Enough of Joe Manchin's bluffing and bad economics. PASS THE BILL IN THE HOUSE

I have a few thoughts on Senator Joe Manchin’s economic analysis regarding the Build Back Better Act. Let’s start with the obnoxious press conference Manchin held on Monday.

"To be clear, I will not support the reconciliation legislation without knowing how the bill would impact our debt and our economy in our country we won't know that until we work through the text," Sen. Manchin says, calling for a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill. pic.twitter.com/u1AQ1Z00lv

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 1, 2021

"I will not support a bill that is this consequential without thoroughly understanding the impact that it will have on our national debt, our economy and, most importantly, all of our American people," the West Virginia Democrat said in a statement Monday afternoon.

Manchin cited concerns over inflation and the use of what he described as "budget gimmicks" in the framework, saying the ultimate cost of the package could be twice as large if various programs are extended.

Now, this could all be cynical double-talk, as Manchin’s said he wanted to see a CBO score of the Build Back Better bill, which would happen before the bill would be voted on. Annoying enough, but Manchin could conceivably see the numbers and then sign off.

But for now, let’s go with Manchin’s “concerns” about inflation and debt. To me, it seems that the inflation we are seeing in 2021 is short-term and Bubbly due to supply issues and a labor shortage. It has little to do with the increased debt of the last 4 years - our debt is still only costing us less than 1.55% a year in interest for 10 years.

In fact, the only deficit-related reason for some of our current inflation is due to policies that helped people. This includes extra income due to stimmy checks and increased unemployment benefits, plus the feeling of extra security as more people got vaccinated against COVID. This meant that demand went up for products and labor, and forced businesses to raise wages.

For most people, higher wages are a good thing, but maybe less so for millionaire coal barons like Joe Manchin or his billionaire donors that rely on excessive profits and cheap labor.

I also don’t recall Manchin having these concerns about new programs being extended when he signed off on the expanded child tax credit in COVID relief programs, or when he approved of the extra funding of Medicaid and Medicaid expansion as part of those packages. And if Manchin thinks the new spending will be too popular to end but you’re concerned about future deficit levels, then why would he have a problem with raising taxes on the rich and corporate to pay for that beyond those years?

Let’s not forget that 95% of other Dems as well as President Biden have agreed to remove a lot of the original Build Back Better bill at the request of Manchin and fellow sellout Dem Kyrsten Sinema.

The initial price tag of the reconciliation package was $3.5 trillion. Manchin made clear he could support only something roughly half that size, prompting Democrats to negotiate ways to whittle down the size and scope of the package to make it palatable to Manchin, as well as fellow centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.

Biden pitched the framework of the slimmed-down plan to House Democrats in a visit to Capitol Hill last week. The plan still includes universal pre-K, investments in affordable housing, significant investments to address climate change and an additional year of the expanded monthly child tax credit. It no longer includes paid family leave, free community college and measures to lower the cost of prescription drugs.

Manchin and Sinema have also gotten the other Dems to get rid of plans to reverse many of the giveaways to the rich and corporate that were part of the 2017 GOP Tax Scam. Given that Manchin and Sinema only have any positions of power because of the election of their fellow Senate Dems and President Biden, you’d think they’d be a bit more of a team player at this point.

These events reveal Manchin’s stunt from yesterday to be little more than obstruction and tap-dancing to try to protect big-money donors (as well as a Yacht Boy like Manchin himself). There’s no good economic reason for him and Sinema to do nothing and keep more Americans on edge and desperate, other than the fact that it makes it easier for oligarchs to maintain their already-huge advantages.

It does appear that House Dems (and especially progressives) have finally realized they need to end back-channel discussions and get their version of these bills done.

“The President said he thinks he can get 51 votes for this bill. We are going to trust him. We are going to do our work in the House and let the Senate do its work" Jayapal said.

— Annie Grayer (@AnnieGrayerCNN) November 1, 2021

This is the right response. The House Dems need to stop wasting time on those bought-off attention hounds in the Senate, and pass a bill that is good enough for them and all other Dem Senators. CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL.

This not only gets the funding for roads/bridges/broadband onto President Biden’s desk (especially needed as construction spending has stagnated in recent months), but also puts the spotlight squarely onto Manhcin/Sinema AND EVERY SENATE GOP to step up and finish the Build Back Better bill that has the improved supports and economic restructuring that are so badly needed in this country.

Along with that, Chuck Schumer and President Biden need to stop being weak traditionalists, and throw that bill onto the Senate floor. Call the bluff of those who keep negotiating in the media without a plan of their own. I bet Manchin/Sinema fold instead of being the public face of obstruction, while Senate GOPs will have to answer for why they voted against a bill that the American people widely support.

Even if Manchin/Sinema/Senate GOPs do vote the bill down, make them respond with specific amendments that they would support (which keeps the bill in the news vs having it fade away). And if they won’t be serious and try to change the bill, it makes them and their GOP accomplices bear complete responsibility for the bill going down, instead of “Dem failures”.

It also would give the Dems that are running for many vulnerable GOP Senate seats (including Wisconsin) their theme for 2022 – “You want more progress to happen? That only happens when you vote for us.”

EDIT- Maybe the pressure from progressives is starting to work. Good news if it holds, so shove it through the House and make it so. This is how DC Dems can stop playing the 20th Century game (that they’ve been losing) and do 21st Century strategies and ACTIONS that will win.

Schumer says a deal has been reached among Democrats on drug pricing provisions. They will add it to the $1.75T legislation. Says Medicare empowered to negotiate drug prices. Democrats had said would focus on just the most expensive drugs and insulin, which will be capped at $35.

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 2, 2021