Manchin Delivered “Debilitating Blow” To Biden, Schumer, and Progressive Dems
Washington, D.C. – No, that’s not the sound of the cicadas humming. The sound you hear is Democrats in disarray. Joe Manchin voiced his opposition to the Democrats’ sweeping election bill – some call it S.1, some call it the Corrupt Politicians Act – as well as his opposition to eliminating the legislative filibuster. Now, Joe Biden’s and Chuck Schumer’s radical progressive agenda does not have enough support to pass, leaving the entire Democrat agenda in limbo.
Here’s what they’re saying about the prospects for the Democrats’ now-stalled agenda:
Associated Press: ‘A lot of anxiety’ for Democrats as Biden’s agenda stalls
- “Nearly six months of Democratic control in Washington, the party’s progressive wing is growing increasingly restless as campaign promises go undone — blocked not only by Republican obstruction, but also by Democrats’ own inability to unite fully around priorities.”
- “‘There’s a lot of anxiety,’ said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Ca., who had been a co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid. ‘It’s a question really for President Biden: What kind of president does he want to be?’”
- “…Democrats strain to deliver on Biden’s agenda…”
- “The party suffered a debilitating blow over the weekend when Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced his opposition to the voting bill…”
- “The Democrats’ weekly closed-door policy caucus lunches have been intense…”
The Hill: Senate filibuster fight throws Democrats’ wish list into limbo
- “Centrists holding out on nuking the Senate’s legislative filibuster are effectively dooming a laundry list of high-profile priorities, sparking the ire of progressives.”
- “The limbo status of many of the party’s biggest priorities comes as the Senate is bracing for a three-week sprint that will only illustrate the limits of what Democrats can get passed.”
- “‘Joe Manchin has become the new Mitch McConnell,’ Rep. Jamal Bowman (D-N.Y.) told CNN…”
CNN: Senate Democrats scramble after Manchin upends key progressive priorities
- “Senate Democrats are openly frustrated with the immovable man in their caucus — Sen. Joe Manchin — and are now resigned to the likelihood that a bulk of their party’s agenda stands little chance of passing…”
- “‘How would the base feel? I know how I will feel, which is angry beyond words […],’ said Sen. Richard Blumenthal when asked about the likelihood that the bill will fail.”
New York Times: Dreams of Ending the Filibuster Dashed, Democrats Rethink Strategy
- “President Biden and Senate Democrats confronted a narrowing set of options on Monday for moving ahead with their ambitious agenda…”
- “But liberal Democrats and voting rights groups on Monday flashed frustration, not just with Mr. Manchin but with the White House, which they see as insufficiently engaged in an issue that they believe has democracy in the balance.”
The Hill: Some Democrats wonder when Schumer will get tough with Manchin
- “Sen. Joe Manchin’s defiant statement that he will not vote for a sweeping election reform bill nor vote to get rid of the filibuster has progressive groups and some Democratic lawmakers wondering when Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) will get tough with the West Virginia Democrat […] Schumer is up for reelection next year, and there is speculation he could be challenged in a primary.”
- “‘The main job of the majority leader is to bring the caucus together. He needs to be able to deliver votes. That’s it. And the fact that he continues to concede to Manchin and allow him to be this pseudo leader is ridiculous,’ [Yvette Simpson] added.”
- “‘Obviously I’m disappointed by Sen. Manchin’s position,’ said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)…”
- “Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said she was also ‘disappointed by Sen. Manchin’s announcement’ and pledged she ‘will not give up on the fight for voting rights.’”
Bloomberg: Schumer, Pelosi Face New Pressure as Infrastructure Talks Stall
- “The next steps may be dictated by Senator Joe Manchin, the moderate West Virginia Democrat whose vote is essential for any of Biden’s plans to become law in a polarized 50-50 Senate […] He’s withheld giving his party leaders his blessing to going it alone on another big spending package…”
- “‘The president has been very patient, and at this point if we can’t reach an agreement we ought to consider alternatives,’ Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat, said Monday.”
Associated Press: After Manchin move, Democrats’ voting long shot grows longer
- “Democrats and voting rights groups scrambled Monday to figure out their next move after a key senator’s opposition seemed to doom a sweeping election overhaul bill and raise the prospect that no voting legislation would pass Congress…”
- “[Manchin’s op-ed] left Democrats and voting rights groups grasping for an alternative.”
- “‘It’s going to get messy,’ said Fred Wertheimer, the president of the good-government organization Democracy 21 who helped draft HR1 in 2017. ‘What Manchin said is not the final word, as far as we’re concerned.’”
Politico: The Left hates Joe Manchin. His fellow Senate Dems are staying quiet.
- “Yet angst is quietly rising inside the Democratic caucus over Manchin’s approach. He opposes changing the rules for filibustering legislation, challenges the urgency of pursuing a party-line infrastructure spending bill and plans to vote against his party’s high-profile elections bill. And amid Manchin’s reluctance, it’s not clear at the moment how Democrats will break through on the priorities they campaigned on for years.”
- “‘Of course I’m frustrated. Who isn’t frustrated?’ said one Senate Democrat…”
- “Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) said Manchin’s op-ed ‘might as well be titled, ‘Why I’ll vote to preserve Jim Crow’ […]”
- “‘I admire [Joe Manchin’s] optimism but at some point, anyone who is defending the 60-vote threshold has an obligation to help the body to get to 60 votes,’ said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).”
Statement from NRSC Spokeswoman Katharine Cooksey: “For the first time, Democrats are meeting the consequences of their own actions – turning the legislative reins over to Socialists. Just like they don’t see a path forward on their radical, progressive agenda, we don’t see a way they overcome their disarray.”
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