Archive for the ‘Manchin, Sen. Joe’ Category

Manchin for President?

April 20, 2022

Conspiracy scenarios to shelve Sleepy Joe.
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This headline caught my eye:

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According to CNBC:

A group of his bipartisan donors have privately said they hope Manchin changes parties and runs for president as a Republican against Biden in 2024.

Some of the donors, who once supported Trump, look at Manchin and his stances against some of his party’s policies as someone who could successfully run in a Republican primary and then possibly defeat Biden.

Hmm.

A couple hurdles: (1) Winning the GOP primary (against, say, Trump or DeSantis) and (2) Facing a more formidable Dem candidate than Old Joe if he was the GOP candidate (though I can’t think of one off the top-of-my mind).

OK, scratch that idea.

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Here’s a quicker path to the Presidency for Manchin:

1. GOP takes the House and Senate in November.

2. Dems throw Harris under the bus … She graciously resigns as VP and takes a cushy position as Ambassador to Slobovia (Note: Would have to promise her that she wouldn’t have to really go there or do any work) … or give her a lifetime appointment as a Federal judge in California (Note: Try to contain the damage there).

3. Biden’s puppeteers cajole him to nominate Manchin to replace Harris as VP … GOP majority Congress approves the pick.

4. Biden gets slapped with the 25th Amendment (Note: odds are good that he wouldn’t have seen that coming in the prior steps)

5. Senator Manchin becomes President Manchin.

6. President Manchin nominates another moderate Dem (again, I can’t think of one off the top of my head) to re-fill his vacated VP slot.

7. Manchin runs against DeSantis in 2024 … best candidate wins.

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OK, there’s no chance of either scenario materializing … but, you gotta give me credit for creativity and admit that it would be fun to watch.

Posted in Biden, Joe, Manchin, Sen. Joe | Leave a Comment »

Manchin: “I Won’t Support Spending Another $3.5 Trillion”

September 3, 2021

Senator Joe talks big (and right), but will he fold again?
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This week, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin declared that he won’t vote for the Dems’ $3.5 trillion “human infrastructure” bill.

Fiscal and social conservatives are giddy about his his declaration which — taken at face value — would kill the bill given the 50-50 Senate.

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Let’s start with the essence of Manchin’s logic … which he wrote in a WSJ op-ed:

My Democratic friends want to use the budget reconciliation tactic to push through sweeping legislation that makes “historic investments.”

The proposed $3.5 trillion in new spending isn’t to solve urgent problems, but to re-envision America’s social policies.

Democratic congressional leaders have a strange belief there is an infinite supply of money propose to pass the largest single spending bill in history with no regard to rising inflation, crippling debt or the inevitability of future crises.

An overheating economy has already imposed a costly “inflation tax” on every middle- and working-class American.

Spending trillions more dollars not only ignores present economic reality, but makes it certain that America will be fiscally weakened when it faces a future recession or national emergency.

In the words of Adm. Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called debt the biggest threat to national security.

I, for one, won’t support a $3.5 trillion bill, or anywhere near that level of additional spending, without greater clarity about why Congress chooses to ignore the serious effects inflation has on the value of Americans’ wages and income and sky-rocketing debt has on existing government programs

Congress should hit a strategic pause on the budget-reconciliation legislation:

> To provide more clarity on the trajectory of the pandemic

> To allow us to determine whether inflation is transitory or not

> To allow for a complete, transparent reporting and analysis of the implications a multitrillion-dollar bill will have for this generation and the next.

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My take: Manchin’s declaration is far less than meets the eye.

First, he’s suggesting “a pause” … not a “dead on arrival”

Second, note the wiggle room that the Senator provides himself:

> “Anywhere near $3.5 trillion” … The senator did not rule out voting for a smaller bill. Is $3 trillion distant enough $3.5 trillion? $2.5 trillion? $2 trillion?

> “Without further clarity” … English translation: more pork for West Virginia.

Third, consider Manchin’s track record.

He often (usually?) talks like a rational independent.

But, when crunch time comes, he jumps lemming-like on the Dem train.

So, I’m not taking this one to the bank yet.

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Manchin says not to worry: “I won’t vote for crazy things.”

November 12, 2020

And, there’s probably more to the story.
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During a blockbuster interview, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin didn’t mince words.

Manchin said he wanted to “reduce Americans anxiety” about the possibility of the Dems taking control of the Senate.

He said clearly and definitively that, as a tie-blocking vote,  he’d vote NO on “crazy things” like ending the filibuster, court packing, defunding the police and the Green New Deal..

Note: He didn’t mention statehood for DC and P.R., but it’s fair to assume that he’d lump that among the crazy things.

This is the single most refreshing statement I’ve heard from a politician in years.

The entire interview is well worth the listening time.

click to view the 8-minute interview
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Of course, there’s more to the story…

(more…)

Posted in 2020 Presidential Campaign, Manchin, Sen. Joe | Leave a Comment »

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