RedState-
Some of the folks on the left have been seething at Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), viewing them as the blockers to Democrats being able to eliminate the filibuster and seize total power.
There’s no question that Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have been standing strong to protect the rules and defend the rights of the minority party.
But they’re not the only people, as some have pointed out, although they get most of the press. Democrats have a much deeper issue because some others are also not so happy with these efforts. But those Democrats are happy to remain more in the background and let Manchin be the bigger target taking the hits out there for the concept.
But exactly who’s aligned with him, even discreetly, on another consequential question—whether to end the legislative filibuster—is less clear. Only one other Democrat, Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-AZ), has been as strident about keeping the Senate’s 60-vote threshold as Manchin. A handful of others, such as Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), have sounded concerned notes or have avoided answering the question entirely.
Some Democrats look at that and argue that Manchin, who has defiantly insisted he will not gut the filibuster under any circumstances, is publicly voicing concerns that this group agrees with privately.
“There are other Democratic members who share his reservations about eliminating the filibuster,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who strongly differs with Manchin on the issue. “Perhaps they’re less outspoken, and perhaps less vehement.”
It sounds more and more like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) might be among them as well, at least when it comes to the filibuster. As we previously wrote, Feinstein said she doesn’t “see us abolishing the 60-vote threshold” so she saw it as a “non-issue.” more
…time for this again…
(SAM and FRODO, hiding in Mordor and having just witnessed an Orc kill another after an argument and run off)
“For a while the hobbits sat in silence. At length Sam stirred. ‘Well I call that neat as neat,’ he said. ‘If this nice friendliness would spread about in Mordor, half our trouble would be over.’
‘Quietly, Sam,’ Frodo whispered. ‘There may be others about. We have evidently had a very narrow escape, and the hunt was hotter on our tracks than we guessed. But that is the spirit of Mordor, Sam; and it has spread to every corner of it. Orcs have always behaved like that, or so all tales say, when they are on their own. But you can’t get much hope out of it. They hate us far more, altogether and all the time. If those two had seen us, they would have dropped all their quarrel until we were dead.’
-JRR Tolkien, “The Return of the King”
…they DO hate us more, altogether and all of the time. It’s the ONLY glue that holds them together.
…and they will remember it before it gets too out of hand for them…
I have encouraged Manchin to flip parties, just like I’ve encouraged my US house rep Gonzalez to turn blue.
I haven’t heard a word from either of them.
@ǝpɐɥsʇɥɓᴉuɹǝdnS June 11, 2021 at 11:42 pm
According to the tribal creed: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
And all of this is because “The esteemed senator from Nevada”, who hurt himself on a treadmill (allegedly) Mr. Reid wanted to eliminate the cloture votes and the 60 vote rule to allow presidential nominees to get through. It is the Republican’s fault!!!!! They turned up the rules!!!. Ignore the people behind the curtain (I still love that movie…)