Bernie is done with Joe Manchin's bullshit.

[demmiblue]

Link to tweet

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday pulled no punches when attacking Sen. Joe Manchin, accusing him of “intentionally sabotaging the president’s agenda” and blocking “what the American people want.”

Manchin this week announced his refusal to support two major provisions in President Biden’s economic package: tax increases on the rich and spending on initiatives to stave off climate change. It likely marked the nail in the coffin for Biden’s and Democrats’ vision of a transformative economic package — a vision that the party has continually revised and pared back in a failed bid to win Manchin’s support.

Sanders was so mad, he opted not wait for journalist Martha Raddatz to finish her question, balking at the framing.

“Sen. Joe Manchin, of course, abruptly pulled the plug this week on the Democrats’ plans to pass,” Raddatz began.

“No, Martha. Let me respectfully disagree. He didn’t abruptly do anything,” Sanders interjected during a Sunday appearance on ABC’s This Week. “He has sabotaged the president’s agenda. … Six months ago, I made it clear that you have people like Manchin — [and] Sinema, to a lesser degree — who are intentionally sabotaging the president’s agenda, what the American people want, what a majority of us in the Democratic caucus want. Nothing new about this.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/bernie-sanders-joe-manchin-intentionally-sabotaging-biden-1384302/

Link to tweet

[mucifer]

1. Unfortunately, Bernie and the true dems have no power. manchin has all the power

And it all comes from $$$$$$$$$

The system is soooooooo messed up

[iemanja]

19. It comes from his swing position

He could have all the money in the world, but if we had 54 senators, it wouldn't matter.

[Evolve Dammit]

21. hear hear. I will be donating zero because I have very little, and we have lost our way.

[Autumn]

2. He wasn't about to let Martha Raddatz push her bullshit either. He shut her up quick.

[WiVoter]

17. I Saw That. He sure did!

I loved it!

[Voltaire2]

77. She had the talking point all teed up

Bernie, unlike a lot of the anti fascist resisted leadership, actually does his homework before the interview and knows what the bullshit talking point is going to be.

[Blue Owl]

3. No problem here if Bernie sticks it to Mr. Maserati-Floating-Yacht-Mansion

Mr. Mansion's record seems to benefit the GOP's interests at the end of the day....

[G_j]

48. and at the beginning of the day too

and all day long

[Deuxcents]

4. Bernie the only one outraged?

Where are the others? Besides Warren, Katie Porter who are on top of this, too..where are the others? We need to be vocal ..loudly outraged.

[Novara]

16. Right. Why does no one else speak out?

They're afraid Manchin will flip to republican? Has he ever hinted that he would? He's the elephant in the room everyone pretends is not there.

We need more outrage. And we need them to also say, "Elect more Dem senators to make Manchin and Sinema irrelevant." THEN we can get shit done.

[2naSalit]

50. "They" are saying just that...

I've been seeing and hearing it all of last week and I expect we will be hearing it until November.

Speaking out is counter productive in the manner that you desire. Bernie going on the teevee and calling out Manchin is the best move because Bernie isn't a Democrat, right now that matters, and I am sure he's not the only one. He;s just one of the few who can do so safely.

It's still politics, you can't be outraged at every last thing. Do something instead of complain.

[Susan Calvin]

71. Who cares if he does flip to republican?

He might as well be one. Worse. At least they don't string you along.

[Novara]

75. Because as long as he is a D, we have the majority. If he flips, the Rs have the majority

That would mean McConnell is once again in charge of the Senate. It means the Dems no longer control what the Senate even talks about, let along chairs all of the committees. Nevermind even bringing anything up for a vote.

[Susan Calvin]

81. Yeah, I didn't think about that.

This just sucks. I sure hope there's a blue wave come November. I understand the people who raise objections when you say vote blue no matter who, and Manchin is sure a poster boy for that, but they're not all Manchin, and the most important thing right now is to get Republicans out. If fake Democrats can go with them, that would be ducky.

[Novara]

86. Dems can't successfully challenge his seat

We'll end up with a republican. But we can elect more Dems to the Senate and make him irrelevant. Wouldn't it be sweet to see him silenced? I think he enjoys the spotlight too much.

[Magoo48]

68. It would be encouraging if our Dem senators would express equal enthusiasm.

[mopinko]

5. you cant tell me the senate ethics committee cant find something on him.

blackmail his ass.

[Arazi]

54. If the SEC showed up at Manchin's daughter's door about manipulating epi-pen prices

I’m sure Joe would get the message quick.

