In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he’d vote against the Build Back Better Act, which appeared to be a dagger blow to a key part of Joe Biden’s social and climate agenda.
Manchin’s vote is critical to the chances of the legislation passing through since there is a 50-50 split in the Senate and the probability that Democrats will get no Republicans to back the bill.
As a result, the White House has been courting him for months.
In public, Manchin’s biggest complaint was the cost of the bill. But in private, he reportedly told colleagues that he didn’t trust somevpeople who were low-income to spend government money effectively.
“I cannot take that risk with a staggering debt of more than $29tn 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,” Manchin said.
According toHuffPost, Manchin has told many fellow Democrats that he believed parents would waste monthly child tax credit payments on drugs instead of the care of their children.
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Manchin has become a villain on the left as a result, despite being a Democratic senator.
On Monday New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Democrats need to “crack down” on the “very entitled, very privileged” Senate.
She called the way the upper chamber operates “unconscionable,” “fundamentally undemocratic”, and said the time of indulging in long-running negotiations over bills that would nonetheless be opposed by all Republicans must end.
“What we really need to do is crack down on the Senate – which operates like an old boy’s club that has a couple of gals in it that have managed to break through – and we need … implement some institutional discipline,” she said.
Check out some of the best Twitter responses and reactions below.
Joe Manchin gave us all a lump of coal for Christmas
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 20, 2021
I’m focused on Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
— Aaron Parnas (@AaronParnas) December 20, 2021
I’m not focused on Joe Manchin.
.@Sen_JoeManchin said a staffer hurt his feelings.
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) December 20, 2021
Alternative headline: 50 Republicans stand with Joe Manchin to form a majority bipartisan coalition in opposition to Build Back Better.
— Matthew Kolken (@mkolken) December 20, 2021
Guys, we should be careful with our criticism of Joe Manchin. If we're not careful, he might switch sides and become a Democrat.
— Liam Nissan™ (@theliamnissan) December 20, 2021
Is anyone else wondering why @Sen_JoeManchin said he couldn’t “explain” how Build Back Better was worth paying for when his state is in such need?
— Christopher 🇺🇸 Proud Dem (@cwebbonline) December 20, 2021
Can he go home & explain how he’s allowing them to suffer while he’s living the good life based on his position of power over them⁉️ pic.twitter.com/HMcQQaVDPY
Sheesh! Joe Manchin privately told several of his Democratic colleagues that he thought parents would WASTE monthly child tax credit payments on DRUGS instead of providing for their children.
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) December 20, 2021
Raise your hand if you DISAGREE with Manchin! ✋
93% of the children in West Virginia benefit from the Child Tax Credit Joe Manchin just killed.
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) December 20, 2021
If he’s not fighting for them, then who exactly does he represent ?
NAACP President Derrick Johnson: "Joe Manchin continues to throw punches in the face of American democracy. This time, Senator Manchin has decided to silence the tens of millions of Americans, including West Virginians.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 20, 2021
"His decision is shameful. History will remember this."
What Joe Manchin did to President Biden and fellow Democrats yesterday explained in one gif. pic.twitter.com/rdNxKwiOrO
— Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ) December 20, 2021
And the Benedict Arnold award goes to…Joe Manchin!
— Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) December 20, 2021
America: Let’s help poor kids at Christmastime.
— The USA Singers (@TheUSASingers) December 20, 2021
Joe Manchin: Na bro, I’m good.
Imagine being a voter in West Virginia who was just told by @Sen_JoeManchin that you are not smart enough to understand what is in your best interest and so he will vote against you. I wonder what other things could be behind his lack of faith in the voters of West Virginia.
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) December 20, 2021
Good morning everyone!
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) December 20, 2021
Unless your name is Joe Manchin.
In which case… fuck off.
Congratulations @Sen_JoeManchin! You are officially this year's winner of the 'Republican A**hole of the Year' award.
— Hamish Mitchell (@H_MitchellPhoto) December 20, 2021
Manchin turns his back on West Virginians pic.twitter.com/p46GwPoWaP
— Max NBilly (@NbillyMax) December 20, 2021
.@Sen_JoeManchin, what is wrong with you? pic.twitter.com/N5622j0pEm
— Jennifer Cohn ✍🏻 📢 (@jennycohn1) December 20, 2021
When you and your family’s comfy personal future doesn’t depend on how much the massive numbers of poor people in your largely poor and struggling state suffer, or whether we remain a democracy, because you and your family are financially set, you might be @Sen_JoeManchin https://t.co/5GAXqSuj6c
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) December 20, 2021
Alice Cooper doing more for needy people than @Sen_JoeManchin pic.twitter.com/rOgmbwm5bu
— Vagabond Johnny#accountability (@tourboy63) December 20, 2021
I hope three ghosts visit Joe Manchin tonight and show him the true meaning of Build Back Better.
— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) December 20, 2021
Joe Manchin is the guy who won’t round up to a dollar on a 93 cent purchase for a donation to Feed Homeless Kids.
— Maddog🇺🇸 (@Maddog4Biden) December 20, 2021
That’s who that guy is. #JoeManchinSenatorForSale #ManchinIsCorrupt #JoeManchin #ResistanceUnited pic.twitter.com/ncKbti9kSm
in 2022 we have the power to make joe manchin irrelevant.
— Captain Jordy (@J_Mei21) December 20, 2021
Find someone who looks at you the way Joe Manchin looks at Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/YxwZhyK2uv
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) December 19, 2021
If Joe Manchin wants to say he’s a “no” on the child tax credit, affordable housing, & protecting our climate, then let him vote no on the Senate floor--not on Fox News. Enough is enough.
— Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) December 19, 2021
Joe Manchin is why we can’t have nice things. #JoeManchin #Manchin #BuildBackBetter
— Matthew VanDyke (@Matt_VanDyke) December 19, 2021