Senator Joe Manchin (I-W.V.) was a lifelong Democrat until he recently registered as an Independent (yet he still caucuses with the Dems).
Over the last eight years, Manchin has been a big disappointment as a supposed “moderate” Democrat.
After promising not to let Democrats use reconciliation to push through funding legislation, he caved and helped pass several major spending bills, but there is one thing he never backed down on… the filibuster.
Not Happening
Democrats have been trying to break the filibuster all throughout the Biden term.
They want to do this to push through legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade, a plan that was again endorsed by Harris.
With their slim margin in the Senate, they would need every Senator to support their plan, but Manchin says he will not buckle.
He was recently asked about the filibuster being broken to pass this legislation and he responded, “Shame on her.
“She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of democracy. It’s the only thing that keeps us talking and working together.
“If she gets rid of that, then this would be the House on steroids.”
He added, “That ain’t going to happen. I think that basically can destroy our country, and my country is more important to me than any one person or any one person’s ideology. … I think it’s the most horrible thing.”
Manchin is right, and this is a very short-sighted vision by the Democrats.
If they break the filibuster and start ramming through partisan legislation, you better believe the GOP will do the same thing if and when they take power back in the Senate.
The filibuster forces compromise, and it is the only thing standing in the way of one party just steamrolling the other.
It must remain intact, regardless of the party with the power at the time.
