Biden to meet with Manchin, Sinema on party-line megabill

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

President Joe Biden is set to meet with Democrats’ two most prominent holdouts on their massive social spending package: Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema.

The president will host Sinema on Wednesday morning and then Manchin on Wednesday evening, according to people familiar with the meeting. Both centrist senators are resisting other Democrats’ goal of spending as much as $3.5 trillion on social programs, climate action and safety net expansion.

The move by Biden shows he is moving directly to arbitrate what’s become a messy fight in the Democratic caucus. During a lunch on Tuesday, Manchin reiterated his hopes to pause the spending package, according to an attendee, a statement that met with crickets.

Democrats had hoped to write their bill by today, an impossibility given the internal handwringing. And they have no margin for error: They need all 50 Democratic senators to sign onto any legislation via budget reconciliation, which skirts a GOP filibuster but demands lockstep unity in an evenly split Senate.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/15/biden-to-meet-with-manchin-sinema-on-party-line-megabill-511878

[MyOwnPeace]

1. You go, Joe!!!

Reminds me of the stories of Lyndon Johnson taking some fellow party members "out behind the woodshed" and them coming back and doing just as LBJ 'expected.'

[NonPC]

14. Not Sure Who Sinema Represents

But it sure isn't those of us in Arizona who voted for her. She is in for a rude awakening when she is up for re-election. Can you say "primaried"? Sure you can. It can happen to an incumbent Democrat too.

[Irish_Dem]

2. I'd love to be a fly on the wall during those meetings.

[turbinetree]

3. So Joe is going to speak to Lucy and Peanut and see what they are going to do with the football

[Historic NY]

4. He better have that conversation Democrats across the nation 81 million

id not vote for their bullshit, including the people of their states. Biden should pay a visit to their home states and campaign for the bill....that would melt the ice off the pumpkin

[awesomerwb1]

5. Anyone with policy experience out there

What can Biden do to put "the squeeze" on them? I apologize if my phrasing is not the best.

But is there really anything Biden can do to convince these two ***self censored**?


Thanks

[BlueIdaho]

6. As leader of the party

He can promise to withhold all Party funds from their re-election bid. That might get their attention.

[brooklynite]

7. So, "Support my agenda or I'll turn the Senate over to the Republicans"

Points for creativity I guess....

[dsc]

9. Sinema could, and should, be primaried

Her unseriousness alone is a problem.

[awesomerwb1]

10. Those two

will probably not be a part of the Senate after their respective next elections.

[brush]

8. One thing he can bring up with Manchin is his daughter's role...

in jacking up the price of epi pens and how an investigation may result in her going to jail and won't be good publicity for him either.

Time to play hardball.

As for Sinema, and Manchin as well, he can schmooze them with promises of massive infrastructure projects with thousands of good jobs for their state. Mentioning the possibility of a president's influence on AZ Democrat insiders and a possible primary in the future won't hurt either.

Again, time to play hardball.

He should also work on them to get on board with a carve out on the filibuster rule to allow voting rights bills to pass by reconciliation.

There are things he can do.

[brooklynite]

12. Are you seriously suggesting threatening political prosecution for political gain?

[brush]

13. Worked for LBJ. Time to play hardball with recalcitrant Dems...

as their obstruction is putting the passing of both infrastructure bills in trouble, as well as damaging the chances of Democrats delivering on promises and holding on to Congressional majorities in '22.

I'm sure it's not the first time arm twisting has happened behind the scenes.

[tonekat]

31. Couldn't Agree More

Look at what the other side does.

Don't bring a knife to a gun fight.

[rpannier]

19. Investigation for possible illegal activity unless he plays ball

It's not a first time presidents, governors, mayors have played hardball to get their agenda through
Had she not jacked up the prices of epipens then this wouldn't be an issue
Is what she did illegal... people who need them to survive probably wish to have answers

[brooklynite]

21. But you're apparently willing to "look the other way"....

...as long as we get his vote?

[rpannier]

22. They're looking the other way now

That's unlikely to change unless it becomes a political solution
If they were already doing an investigation (or even discussing it in the DOJ), I would oppose using it
But it just sits there
Might as well get something

[brooklynite]

23. Another accusation of criminal behavior by Biden's AG and DOJ...

…

[brush]

33. Read for yourself. Time to stop coddling-in-the-way Dems.

Last edited Fri Sep 17, 2021, 11:40 AM - Edit history (1)

The Intercept has revealed that Manchin’s daughter, the former president and CEO of the company that made EpiPen, oversaw a 600% price increase that gouged millions of captive EpiPen users. Not only that, she helped dismantle the only company that offered a competing product.

https://medium.com/politically-speaking/the-intercept-just-intercepted-joe-manchins-corruption-51574f33c185#:~:text=The%20Intercept%20has%20revealed%20that%20Manchin%E2%80%99s%20daughter%2C%20the,the%20only%20company%20that%20offered%20a%20competing%20product.

