Joe Manchin's folly: Republicans don't want bipartisanship — they want power

[Rogue Valley]

Joe Manchin's folly: Republicans don't want bipartisanship — they want power - Salon.com

The entire Republican Party is determined to prevent as many Democrats from voting as possible. Manchin must see it

www.salon.com

5/14/21
Leave it to right-wingers to find a way to make a profit from The Big Lie. No wonder they love Donald Trump so much. Journalist Igor Derysh noted that The Heritage Foundation and ALEC (One of the Koch Brothers' organizations, the American Legislative Exchange Council) were working together on a project, creating some of that "model legislation" for Republican-led states to enact as quickly as possible. On Thursday, Mother Jones published a leaked video of Jessica Anderson, the executive director of Heritage Action for America, giving big money donors an update on their progress:

"Iowa is the first state that we got to work in, and we did it quickly and we did it quietly," she said. "We helped draft the bills. We made sure activists were calling the state legislators, getting support, showing up at their public hearings, giving testimony … little fanfare. Honestly, nobody even noticed. My team looked at each other and we're like, 'It can't be that easy.'"​

Heritage is busily doing that dirty work all over the country, notably in swing states like Georgia and Arizona. Meanwhile, the Democrats are counting on the federal government and the courts to mitigate the worst of the damage these bills are going to create.

This week Senator Joe Manchin, D-WV, threw cold water on the prospects for passage of the "For the People Act" the voting rights bill that just made it out of committee on a party-line vote. He fatuously insists that voter protection bills aren't legitimate if they aren't passed on a bipartisan basis which essentially means no vote protection bills can pass since the entire Republican Party is determined to prevent as many Democrats from voting as possible. Still, Manchin did come out in favor of requiring "pre-clearance" of any changes to voting laws by the Justice Department in all 50 states which is actually more radical than any provision in the For the People Act or the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act which is also in the hopper. The chances that he can get 10 Republicans on board, which is what it would take to break the filibuster, is nil but it appears he wants to try. So we are still in that place of waiting to see if the inevitable betrayal by Manchin's GOP buddies will make him understand that the weapon of the filibuster is being used to destroy the country. I wouldn't get my hopes up.

After so many years in state government and the US Senate, it is really difficult for me to believe Sen. Joe Manchin (D/WV) is so clueless about our current state of über-partisanship.

Who does he think he is playing here? Certainly not anyone with even half a brain. Manchin and Krysten Sinema (D/AZ) are implicitly/explicitly aiding and abetting GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell.




Leaked Video: Dark Money Group Is Writing Voter Suppression Laws

 

[Helix]

he wants to have disproportionate power and to keep his seat in the process. he is achieving this goal. i would support dumping shitloads of infrastructure money into WV to get HR1 passed. however, there is another way. if the Democrats can figure out a way to get a Republican senator or two to switch parties, that might be a better investment. then Manchin wouldn't matter nearly as much. none of them appear willing to do this, but situations change, and they might find someone who discovers that he or she has a price.

 

[grip]

he wants to have disproportionate power and to keep his seat in the process. he is achieving this goal. i would support dumping shitloads of infrastructure money into WV to get HR1 passed. however, there is another way. if the Democrats can figure out a way to get a Republican senator or two to switch parties, that might be a better investment. then Manchin wouldn't matter nearly as much. none of them appear willing to do this, but situations change, and they might find someone who discovers that he or she has a price.

This ^^^

 

[Cardinal]

All politics end in the Joe Manchin cul-de-sac. And as frustrating (and boring) as that may be, this has not played itself out. Manchin likes to make a big show of opposing Democrats before ultimately voting with on nearly everything.

Manchin’s obstructionism is largely performative.

 

[bave]

he wants to have disproportionate power and to keep his seat in the process. he is achieving this goal. i would support dumping shitloads of infrastructure money into WV to get HR1 passed. however, there is another way. if the Democrats can figure out a way to get a Republican senator or two to switch parties, that might be a better investment. then Manchin wouldn't matter nearly as much. none of them appear willing to do this, but situations change, and they might find someone who discovers that he or she has a price.

How does that help you? HR1 isn't going to get passed via reconciliation and can certainly expect a 60 vote threshold in Senate. Unless you intend to also abolish the fililbuster, which means you need Sinema on board as well as every other democrat and a whole lot of luck. Abolishing the filibuster is playing with fire. The last time the rules were changed by Reid it came back to bite the Democrats in the butt something awful with Trump.

