The Democratic Senators Hiding Behind Joe Manchin

[brooklynite]

The Daily Beast

It was March 5, right before the Senate’s doomed vote to raise the minimum wage to $15, and, as usual, Sen. Joe Manchin was the center of attention.

But there was no need for reporters to swarm the West Virginia moderate. On that day, he was far from the only Democrat who’d give the thumbs-down to a progressive priority. Seven other Democratic senators would vote the same way—and draw far less recognition or criticism.

That tally surprised observers outside the U.S. Capitol building, but few within it.

Manchin may find himself nationally relevant, and widely loathed on the left, for his willingness to buck mainstream positions within the Democratic Party. But over the years, Senate insiders have developed a view that on the toughest and thorniest issues, Manchin isn’t only speaking for himself; there’s usually a handful of senators who agree with him, quietly, and are happy to let him take the heat.

...snip...

But exactly who’s aligned with him, even discreetly, on another consequential question—whether to end the legislative filibuster—is less clear. Only one other Democrat, Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-AZ), has been as strident about keeping the Senate’s 60-vote threshold as Manchin. A handful of others, such as Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), have sounded concerned notes or have avoided answering the question entirely.

Robert Gibbs was discussing this on Tuesday (HACKS ON TAP). Is view is that S1 was never going to pass, and that other Democrats were happy to let Manchin take the incoming fire.

[bluewater]

1. What would happen if Manchin switched parties?

We would be screwed and Manchin would be senator for life from West Virginia, Trump won the state by +39% in 2020.

https://www.cnn.com/election/2020/results/state/west-virginia

[NJCher]

2. some of those trump voters

were at one time bernie supporters and that's what is wrong with your line of reasoning. I believe the figure nationally is 18%.

I am so sick of this line of reasoning. It is overly simplistic.

[Demsrule86]

3. No, they were not Bernie supporters but anti-Clinton folks and most said they voted for Sanders

in the primary but would vote for Trump in the General. WVA is a very red state...most support for Trump of any state in 2020.

[NJCher]

5. matter of opinion

if you have any psychographic studies to back up your case, please post them.

[Demsrule86]

4. I wish what you said was true. But, we have regained no Senate seats that we lost during either

Bush's tenure or Obama's tenure in red states. If Manchin were to lose, his replacement would be a Republican which would be way worse for us in terms of being able to get a majority without which we
will have no power.

[NJCher]

7. here is what the Dems need to push in WVA

It is from an opinion piece at the NY Times:

The way to hold off the barbarians on the right should be pretty simple. A unified Democratic message — helping people live better lives with a targeted hand from government — is hugely popular. It’s the essence of both the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act and Biden’s proposed infrastructure bill. And it should be the essence of what voters think about when they think about Democrats.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/opinion/republicans-democrats-midterm-election.html

The study cited on the Rachel Maddow show and discussed extensively at this forum shows that the people of W VA want the programs the Biden administration is proposing.