His daughter is super crooked. Start with her and let the arm twisting begin

[mopinko]

58. yes!

i'd run a few ads in w va listing his damn donors.
sunshine, ya know.

[Hotler]

61. Must be something in the water in DC?

DOJ can't find anything on the orange one either. Oh well.....

[mopinko]

62. not expecting doj. ethics committee, tho.

i mean. it's built for shit like this.

[multigraincracker]

7. Let them know that after the mid terms and

we gain 2 or 3 more seats, there will be a price to be paid.

[Evolve Dammit]

23. in the meantime, he has tubed Joe's agenda and made him look weak. Sounds like a Gooper.

[FoxNewsSucks]

8. We're all sick of manchin's bullshit

And his defenders'.

We told them, and not one will admit that we were right

[Emile]

9. Bernie is a straight talking, truth telling, born leader!

[BunkieBandit]

13. Yeah !! nt

[Skittles]

14. so he's finally saying what we have been saying for months

alrighty then

[Emile]

18. Nice to know we have a politician that hears us!

[KPN]

22. What is your point? That Bernie finally spoke up about Manchin? Who else has?

[G_j]

52. he's been pretty consistent

https://www.salon.com/2021/12/21/unacceptable-bernie-sanders-calls-out-joe-manchins-arrogance_partner/

"Unacceptable": Bernie Sanders calls out Joe Manchin's "arrogance"
"People like Manchin [are] turning their backs on the people of this country"

By SARAH BURRIS
PUBLISHED DECEMBER 21, 2021

[LiberalLovinLug]

87. Not nearly the first time

But he has respectfully slowly increased the strength of his comments through the years. Trying to give him the benefit of the doubt early on by tamping it down so Manchin couldn’t whine about it and use it as another excuse

How about some impatience with all the reps that have remained silent about Manchins sabatoge?

[BigBearJohn]

47. Love me some Bernie!!!

[area51]

57. +1 n/t

[JT45242]

10. Every word true

Plus all those donors, not from WV.

He's gotten about the same total support from the Koch brothers as Joni Ernst over all the years they have bought him.

We need the buy back better plan where we outbribe big money

[AlexSFCA]

11. good luck winning dem senate seat in the most pro trump state

This type of infighting, division is what damages us so much. I support every dem and that includes manchin and sinema. Did Bernie think for just a minute what would happen to inflation if $3T infrastructure bill passed. Bernie has no clue how to win elections anywhere but Vermont. We would not have Katanji if not for manchin and sinema. That’s the power.

[iemanja]

26. Who said anything about opposing his run for reelection?

Exactly no one. That's an empty canard. Manchin rightly deserves criticism for going along with the GOP. Raising that bullshit about opposing his reelection, when NO ONE mentioned that, is an empty excuse. So you support Manchin and Sinema. They have obstructed key legislation that would have allowed for voting rights and abortion rights, as well as key components of the President's and the Democratic Party's agenda. You can't make excuses for Manchin and also support the President's agenda. The two are antithetical.

[SunImp]

28. +1

[FoxNewsSucks]

38. Exactly right.

Well said.

[Celerity]

27. Manchin is not even up until 2024, yet with his obstructionist roadblocking and outrageous

180 degree turns he has and is, as we speak, backstabbing Biden and the rest of our Party yet again, which very well may bollocks us up badly in many races NOW, in 2022. I am not even going to get into the long term ramifications of things like climate, etc.


Adopting a climate-and-new-taxes framework for the bill was Manchin’s idea, and Manchin has spent the past year negotiating its specifics with Schumer.

He even put it in writing and signed it.

This was the Manchin-Schumer document
@burgessev scooped last year. Hard to overstate how far we are from it now

Link to tweet

Worth recapping just how much has fallen out since this all started:

❌Universal prek
❌Childcare
❌Public housing
❌Paid family leave
❌Dental, vision care for seniors
❌Free community college
❌Child Tax Credit
❌Climate plans

& a lot of other stuff I cant even remember now

[SunImp]

29. +1

[rpannier]

51. Untrue and you should know that.

The vote was 53-47
Murkowski, Collins and Romney voted for her
Without Manchin's vote it's still 52 and no Sinema makes 51

[AlexSFCA]

63. wrong, w/o manchin and sinema, there would be no vote at all

and no collins and murkowski can help because it’s the turtle who would be setting the agenda and you know he will never allow a vote for SC justice nominee selected by Biden. So the ONLY reason we have Katanji is because of Manchin and Sinema.

