The Joe Manchin thing isn’t what you think it is
Don’t worry about it. I am speaking of one Joe Manchin (Democrat-West Virginia). On Wednesday, Manchin penned an op-ed in the Washington Post. And he said this: “There is no circumstance in which I will vote to eliminate or weaken the filibuster.”
Since the publication of that article, many folks have been panic-stricken. They are furious and cannot understand Manchin. But it isn’t all that surprising. Let’s break this down.
We all know and have known who Manchin is. This is the guy who hails from one of the most conservative states in the country. And Manchin has always had this dynamic to his personality.
Manchin lives in an alternate universe where Politicians are friends who always try to do the right thing. He will get a nasty surprise if and when he tries to bring ten Republicans over to the side of the Democrats.
Nothing is written in stone. Manchin is a people-pleaser. He is trying to please everyone. The Democrats, Republicans, his voters back home are all the groups he wants to please. It would be different, I’m sure, if he was from New York City, but he’s not.
But Biden is barely into his Presidency. And as you know, one week is an eternity in Politics. Things change regularly. We have learned to expect the unexpected. An example would be the extra legislation the Democrats can now pass through budget reconciliation.
And Manchin likely knows he cannot talk like this forever. Can you imagine six months from now or a year? Let’s say Republicans refuse to work with Biden. Manchin is not going to be going on television down the line for the rest of his career to say, “We must find a way to work together.” It will not happen. So please have faith. Have faith in Biden, Our party, and the political process itself.
