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"There's many of us in West Virginia that did not vote for Donald Trump," said Amie Maynard, an organizer with West Virginia Women's March. (Photo: David Geitgey Sierralupe/Flickr/cc)
'Trump Doesn't Care About Us': West Virginians Rally to Protest Trump's Visit
"I'm here because I can't watch our democracy and our country fall into disrepair, to fall apart, and become a plutocracy."
Aug 04, 2017
As new developments in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible collusion between the Trump administration and Russia swirled Thursday night, President Donald Trump delivered a speech in Huntington, West Virginia, a state that favored him overwhelmingly during the presidential election.
"I'm here today to stand up against hatred, to stand up against intolerance, to stand up for rights and kindness that West Virginians have historically shown one another."
--Sally Roberts-Wilson
But gathered outside the venue were hundreds of West Virginians who insisted that Trump does not speak for them.
"There's many of us in West Virginia that did not vote for Donald Trump," Amie Maynard, an organizer with West Virginia Women's March, told the local West Virginia Metro News ahead of the president's speech. "West Virginia is known around the country as an area where Trump's support is the strongest and we think it's vital that the rest of our voices are heard as well."
While Trump used the campaign-style rally to denounce the Russia investigation as a "fake story," several progressive organizations--including Rise Up WV, West Virginia Indivisible, and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic--used the opportunity to voice their opposition to a president whose actions have "disgusted" them.
Carrying a sign that read simply "West Virginia Not for Haters," Sally Roberts-Wilson--a resident of Charleston, West Virginia--told the local Register-Herald, "I'm here today to stand up against hatred, to stand up against intolerance, to stand up for rights and kindness that West Virginians have historically shown one another."
"I'm here because I can't watch our democracy and our country fall into disrepair, to fall apart, and become a plutocracy," she continued. "Quite honestly, I can't stand by and do nothing."
Given the recent attempts by the Republican Party to repeal the Affordable Care Act and gut Medicaid--both of which would have devastating effects on West Virginians--many protestors denounced Trump for his stated desire to sabotage insurance markets.
Michael Eisenberg, a resident of Roane County, told the local Herald-Dispatch he is battling cancer and that losing insurance would be a death sentence.
"I think it's disgusting for our president to deliberately sabotage the health markets in order to make the Affordable Care Act fail and have millions of our own people lose health insurance," Eisenberg said.
Trump's rally came as several recent polls found his approval ratings falling rapidly. As Common Dreams reported on Wednesday, a Quinnipiac University national survey found that the percentage of Americans who approve of Trump's job performance has fallen to a new low of 33 percent. Americans particularly disliked Trump's support for the GOP's Obamacare repeal efforts.
Beverly Kimble, a resident of St. Albans, said that Trump's first months in office have shown that his promises to be the "voice" of the working class were hollow. Recent analyses have shown that Trump's proposed tax policies would overwhelmingly favor the wealthy.
"Trump doesn't care about us," Kimble concluded.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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As new developments in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible collusion between the Trump administration and Russia swirled Thursday night, President Donald Trump delivered a speech in Huntington, West Virginia, a state that favored him overwhelmingly during the presidential election.
"I'm here today to stand up against hatred, to stand up against intolerance, to stand up for rights and kindness that West Virginians have historically shown one another."
--Sally Roberts-Wilson
But gathered outside the venue were hundreds of West Virginians who insisted that Trump does not speak for them.
"There's many of us in West Virginia that did not vote for Donald Trump," Amie Maynard, an organizer with West Virginia Women's March, told the local West Virginia Metro News ahead of the president's speech. "West Virginia is known around the country as an area where Trump's support is the strongest and we think it's vital that the rest of our voices are heard as well."
While Trump used the campaign-style rally to denounce the Russia investigation as a "fake story," several progressive organizations--including Rise Up WV, West Virginia Indivisible, and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic--used the opportunity to voice their opposition to a president whose actions have "disgusted" them.
