Paid leave falls out of Democratic package in urgent scramble to secure Manchin's support

[brooklynite]

CNN

(CNN)Democrats are expected to scrap paid family and medical leave from their cornerstone economic and climate package, discarding one of the central planks of President Joe Biden's proposal as they scramble to strike a deal with holdout senators, according to multiple people familiar with the talks.

The plan's survival has been in question for several days due to objections from Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat. Biden's initial 12-week proposal was scaled back to four weeks in an effort to secure Manchin's support. That was rejected, leading to an effort by New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand that attempted to find a compromise with Manchin.

That has not succeeded, one of the people said, prompting Democrats to push it out of the package as they seek to scale back the proposal's overall cost and programs to meet Manchin's demands.

Manchin made clear he would not move when asked about the provision on Wednesday, saying: "I just can't do it."

[newdayneeded]

1. The look

Why do I picture him with that punch-able chin up smug smile like Trump has all the time?

[Diamond_Dog]

2. Why does he get his way when the rest of the Dems in the senate do not.... -nt

[TheBlackAdder]

4. Because the Republican Party is so perverse, two of their Senators won't join in to negate him.

[spooky3]

11. Exactly. We must elect more Dem Senators

so that some Dem votes can be lost but bills still pass.

[TheBlackAdder]

13. Perhaps he's also running smoke to prevent Manchin's daughter from being investigated.

[Dave says]

5. Because he wants to see McConnell and the Republicans back in power?

[JohnSJ]

8. Because it is a 50-50 Senate. At this stage we need to get both bills passed, and do everything

to win at least 52 seats in the Senate.

Hopefully, the people in his state realize what he is doing to the people in his state, and voice their disapproval

[FBaggins]

10. Because the minority doesn't get to pass bills

And "the rest of the Dems" are a minority without his support.

[Amishman]

24. Because he doesn't need the Dem party, he has all the leverage

He could switch parties and his political career would continue without a hiccup, WV's governor already proved this with his defection and re-election.

We have absolutely no leverage with him, so he has all the power.

No other senator is in a situation where they could walk away with effectively no career or legacy consequences.

[TheBlackAdder]

3. He'll just keep moving the goal posts.

[Dave says]

6. Yup. That's the game. And ride out the clock.

[FBaggins]

12. Has he gone below $1.5 Trillion?

Or decided to reject something he previously agreed to include?

[TheBlackAdder]

14. That $1.5 Trillion is an arbitrary number he pulled out of his ass.

[FBaggins]

15. True or not... it isn't a goalpost that has moved.

He made that figure clear before reconciliation even began.

[TheBlackAdder]

18. Whille defending him, he's gutted most payment methods. What makes his number the valid one?

[FBaggins]

20. Who said his numbers are the "valid" ones?

Apart from the fact that 48 votes can't pass anything at all?

His one vote doesn't get to pass anything at all without at least 49 others... but it can keep them from passing what they want.

[TheBlackAdder]

25. He thinks his are valid. It's amazing that the taker state senators are always stopping progress.

.

His constituents needs the jobs and money and most of that would come from donor states.

.

[ColinC]

7. God he's an asshole.

But hey, a mediocre bill is still better than no bill, right?

[JohnSJ]

9. Yes it is, and we have to gain at least 52 seats in the Senate, and maintain the majority in the

House and make Manchin and Sinema less able to hold the Democrats in the Senate hostage in 2022

[ColinC]

19. And the less mediocre it is, the more likely that will happen

Which is why it's great the progressives are fighting to make this the best possible bill. It's a shame a single person is holding this all up :/

[Xolodno]

16. Probably was his plan the whole time.

Just he could fuck around with Sanders and a few others. All we need is a couple of more and we could ignore his demands.

We have 14 Senators up for reelection in 2022 and need to hold all of them.

The GOP has 20, but, looking at the states, I'm not very hopeful and that's with the retirements.

[TheBlackAdder]

22. His callous inflexibility and desire to show power seems to reveal some clinical psych issues.

.

He's trenching himself in on an arbitrary $1.5 Maginot Line that he pulled out of his ass.

.

[malaise]

17. My little shithole island has twelve weeks maternity leave

for any woman who has been employed for twelve months wherever.
Ah well!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

21. Lol support for what??

[aocommunalpunch]

23. LMAO

Jesus fucking Christ we suck as a country. Just absolutely pathetic. NO LEAVE of any kind. Remember this shit when anyone says something like, “we’ll come back to this” at some undetermined point in the future. I call bullshit in advance. Dem priorities are Sisyphean.