 

[Destroy Trumpism]

How does that help you? HR1 isn't going to get passed via reconciliation and can certainly expect a 60 vote threshold in Senate. Unless you intend to also abolish the fililbuster, which means you need Sinema on board as well as every other democrat and a whole lot of luck. Abolishing the filibuster is playing with fire. The last time the rules were changed by Reid it came back to bite the Democrats in the butt something awful with Trump.

Joe Manchin cares about helping us? I'm sorry, but I thought his profession was politics.

He's a Democratic Senator trying to survive in Trump Land West Virginia. At the end of the day, Joe Manchin only cares about Joe Manchin.

Biden will have to buy him off. Get some major companies to put some new factories in Charleston and Huntington. Put a new Federally-funded resort in the West Virginia Appalachians somewhere. Then the Democrats may have a shot.

The filibuster must go now or democracy ends in 2022. It's that simple. Once Republicans get power again, they will never give it up. Then the Democrats won't have to worry about it backfiring, because they'll never have power again anyway.

 

[diz]

Manchin represents people in a state in which Trump beat Biden by almost 40 points.

Maybe some of his votes will reflect that.

 

[Helix]

How does that help you? HR1 isn't going to get passed via reconciliation and can certainly expect a 60 vote threshold in Senate. Unless you intend to also abolish the fililbuster, which means you need Sinema on board as well as every other democrat and a whole lot of luck. Abolishing the filibuster is playing with fire. The last time the rules were changed by Reid it came back to bite the Democrats in the butt something awful with Trump.

they might have to become clever enough to find a way around Manchin and into reconciliation. Republicans would find a way to do it if allowing people to vote actually benefitted them.

 

[bave]

The filibuster must go now or democracy ends in 2022. It's that simple. Once Republicans get power again, they will never give it up. Then the Democrats won't have to worry about it backfiring, because they'll never have power again anyway.

I'm not sure where the "democracy dies in 2022" idea comes from. From any historical perspective the party in charge struggles in mid-terms. Odds are the dems lose both chambers of congress just because of the seats and being in power. Just life. The odds of them keeping the house are astronomical. Getting rid of the filibuster is a bad idea, because it means that the country would then be subject to massive swings when one party controls congress and the white house. I don't want either side suddenly having carte blanche to do whatever they want every 6-10 years when the other party inevitably gets the same degree of power. It's just a bad idea.

they might have to become clever enough to find a way around Manchin and into reconciliation. Republicans would find a way to do it if allowing people to vote actually benefitted them.

Minimum wage couldn't get past the parliamentarian, there is no chance HR1 does, none at all. With a filibuster in place, it has no chance.

 

[Helix]

I'm not sure where the "democracy dies in 2022" idea comes from. From any historical perspective the party in charge struggles in mid-terms. Odds are the dems lose both chambers of congress just because of the seats and being in power. Just life. The odds of them keeping the house are astronomical. Getting rid of the filibuster is a bad idea, because it means that the country would then be subject to massive swings when one party controls congress and the white house. I don't want either side suddenly having carte blanche to do whatever they want every 6-10 years when the other party inevitably gets the same degree of power. It's just a bad idea.



Minimum wage couldn't get past the parliamentarian, there is no chance HR1 does, none at all. With a filibuster in place, it has no chance.

If the Democrats can't force it through, they're in real trouble. Republicans don't give a shit about rules or traditions. They care about winning. That's the game now.

 

[Destroy Trumpism]

I'm not sure where the "democracy dies in 2022" idea comes from. From any historical perspective the party in charge struggles in mid-terms. Odds are the dems lose both chambers of congress just because of the seats and being in power. Just life. The odds of them keeping the house are astronomical. Getting rid of the filibuster is a bad idea, because it means that the country would then be subject to massive swings when one party controls congress and the white house. I don't want either side suddenly having carte blanche to do whatever they want every 6-10 years when the other party inevitably gets the same degree of power. It's just a bad idea.



Minimum wage couldn't get past the parliamentarian, there is no chance HR1 does, none at all. With a filibuster in place, it has no chance.

You obviously learned nothing from Jan 6.

139 Republicans in the House and 8 Republicans in the Senate voted to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania on Jan 6. This was AFTER the insurrection attempt at the Capitol. I mean, holy shit.

If Republicans control the House and Senate, they will not allow Biden's re-election in 2024 to stand. Take that to the bank. They will vote to overturn the election result in every state until Biden's challenger is declared the "winner". And then we will have a crisis on our hands much worse than 6 Jan.

And then the filibuster will be the least of our concerns.

 

[bave]

If the Democrats can't force it through, they're in real trouble. Republicans don't give a shit about rules or traditions. They care about winning. That's the game now.

