Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is going to take a lot of punches today. His ally, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, will endure similar abuse. The progressives are seething. The demand for primary challenges abounds. These two also don’t care. Manchin will do what’s best for his state and if that bothers you, tough luck. He has said numerous times that he’s unafraid about losing an election and going home. He’s going to do what’s right. Period. Sinema is the same way with Arizona being quite adamant to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that he’s not going to tell her what to do.
Manchin has been here before among the more liberal factions of his party. He’ll survive. Sinema will survive. The latter knows how to dish the sass back. For all the hate that will be hurled their way over the drama surrounding the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, the shrug emoji probably best captures both lawmakers’ reactions.
I mean, when you’re the target of such segments like this—you can see why these two will shrug or even laugh. CNN contributor Abdul El-Sayed was not pleased with Manchin’s remarks about this bill and entitlement mentality, adding the West Virginia Democrat didn’t mention what he’ll cut before getting into the details about the state’s childhood poverty rate to try and shame Manchin.
Yet, who cares when this guy doesn’t know basic geography.
CNN is not a real news organization. https://t.co/lmMk9g54Qa
— RBe (@RBPundit) October 1, 2021
"Look at [@Sen_JoeManchin] state, West Virginia. Climate change is ravaging COASTAL STATES like his."
— Mark Finkelstein (@markfinkelstein) October 1, 2021
-- @CNN's @AbdulElSayed
Geography tip for El-Sayed: West Virginia is LANDLOCKED.
??????
But hey, it's just part of flyover country. #tcot #Manchin @NewDay @brikeilarcnn pic.twitter.com/9H70oEGdtP
Seriously: by coincidence, I flew my plane to Parkersburg, West Virginia yesterday. Here's a pic I took along the way. Look closely—see if you can spot the waves crashing on the beach!
— Mark Finkelstein (@markfinkelstein) October 1, 2021
????????????#tcot #WestVirginia @Sen_JoeManchin @AbdulElSayed @CNN @NewDay @brikeilarcnn pic.twitter.com/nMx7SmQprB
El-Sayed said that coastal states, like Manchin’s, are also suffering from global climate change. Not really, man. West Virginia is landlocked.
Manchin called this bill fiscal insanity. It is—but sadly I feel some version will be passed and it will total over $1 trillion which is exactly what we shouldn’t be doing when inflation is spiking. Look, it’s not Joe Manchin or Sinema’s fault this bill will probably be scuttled. The vote for it has already been delayed because the votes for it are not there. Democrats never explained it. They never pitched it right. They said the $3.5 trillion bill was free as we approached zero hour. Everyone knew that was false. There was nothing about how this bill will make Americans’ lives better. Nothing—and maybe that’s because Democrats couldn’t make a convincing argument. They loaded all their eggs in one reconciliation basket and forgot that not a single Democrat could defect. Well, two did. Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.
And if attacks on Manchin include ones about how the “coastal” state of West Virginia will be further impacted by climate change due to his refusal to back such a massive spending bill—then, he can do whatever he damn well pleases. Also, these action items in the bill—probably not so popular in West Virginia anyway.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member