
President Joe Biden's $5.8 trillion budget for next year would trim federal deficits and boost taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Both could appeal to Sen. Joe Manchin amid Democratic hopes of reviving talks with him over the party's derailed social and environment plan.
The question is whether this time, the pivotal West Virginia Democrat can be wooed to craft a scaled-down version of his party's roughly $2 trillion, 10-year package. Before Christmas, Manchin sank that plan, which had already passed the House, saying it would fuel inflation and deepen deficits.