This is not a Joe Manchin issue. He is being used as a scapegoat. The reality is white America doesn't want people of color to have influence in politics and government. Manchin is a Democrat in a Republican-leaning state. So he can be the scapegoat for all of the other Democrats in Deep Blue states that feel the same way.
If the Democrats wanted action on any policies, they could have removed him from all of his committees, especially the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Democrats could make it a party rule that if you can not be on a Committee that you get donations from the industry that the Committee regulates. Nor can you or your family own stocks or even own a company that the Committee regulates.
If all the Democrats really wanted voting rights except for two, they could force those two hands. Because looking ineffective is worst than having two members leave the party because they were stripped of all power for breaking rank.
Unfortunately, you are preaching to the choir. TV hosts in general are not equipped to handle the subjects they are expected to defend. Today, Joe Manchin was interviewed on "Morning Joe". The subject was the Reconciliation bill. In his defense, he threw around all kinds of economic statistics that no one on the panel challenged, because they were not versed in economics. Inflation is soaring. We all would like more. We have to live within our means. Blah, blah, blah. Reminds me of my divorce proceedings. Morning Joe and all the other talk show hosts should be prepared to have a Robert Reich on their program, when they have a blowhard like Manchin spouting republican dogma. In the same vain, when they invite a man like Manchin to pontificate on voting rights, a bill he believed would pass in the Senate, they should be prepared to challenge him. Instead, Manchin comes off as a reasonable guy who is just trying to represent his constituency, which we all know are his benefactors. If Democrats want the public on their side, they need to put their money where their mouth is! The public is uninformed, and giving people like Manchin a platform to convince them that talking out of both sides of your mouth can win on election day, is a disaster for the democratic party.
I’m SO damn frustrated! If I’m this turned off by all the Democrats squabbling, then no wonder we got a solid ass whipping in the recent elections!! I’m tired of us squandering opportunity after opportunity to do something good. Do you REALLY think Mitch will not kick the filibuster to the curb the second he’s in power?? Remember his Supreme Court hypocrisy?? Get off your butts get ONE thing done! Please.
The NY Times seems to think, along with other major news sources, that the Democratic Party is broken because it has two ostensibly-conservative members of the Senate who are actively blocking President Biden's Build Back Better program. Two equals all, don't you know? Never a word about the GQP voting as a bloc against paid parental leave, expansion of Medicare, voting rights for all, and other parts of Biden's program that help maintain democracy in America and help the vast majority of Americans in their lives.
After all, it would take just two members of the Republican caucus in the Senate to balance out Manchin and Sinema and allow the passage of critical bills. That should be where people's attention is directed by the media, not to the two retrograde Democrats who are gumming up Biden's programs and our future as well.
Where are the front-page headlines that might state "Republicans in Senate Vote as a Bloc Against Parental Leave" or "Senate Republicans Stop the John Lewis Voting Rights Bill." Aren't these "news"?
I suspect I'm still stuck in the days of Walter Cronkite and Peter Jennings, when national news was relatively dependable truth, without obvious bias, and there was no "Breaking News!".
As you well know, Joe Manchin cynically uses the fact that the Senate is split 50-50 to wield veto power over the President and the will of the people - repeatedly. A Senator from a small state does not deserve such power; in this case he is clearly taking his orders not from the President or the Democratic party, but from the minority leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell. Democracy means, majority rule, NOT minority rule. Manchin's claim to support voting rights is completely hypocritical, since he knows John Lewis's version of a voting rights bill will never pass until the filibuster is revoked, and he is dead set against revoking the filibuster.
"......might return to the ugly days of Jim Crow and its blatant discrimination." ?
Huh ? When multiple states formally pass various and perpetual restrictions on voting, the "New Jim Crow" has arrived. [but, behind the scenes, it never went anywhere--during the various Trump investigations, we got to see the inner membership of many powerful legislative committees who decide the country's fate: completely old, and lily-white--they secretly preserve the powerful memberships for themselves which is why despite populism, true change can't happen]
I’m a 69 year old white woman who clearly remembers the struggles of the 1960s. We must preserve our democracy and the first step is to protect the right to vote. Please Joe. The time is now.
