West Virginians Say Why They’re Not Voting In The 2020 Election | Hallie Jackson | MSNBC

In the 2016 election, 63% of eligible voters in McDowell County, W.Va., did not vote and the 2020 election may yield similar results. NBC News' Morgan Radford spoke with West Virginians who might be planning to skip voting again. Aired on 10/27/2020.
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West Virginians Say Why They're Not Voting In The 2020 Election | Hallie Jackson | MSNBC

92 comments

  1. “Those who don’t learn from history will surely repeat it.” Not voting last time got you what you have now!

    1. @BlackBird i never suggested that either…your listening and comprehension skills are what need to have a seat and possibly study youngster. Stay off Qanon. And don’t worry ill let you have the last word . I know you can’t help but have it. I won’t be back to this thread of nonsense. ✌ 👋
      P.s. have fun voting for Kayne you dolt.

    2. @Lianne459 Then why did Hunters attorney call to “get my client’s laptop back”? The FBI says it’s true. Biden has not said they are not authentic.. why not? Why is he hiding?

    1. Kushner said this about black communities, but I find it fitting that these white people should also know trump “policies are the policies that can help people break out of the problems that they’re complaining about.” But know this, he’s also been president for the last four years and you are still poor, unemployed, and uneducated.

    2. Cat, there would have been change if Bernie Sanders was in the race. These people are correct, there is no point in them voting.

  2. Seriously? Even after 3 years of harassment to this country people won’t vote to save it 🤦🏼‍♂️

    1. 100 million eligible voters did not vote in 2016.
      Think how many people are not voting this time either.
      We need ranked choice voting to bring more people in the political process.
      Pretty sad state of affairs if the binary choice between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is the BEST this country can do.

    2. @Brian Nave Really ?! 😠 You seem to forget already that Trump has called multiple states like New York and many other states this already. So can you say that again knowing this now?🤔

    3. Their sentiment is nobody cares about them, then why should they care about anyone? It’s sad, but I get it. They believe their votes don’t matter.

    1. @UrGreatestEnemy There is no comparison between democrats and republicans regarding lies, hypocrisy, corruption, and criminality. None! The current republicans are the worse politicians in U.S. history, as is Trump. Even AG Barr is a Trump, partisan, corrupt hack. He is the worse one. Then, Mitch McConnell.

      I do agree with this:

      “remove both parties from power”

      There should be no party system, at all! It can work! Even George Washington gravely warned of the party system. And, James Madison declared why they wanted a Republic, not a democracy, and what the Republic should entail.

      However, for now, the republicans in power have to go! Period! Across the board! People like you and I can try to promote the abolishing of the party system. Just bear in mind, if there is one thing the entire U.S. government does not want, it’s that! So, you and I may someday, ‘disappear’.

    2. @Gaffe Machines You know too many Trump supporters are ignorant and can only spread misinformation and Russia propaganda, and cannot stand facts. That is what is so tragic. Even after Trump and many other republicans are kicked out after January, those few will still be here. Good news, though. In the not so distant future, those few will go away, “like a miracle”. 🙂

    3. @Nis Num As I said it’s already to late in this election cycle to disrupt the current system. Our founding fathers warned us about a two partie system anytime where the few represent the many there is a possibility of corruption. I believe the only way we can bring real changes in this country is to limit the power that both parties hold. As I see it the biggest problem in America today is the American people have become lazy and would rather be told what to think by the media then see the ugly truth. Thay have given into the propaganda and bought what both parties are selling which are lies. We are stuck in a revolving door maybe the Democrats will fix things nope lets try the Republicans nope and so on and so on. The only peacefull solution I see is as I said we need to elect more 3rd party candidates in the future to offset the party politics.
      John F. Kennedy famously said, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
      We have seen this in the riots and unrest in the resent months demonstrations turning to anarchy in the streets. It’s been a long time coming and it will only get worse before it gets better. The people are fed up just look at the last two elections first we elect a black guy with a campaign slogan of change then we elect a Washington outsider in hope he would change things it’s obvious people are looking for change it’s only a matter of time before people will look outside the two partie system.

