Joe Manchin wants to make the Insurrectionists happy
The fatal flaw in Joe Manchin’s logic is thinking that what we do has any impact whatsoever on what Republican leaders say, or their base believes. They'll attack us regardless of what we do.
On January 6th, Trump supporters rampaged the US Capitol building in a violent attempt to overthrow our government.
US Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) learned a disturbing lesson from the attempted Insurrection: Don’t upset the Trumpers.
With the Senate split 50-50, we always knew Manchin, who leans conservative, might pose problems for Biden’s agenda, and any attempt to do away with the filibuster. What I didn’t think, however, was that Manchin would, in essence, side with the terrorists. But it’s hard to call his latest comments anything else.
Manchin had already hinted at these views in a recent op-ed in the Washington Post, in which he urged “bipartisan” action on voting reform legislation that would “restore bipartisan faith in our voting process by assuring all Americans that their votes will be counted, secured and protected.” To some, that language might sound like a wink and a nod to the spurious justification for the attack on the Capitol — the claim that Republican votes weren’t counted, secured or protected in the November election.
But it was in a brief interview with the Huffington Post’s Arthur Delaney that Manchin put a finer point on it:
“The only thing I would caution anybody and everybody about is that we had an insurrection on January 6, because of voting, right? And lack of trust in voting? We should not, at all, attempt to do anything that would create more distrust and division.”
No, sir, we did not have an Insurrection “because of voting.”
We had an Insurrection because far too many of your colleagues joined Trump in lying to Republican voters about the outcome of the election. They were told that there was a literal coup d’état in which the candidate who “really” won the election, Donald Trump, was overthrown by a cabal of Democrats, Republicans, the CIA, and long-dead Hugo Chavez. And they were force fed this garbage twenty-four-hours a day by nearly every Republican political and thought leader in Congress and on TV.
It’s not as if Democrats passed the “wrong” bill and that led to the attempted coup — so that if we simply make sure to pass the “right” bill next time, everything will be hunky-dory in GOP conspiracy land. Republicans lied and claimed rampant election fraud when such election chicanery was virtually nonexistent (other than two cases of Republican fraud). So why wouldn’t the same Republicans — with Trump, Hawley, Cruz, and the experiment in inbreeding that calls itself the House GOP — lie next time as well, regardless of what legislation we pass? In fact, they would and will.
The fatal flaw in Joe Manchin’s logic is thinking that what we do has any impact whatsoever on what Republican leaders say, or their base believes. Their leaders will continue to lie, and their delusional base will continue to embrace conspiracies. And that will only change if and when they choose to change.
It’s time we stopped trying to win over the unwinnable. Republicans are going to criticize and demonize us anyway. Our time is better spent focusing on passing the best legislation we can.
Other Interesting Stuff
It’s looking increasingly like Matt Gaetz may be in serious trouble, now that his associate Joel Greenberg is expected to take a plea deal with the feds. Pleas often only happen when you offer them a bigger fish to fry.
As an aside, Matt Gaetz’s lawyer/PR flak doesn’t seem to understand how American jurisprudence works:
JetBlue has resumed political donations to members of Congress who voted to overturn the election. Feel free to tweet them your concerns: @JetBlue.
I’ve started watching the TV show “Counterpart.” It’s interesting, so far. Though sometimes a bit hard to follow (I keep forgetting which world I’m in!). I recommend it though, for anyone who enjoys sci-fi-esque spy mysteries.
I just found this tweet really adorable.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
JOHN
Tell Manchin: you can protect the filibuster or you can protect the right to vote. Which is more important?
“With the Senate split 50-50, we always knew Manchin, who leans conservative, might pose problems for Biden’s agenda”
It does not seem Biden thought this. He ran on being the only democrat that would be able to get republicans to support his agenda. And here he is having to compromise just to get Manchin on board.