Centrist Sen. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinHoyer: House to vote on COVID-19 bill on Friday, Haaland courts moderate in tense Senate confirmation hearing, Democrats standoff on minimum wage MORE (DW.Va.) is the most crucial voice in the equally divided Senate, and his power could lead to protracted feuds between the parties among the Democrats.
Concerned about the ongoing friction, Senate majority leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerCongress Hold Candlelight Vigil For US Lives Lost By COVID-19 The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented By Facebook – Lawmakers Investigate Security Concerns Jan 6 Senate Confirms Thomas-Greenfield As UN Ambassador MORE (DN.Y.) on Tuesday strongly urged its Democratic caucus to unite around a pending $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid package.
Manchin seems to have gone off the rails President Biden
Joe BidenHoyer: House votes on COVID-19 relief bill Friday Pence talks to senior members of Republican study committee Powell pushes back on GOP inflation fears MOREthe nominee to head the White House budget bureau, Neera Teeth
Courts Moderate Neera TandenHaaland During Tense Senate Confirmation Hearing On The Money: Schumer Urges Democrats to Stick Together on .9T Bill | Collins rules out GOP support for Biden |’s aid plan Powell Fights Inflation Fears Schumer Urges Democrats To Stick Together On .9T Bill MORE, by announcing last week that he would vote against her for the harsh criticism she had expressed on Twitter against colleagues in the Senate. In a 50-50 senate, Tanden now needs the support of at least one Republican, and maybe more, which seems unlikely.
Manchin has jeopardized Biden’s plan to raise the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour by announcing this month that he is against such an increase. He suggested setting it at $ 11 an hour instead and indexing it on inflation.
When asked about Manchin’s impact on the Democratic agenda, Schumer told reporters on Tuesday that he called on his colleagues to work together.
‘Today I pitched our entire caucus and I said we need to pass this bill. The American people, the American public demand it, ”Schumer said after an appeal with Democratic senators.
Schumer said not every Democratic senator will be completely satisfied with the COVID-19 bill, but warned the party must pass it. In all likelihood, every Democrat in the Senate will have to support the measure to get it to the office of the president.
Job # 1 is to pass the bill. Pass the bill we need. And I am confident we will do it, ”added Schumer.
Manchin said on Monday he would try to change Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion proposal that the House will pass this week to set the federal minimum wage at $ 11 an hour.
“Eleven dollars is the right place to be,” he said. “I would change it to $ 11.” He also added that his plan is to index the wage floor to inflation.
The Senate MP is also expected to decide shortly whether Democrats can include the minimum wage in their budget reconciliation bill. Biden has expressed doubts whether she will allow it, but progressives disagree.
However, the passing of Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion pending aid package is just the beginning of the challenges facing Schumer, Manchin and the rest of the Democratic caucus.
‘I have with Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid AirportLas Vegas is renamed after former Senator Harry Reid Sanders replacing top staff with campaign assistants Collins reprises her martyr role, but has Biden learned his lesson? LAKE about him and he said [Manchin] was always a pain in the neck, ”said Ross K. Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University who served as a fellow in the office of former Senate Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
[Manchin is] in an awkward position. He’s a Democrat from a state who has supported Trump more heavily than any other state, ”added Baker, noting that first President Trump
Donald Trump Romney: ‘Pretty sure’ Trump would win 2024 GOP nomination if he ran for president Pence talks to senior members of Republican study committee Trump says ‘no doubt’ Tiger Woods will be back after accident MORE contributed West Virginia with 68 percent in 2016 and 69 percent in 2020. In 2020, Trump only got a larger percentage of the vote in Wyoming – 70 percent.
The 73-year-old senator will not be eligible for re-election until 2024. He won his last election by 3 points, a race he later said “took its toll”.
Manchin’s support is far from certain as the Democrats try to catch up with Biden’s “Build Back Better” jobs and economic recovery plan.
Chairman of the Senate Budgets Committee Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersSanders has the right aim, the wrong target in the battle to help low-wage workers Democrats in deadlock over minimum wage Sanders votes against Biden USDA nominee Vilsack MORE (I-Vt.), Pushing hard for $ 15 an hour wages, said discussions are already underway about using special fiscal rules to pass a massive economic stimulus package by a simple majority after the $ 1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” becomes law.
Manchin said on Tuesday that Democratic leaders should move an infrastructure and jobs bill, which can cost as much as $ 3 trillion, through a regular order, meaning working with Republicans instead of using another budget alignment package to match GOP colleagues. circumvent.
“I want to make sure we get back to a normal order. It should go through the committee[s]These are big things that need to be done, they are policy changes, and I would like to use the committee procedure and if anyone understands that better than Joe Biden, I don’t know who that would be, ”he said. “We have to go back to the normal order.”
Asked if he had any reservations about using special budget rules to pass a second package, he said, “Regular order. Let’s try. Let’s try to see if the place works first. ”
Manchin, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, also expressed doubts this week about another of Biden’s nominees, Rep. Deb Haaland
Deb HaalandHaaland Courts Moderate During Tense Senate Confirmation Hearing OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Haaland Courts Moderate During Tense Confirmation Hearing | GOPs Westerman wants to tackle climate change Democrats | White House urges passage of House public land package Schumer urges Democrats to stick together on .9T bill MORE (DN.M.). His spokeswoman said the senator has not yet made a decision on Haaland, who would be the first Indian to lead the Interior Department or serve in the cabinet.
That led to a stern rebuke from the liberal Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Ocasio-Cortez criticizes the opening of a migrant facility for children under Biden Udalls: Criticism from Haaland motivated ‘by something other than her track record’ Ocasio-Cortez focuses on Manchin on Haaland’s confirmation MORE (DN.Y.), who added Manchin’s indecision over Haaland to his support for Trump’s nomination Jeff Sessions
Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard Sessions Udalls: Haaland criticism motivated ‘by something other than her record’ Ocasio-Cortez focuses on Manchin on Haaland confirmation LIVE COVERAGE: Senate to consider Garland for AG MORE in 2017 to lead the Ministry of Justice.
Manchin voted to confirm it. The sessions then focused on immigrant children for large-scale human rights violations with family divorce. But is Manchin the first native woman to be a cabinet secretary? Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
Manchin’s role as the 50th and hardest-to-beat vote in the Democratic caucus has boosted his profile. Experts have touted him as a new power broker in the Senate and the most powerful member of the evenly distributed upper chamber.
WDTV in Bridgeport, W.Va., last month labeled Manchin the “ most powerful senator, ” while Bloomberg Businessweek’s Joshua Green hailed him a “ kingmaker, ” and The Washington Post wrote that he is “ key to Biden’s ambitious climate agenda. ”
Manchin maintained a relatively low profile during the first few weeks of the new Democratic majority in the Senate, holding on to his leadership on key votes on the budget resolution, Biden’s top cabinet choices and Trump’s second impeachment process.
But he is beginning to assert himself more strongly as it becomes clear that Republican support on certain issues will be difficult to obtain.
The West Virginia senator on Tuesday downplayed that he was becoming a kingmaker or power broker.
‘No, there is nothing about power broker. I totally condemn that, ”he said.
‘I’ll tell you about power. I’ve seen people have it, abuse it. I’ve seen people looking for it destroy themselves, ”he said.
But he also said he has “seen people take a moment and try to make a change and a difference,” adding that he hopes to become a lawmaker working across party lines to make a difference.
Manchin joked that the most important facts about him are, “I have three children and ten grandchildren.”