  3. Hard working Americans are left in the dark, because they lack the resources to find out what going on in the world.

    1. I see that most Americans are left in the dark. Most people have been brainwashed by the media to believe they don’t have a choice that they have to vote one of the two parties. The media is in league with the two parties and thay work together to disseminate false information propaganda and fear monger to divide the nation with a us versus them mentality to further their agendas. They then limit people’s choices by only showing the two partie and not giving airtime to independent parties or letting them participate in the debates or even acknowledging their existence.
      Their goal is to keep people in the dark and ensure one of the two parties win.
      The two parties have become too powerful that they no longer represent the people’s interest. Both parties have been corrupted by power and corporate greed they now only represent the corporations and powerful people that fund their campaigns. Just look at their voting record 99% of politicians vote along party lines that indicates they are looking after their party’s interest. We have given them too much power and they have corrupted every branch of the government including the Supreme Court.
      If we stand any chance of changing things in this country we need to remove both parties from power or at least limit there numbers to offset party politics and restore democracy back to the nation. We can not continue this vicious cycle of corruption and greed we find ourselves in. You cannot expect change when we continue to elect politicians who profit from the status quo.
      Diversity is what makes this nation great it’s not a bad thing to add more 3rd party candidates to the government because they are not incumbent they know if they don’t do a good job they will be voted out the next term.We cannot change things this election but if enough people got the word out and talk to others because you know the media won’t we could wake the nation up and get politicians that would actually change things like term limits and laws governing campaign contributions to prevent lobbyists from buying political favors. Democrats and Republicans believe themselves too big to fail I hope one day the American people will prove them wrong.

    2. By using the news network, newspapers, go door to door, something to bring the conversation to the people who don’t get the information that’s needed, because there state representatives are not giving the information that needed or any city official giving out important information to the people who can’t get it.

    3. nick love
      you are saying they have no access to tv? radio? Internet? Cell phone? If they are hard working I assume they get paid.

    4. Sadly, drugs play a role in the mis and uneducation of those who are trapped within that world. I speak from experience. Those on drugs are usually less likely to care about much. Except chasing their addiction. I understand they need help, but it seems the priority should be on kicking their chemical addiction.

    5. @Anti Orange Lol Trump also said he wanted to expand internet to rural areas. Not that I believe Trump but Biden wouldn’t be any different.

    1. In fact the coal industry has kept people poor and addicted to substances in order to keep them working for them. We need to move on from tRump and the 1% politics to make the country work for the citizens.

    2. My dad’s family was from coal country. Mom had some tokens used as currency. The coal company paid them in tokens which were used at coal company housing and stores.

    3. So true, they just milked it when they knew this will end some days. They didn’t invest a dime back to the society or to reinvest it

  4. There is a big hole… Democrats try to represent minorities. Republicans represent corporate and wealthy people interests. Who represents the VAST majority of people? As a wealthy independent voter, I usually vote Dem. because at least they have some values and morals left. Republicans need to find themselves again. Or just start over.

    1. Both of them are in the wrong and people that don’t agree wit that and don’t see their behind the scenes will be brainwashed and gaslighted to believe their political party is helping. We minorities as in I have voted Obama (I wasn’t of age but I would’ve voted for Obama) because we thought he as in an African American is the voice of people in color. He never did anything even his re-election he could’ve proved himself. I think you need to be in check lady and talk to someone that lived a poor life and forced to be in situations growing up fast to understand the meaning of inequality. It ain’t about race of skin color it’s about how we want to be treated. Not no kings and queens but the level of respect we deserve. Get your facts straight. The Democrats in the WH is the enemy as such as the Republicans. Who knows you’re the root of division like the rest of them

  5. Lord please help these people. I can’t stand to see the poverty and lack of education in this country. When that guy said that thing about Trump. I just felt so bad

    1. @mikefromwa The segment implies it is a problem no matter which party is in power.

      There needs to be a New Deal kind of economic revitalization to pull these people and others like them out of the rut they have been left in for what sounds like decades.

      Specific subsidies need to be set up to encourage business developments in these starved areas – whoever brings that kind of help and properly follows through will be the party that those voters will follow for life.

    2. i agree, so sad, they seem so hopeless and defeated,just dont start quoting your founders, they created this mess of haves and have nots. If I was down there I’d be so mad, but I guess it wears off after awhile, and you’re hungry

    1. Maybe you’re right about that we as a country went backwards for four years and now we’re divided over simple things that should benefit all of us but some how you all feel that you own this country belongs to one group of people that did lift a finger except stirring up hate.

