As reported previously, Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Chuck Schumer have reached an agreement on a huge reconciliation bill. It provides hundreds of billions in funding for “climate change” provisions. It also contains corporate tax increases.
This comes at a time when US consumers are struggling with high levels of inflation. June’s figure was 9.1 percent. Manchin previously indicated that he wouldn’t sign on to a huge spending bill until inflation was under control. He broke his promise and will likely increase prices due to increased spending and higher taxes.
How did we get to this point? Let’s be honest, Sen. Mitch McConnell was completely manipulated.
Absolute scumbag move. Manchin waited until Rs moved CHIPS, giving up their leverage and then reversed course the very minute they passed it.
Should be a lesson for every R not work with Dems. https://t.co/IMagnbiXFF
— Mike Palicz (@Mike_Palicz) July 27, 2022
McConnell had received assurances from Manchin previously that a huge reconciliation bill was not in the works. The GOP minority leader used the CHIPS Act (which Manchin supports) as leverage to block the passage of billions in green boondoggles.
McConnell trusted Manchin for reasons that are not known and delivered the votes for the CHIPS Act. Manchin ran to Schumer and attacked McConnell, nuking any leverage.
What happened here is Mitch McConnell threatened to kill the CHIPS bill if Schumer and Manchin revived Biden’s Build Back Better reconciliation package.
CHIPs passed a few hours ago and Schumer and Manchin proceeded to revive reconciliation.
What a master strategist that guy is
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 27, 2022
McConnell’s defenders and McConnell have always cited McConnell’s Supreme Court maneuverings as evidence that he is a master strategist and cannot be replaced by anyone more conservative. He deserves a lot of credit for holding up Merrick Garland’s nomination to get Neil Gorsuch onto the court. (Kavanaugh and Barrett were simpler in terms of the procedures). He can ride this wave for how long? How many times can he continue to ride that wave and not stop the spending bills of Democrats? Or worse, how many times can he be excused from signing on to them willingly?
While I love the Cocaine Mitch memes, it feels like I am being played by Manchin on a major issue. Outside of the judiciary, which is his job, what substantive conservative wins have the Kentucky senator made? This is a short list.
It is also disappointing that Republicans have provided Manchin with cover by allowing him the role of a pragmatic moderate. They have frequently saved Manchin from having to deal with the lunacy of the Democrat Party by offering him deals and providing him with a counter from the right.
This must stop immediately. Manchin should be thrown into the abyss and made to pay for every ridiculous thing that his leftwing friends push on him. He should not be allowed to claim he is moderate, but he must have a cover. If Democrats want to spend $2 Trillion on green initiatives, they should make him reject his party and refuse to negotiate with the GOP. Machin is a Democrat. Let him be a Democrat.
For West Virginia voters, enough is enough. How many times must Manchin tell you who he is before you will believe him? If he is dumb enough to run again, vote for him.