Civic Register
| 12.19.21

Senator Joe Manchin Announces Opposition to Democrats’ ‘Build Back Better’ Spending Plan

How do you feel about Manchin’s announcement?

What’s the story?

  • Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced Sunday that he remains opposed to the Build Back Better Act, dealing a major blow to Democrats’ signature legislative initiative given their need for the support of Manchin and 49 other Democratic senators in the evenly-divided Senate.
  • In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Manchin told Bret Baier that, “I have always said, ‘If I can’t go back home and explain it to the people of West Virginia, I can’t vote for it.’ And I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation, I just can’t. I have tried everything humanly possible. I can’t get there.”
  • Manchin also released a statement explaining that the concerns he has outlined over the last five and a half months “have only increased as the pandemic surges on, inflation rises and geopolitical uncertainty increases around the world.” He explained:
“My Democratic colleagues in Washington are determined to dramatically reshape our society in a way that leaves our country even more vulnerable to the threats we face. I cannot take that risk with a staggering debt of more than $29 trillion and inflation taxes that are real and harmful to every hard-working American at the gasoline pumps, grocery stores and utility bills with no end in sight. The American people deserve transparency on the true cost of the Build Back Better Act. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office determined the cost is upwards of $4.5 trillion which is more than double what the bill’s ardent supporters have claimed. They continue to camouflage the real cost of the intent behind this bill.”
  • Manchin’s statement also cited concerns about the potential need to respond to geopolitical crises stemming from rising tensions with China and Russia or to further COVID-19 variants; energy security; and the threat posed by the rising national debt.
  • White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki released a statement saying, “Senator Manchin’s comments this morning on FOX are at odds with his discussions this week with the President, with White House staff, and with his own public utterances.” She explained:
“On Tuesday of this week, Senator Manchin came to the White House and submitted—to the President, in person, directly—a written outline for a Build Back Better bill that was the same size and scope as the President’s framework, and covered many of the same priorities. While that framework was missing key priorities, we believed it could lead to a compromise acceptable to all. Senator Manchin promised to continue conversations in the days ahead, and to work with us to reach that common ground. If his comments on FOX and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position, and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate.”
  • Psaki concluded her statement by saying, “The fight for Build Back Better is too important to give up. We will find a way to move forward next year.”

What’s next?

  • It’s possible that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) may force a vote on the motion to proceed to the Build Back Better Act even though it would fail barring a reversal from Manchin given his opposition and that of the Senate’s 50 Republican senators.
  • The Biden administration and Democratic leadership in Congress may seek to rework the package further to reach an agreement with Manchin. But for the Build Back Better Act to clear both chambers, Democrats need the support of all 50 of their senators and can lose the support of no more than three members in the House, so there is very little margin for error with either the moderate or progressive wings of their party.


— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Senate Democrats via Flickr / Creative Commons)

  • 2,427
    Glowurm
    02/23/2022

    Thank you Michael.J.L. ❤️😊❤️😊 That was an excellent comment - as usual. So sad to actually see how any times Manchin has screwed us, though. Lies-a, would you please pass on a message to Manchin for me? Tell him we’re tired of hearing his bullshit excuses and we wish him to go to hell as soon as possible! And why can’t the Democratic Party not dispose of him like the dirty diapers he, and Sinema, have become. Get rid of her, too. Make then declare themselves to be the traitors they are to the Democratic party! How can there be no remedy to remove all these traitors from our Congress? That MUST be rectified AND SOON!

  • 2,427
    Glowurm
    02/23/2022

    Oh, jimK, will it EVER end? It is all so disheartening.., 😢😭😤

  • 254
    Robert
    01/22/2022

    I am very concerned about this lawmaker's views on helping Americans. I also want to know why anyone needs a Glock automatic weapon with multiple magazines in any state in our Union. If you are going to take away a woman's right to choose, then you better be ready to take the right to own a dangerous weapon to kill another American (in this case a police officer in New York State) with this type of dangerous gun. D. Bauman

  • 43
    Brenda
    01/12/2022

    Manchin is a republican agent!!! He’ll continue to block everything!!!

  • 753
    John
    01/06/2022

    Let’s show Joe Manchin the door and Joe don’t let it hit you in the ass on the way out.

  • 86
    Marshall
    01/05/2022

    Anything that decreases government spending is good. Inflation is out of control.

  • 184
    J2Maurice
    01/01/2022

    If you’re gonna continue to give opposition and turn down any type of laws please consider what’s going on in the various and a little small and Townships cities big cities the smashing grabs please we need you to enforce more laws with the lower courts and a higher courts in conjunction with your Congress to pass a law that includes hate crimes smash and grab robberies on public and on railways and on public streets near malls and garage is to be condemned forever to be in the books to consider this strengthen the laws now for 2022 this is all I ask our world to be a better our nation our state of the United States to be at peace and rest and not to be of hate anyone to condemn eight and all organizations of criminal activity and the big and small ones

  • 254
    Robert
    12/30/2021

    I just watched the MAGA Stop the Steal on TV. I am so ashamed of Trump and his "people". This should never have happened and I want you, my lawmakers in Fl., to make sure that this is not allowed to ever happen again. This event was a tragedy. The people accountable must all pay for this distruction, including any GOP member, that let it occur. Trump called for the action and he must pay. But, the GOP lawmakers that disregard the occurance must also pay. Silence says it is OK. Damaging a Federal building and the people who serve is a criminal offence. I want this to never happen again. Trump hurt our democracy and allowed serious damage to be done to a Federal building. Those that are guilty must all pay financially and by the loss of their positions as lawmakers. D. Bauman

  • 60
    Louie
    12/30/2021

    I’m glad there is one senator with A set of cojones. The build back better Bill is nothing but a socialist wet dream. Not to mention the election rules that date ramped up during the last election that they want to make permanent. I can’t believe how crooked the Democrat party has become.

