Joe Manchin Doesn't Like What Joe Biden Is Doing

[Azathoth]

5. National Dems are toxic in WV

Due to what we could euphemistically call "cultural" issues. Trying to defend the national party there is a losing battle.

But if Manchin actually cared about his constituents, he could engineer a song-and-dance performance while quietly keeping important provisions in the bill, then go home and brag that he fought the national party and managed to bring home stuff like the child tax credit which will play well with his constituents as long as they don't see it as imposed by the national party. Sort of a less-dishonest example of Republicans trying to sink the stimulus checks, then heading home to their states and taking credit for the stimulus checks.

But Manchin is a multi-millionaire in one of the poorest states in the Union, and he's genuinely intent on sinking stuff like this because it might hurt his own personal bottom line.