Joe Manchin is finally coming around
The majority of Senate Republicans are opposed to the bill that would create an independent, bipartisan Jan. 6th commission. (I know — It’s pretty shocking that traitors are refusing to investigate traitors.) Mitch McConnell has come out in open opposition to the bipartisan bill, going so far as to lie and misrepresent it – even calling it a partisan bill.
It is fully expected that McConnell will mount a filibuster against the bill. This is great news and we should cheer him on. Sen. Joe Manchin appeared to be aghast over it. “So disheartening. It makes you really concerned about our country,” said Manchin. When asked if it was an abuse of the filibuster, he was non-responsive, only saying, “I’m still praying we’ve still got 10 good solid patriots within that conference.”
Manchin has been the filibuster’s biggest Democratic supporter, to the dismay of most Democrats since it has become apparent the filibuster must be reformed, at a minimum. This may just be the last straw Manchin needs to reconsider, and finally agree to reforming the filibuster. That could be devastating for Republicans, so I still have my doubts that McConnell will follow through with blocking the bill — fingers and toes crossed.
If this goes our way, we still would have to get Manchin on board with HR1/S1. Manchin recently sent a letter to Senate and House leadership requesting their support of a revised version of the Voting Rights Act, which McConnell no doubt will block. We need both voting rights bills in order to protect our democracy — stopping unfair gerrymandering, dark money, and the voter suppression legislation the GOP is quickly enacting in states across the nation.
Manchin unbelievably wrote in his letter, “Protecting Americans’ access to democracy has not been a partisan issue for the past 56 years, and we must not allow it to become one now.” If Manchin truly believes that statement, he is likely about to be sorely disheartened once again. Hopefully that would give Democrats an opportunity to at least reach some compromise with Manchin to pass HR1.