  • 204
    Bluewitsend
    12/27/2021

    He has let us all down. I hope he is voted out of office in his next election. He is causing great harm to the American people.

  • 24
    Toni
    12/26/2021

    One person should not hold that much power. The polls of West Virginia show they support this bill. Seems to me he is totally disconnected from his constituents and represents his lobbyist’s interests over his own people. Funny he had no concerns about the defense budget they were given more money than they asked for!

  • 340
    Bill
    12/24/2021

    Thank you, Senator Joe!

  • 42.2k
    jimK
    12/23/2021

    The basic issue of concern about the Build Back Better program is NOT how much it costs. The main issue is how much will it cost if the Build Back Better program is not passed. … … … The BBB program collectively makes our population better prepared to compete globally by removing systemic obstacles to full employment: keeping most all of our children out of poverty, providing opportunities to be better educated, finding ways for more of our people to be employed and reducing many systemic barriers that limit different demographics ability’s to not have to struggle to survive. … … … Further, the BBB program targets addressing the issues of Climate Change for the first time and specifically provides a path to not only limit the severity of Climate Change but to also greatly profit by developing and manufacturing technological solutions as well as developing better practices in agriculture, monitoring and measuring climate factors, and ways to manage all of the necessary piece-parts needed to have an effective Climate Crisis response. … … … First of all, the Climate Crisis is real, and the world is only 1.2 degrees C in average global temperature before the ‘tipping point’ is crossed where the processes driving Climate Change can no longer be stopped no matter how much man-made emissions are reduced. If you do not believe this, I suggest you seek out the next winter super tornado and tell it to it’s face that it does not exist. … … … So what are the true costs of not passing the BBB? … … … First and foremost, without well funded and well managed efforts starting right now, it will be quite unlikely that the world can avoid the ‘tipping point’ that mankind currently has no means to stop, at least none that can be deployed at the requisite scale or that are not saddled with huge unintended consequence risks. It is about as dystopian a world future that that can be envisioned and the costs associated are incalculable - and certainly would exceed hundreds of trillions of dollars. If nothing else, the BBB program represents a minimal investment in an insurance policy to forestall catastrophic human and financial costs. … … … Secondly, not passing the BBB program will effectively cede our economic position in the world to China, as they are the only other country that will be able to muster the resources to meaningfully address the Climate Crisis. Our country will no longer enjoy the perks of having the world’s deFacto currency and world wide financial clout. Sanctions will become meaningless as a diplomatic tool which will probably result in military means to resolve the geo-political issues that will arise as watersheds shift at an increasing rate and populations migrate to find sustenance. These long term costs to our country are equally incalculable. … … … If Joe Manchin wants people to believe that his arguments against many of the BBB program provisions are truly based on his ‘principles’, I suggest that he publicly return all of the big-oil and big-money funds that have just recently been flooding into his campaign coffers. Kind of a put-up or shut-up moment. … … … Really, who will really give a crap about the costs of the BBB program when the alternative is a man-made life extinction event that will radically alter the planet and human life as we now know it?

  • 118
    cory
    12/23/2021

    Definately disappointed in Manchin, really seems like bad faith negotiations when after a week or two after saying he will work on passing this he does this.

  • 1,582
    Steve
    12/23/2021

    Joe is against the Presidents plan cause it will set us on a road away from fossil fuels, and he is invested in the fossil fuel industry! For Sen Joe it’s all about his money! He does not care about his state! Sorry Joe the truth hurts!

  • 300
    Frederick
    12/23/2021

    It looks to me that 1.75t is the number, and democrat lawmakers can’t get to it without sacrificing there pet project. Manchin is the adult in the room.

  • 167
    Sandi
    12/23/2021

    He is not acting in good faith or per the oath of office that he took to his constituents. We need the Build Back Better passed NOW!

  • 83
    Mark
    12/23/2021

    He’s one of a few truly Democrats left in the party. The other Democrats who have a problem with this Socialist bullshit need to standup and stop this crap or get out of Congress. Show some spine and backbone.

  • 753
    John
    12/23/2021

    Mitch McConnell’s offer to bring Manchin into the Republican Party says it all. Manchin would rather side with a group of habitual lier’s than his own party. He needs to be stripped of his Committee duties now and tossed out. What he wants is a disaster for his voters ( just look where the miners stand on this) as well as the country at large. This is all part of the Republican led tearing down of America.

  • 1,745
    Nancy
    12/23/2021

    Manchin is awesome!!!