The only Democrat to have gained stature in Tuesday’s Virginia election was moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin. He appears to be the only adult within the Democratic Party, warning his colleagues to go slow with Bidens massive 1.75 trillion Build Back Better reconciliation package currently stalled in Congress.
The West Virginia lawmaker acknowledged that Youngkin’s come-from-behind win was “unbelievable” and suggested that those within his party, namely those far left loons that have hijacked the party, had better rethink their agenda.
Manchin, also reminded his peers that Biden had won the state by 10 points in 2020, and within just one year, first time GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin, who never held an elective office, ran a brilliant campaign beating a seasoned politician, moreover, a former governor.
“It’s unbelievable to see what went on in Virginia, and not just from the governor’s race, but all the way down that ticket. A good bit of change has happened,” Manchin said, expressing astonishment over Republican victories in the races for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
The 74-year old lawmaker cautioned his party leaders, namely Senate Majority Leader Schumer and House Speaker Pelosi, that Tuesday’s elections in both Virginia and New Jersey should be a warning to proceed with caution regarding the reconciliation package.
“You can read so much into all of that last night. I think it should be a call to all of us, have to be more attentive to the people back home,” said Manchin, who also noted the governor’s race in New Jersey was still too close to call, as of late Wednesday afternoon.
Manchin continued sounding the alarm; “I’ve been saying this for many, many months, people have concerns, people are concerned,” he said, repeating his concerns about federal spending, boosting inflation and hurting constituents back home in West Virginia and other rural areas.
Adding: “And for us to go down a path that we’ve been going and trying to accelerate it and it has been slowed down – I think we need to take our time and do it right.”
However, if Wednesday morning, following the pounding Democrats took on election night is any indication that Democrats will heed Manchin’s concerns…think again.
Both Schumer and Pelosi, including members of the “squad”, along with other progressive Democratic lawmakers, are doubling down and scrambling to get the massive 1.75 trillion dollar reconciliation package passed before Thanksgiving. This includes a smorgasbord of progressive goodies and a host of other social spending priorities like federal assistance for child care and expanded pre-kindergarten.
On today's Front Page #Podcast:
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 4, 2021
Frustrated Democrats blame one another and President Biden after the party’s losses in Virginia, congressional Democrats try to reinsert paid family leave back into the $1.75 trillion spending package, and more.
LISTEN: https://t.co/iOit2vEVjm
Moreover, they plan on passing the massive legislation without any GOP support, under special budget reconciliation rules that allow them to circumvent a Senate filibuster.
However, Manchin might just be the “fly in the ointment” if he continues holding firm.
He argued that House Democrats should immediately pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which he helped negotiate and the Senate passed this summer.
“The House needs to really truly pass the infrastructure bill. That’s something that’s proven,” he said, adding the legislation has broad bipartisan support and would bring an estimated $6 billion in federal assistance to West Virginia.
“We need to be cognizant of that. We just can’t just say look, we can do this, this and this and it will take care of it. We’ve got to be very careful,” he said.
Adding; “We have a divided country that needs to be united and you can’t unite it by just doing it by one-party system,” he warned.