Your intermittent briefing on negotiations over the reconciliation bill.
Many Democrats are calling for a shift in focus, putting voting rights legislation front and center as Build Back Better negotiations continue to drag. Everyone from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to President Joe Biden has endorsed the priority swap, saying voting rights is the most pressing domestic issue.
Manchin has decided to be the skunk at the picnic and he seems OK with that. I hope the payoff exeeds the damage to his party, his president and his constituents. I wouldn’t want that on my resume, but then, I’m not Manchin.
“and Manchin has reportedly been reaching out to Republicans…”
…and republican donors have been reaching out to Manchin…
Heck, that’s probably the only reason he turns around and talks to the Republicans, i.e., to get the message out that he’s “all ears” if their donors and lobbyists might have “anything they’d like to say” to him.
The media has been quick to point to progressives that were holding out for a strong BBB bill as being responsible for Biden’s declining approval ratings.
Having a senator from one of our smallest states bully the caucus and dictate the agenda makes Biden look weak and ineffectual. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that there is any way to deal with Manchin since he holds all of the cards. We will have to expand the senate majority and retain the house to get anythnig significant accomplished.