Joe Manchin's ugly new demands expose the absurdity of arbitrary centrism

[Hortensis]

14. I'm sure Manchin's watching feedback from his state also.

If Manchin wanted to throw in with the filthy wealthy, he'd of course have taken the usual route in a red state of running as a Republican, and today the GOP would have 51 senators. As it is, he votes often against them.

We're all upset and anxious, but it's wrong, and...not fact-based, to choose to think that anyone who doesn't agree with everything as laid out in the original Biden plan must be corrupt or stupid.

Btw, millions looking at the Democratic passion for government handouts like to claim it's proof that we're corrupt, all of us with our greedy hands out for their money. If those who wanted to believe that needed further "proof" (they never do), they'd find it in our current outrage that the child tax credit won't be available to those of us in the affluent upper middle class, and beyond in some cases.

Not true, but...let's face it: an important reason for extending these goodies into the affluent range is to encourage them to vote Democratic. Some people get seriously displeased at being cut out of consideration after years of paying in big time, even when they know they don't need it. Just the way it is, the belief of some in the rightness of paying so much in taxes perhaps weak at best, maybe some just need to feel included, or respected. Whatever. Some would call this corruption, "bribing" people to vote Democratic. But, we do need every vote we can..."get."

Manchin, like all his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, knows all the reasons that the cap he wants lowered was set where it was, and a lot more.