[brush]

28. Politics gets rough sometimes. That can't be news to you.

Last edited Fri Sep 17, 2021, 12:50 AM - Edit history (1)

And in this case, if the Biden/Dem agenda doesn't get through, our Congressional majorities and democracy itself here may not survive. IMO a couple of obstructionist senators can't be allowed to block it because of apparent ties to who knows who.

It's critically important.

[Demsrule86]

24. No, just no.

[brush]

29. Why? Explain yourself. Politics is not tiddly winks.

Sometimes it gets down and dirty when necessary. And now it's necessary to get the Biden/Dem agenda through. We made promises in the election. If we don't deliver we are very likely to lose our slim majorities in '22 and we'll be dead in the water for the remainder of Joe's first term, and we may even lose the WH in '24.

It's critical that two senators, eoyj apparent loyalty to entities other than the Democratic Party, should not be allowed to stop the party's agenda.

[Demsrule86]

30. His daughter has nothing to do with this nor do any of Biden's kids...thus what is the point.

It is meaningless. What makes you think she will be indicted and if she is then Biden can't make deals that help her escape prosecution.

[brush]

32. You're a bit uninformed. It's nothing to do with Biden's daughter.

It's Manchin's daughter.Read for yourself.

The Intercept has revealed that Manchin’s daughter, the former president and CEO of the company that made EpiPen, oversaw a 600% price increase that gouged millions of captive EpiPen users. Not only that, she helped dismantle the only company that offered a competing product.

https://medium.com/politically-speaking/the-intercept-just-intercepted-joe-manchins-corruption-51574f33c185#:~:text=The%20Intercept%20has%20revealed%20that%20Manchin%E2%80%99s%20daughter%2C%20the,the%20only%20company%20that%20offered%20a%20competing%20product.

Now do you still say no, just no?

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Remember that throughout his career until this past year

Biden was a "centrist", so he knows how to talk "centrist-speak" because he did it for almost 50 years.

Manchin knows this.

Plus Biden was elected a Senator 4 years before Sinema was even born (and 3 of his 4 kids were born before her).

So it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

[Fiendish Thingy]

15. I hear Sinema is bringing super-secret spreadsheets...

I hope Joe and Ron Klain can restrain themselves from laughing in her face…then again…

[rpannier]

20. Maybe she'll bring another cake with her

[certainot]

16. he should explain to the dumbfucks that when limbaugh croaked it meant talk radio unity would

start to fall apart and issues like global warming and immigration that they use to enable their corporatist bullshit are going to go 15 pts left, like the country, and they will not only lose their leverage, if they do go republican that party will be a pitiful minority

yes, all because of no more central messaging from 1500 republican radio stations

[Snackshack]

17. This needs to end.

It really is frustrating how Dems splinter when they get a majority and could actually make change for good. It bad enough having to to fight the GOP over every little thing but then to have to do it in your own party is just discouraging.


https://www.huffpost.com/entry/conservative-house-democrats-safe-seats-corporate-donations_n_61422b06e4b098770fd28f72

[Demsrule86]

25. It is really frustrating how some here consider a 50-50 Senate and a handful of House seats

giving us a majority there a 'real majority'. You want policies goodies, elect more Democrats.

[Snackshack]

26. Of course, I should have thought of that...

Having a super majority would be better. However expecting members of a party to back that party is not unrealistic when they have the opportunity to actually make needed change like infrastructure repair & improvements, voting equality (which is good for Democracy), perhaps changing drug prescription policy so prices can be negotiated, a tax structure that is equal… not really policies I would describe as “goodies”. Getting corporate money out of politics or at least limited as it was before Citizens United really would be a good thing.

[Demsrule86]

27. It unrealistic when they are not willing to do so...and we have a 50 50 Senate.

We don't have the votes in the House for prescription reform either. I am all in for everything in the reconciliation bill as I am a progressive. But we may not be able to pass it...I am still hopeful that a compromise will be reached. However, I think the best approach if a compromise is not possible is to get what we can and pass the infrastructure bill.

We vote in more Democrats during the Midterms and then we can get needed policy, such as you describe, passed into law. Some want to play power games and show Manchin and Sinema (who don't care) that we are not to be trifled with, but Democrats don't have power right now because we don't have the numbers. I want to gain power by winning elections and putting more 'Democrats into Congress.. then get needed policy passed into law. There is no reason not to pass the bipartisan bill other than spite and honestly, it would be a big mistake.

[Hotler]

18. Wasted time. nt