I haven't got a new take on Joe Manchin's latest perfidy. Appearing on Fox "news" after the Senate adjourned for the holidays, the Senator from West Virginia planted a dagger in the Democratic party's back. Calls now and in retrospect for Democrats to play hardball with Manchin ring hollow. With its majority depending on him and to a lesser extent on Sinema, Chuck Shumer is in no position to threaten either Senator unless the prospect of Mitch Mcconnell assuming the majority leader post appeals to him.
Losing several very winnable Senate races over the past few years is what put Manchin in the driver's seat. Perhaps the Democratic party is in such thrall to wealthy donors it will collectively shrug as the Build Back Better bill swirls down the legislative drain, feeling there is nothing to be done. That way leads to a thorough beat down in the midterm elections. According to the common wisdom, rank and file party adherents will take one Senator's intransigence as Democratic incompetence writ large and either stay away from the polls or vote for Republicans. I think the average voter is smarter than that. Manchin needs to be called out, but in the context of electing good Democrats who actually believe in the party's platform.
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