Manchin in Wonderland

Thomas Veil

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After weeks of being coy about it, Joe Manchin has finally come out and said it. There ain’t no way, no how he’s gonna vote to change the filibuster. 😡


I imagine this must have sent up huzzahs among do-nothing Republicans when he (joining Kyrsten Sinema) expressed their beautiful fantasy about working together with Republicans on passing meaningful legislation.

While they’re dreaming about a world in which Republicans cooperate with anybody, what they’ve really done is deep-six the Democrats’ hope of holding onto power in ‘22. Absent their ability to pass major legislation like the infrastructure bill or the For the People act, the Democrats will once again be reduced to being seen as ineffectual posturers by the voters. Paradoxically, albeit inevitably, the Republicans will be rewarded with more seats in the House and Senate, and even less will get done. If that’s possible.
 

SuperMatt

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They just need to get more Democrats in the senate in 2022. Manchin directly benefits from being in this position. He can ask for things for his home state. Then he stands a better chance of re-election.
 

Alli

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Hopefully he won't be able to screw anything up now that the Dems have this new power of multiple reconciliation.
 

Thomas Veil

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Hopefully he won't be able to screw anything up now that the Dems have this new power of multiple reconciliation.

Oh, he’s specifically saying don’t count on him for reconciliation either.

The West Virginia senator also signaled that he may oppose the use of the budget reconciliation process to pass legislation such as President Joe Biden's landmark $2 trillion infrastructure plan.
 

JayMysteri0

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They just need to get more Democrats in the senate in 2022. Manchin directly benefits from being in this position. He can ask for things for his home state. Then he stands a better chance of re-election.
THAT is all Manchin is interested in.

He is the new cog that needs extra attention, and if he doesn't get it he'll fuck everything else up until he does.

Manchin is a politician first & only. He wants the filibuster as is, because when things flip he'll bitch about it for why he still isn't getting shit done.
 

Eric

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THAT is all Manchin is interested in.

He is the new cog that needs extra attention, and if he doesn't get it he'll fuck everything else up until he does.

Manchin is a politician first & only. He wants the filibuster as is, because when things flip he'll bitch about it for why he still isn't getting shit done.
And it looks like it'll be that way until the midterms, with such close margins we really need to get more seats.
 
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And it looks like it'll be that way until the midterms, with such close margins we really need to get more seats.
I'm more worried about the house than the senate. There is like a 2:1 ratio of rep/dem senate seats up in '22, and there are 3-4 narrowly elected republican senators who don't even seek reelection. TBH, the house was a bust for Dems in 2020 and I see no trends to suggest it won't be in 2022. Whatever happens, Manchin's position of disproportionate power will be short-lived.

Side note: if old filibuster rules are reenstated that would be the best move to make the senate younger.
 

Thomas Veil

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I too thought there might be something good in the fact that more Republican seats than Democratic ones are up for grabs in the Senate in '22, but from what I read they're in some pretty reliably red districts, so I'm not counting on that too much. The Dems will need to concentrate on both parts of Congress or Biden will find himself with a red majority on both ends of the rotunda.

I don't know what to do with Manchin. A part of me thinks the Democrats need to primary him...but another part of me reminds myself that Manchin represents West Virginia, where he's practically considered a bleeding heart liberal. If they primary him, it'd have to be another moderate/conservative Dem who'd simply be more reliable. And having a different Democrat win the primary risks, or course, driving West Virginians back into their comfort zone of red winners in the general election.

The Democrats may be better off putting everything into flipping at least two or three seats in the Senate (and not losing any). That takes away Manchin and Sinema's power. But in a midterm election, that's a lot easier said than done.

With Biden holding a lot of support right now and people angry at Republicans, there's never been a better time to show voters that the GQP is not their friend. However, that means passing legislation in the next year that's on the side of the people, like the infrastructure bill (jobs) and the For the People Act (voting rights). If they can't get those done--and at the moment it looks like they can't--Georgia and a whole bunch of other states are going to be free to suppress the Democratic vote and ride a really nice wave into Congress in '22. It's so frustrating.
 
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I too thought there might be something good in the fact that more Republican seats than Democratic ones are up for grabs in the Senate in '22, but from what I read they're in some pretty reliably red districts, so I'm not counting on that too much. The Dems will need to concentrate on both parts of Congress or Biden will find himself with a red majority on both ends of the rotunda.

I don't know what to do with Manchin. A part of me thinks the Democrats need to primary him...but another part of me reminds myself that Manchin represents West Virginia, where he's practically considered a bleeding heart liberal. If they primary him, it'd have to be another moderate/conservative Dem who'd simply be more reliable. And having a different Democrat win the primary risks, or course, driving West Virginians back into their comfort zone of red winners in the general election.

The Democrats may be better off putting everything into flipping at least two or three seats in the Senate (and not losing any). That takes away Manchin and Sinema's power. But in a midterm election, that's a lot easier said than done.

With Biden holding a lot of support right now and people angry at Republicans, there's never been a better time to show voters that the GQP is not their friend. However, that means passing legislation in the next year that's on the side of the people, like the infrastructure bill (jobs) and the For the People Act (voting rights). If they can't get those done--and at the moment it looks like they can't--Georgia and a whole bunch of other states are going to be free to suppress the Democratic vote and ride a really nice wave into Congress in '22. It's so frustrating.
I'd say the 2022 senate is there for the Dems to lose (note the seats will be open for PA, MO, WI, NC). I included those who won within a 15% margin. Important to take into consideration that these results emerged after 8years of Obama and before Trump wreaking havoc and QOP transformed into the GQP we know it today. Thus, the present situation on all these are likely favoring Dems and the more likely outcome is a net gain of seats.

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Thomas Veil

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I agree, those are mouth-watering possibilities. I still worry about how much havoc the GQP is going to be able to create via suppressing the Democratic vote in many states.

It's possible the DOJ can file suit against some or all of these anti-voter laws. Whether a 6-3 conservative majority SCOTUS will back up such suits....
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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Sounds amazing. Plenty of space on my Kindle if he’d like to share.
I’m sure it’s pretty hot, the tale of a once overlooked and discarded man who gains national sex appeal through his singlehanded ability to completely train wreck the wheels of government on a whim. Who’s your daddy?
 

Thomas Veil

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Manchin again:
"I think we can find a pathway forward. I really do. I'm going to be sitting down with both sides in understanding where everybody is coming from," he said. "We should have an open, fair and safe election. If we have to put guard rails on we can put guard rails on so people can't take advantage of people. And I believe there are Republicans that feel exactly like I feel."

No. Just...no. This is exactly why I chose the thread title. You can’t reason with unreasonable people. They are not going to sit down and work with you; that is antithetical to everything they stand for. They even have Collins and Murkowski cowed into voting in a bloc with them.
 

SuperMatt

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So, many states are passing laws that will allow Republicans to control them indefinitely regardless of how their residents vote. And yet Joe Manchin still won‘t consider ditching the filibuster. Somebody needs to fix this, or democracy will be over in America.

 
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Manchin again:


No. Just...no. This is exactly why I chose the thread title. You can’t reason with unreasonable people. They are not going to sit down and work with you; that is antithetical to everything they stand for. They even have Collins and Murkowski cowed into voting in a bloc with them.
You'd wonder if this guy had dementia. It's also obvious that WV would benefit a ton from an infrastructure plan.
 

SuperMatt

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You'd wonder if this guy had dementia. It's also obvious that WV would benefit a ton from an infrastructure plan.
Maybe Joe can use that as leverage? If Manchin is the only person he needs to convince, there has to be a way.
 
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