Biden To Meet With Sinema, Manchin Over Their Threats To The Reconciliation Package | Talking Points Memo

[rptwiz]

None of the motivations Manchin and Sinema put out there – or speculation in this comments section and elsewhere – make any sense. Either or both clearly have the power to tank everything (and take the blame) simply by switching parties. They obviously both love that power since ANY D senator has the same leverage, but they aren’t seeking anything in particular except, it seems, capitulation to their willingness to be a spoiler. As soon as they face Progressive pushback, they get all indignant!!

The only rational basis I can derive for Manchin’s and Sinema’s opposition to the vast majority of their self-selected party is that they think the D majority will be short-lived and they want to maintain some position of importance when Rs take control of one chamber of Congress or the other. So if Biden can show them solid polling that indicates that the Senate is going to shift more toward the Ds in 2022 (e.g., PA, WI, NC), making their obstinancy now obsolute in January 2023, that might make them get with the program lest the lose their limelight AND take the blame.

[darrtown]

@steviedee111

Staff for Manchin and Sinema have been tasked with finding diplomatic phrasing meaning “Get bent” in anticipation of the meeting.

Having spent 52 years in AZ and voting here consistently and with Mrs darr’s work last election at our county elections dept. I can offer that Sinema’s reelection is on very thin ice. But her seat will not be filled by Martha McSally this time around. In my opinion there are some strong democrat candidates who could take Sinema’s place.

[26degreesrising]

Good news.

[lastroth]

@geographyjones

Words matter.

Manchin, the more media-loving of the two, has made the rounds on TV and in print, agonizing Democrats with his insistence that there’s no urgency to pass the bill and that it ought to be severely trimmed to $1-$1.5 trillion.

I would have gone with antagonizing.

[occamscoin]

@kida

Line item veto is unconstitutional

Looking it up, the problem is that Clinton used it 82 times, so of course the supreme court ruled it unconstitutional.

[tsp]

@dave48

This is all a show. I’m really not worried about this bill right now.

I’m of the same opinion. However, only time will tell if we’re right or not.

[darrtown]

I would offer Steve Farley as one should he want it. Steve has lots of experience in AZ politics having served as a state rep and also my state senator up in Phoenix. We are acquaintances. And he has my respect. Honestly I would like to see him on the national stage.

[26degreesrising]

That reminds me of the story of how Putin brought his dog to a meeting with Merkel. Don’t know if his dog was a biter but Merkel apparently has a fear of dogs.

[occamscoin]

@rptwiz

Either or both clearly have the power to tank everything (and take the blame) simply by switching parties.

Yes, but the moment they do that they’ll be in party of 51, where no one gives a fuck about how any one senator might vote.

and they want to maintain some position of importance when Rs take control of one chamber of Congress or the other.

The only position of importance availble to them in that scenario will involve a collar and leash.

[tsp]

@mattinpa

If he brings that bitey dog with him they’ll know shit just got serious.

That’d be Major!

[vlharpley]

Yes, the old fashioned LBJ method.

[heirball]

You can start, Mr. President, by showing them any classified information regarding the ongoing investigations of fossil fuel companies and oligarchs they are taking money from.

That would be my change to that first sentence from the original post. Pretty much what you said,

[darrtown]

@vlharpley

Yes, the old fashioned LBJ method.

LBJ had a way of getting up in a persons personal space.
To wit…

He’s getting “personal” with Ralph Abernathy.
For those unfamiliar with Ralph…

Ralph Abernathy

EDIT to correct a mistake…
@emiliano4 pointed out to me that in the image are LBJ and Whitney Young, not Ralph Abernathy. I am corrected. But I will leave the blurb about Ralph up because it’s instructive for us all to remember who he was.
Thank you @emiliano4 for your correction!

[steviedee111]

@darrtown

LBJ had a way of getting up in a persons personal space.
To wit…

The Senate cloakroom had turnbuckles and cut men in the corners.

[thunderclapnewman]

@occamscoin

Looking it up, the problem is that Clinton used it 82 times, so of course the supreme court ruled it unconstitutional.

The problem was that it violated the separation of powers.

[randome]

Whatever does the trick.

[chuck_voellinger]

My fantasy is that Joe can do an LBJ here and with voting rights but I’m also feel pretty cynical these days.

[morrigan_2575]

Smack them around, Joe!

[SereneTsunami]

The box Biden and Pelosi put these 2 in is pretty smart. He gives them what they want, a bipartisan bill and uses it to get them to agree to both bills. Now if Manchin or That lady from AZ torpedo the reconciliation then they are the ones that killed the infrastructure bill. They cant not vote for the big bill whatever it’s size.

Nice work.

[randome]

“You guys don’t mind dog-sitting for a while, do you? Okay, bye!”