Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, a Democrat, demanded Democrats boot out Democrat West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin from the party because they “already lost control over the Senate” and can’t get anything done despite hanging onto power.
Fox News reports:
Reich, who served as secretary of Labor under President Clinton and was a member of President Obama’s economic transition advisory board, wrote on Substack that kicking Manchin out of the party would at least allow Democrats to admit they didn’t truly have control when Americans head off to vote in the looming midterm elections.
Manchin’s office had reportedly told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Thursday that he is only willing to support a reconciliation bill in August that includes a provision to lower prescription drug prices and a two-year extension of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, according to a Democrat briefed on the conversations. However, Manchin pushed back later Friday on reports that he had ruled out including tax hikes and climate change subsidies within the Democrats’ party-line spending bill, saying he would wait until July inflation numbers are out next month to decide.
Reich, who served as secretary of Labor under President Clinton and was a member of President Obama’s economic transition advisory board, wrote on Substack that kicking Manchin out of the party would at least allow Democrats to admit they didn’t truly have control when Americans head off to vote in the looming midterm elections.
Manchin’s office had reportedly told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Thursday that he is only willing to support a reconciliation bill in August that includes a provision to lower prescription drug prices and a two-year extension of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, according to a Democrat briefed on the conversations. However, Manchin pushed back later Friday on reports that he had ruled out including tax hikes and climate change subsidies within the Democrats’ party-line spending bill, saying he would wait until July inflation numbers are out next month to decide.
Reich continued that Manchin has not “championed anything else Democrats have sought,” either, and the former Clinton staffer believes money is the reason.
“Few if any American-based global corporations or billionaires reside in West Virginia, but lots of money flows to Manchin from corporations and billionaires residing elsewhere. Manchin has not only taken more campaign contributions from oil, gas and coal companies than any other senator (as well as dividends from his own coal company), he has one of the largest war chests from all big American corporations,” Reich concluded.
