Biden Must Get Manchin and Sinema to Fall in Line Robert Reich

[progressoid]

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich lays out how President Joe Biden must learn from President Lyndon B. Johnson and wield the power of the presidency to get Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to fall in line.

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America is at a turning point on voting rights. One that’s almost as critical as the mid-1960s when the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts were passed. And just as in the mid-1960s, presidential leadership will be a decisive factor.

With their razor-thin Senate majority, Democrats' efforts to stop the GOP's anti-democratic agenda don’t stand a chance unless they overcome two obstacles.

The first is the filibuster, and the second is the refusal of Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to abolish it.

There is no excuse for two Democratic senators to allow Republicans to stomp on our democracy and entrench their minority rule for generations.

And there is no reason President Joe Biden should let them. It’s time for him to assert the leadership that LBJ asserted more than a half-century ago, and wield the power of the presidency to make senators fall in line with the larger goals of the nation.

Otherwise, as LBJ once asked, "what the hell's the presidency for?"

[jimfields33]

1. He's not a king. Not sure why some don't understand that.

Biden cannot grab or heck even touch Sinema or Manchin at all. LBJ almost broke an arm and this guy wants Biden to do the same? I just don’t see that going over well. It’s in the first video.

[paleotn]

3. There's a lot that can be done without grabbing. It's a metaphor.

Twisting people's arms doesn't necessarily mean ACTUALLY twisting their arms.

[jimfields33]

6. Excuse me. Please watch the first video.

[paleotn]

7. Excuse me, I did.

[jimfields33]

8. Then your aware it wasn't a metaphor for twisting an arm

But it was literally grabbing the shoulder of a Senator which apparently was cool back in the 60’s but I promise you it is not today!

[paleotn]

9. We don't do that in the 21st century. Reich knows that. Why don't you?

[jimfields33]

10. I do. I was trying to explain your metaphor stuff that you saw in the video.

We’re good. Seems like we’re on the same page.

[appmanga]

12. LBJ...

...was a big, physically imposing man. He DID grab lapels, shoulders, and arms, and wasn't known for loosening his considerable grip until he he was sure he had your attention AND your vote. That was a different time, a time when most legislators were male and physical contact was a normal part of politics from glad-handing constituents to cornering recalcitrant party members. The presidency had a type of respect that dwarfs what exists today. Congressional leaders had much more power and few politicians felt going against a president was good long-range political strategy.

Man, oh man, how times have changed.

[Budi]

2. Umm. Mr Reich, that exact LBJ spiel was already covered. By some other Journo.

Actually Biden's enormously popular Stimulus bill has been compared to LBJ's.
Already.

Biden doesn't have to get anyone to "fall in line" at this point.

[paleotn]

4. The John Lewis Voting Rights act may be just as important....

maybe even more important than the Covid relief bill. Certainly for the long term future of the democracy. One thing stands in the way...the filibuster. Unless Manchin and Sinema FALL IN LINE with the rest of the Dems in at least modifying the filibuster, the John Lewis Act is DOA in the Senate and we're back to vast disenfranchisement and a reversal of the gains we've made in GA, AZ and a lot of other places. You want to go back to those states being automatically red? I sure as fucking shit don't.

[speak easy]

5. Manchin has already indicated a willingness to negotiate

on a nuclear option for voting rights.

[OnDoutside]

11. Another disappointing Reich article, and clearly not thought out. Biden

won't have to convince Sinema or Manchin on this.

Think about this for a second.

Who would this change benefit, Red State Dems like Sinema or Manchin, OR safe Blue State Dems like AOC or Booker ?

Clearly a VRA/HR1 benefits Joe Manchin and Kirsten Sinema.

One would have thought Robert Reich would have understood this. Sure they'll do the usual bipartisanship guff, but this helps them above all.