    1. @My Getaway I don’t mean any offense.. But learning to code isn’t rocket science. If you can cobble together a table, serve a diner with 6+ tables or do the grill for one, or troubleshoot and fix an engine – then you sure as sh*t can learn to code. And you don’t need to go to school to learn it, you only need internet access. Doesn’t even need to be broadband.

      If you can code, you can get decent paying jobs anywhere in the world, and for many of those jobs you don’t need to move if you don’t want to.

    2. @pr0xZen The woman said she doesn’t even have a computer. She can’t even afford a computer, and probably can only do basic things on the computer. Can barely afford to eat! How is she going to learn to code? OK so we can have a government program to pay for materials including a computer. She makes little money; what happens when her electricity gets shut off because she’s even further behind on her bills? Or if she has to spend a whole day trying to figure out how she’s going to scrape together money to get food for her family? She’s also a 40+ woman. So it’ll take her five years to learn how to code. Who is going to hire a 40+-year-old woman? There’a tens of thousands of 20-year-olds with computer science degrees from prestigious universities who can’t even get hired!

    3. @Trenton D Her explicit situation is not the universal norm, Trenton. Most people struggling still do have access to a computer, or even a tablet they can hook up a keybard to. Even if they don’t own one, most have access to borrow one or use one at a friends or family member’s place. Or buy an old one cheap off ebay or craigslist (with a dead battery if laptop). Doesn’t need to be anything fancy, certainly not at the pre-work learning stage. If you start working on more demanding projects, at that point you’re earning a reasonable salary, and your employer will be assisting in financing appropriate equipment and better internet if needed.

      Of course there’s always gonna be someone who can’t try because they have no access to internet, they have no access to a make-do device, they have no time to learn something new, they have no fingers, they have no toes etc. But for most people, there are ways to cobble together an arrangement, solution, workarounds. If they’re willing to go out of their comfort zone, try and learn something new. It is also a very real thing that many need a little help to get going. To see and understand their own abilities, skills, experience and strenghts – and understand how those things have transferrable value towards other types of work and positions.nA very common thing is msny have very significant skills, mindsets and strenghts that certain employers and fields are super thirsty for, but they don’t understand that, they have not connected those dots yet because those traits may not have stemmed directly from their former work activity, work experience, work training etc. So they don’t think of them as “work skills and strenghts”.

  6. Wow. This is eye opening. My heart goes out to Americans that the health and education systems have forgotten. As a non-American looking in, it is shocking to say the least.

    1. quan Brooklyn kid that’s the kind of attitude that got your country into this mess. 🤷‍♀️ Do better.

  7. There in lies the real problem: indifference, dis-empowerment & ignorance.
    #voteblue2020 #bidenharris #ichooseamerica

  8. Call me crazy, but I look at these people and think, “we need to put more money in WV, I don’t know., infrastructure or something”

    1. Education should be the number one. They also need to promote the libraries and get people to go there to read and learn and also use their computers if they don’t have Internet themselves. No excuses.

    2. Not more money that’s just like a short term rainstorm in the desert – a little growth happens and then dies off when it stays dry for weeks/months again.

      What is needed is a system of government provided incentives/subsidies to businesses to set up shop in these areas to provide jobs and business opportunities.

      It will take time and serious investment for that kind of system to become self sustaining to the point that removing the subsidies won’t cause the businesses to bolt again – so they will need to make it 100% obvious to those in the area throughout the presidential term that the wrong party getting elected will only result in their becoming poor again.

    1. @Steele Crusader no West Virginia is a different kind of stupid. I lived their a long time and met a lot of simple confused racist people. It literally reminds of Afghan villagers who been cut off from the rest of the world.

    2. @Steele Crusader Possibly, although, quit pretending that good dental insurance will make someone take care of their mouth. You don’t have to be rich to brush and floss your teeth – that’s an interpersonal or family failure.

    3. @Steele Crusader Well, you wouldn’t know a lot of people were religious if they didn’t claim to be, their actions say otherwise. Being atheistic does not preclude morality, just as claiming to be religious does not make one moral!

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