As an interested observer sitting on the sidelines watching politics for several decades, I can say both Manchin and Romney have shown a considerable amount of courage. The David T. Lancaster definition of courage is “standing up for what you believe is right even if it is unpopular.” That is what both of those gentlemen have done.
We need more people in government to stand up for what they think is right and to hell with the consequences.
David T. Lancaster, Murray
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