What’s Happening:
Have you been rooting for Senator Joe Manchin? The man has almost singlehandedly stopped his own party from blowing up the filibuster, packing the Supreme Court and spending recklessly.
Well, it looks like it’s about time to stop rooting for the rogue Democrat.
For months, Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin refused to support Biden’s radical spending plan. But, with just months until the midterms, the “moderate” is suddenly in favor of massive spending and higher taxes.
From The Hill:
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on Wednesday said they had struck a climate, health and tax package deal.
It seems Mitch McConnell was going to oppose the semiconductor deal if Manchin supported the spending bill. But it seems McConnell moved too quickly and was tricked by the Democrat.
From The Hill:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who voted for the chips and science bill, had vowed to block the legislation if Democrats stuck to their plans to pass a reconciliation bill that raised taxes and spent hundreds of billions of dollars on climate-related programs.
Why did McConnell trust a man like Manchin, who consistently folds when the heat is on?
From Twitter:
Absolute scumbag move. Manchin waited until Rs moved CHIPS, giving up their leverage and then reversed course the very minute they passed it.
Should be a lesson for every R not work with Dems. https://t.co/IMagnbiXFF
— Mike Palicz (@Mike_Palicz) July 27, 2022
Absolute scumbag move. Manchin waited until Rs moved CHIPS, giving up their leverage and then reversed course the very minute they passed it.
Should be a lesson for every R not work with Dems.
But where McConnell failed miserably, House Republicans might have a chance to strike back.
From The Hill:
In a memo to all House GOP offices Wednesday night, leadership recommended that Republican lawmakers vote against the CHIPS-Plus bill…
“The partisan Democrat agenda has given us record inflation, and now they are poised to send our country into a crushing recession,” the office added.
After McConnell foolishly voted for the CHIPS bill and was tricked by Manchin, House Republicans are urging its members to vote no on the semiconductor package.
The Republican leadership in the House is compelling members to vote against the package because of how Senate Democrats—namely Manchin—went back on their word.
If Republicans in the House all vote no on the CHIPS bill, it will require every last Democrat to vote yes to pass it.
It’s unclear, as of right now, if Democrats have enough votes. A number of progressive Democrats might not want to pass a bill that hands billions to big companies.
Not to mention the fact that this CHIPS bill is supposed to rival China, a country many Democrats seem to love more than America.
If House Republicans are able to stall the CHIPS bill, they might be able to block the reconciliation package.
Either case, this episode reveals just how untrustworthy both McConnell and Manchin are.
McConnell should have stuck to his guns and waited for the reconciliation bill to fail, before voting on the CHIPS bill.
He trusted Manchin, a Democrat who is easily pressured by his radical party to do what they demand.
Manchin might come from a conservative state but, at the end of the day, he’s going to do what Schumer wants.
This might cost him support back home, but keep him in the good graces of the D.C. swamp.
And it’s another lesson to Republican lawmakers: don’t trust the left.
Key Takeaways:
- Joe Manchin tricked McConnell and is supporting Biden’s massive spending bill.
- McConnell voted for the CHIPS bill, paving the way for “BBB.”
- House Republicans are now trying to block the CHIPS bill.