McConnell's biggest ally in the Senate - Joe Manchin - kills paid family leave

[LonePirate]

Link to tweet

Eleanor Mueller @eleanor_mueller

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, a longtime advocate for paid leave, negotiated with Sen. Joe Manchin throughout the week to keep paid leave in the bill -- sharing the stories of workers and drafting alternatives. But her efforts were unsuccessful

Does anyone know what democratic values and goals Manchin actually does support? Seems like he is towing the Republican line on everything.

[onecaliberal]

1. Manchin supports BIG OIL and BIG PHARMA. Those are his constituents. He doesn't even pretend now.

[budkin]

2. Of course.

Can't wait until 2022.

[Hortensis]

32. ? Senator Manchin's own term ends in January 2025, of course,

and that's a long time for any WVans who might be unhappy now. Red state, but how many remembered in 2018 that he voted against the Republicans giant "tax reform" just the previous year? Already old stuff.

[budkin]

33. I mean either we will no longer have the majority, or we'll have an increased majority

And we don't have to think about him anymore.

[Hortensis]

34. Gotcha. :) I'll only take comfort from the idea of an increased majority,

even if it doesn't get him out of our hair all the time.

[Colgate 64]

3. Manchin is our next Zell Miller nt

[PXR-5]

4. He's a DINO

Maybe the Dems should primary him, sure it's WV, and most likely a Republican would get the seat, but really, he's just a Republican anyway.

I'm personally getting tired of "when they go low, we go high"

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. I really, really hope no one is surprised. And I hope no one is surprised by what happens in 2022.

[LonePirate]

10. Republicans are now in the driver's seat for regaining Senate control in 2022 thanks to Joe Manchin.

[BeckyDem]

6. I am proud of her that she kept fighting.

He should be deeply ashamed of himself.

[Bettie]

7. So, for my scorecard...

What is actually still IN the bill?

[LonePirate]

9. They have pretty much killed everything that will bring immediate help to people.

The climate change stuff is a fantasy wish list of unproven stuff that will not reap any benefits for years to come, if ever. Everything else that would be a benefit to average Americans as soon as the bill is signed has been scrapped or pared down to such a point where it's almost useless.

If we didn't need his vote for judges, I would hope Biden would kick Manchin's sorry ass out of the party. He is a disgrace to the millions of good Democrats in this country.

[Bettie]

12. At this point, I don't think there is a bill

to be had.

He and Sinema are a disgrace.

I'd hope that this will mobilize Democrats to vote more in, but with suppression and outright legalized cheating....

[leftstreet]

8. Why isn't Schumer being replaced?

He's a fine senator, but his leadership skills are ZERO and he's not the right person for the times

Guess he can ponder all this when McConnell's back (officially) in charge

[LonePirate]

11. Good point. We need a true leader in the Senate that will wrangle support for a Dem president.

[tritsofme]

13. There's no one else that has a few extra Democratic senators hiding up their sleeve.

Math is math.

[leftstreet]

14. Threaten Mansion and Cinema with committee losses

or blackmail them, or whatever it takes to keep the party in line

Ugh, this is why people vote for what they perceive to be strong arm leadership

[AZSkiffyGeek]

16. Blackmail is fun!

Let's break the law because the ends justify the means!

[leftstreet]

17. Whatever it takes n/t

[AZSkiffyGeek]

18. So you support torturing terrorists to get information?

Whatever it takes?

[leftstreet]

25. lol wtf are you talking about?

wait...stripping Joe Mansion of his committee assignments and his power to generate lobbyi$t money would probably feel like torture to him

[AZSkiffyGeek]

29. You said the end justifies the means

And that Democrats should blackmail Manchin. I’m just taking your cavalier view of the law to its end.
You support breaking the law of it serves your purposes. You said so above.

[tritsofme]

19. Either Manchin or Sinema could walk into McConnell's office and end the Democratic majority.

The sort of leverage you’re taking about exists only in your imagination.

[LonePirate]

21. What's the point of having a majority when it won't do anything for its voters?

[budkin]

23. It's not actually a majority when two of your own team fight against you

And that's what's going on.

[tritsofme]

24. Another circuit judge was confirmed to lifetime appointment today.

She never would have gotten a vote in committee, let alone win confirmation on the floor if McConnell was in charge.

We have the narrowest possible majority in the Senate, math is math.

[leftstreet]

26. Schumer could walk into Mansion's office

and threaten to strip him of all his committee a$$ignments, giving him senate cafeteria cleaning duty instead, unless he plays ball

By the way, McConnell wouldn't want Mansion or Cinema

[tritsofme]

27. It's just not a credible threat, no matter how badly you want it to be.

Why would Manchin accept such a punishment, when McConnell would be more than happy to restore his committees and more, in a Republican majority?

[leftstreet]

28. So Schumer is powerless?

He can think of no way to lead his own party?

Hmm, sounds like it's time for him to go then

[tritsofme]

31. You seem to be mad at math, no need to take it out on Schumer.

Math is math, regardless of your feelings on it. The solution is winning more elections.

[48656c6c6f20]

15. Omg I am so glad we keep

Joe Coal and Ms. Cinema around so we have a majority. Wait, that's what every republiQan is saying.

[a kennedy]

20. DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT.

🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬

[rickyhall]

22. Manchin: Enemy of We the People

Is it OK? Can I say that? Just checking.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

30. Apparently the terms of service don't matter

With Manchin and Sinema.