5220

I mean, I’m okay with them doing the same thing to every GOP congresscritter as well.

5221

This is slow torture. I feel like I did in the Bad Times. I just want to sleep until the bills are passed. And if they are not, I don’t want to wake up.

5222

I hear you. The pessimist in me is saying that we’ll be lucky to get anything passed at this point.

5223

Supposedly Pelosi is pushing for a bite on something tonight and the infrastructure bill tomorrow.

If the democrats pull it off I’ll be happy to be surprised.

5224

Breaking news is that, as I speculated above, the house is going to pass a bill and kick it to the senate for Manchin to either finally negotiate in detail and good faith or be the guy who kills it.

5225

Well yeah, you have to at least get caught trying. If Manchin votes nay I wonder if his next move is to bolt parties and be the latest GOP darling…

5226

Why are we thinking Sinema is going to be a Yea on the BBB bill? She has less of an excuse than Manchin does for being “Republican Lite” (apart from being bought and paid for, which is fucking obvious at this point).

5227

We’re not. While I only mentioned Manchin as he has been the more visible spoiler in recent days it’s now going to be up to both of them to actually amend the bill that will be sent to the senate.

A link for the news:

5228

Manchin says the deal must be altered but by thanksgiving it may not need to be altered further.

Sen. Joe Manchin said Tuesday that he has chief concerns that will need to be addressed in order to secure his vote for the $1.75 trillion economic package – climate change, taxes, Medicare and immigration – while also expressing new optimism that a deal could ultimately be reached that would win his support on President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda.

“If you resolve all those, you should be able to come to an agreement,” Manchin told CNN, offering new insight into his demands during a high-stakes period for his party.

I can’t help but notice his language here. Not, “If we resolve all those” but “If you resolve all those”. Continuing the impression that he is not negotiating in good faith. He continues to expect someone to bring him a compromise he will agree to without detailing in depth what he will agree to.

5229

Ding ding! If you continually shift the goalposts you never have to agree to anything.

5230

Stoked for the Manchin Infrastructure Bill, which will 1) codify into law that climate change is a hoax, and require all US citizens to serve two years in the coal mines, 2) cut taxes on the richest Americans and raise them on the middle class, 3) implement Medicare For None, and 4) resume construction on the wall.

5231

I dunno, I read that article and it sounds like he’s outlining — though very generally — the things he wants to see changed in the bill. He specifically points to narrowing the immigration reform provisions, indicates that he’d like the bill to include reversing the Trump tax cuts, favors including clean energy tax credits in the bill, says he’s against adding hearing coverage to Medicare. It seems like he’s settled on a number and is communicating the specific things the bill should and should not include to get his vote. He also expresses some confidence that it can all be worked out quickly. That seems like…progress?

If there is any negative in the whole thing, is that he’s basically saying ‘take this or leave it’. He’s not negotiating in the sense that he’s indicating any openness to include other things, but at least he’s pointing to specific provisions he wants to see changed.

5232

That’s kind of my point. There have been months to hammer out details.

5233

I agree with Twitter person that Manchin is already getting what he wants out of the “negotiations”…

5234

I can’t blame West Virginias for re-electing him (and thanks for that, honestly, no matter how much I want to wring his neck). He’s probably nowhere near as conservative or looney as they’d like but who else would give their state that kind of influence and leverage?

5235

I think he’s being vague with the journalist, but not necessarily with the people who are hammering out the details. That was my impression, anyway. I think there is a bill he will vote for. I probably won’t like that bill very much, but I don’t think it’s the case that there’s nothing he will vote for.

5236

Well, I think Manchin represents some of the old school blue collar democrats that used to dominate places like PA. So you’ll likely find common ground with him on things like labor rights and stuff like that, but you’ll find less common ground with him on social justice issues.

5237

Maybe. He’s far more beholden to the coal mine-owners than the coal miners.

You know since he’s a coal mine owner (just not on paper anymore).
Somehow he just magically found $4.5 million after not being an owner. It’s a mystery.

5238

Yet another corrupt a-hole.

Public financing of election campaigns would go a long way to solving this, with people being forced to make their case on discussion shows or whatever. But the “money is speech” interpretation of the First Amendment has apparently made that an impossible dream.

5239

For first time, I wonder if BBB won’t get done. I still think it’s tracking like the Trump tax cuts and get signed in December but odds are below 95% for me now. Not sure how the circle gets squared with SALT, SQUAD, Manchin.

Mods in House rightfully know they are going to get slaughtered voting for BBB after Byrdbath and no cover from Manchin. And a President with a 40% approval rating has little juice.