[Red State] I have an embarrassing confession to make: I once, sort of, respected Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always known he’s a flakey Democrat, and though it’s been fun to entertain him possibly switching parties and causing a meltdown on the left, those hopes were always far-fetched. Still, his stance over the last year against a boondoggle, green scam-filled reconciliation bill was laudable. Even in the face of intense pressure, including personal harassment and threats, Manchin stood firm — until he didn’t.
In a sudden reversal, Manchin stabbed Republicans in the back. Despite assurances that if the GOP voted for the CHIPS Act that the West Virginia senator wouldn’t support another gut-busting spending bill, Manchin came in off the top rope to announce he and Schumer had made a deal. What was in it? $400 billion in wasteful spending on "climate change" initiatives. It also includes tax hikes on corporations which will exacerbate inflation.
For days, those in the political sphere racked their brains trying to figure out what caused Manchin to change his mind. A new report from The Washington Post gives us the answer, and the short of it is that he’s a pathetic coward. |