Today’s link is a short profile and interview of outgoing Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV). Manchin is an interesting character in Washington, which is made clear by the response to his departure. Some Senate Democrats are openly relieved to see the former Democrat go, but seeing the left-leaning moderate leave means seeing a staunch Republican take his place. As much as Manchin could infuriate his colleagues on the left, blocking filibuster carveouts and opposing high budget legislative priorities, I can’t imagine they really believe this is a good trade.
Especially because Manchin cautioned his former party against its blind spots and excesses (both parties have these, as we will soon witness in Republican-controlled government). What might inflation have been if Manchin hadn’t opposed Biden’s initial $6 trillion proposal for Build Back Better? What precedent would Democrats have set for Republicans if his decisive vote had been in favor of filibuster carveouts? Yes, Manchin didn’t run for reelection this year because he would have almost certainly lost, but he would have lost because he voted for Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, which President Biden admitted at a private fundraiser was focused less on inflation than other initiatives. The precipitous drop in Manchin’s approval rating, which had been among the highest in the Senate, was tied directly to that vote.
The Democratic Party should fight for what it believes in, but it might have fared better this election had it followed some of the advice of the man who left it.