[Walleye]

12. He should go to Manchin and get in his face day after day.Telling the TV audience not enough

In fact all of our senators should give the asshole and earful every time they see him. No more Mr. nice guy

[Peregrine Took]

15. Bernie knows BS when he sees it. Me, too! n/t

[riversedge]

20. Forbes: Trump's Billionaire Donors Are Now Giving To Joe Manchin............

Seems coal money was not enough!! damn damn!

Link to tweet

?s=20&t=sXQPxyd3jCAXD9ycaxm2rQ



...............



https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelatindera/2022/01/31/trumps-billionaire-donors-are-now-giving-to-joe-manchin/?sh=497f99b43b8a


Billionaires are lining up to give money to Sen. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Democrat who has helped curtail much of his party and Joe Biden’s agenda over the last year.........................


.................
“I’m going to have one of the biggest fundraisers I’ve ever had for him,” Langone told CNBC in November, one month before making his first contribution to Manchin. “He’s special. He’s precious. He’s a great American.”

Other new donors include Debra Black, who is married to former Apollo CEO Leon Black, Nascar billionaire James C. France and real estate titan David Lichtenstein, who supported Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Here are the billionaire donors who have contributed to Senator Joe Manchin’s campaign since October 2021: ...........................................

[Celerity]

32. +1

[mucifer]

46. Yup we have a billionairocracy

[Hiawatha Pete]

24. K&R

[Evolve Dammit]

25. When I learned of the Dems supporting Ms. Lake in AZ, I think I have heard enough.

Stupidest waste of campaign monies I have ever heard of. I'm a lifelong Dem and that is total bullshit.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

30. What Dems are supporting Lake? Nt

[Evolve Dammit]

31. Been widely covered as recent strategy. So Trump-humper, she is seen her as preferable candidate.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

33. Links?

I live in AZ and have seen no reporting at all on this.

[Marcuse]

37. It's the old Todd Akin strategy. Dems want to pump up the nuttiest GOP opponent for the general.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

40. There is no mention of donations to the candidates

No mention of telling Democrats to vote for one of them.
There's just a right-wing source complaining that a press release is meddling.

[Demsrule86]

42. That is the Examiner...a right-wing rag, I think...not even supposed to post it here.

If NBC as they often do is using the Examiner still has no interest for me.

[Hassler]

34. The only problem with what Bernie said is that it isn't just Biden's agenda

It's the Democratic agenda and the agenda of the overwhelming percentage of the nation.

[marmar]

41. That's what he said.....

"intentionally sabotaging the president’s agenda, what the American people want, what a majority of us in the Democratic caucus want"

[aeromanKC]

36. Manchin needs to get re-elected too.

I'd rather put up with Manchin being the 51st vote for the GOP every once in awhile with Schumer holding the gavel (even though those are some pretty big once in a while's) than with his R replacement (because his replacement would be an R) being the R's 51st vote with McConnell holding the gavel.

Sucks, but it would suck worse (WAY WORSE) if West Virginia (a + zillion Trump state) had 2 GOP caucusing Senators.

[Emile]

39. Some in the GOP are asking him to run as a republican

against Donald Trump for president.

[Demsrule86]

43. He won't do that...such nonsense. While I understand Senator Sander's anger, I fail to understand

how his words are helpful. We need every Senator including Manchin to hang onto our majority.

[Emile]

44. Business insider article.

https://www.businessinsider.com/republican-donors-nelson-peltz-joe-manchin-trump-2024-president-primary-2022-4#cobssid=s

[rpannier]

53. The problem is, Manchin undermines the rest of his colleagues and makes it difficult for them

They have to go back and explain that they didn't accomplish things because of a Democratic senator
Mancin holds himself up proudly as the reason why stuff doesn't get passed and most of the rest of the caucus is left looking impotent and stupid
This line of reasoning is why the Republicans jettisoned Lowell Weiker in 88. They viewed him as a pain in the ass and felt they were better off without him even if that meant losing that seat

[duckworth969]

45. I love that man

[BlueIdaho]

49. Bernie is not wrong.

Joe’s agenda is aligned with the GOP. Period.

[progressoid]

55. I wouldn't be surprised if Manchin pulls a Lieberman and goes "independent"

[Emile]

56. The GOP want him to run against Trump as a republican.

[progressoid]

59. Well, he'd have to run against DeSantis too.

Given a choice, the GOP will choose DeSatan.

