Sen. Joe Manchin published another editorial tearing down HR 4: The John Lewis Voting Rights Act that would protect Americans from GOP laws that would prevent them from voting. The Republicans have worked on such bills because they lost the presidency and they're fearful that they'll never be able to win a national election again on a platform of their far-right policies.
Manchin has also made it clear that he refuses to get rid of or change the filibuster, parroting false GOP talking points that it somehow stops bipartisanship. In reality, there hasn't been a filibuster in four years. What is being done is the threat of a filibuster that is stopping all legislative business. If Manchin actually supported the filibuster he would support a genuine filibuster. Instead, he's playing politics and being coy with language.
Some online have called for a primary opponent to Manchin, claiming that there's no point of Democrats being in power if they're not actually in power. Manchin got in trouble earlier in January when he opposed the COVID-19 stimulus bill at a time his state desperately needed it. It was only after his own governor went on television to tell him it was a mistake that he changed his mind. It began an ongoing conversation that Manchin may be out of touch with the needs of West Virginians.
See the comments from angry folks below:
Joe Manchin be like:\n\nI\u2019m not gonna help pass a law against murder because, if murderers can\u2019t find common ground with people they want to murder, you know what\u2019s gonna keep happening?\n\nMurder.— Michael Harriot (@Michael Harriot) 1623011536
Joe Manchin wants to protect minority voting rights in the Senate, but not voting rights for minorities.— Jack Cocchiarella (@Jack Cocchiarella) 1623010215
Maybe @Sen_JoeManchin is just too old and out of touch to understand the needs of real Americans. I mean, he opposed the COVID bill until his own governor had to tell him off on live TVhttps://twitter.com/JoyAnnReid/status/1401554615141871618\u00a0\u2026— (((Charles Young))) (@(((Charles Young)))) 1623008192
"Where's all my friends?"pic.twitter.com/0gE7inRtYm— Jeff Crowder (@Jeff Crowder) 1623005456
Joe Manchin is a 73 year old multimillionaire who can risk losing the Senate seat by choosing to save democracy. You saw how he chose. This shouldn't surprise anyone who's a student of US history. This story will repeat itself.— Wajahat Ali (@Wajahat Ali) 1623008831
We can\u2019t foster bipartisanship without a properly functioning democracy. The filibuster is preventing both.\n\nI hope @Sen_JoeManchin understands this before it\u2019s too late.https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/06/us/politics/joe-manchin-op-ed.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur\u00a0\u2026— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1623006259
I\u2019ve bristled at the notion that if you don\u2019t support blowing up the filibuster, you\u2019re not a Democrat. Or you don\u2019t support all govt spending, you\u2019re not a D. But Joe Manchin, when you don\u2019t support the right to vote for every American you are not a Democrat. Not even close— Joe Lockhart (@Joe Lockhart) 1623007659
Somebody tell @Sen_JoeManchin that Jim Crow is a partisan game. Fighting Jim Crow, well, that's democracy.— Walter Shaub (@Walter Shaub) 1623011893
If the @GOP gets its way, @JoeBiden won\u2019t be the last Democrat elected President.\n\nHe\u2019ll be the last democratically elected President. \n\nThanks, @Sen_JoeManchin for your service to autocracy.— Oren Jacobson \ud83d\udd2f (@Oren Jacobson \ud83d\udd2f) 1623005141
With Jim Crow rising, Joe Manchin saying "aw, gee, shucks, we oughta compromise with the Jim Crowers" is like if Churchill had told the French to negotiate with the mechanized troops leading the blitzkrieg.— Walter Shaub (@Walter Shaub) 1623013483
What Joe Manchin fails to acknowledge is that the voting rights legislation is being characterized as partisan only because partisans are opposing it. It's like blaming hostages for not negotiating with their kidnappers. Voting rights are not partisan. Voter suppression is.— Walter Shaub (@Walter Shaub) 1623011579
I've been spitting mad all day about Joe Manchin's lie that voting rights legislation is partisan.— Walter Shaub (@Walter Shaub) 1623012023
Remember when Joe Manchin was talking about bringing back the \u201ctalking filibuster\u201d and said something had to be done? \n\nThat was just weeks ago. Who got to him, with what? He was even down with reconciliation for covid relief but now not for infrastructure. \n\nWho got to him?— Michelangelo Signorile (@Michelangelo Signorile) 1623010429
It's simple. @Sen_JoeManchin is just doing what most politicians do - he is putting his reelection chances ahead of the will, welfare, and well-being of American citizens.\n\nHis actions are, ironically, the most bipartisan thing ever.— Brett Pransky (@Brett Pransky) 1623012538
We have the house, senate, and presidency... \n\nThe heck with Joe Manchin and the Republican minority. Eliminate the filibuster & get shit done.— Angela Belcamino (@Angela Belcamino) 1623001959
In my view, every word Joe Manchin is uttering right now was purchased by Koch money.\n\nHe is their creature.\n\nThat\u2019s why he can\u2019t be shamed by their hypocrisy, irrationality or immorality. \n\nHe knows he\u2019s wrong. He doesn\u2019t care. He is loyal to Chuck Koch. Not us.— Pam Keith, Esq. (@Pam Keith, Esq.) 1623008186
Why did we elect Joe Biden president if we\u2019re gonna let Joe Manchin run the fuckin country?— thee anthony fantano (@thee anthony fantano) 1623004270
When Senator Joe Manchin insists we must give Republicans more time, I\u2019m reminded of James Baldwin\u2019s brilliant wisdom. \n\n\u201cIt\u2019s taken my father\u2019s time, my mother\u2019s time, my brother\u2019s and my sister\u2019s time. How much time do you want, for your progress?\u201d\n\nJustice Can\u2019t Wait.pic.twitter.com/7ErAuzGocM— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@Qasim Rashid, Esq.) 1623012192
Agree with what everyone has been saying about @Sen_JoeManchin. I think it's time we fundraise for an unnamed opponent the way we did for Collins.https://twitter.com/JeffCrowder16/status/1401612587339505664\u00a0\u2026— Zoey Bartlet-Young (@Zoey Bartlet-Young) 1623008335