Carrying a sign that read simply "West Virginia Not for Haters," Sally Roberts-Wilson--a resident of Charleston, West Virginia--told the local Register-Herald, "I'm here today to stand up against hatred, to stand up against intolerance, to stand up for rights and kindness that West Virginians have historically shown one another."
"I'm here because I can't watch our democracy and our country fall into disrepair, to fall apart, and become a plutocracy," she continued. "Quite honestly, I can't stand by and do nothing."
Given the recent attempts by the Republican Party to repeal the Affordable Care Act and gut Medicaid--both of which would have devastating effects on West Virginians--many protestors denounced Trump for his stated desire to sabotage insurance markets.
Michael Eisenberg, a resident of Roane County, told the local Herald-Dispatch he is battling cancer and that losing insurance would be a death sentence.
"I think it's disgusting for our president to deliberately sabotage the health markets in order to make the Affordable Care Act fail and have millions of our own people lose health insurance," Eisenberg said.
Trump's rally came as several recent polls found his approval ratings falling rapidly. As Common Dreams reported on Wednesday, a Quinnipiac University national survey found that the percentage of Americans who approve of Trump's job performance has fallen to a new low of 33 percent. Americans particularly disliked Trump's support for the GOP's Obamacare repeal efforts.
Beverly Kimble, a resident of St. Albans, said that Trump's first months in office have shown that his promises to be the "voice" of the working class were hollow. Recent analyses have shown that Trump's proposed tax policies would overwhelmingly favor the wealthy.
"Trump doesn't care about us," Kimble concluded.
As new developments in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible collusion between the Trump administration and Russia swirled Thursday night, President Donald Trump delivered a speech in Huntington, West Virginia, a state that favored him overwhelmingly during the presidential election.
"I'm here today to stand up against hatred, to stand up against intolerance, to stand up for rights and kindness that West Virginians have historically shown one another."
--Sally Roberts-Wilson
But gathered outside the venue were hundreds of West Virginians who insisted that Trump does not speak for them.
"There's many of us in West Virginia that did not vote for Donald Trump," Amie Maynard, an organizer with West Virginia Women's March, told the local West Virginia Metro News ahead of the president's speech. "West Virginia is known around the country as an area where Trump's support is the strongest and we think it's vital that the rest of our voices are heard as well."
While Trump used the campaign-style rally to denounce the Russia investigation as a "fake story," several progressive organizations--including Rise Up WV, West Virginia Indivisible, and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic--used the opportunity to voice their opposition to a president whose actions have "disgusted" them.
Carrying a sign that read simply "West Virginia Not for Haters," Sally Roberts-Wilson--a resident of Charleston, West Virginia--told the local Register-Herald, "I'm here today to stand up against hatred, to stand up against intolerance, to stand up for rights and kindness that West Virginians have historically shown one another."
"I'm here because I can't watch our democracy and our country fall into disrepair, to fall apart, and become a plutocracy," she continued. "Quite honestly, I can't stand by and do nothing."
Given the recent attempts by the Republican Party to repeal the Affordable Care Act and gut Medicaid--both of which would have devastating effects on West Virginians--many protestors denounced Trump for his stated desire to sabotage insurance markets.
Michael Eisenberg, a resident of Roane County, told the local Herald-Dispatch he is battling cancer and that losing insurance would be a death sentence.
"I think it's disgusting for our president to deliberately sabotage the health markets in order to make the Affordable Care Act fail and have millions of our own people lose health insurance," Eisenberg said.
Trump's rally came as several recent polls found his approval ratings falling rapidly. As Common Dreams reported on Wednesday, a Quinnipiac University national survey found that the percentage of Americans who approve of Trump's job performance has fallen to a new low of 33 percent. Americans particularly disliked Trump's support for the GOP's Obamacare repeal efforts.
Beverly Kimble, a resident of St. Albans, said that Trump's first months in office have shown that his promises to be the "voice" of the working class were hollow. Recent analyses have shown that Trump's proposed tax policies would overwhelmingly favor the wealthy.
"Trump doesn't care about us," Kimble concluded.
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