Sinema will never care or come around. The Dems need to end the filibuster by every means imaginable. Those who don’t get that done become accomplices of the Republicons.
Forget refusal to pass a voting rights act, Republicans are refusing to DEBATE, refusing to discuss voting rights and a number of other things. What was once touted as the greatest deliberative body on the planet is now held in thrall by the people who are afraid of debate. That is shameful, even for Republicans.
I happen to agree that the filibuster is important as a tool of last resort, but then restore it to what it was. If you want to filibuster, you stand up and talk and hold the floor and block the Senate, publicly. People who actually believe they are doing right don't have trouble putting their name on things, so history knows who did it.
Congressional Democrats are loath to disable the filibuster because, they say, that would turn loose the coming Republican majority to engage in all sorts of unspeakable legislative horrors. But the Republicans will have a majority in just a few more months, at which time they can disable the filibuster all by themselves and enact horrors as they wish. The Democrats appear to be unaware that our current President is also a Democrat who will be in office for several more years, and he has the power to veto Republican horrors.
So, is Democratic timidity now, well, cowardice ? Or is it an excuse for not enacting legislation that might offend some powerful behind-the-scenes puppet masters?
Let's face it, Joe Mancini is a DINO. Contrary to his protestations, he has NOT "negotiated in good faith". He has known from the start that progressive Dems said they would only vote for the infrastructure bill if it is in tandem with the reconciliation package. Now, after so many concessions by House progressives, Mancini acts like the progressives are being recalcitrant, when it is quite obvious that he is the recalcitrant one. Mancini gets more campaign contributions from energy lobbyists than anyone else in Congress. Say no more.
Thanks for your passionate plea to Joe Manchin. I hope he’s listening, because the fate of the Democrats in the next two elections, and the very future of our republic is at stake.
This is not a Joe Manchin issue. He is being used as a scapegoat. The reality is white America doesn't want people of color to have influence in politics and government. Manchin is a Democrat in a Republican-leaning state. So he can be the scapegoat for all of the other Democrats in Deep Blue states that feel the same way.
If the Democrats wanted action on any policies, they could have removed him from all of his committees, especially the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Democrats could make it a party rule that if you can not be on a Committee that you get donations from the industry that the Committee regulates. Nor can you or your family own stocks or even own a company that the Committee regulates.
If all the Democrats really wanted voting rights except for two, they could force those two hands. Because looking ineffective is worst than having two members leave the party because they were stripped of all power for breaking rank.
Unfortunately, you are preaching to the choir. TV hosts in general are not equipped to handle the subjects they are expected to defend. Today, Joe Manchin was interviewed on "Morning Joe". The subject was the Reconciliation bill. In his defense, he threw around all kinds of economic statistics that no one on the panel challenged, because they were not versed in economics. Inflation is soaring. We all would like more. We have to live within our means. Blah, blah, blah. Reminds me of my divorce proceedings. Morning Joe and all the other talk show hosts should be prepared to have a Robert Reich on their program, when they have a blowhard like Manchin spouting republican dogma. In the same vain, when they invite a man like Manchin to pontificate on voting rights, a bill he believed would pass in the Senate, they should be prepared to challenge him. Instead, Manchin comes off as a reasonable guy who is just trying to represent his constituency, which we all know are his benefactors. If Democrats want the public on their side, they need to put their money where their mouth is! The public is uninformed, and giving people like Manchin a platform to convince them that talking out of both sides of your mouth can win on election day, is a disaster for the democratic party.
I’m SO damn frustrated! If I’m this turned off by all the Democrats squabbling, then no wonder we got a solid ass whipping in the recent elections!! I’m tired of us squandering opportunity after opportunity to do something good. Do you REALLY think Mitch will not kick the filibuster to the curb the second he’s in power?? Remember his Supreme Court hypocrisy?? Get off your butts get ONE thing done! Please.
