Have you seen this (below)? It shows Joe Manchin (D, West Virginia), seated behind Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D, NY), as Schumer makes a caustic speech denigrating Republicans even as some Republicans joined with Democrats to temporarily raise the debt ceiling. Clearly, Manchin is not happy with what was coming out of Schumer’s mouth.
At one point, Machin says to himself, “This is crazy.” He shakes his head at times and puts his face in his hands. He later confirmed to the press what is obvious in the clip: “I didn’t think it [Schumer’s speech] was appropriate at this time.”
Watch Manchin at about the 1:45 point clearly show his disgust:
Raising the debt ceiling shouldn’t be a big deal since the Senate Parliamentarian greenlighted the use of reconciliation – simple majority vote – to raise it. A filibuster is easily made irrelevant. Schumer could get his 50 Dems and VP Harris to do it.
So, why the hyper-indignation? The Dems want Republican fingerprints on a universe-sized expansion of the national debt. Republicans were excluded from having any voice in the mammoth $5 trillion splurge that was mostly authored by the lone self-proclaimed socialist in the Senate, Bernie Sanders, and would blow up the fed’s fiscal reputation with a tidal wave of useless currency and interest rates through the roof. Why should Republicans cooperate in a train wreck of a budget bill from which they were excluded? Indeed.
How much longer can Manchin remain in a party which is completely detached from fiscal reality and is so enthralled with a socialist revolution? Good question.
RogerG