I think you are really over-reacting. I am not a Trump fan, but I am a registered Republican. There is a fringe element of the GOP that might play the games you are talking about, but by and large no. BTW, the same way there are fringe elements to the democratic party trying to do insanely silly things to put their thumb on the scale of voting. It's not all one sided, going extreme just guarantees extreme reactions.

You obviously learned nothing from Jan 6.

139 Republicans in the House and 8 Republicans in the Senate voted to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania on Jan 6. This was AFTER the insurrection attempt at the Capitol. I mean, holy shit.

If Republicans control the House and Senate, they will not allow Biden's re-election in 2024 to stand. Take that to the bank. They will vote to overturn the election result in every state until Biden's challenger is declared the "winner". And then we will have a crisis on our hands much worse than 6 Jan.

And then the filibuster will be the least of our concerns.

Again, I think this is an over-reaction. I also don't think a march on the capitol, which was not particularly violent by and objective metric, was really an insurrection. I think it was a protest that got out of hand.

 

[Helix]

I think you are really over-reacting. I am not a Trump fan, but I am a registered Republican. There is a fringe element of the GOP that might play the games you are talking about, but by and large no. BTW, the same way there are fringe elements to the democratic party trying to do insanely silly things to put their thumb on the scale of voting. It's not all one sided, going extreme just guarantees extreme reactions.



Again, I think this is an over-reaction. I also don't think a march on the capitol, which was not particularly violent by and objective metric, was really an insurrection. I think it was a protest that got out of hand.

it was an insurrection, and i stand by my argument that Republicans are playing the game by different rules.

 

[Destroy Trumpism]

I think you are really over-reacting. I am not a Trump fan, but I am a registered Republican. There is a fringe element of the GOP that might play the games you are talking about, but by and large no. BTW, the same way there are fringe elements to the democratic party trying to do insanely silly things to put their thumb on the scale of voting. It's not all one sided, going extreme just guarantees extreme reactions.



Again, I think this is an over-reaction. I also don't think a march on the capitol, which was not particularly violent by and objective metric, was really an insurrection. I think it was a protest that got out of hand.

"Not particularly violent"??? One dead cop, over 100 cops injured, and 3 dead Trump idiots? That's not violent??

The mob was there to stop the electoral vote count. They were chanting "hang Mike Pence" and it is pure luck they didn't get to him. If they did, he would probably be dead. Same with Nancy Pelosi. Obviously, you still don't get it.

Again, 139 Republicans in the House voted to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania on Jan 6, with zero evidence of voter fraud. Every single one of those 139 Republicans should be charged with treason. Same with the 8 Republican traitors in the Senate.

That is not a "fringe element" and you grossly underestimate the threat posed by these fascists.

 

[Roadvirus]

Joe Manchin's folly: Republicans don't want bipartisanship — they want power - Salon.com

The entire Republican Party is determined to prevent as many Democrats from voting as possible. Manchin must see it

www.salon.com

Heather Digby Parton? Ah yes:

July 2014: Claimed "right-wing hatred for John F. Kennedy" was behind his assassination (despite his assassin being a Soviet/Communist sympathizer) & Dealey Plaza should be "a monument to right-wing ignominy".

She's a hysterical loon.

 

[bave]

"Not particularly violent"??? One dead cop, over 100 cops injured, and 3 dead Trump idiots? That's not violent??

The mob was there to stop the electoral vote count. They were chanting "hang Mike Pence" and it is pure luck they didn't get to him. If they did, he would probably be dead. Same with Nancy Pelosi. Obviously, you still don't get it.

Again, 139 Republicans in the House voted to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania on Jan 6, with zero evidence of voter fraud. Every single one of those 139 Republicans should be charged with treason. Same with the 8 Republican traitors in the Senate.

That is not a "fringe element" and you grossly underestimate the threat posed by these fascists.

The cop that died, had a stroke, not any sort of violent injury. As to the other injuries, I haven't seen any report of serious injuries and no idea what those injury counts mean. What I will say is that when you had violent mobs doing far more dangerous things in Seattle, Portland, Chicago, and NYC they were "largely peaceful protests" even when people died. The only person who died on 1/6 was an unarmed woman climbing through a broken window. If a black person was shot under similar circumstances in Seattle, how would that have been handled?

Chants are a long way from actual lynchings.

I hope you are being hyperbolic, but I don't think you are. You were talking about a few thousand supporters out of a country of 330MM. That's fringe by even a generous accounting. Far less than the violent BLM/Antifa protests we had over the summer, right?

Either way, relax, there isn't going to be some sort of coup that you are running around with.

 

[Razoo]

GO VOTE in large numbers always to keep the anti american right wing nuts out of office