The NY Times seems to think, along with other major news sources, that the Democratic Party is broken because it has two ostensibly-conservative members of the Senate who are actively blocking President Biden's Build Back Better program. Two equals all, don't you know? Never a word about the GQP voting as a bloc against paid parental leave, expansion of Medicare, voting rights for all, and other parts of Biden's program that help maintain democracy in America and help the vast majority of Americans in their lives.
After all, it would take just two members of the Republican caucus in the Senate to balance out Manchin and Sinema and allow the passage of critical bills. That should be where people's attention is directed by the media, not to the two retrograde Democrats who are gumming up Biden's programs and our future as well.
Where are the front-page headlines that might state "Republicans in Senate Vote as a Bloc Against Parental Leave" or "Senate Republicans Stop the John Lewis Voting Rights Bill." Aren't these "news"?
I suspect I'm still stuck in the days of Walter Cronkite and Peter Jennings, when national news was relatively dependable truth, without obvious bias, and there was no "Breaking News!".
As you well know, Joe Manchin cynically uses the fact that the Senate is split 50-50 to wield veto power over the President and the will of the people - repeatedly. A Senator from a small state does not deserve such power; in this case he is clearly taking his orders not from the President or the Democratic party, but from the minority leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell. Democracy means, majority rule, NOT minority rule. Manchin's claim to support voting rights is completely hypocritical, since he knows John Lewis's version of a voting rights bill will never pass until the filibuster is revoked, and he is dead set against revoking the filibuster.
Right on! But I'm afraid Manchin is just another corrupt, self-interested politician.
"......might return to the ugly days of Jim Crow and its blatant discrimination." ?
Huh ? When multiple states formally pass various and perpetual restrictions on voting, the "New Jim Crow" has arrived. [but, behind the scenes, it never went anywhere--during the various Trump investigations, we got to see the inner membership of many powerful legislative committees who decide the country's fate: completely old, and lily-white--they secretly preserve the powerful memberships for themselves which is why despite populism, true change can't happen]
Love your insights. I do believe Lisa Murkowski voted in support of the John Lewis bill. Still-only 1 R.
I’m a 69 year old white woman who clearly remembers the struggles of the 1960s. We must preserve our democracy and the first step is to protect the right to vote. Please Joe. The time is now.
"If not us, then who?
If not now, then when?"
-John Lewis
Sinema will never care or come around. The Dems need to end the filibuster by every means imaginable. Those who don’t get that done become accomplices of the Republicons.
Forget refusal to pass a voting rights act, Republicans are refusing to DEBATE, refusing to discuss voting rights and a number of other things. What was once touted as the greatest deliberative body on the planet is now held in thrall by the people who are afraid of debate. That is shameful, even for Republicans.
I happen to agree that the filibuster is important as a tool of last resort, but then restore it to what it was. If you want to filibuster, you stand up and talk and hold the floor and block the Senate, publicly. People who actually believe they are doing right don't have trouble putting their name on things, so history knows who did it.
Congressional Democrats are loath to disable the filibuster because, they say, that would turn loose the coming Republican majority to engage in all sorts of unspeakable legislative horrors. But the Republicans will have a majority in just a few more months, at which time they can disable the filibuster all by themselves and enact horrors as they wish. The Democrats appear to be unaware that our current President is also a Democrat who will be in office for several more years, and he has the power to veto Republican horrors.
So, is Democratic timidity now, well, cowardice ? Or is it an excuse for not enacting legislation that might offend some powerful behind-the-scenes puppet masters?
Joe must be expelled from the Democratic party.
Let's face it, Joe Mancini is a DINO. Contrary to his protestations, he has NOT "negotiated in good faith". He has known from the start that progressive Dems said they would only vote for the infrastructure bill if it is in tandem with the reconciliation package. Now, after so many concessions by House progressives, Mancini acts like the progressives are being recalcitrant, when it is quite obvious that he is the recalcitrant one. Mancini gets more campaign contributions from energy lobbyists than anyone else in Congress. Say no more.
Thanks for your passionate plea to Joe Manchin. I hope he’s listening, because the fate of the Democrats in the next two elections, and the very future of our republic is at stake.