[Emile]

60. Whomever gets the most money will win their primary.

https://www.businessinsider.com/republican-donors-nelson-peltz-joe-manchin-trump-2024-president-primary-2022-4#cobssid=s

[betsuni]

66. Why?

[KelleyKramer]

65. Lieberman didn't do that, voters in CT kicked his ass out

And btw, Lieberman is now a close advisor to Manchin. So I don't blame you for the comparison

[Just A Box Of Rain]

64. Seems like some people here would like to see Mitch McConnell become the Senate Majority Leader.

I've got serious issues with that plan.

[Emile]

67. I don't see it. I don't think anyone on du

would like to see Mitch McConnell the Senate Majority Leader.

[Voltaire2]

79. Name one.

Show me one thread where anyone claims to want McConnell back in charge.

[iemanja]

88. You think Manchin is so weak

that mere criticism on DU will make him join the GOP? If not, what are you complaining about? People have a right to criticize elected officials. This is not yet an authoritarian state.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

90. Criticism is one thing, bashing is another.

The rules clearly don't seem to apply where Joe Manchin is concerned.

[iemanja]

96. No, because Manchin trashes Biden's agenda

and very cynically so. One can either support the President and the Democratic Party or Manchin, not both. The two are antithetical. I for one am a Democratic, and I support the President's agenda.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

97. I also support President Biden's agenda. Strongly.

And I’ve read the TOS of this forum.

Criticism and bashing are not synonymous terms.

Manchin gets bashed on this forum constantly.

[iemanja]

98. You can't support both Manchin and Biden

You need to choose.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

100. I don't need to "support" someone

in order to not bash them in contravention of the board rules.

The TOS is pretty clear.

[robodruid1]

69. May I respectfully disagree?

I hate to say this....but so what?

Is he going to challenge Manchin to a duel?
Hire an assasin?
Going to lobby him personally to change his mind?
Going to support a primary candidate?
Get Schumer to kick him out of the Senate?

What exactly are his words going to accomplish?

[Emile]

70. What exactly attacking Bernie instead of Manchin

going to accomplish?

[betsuni]

72. That wasn't "attacking."

Calling someone corrupt and bribed without proof is attacking.

[robodruid1]

74. Not a damm thing

and if i came across as attacking him, I apologize. Its just that i would rather see action than words.

[Act_of_Reparation]

82. His words could motivate voters in flippable states.

The man has a following, and not all of them are reliably Democratic voters.

[iemanja]

99. I agree with Bernie on this

but I don't see how this motivates any voters. It points to the dysfunction of the Dem Party.

[shrike3]

73. Manchin is more popular than ever in his home state.

The solution is to elect more Dem senators in November.

[spanone]

76. K&R

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

78. The majority of Democrats are done with Manchin's BS.

The only thing we can do about him is to elect a 55 seat Democratic majority in the Senate, so that we can make him irrelevant.

He should then be censured, and stripped him of his committee assignments. He would no longer be in a position to sabotage our President's, and our Democratic party, agenda. If he switches parties, he can throw all the tantrums he wants, he'll still be irrelevant.

In the long run, no matter what, history will not be kind to Joe Manchin.

[ecstatic]

80. We need to pick up 2 to 4 seats to be rid of manchinema

If manchinema doesn't flip to the treason party, we'd only need two more seats. I'm thinking our best chances are in Pennsylvania, Ohio, maybe Florida, Indiana, Missouri, or Wisconsin?

[jalan48]

83. And yet, Manchin remains Chairman of the powerful Senate Energy Committee. This is who the Dems

want leading the charge as climate charge worsens? Why hasn't he been stripped of his position after blocking a big piece of Biden's agenda?

[dsp3000]

84. Glad to see him stick up for the president and not trash the party

[Emile]

85. He has been sticking up for the president, it's

Joe Manchin who's been trashing the party!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

89. He sticks up for our party's values.

What sticks in some peoples’ craw is when he calls out corruption regardless of who it is.

Something is seriously wrong with a system where politicians gain feudal lord level wealth for themselves and their children while in office or out of office.

[disndat]

91. God willing

The Roe Supreme Court decisions will help bring out the necessary number of voters for the
Democratic Party to give us the 2 or more extra seats in the Senate.

[treestar]

92. How's that going to change Manchin's mind?

Better to try to make a deal.

[Emile]

93. How do you negotiate with someone sabotaging

the president?

[treestar]

94. He may be open to vote for what we need him to vote for under certain circumstances

We used to be able to negotiate with Republicans even, now it's getting impossible to negotiate with red state Democrats too?

At any rate, ripping Manchin over the coals is unlikely to lead to his changing his mind.

[Emile]

95. Why am I reminded of Lucy and the football. .