Democrats are seething at one of their own: West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin.
Two days ago, Manchin effectively killed President Joe Biden’s massively expensive social engineering, Green New Deal-wannabe “Build Back Better” bill.
The moderate Democrat, who was seen as the most pivotal figure in Congress once Democrats took over the Senate in January, rejected the BBB plan as too expensive, too inflationary, and too harmful to his constituents.
Liberals did not take Manchin’s decision well. Likely speaking for many on the left, actress Bette Midler tweeted on Monday: “What #JoeManchin, who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn, has done to the rest of America, who wants to move forward, not backward, like his state, is horrible. He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate, and strung out.”
Accordingly, Manchin is “becoming persona non grata in his party,” as The Washington Times noted on Tuesday.
Democrats are apparently mad at Manchin because some of their own spread “fake news” about how popular BBB was in West Virginia.
Hillary Clinton and many others promoted a claim that “68 percent” of West Virginia voters supported the bill. What few pointed out was that the poll was done four months ago, even before Biden’s disastrous and tragic withdrawal from Afghanistan, by a progressive group that surveyed just 368 voters.
It never occurred to them that perhaps Manchin, who also was once governor of West Virginia, might know his people better than those urging him to support Biden’s budget-buster.
The Wall Street Journal doused that leftist talking point with cold water on Tuesday.
The Journal noted that a poll taken last month of 702 voters by a West Virginia firm found that 74 percent of respondents wanted Manchin to oppose the BBB bill. That same poll also showed the Democratic senator with a 60 percent approval rating – in a state Donald Trump carried with two-thirds of the vote.
What the Journal did not point out was that 70 percent of respondents said they viewed Manchin as “an independent voice who is willing to oppose national politicians of both parties in order to do what is right for West Virginia.”
Manchin even said as much, as those in his party, including the White House staff, pounded him.
In an interview with West Virginia Metro News, Manchin said the left was “approaching legislation as if you have 55 or 60 senators that are Democrats like you could do whatever you want. They figured surely to God we can move one person. Well, guess what? I’m from West Virginia. I’m not from where they’re from and they can just beat the living crap out of people and think they’ll be submissive.”
For their part, Republicans are now openly courting Manchin to join the GOP.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sens. John Cronyn and Ted Cruz, both of Texas, said they would take Manchin into the fold.
“It’s a tough hill for him to climb. He’s been a Democrat his whole life, and he’s really the godfather of Democrats in West Virginia,” Cruz told The Washington Times.
“That being said, if they’re nasty enough, the best thing that could happen is they could drive him over to the Republican Party, and we would welcome him.”
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