not that this president can demand the senate comply with his wishes. The authoritarian Trump presidency combined with the obedient, authoritarian follower Republican senate corrupted all norms and smashed the balance of power, coming close to destroying our democracy. That's horribly not what they're supposed to be and not what we have now.
Republican senators have to deal with any president to get any legislation signed and his assistance for their states, yes, but the current set are intractably hostile to Democrats and this one's not a leader they obey. As for Democratic senators, they're overall eager to work with the president to get things done, but they don't work for the president and are determined to reestablish the senate's role under the constitution.
We really need to be glad of a return to the senate's proper use of its power, even if it means Biden doesn't get all those he first nominated through. It's desperately important, and no one realizes that more than Biden, who spent most of 50 years in the senate. Like any president, Biden of course has some nominations he really wants, and it's also probable that some other nominations are, though sincere wishes, considered potential strategic sacrifices.
As for what WV voters threw away, didn't we already take them to the top of the mountain and show them the world -- and have the majority loudly and defiantly reject it? Trump won by over 40 points. It's very hard for me to imagine Biden will do anything that might help throw Manchin or his seat to the Republicans in 2024. He knows the high-wire act that is Manchin's life, also that Manchin represents WVans ideologically diverse electorate about as well as anyone could. And both he and Manchin understand Manchin's new, high-visibility power in a 50-50 senate, which is proper for him to exercise even if we don't always like his choices.
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