The reconciliation spending bill known as Build Back Better is dead without support from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who already indicated last month that he doesn't support the bill. Yet Democratic leadership still aims to bring the bill up for a vote in the Senate, Alayna Treene reported on Sunday for Axios. All this comes even though Treene also mentioned "Democratic leaders are largely in the same place with the BBB talks as they were before breaking for their holiday recess."
The thought process behind the move s to give members a chance to vote on to, and to force Manchin to go on the record voting against it. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who caucuses with the Democrats and who is the chairman of the Senate Budget committee, called for such a move the very same day Manchin came out against it.
Treene also mentioned that more will be known after a Monday night Senate and a Tuesday caucus lunch. While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is pushing for the vote to take place at some point this month, it could even take place this week, which an aide told Axios would be "a bad sign."
While Schumer bringing the bill for a vote this week would signify they expect the bill to fail, another possibility involves Democratic attempts to try to negotiate further with Manchin.
Ever since Manchin came out against the bill during his appearance on "Fox News Sunday" from December 19, the reaction has been particularly vicious against Manchin and the entire state of West Virginia. Even the Biden administration took part in smearing and telling lies about the senator.
Manchin addressed his opposition the very next day, during an interview with "Talkline's" Hoppy Kercheval.
"They figured, ‘Surely to God we can move one person. Surely, we can badger and beat one person up. Surely we can get enough protesters to make that person uncomfortable enough they’ll just say, ‘Okay, I’ll vote for anything just quit,'" Manchin offered. "Guess what?" Manchin continued. "I’m from West Virginia. I’m not from where they’re from where you can beat the living crap out and people and they’ll be submissive."
Manchin also said "I’m not blaming anybody. I knew where they were and I knew what they could and could not do."
It's still possible that Manchin may ultimately agree to support the legislation, though. As Hans Nichols also reported for Axios on Sunday, Manchin is "open to reengaging on the climate and child care provisions in President Biden's Build Back Better agenda if the White House removes the enhanced child tax credit from the $1.75 trillion package — or dramatically lowers the income caps for eligible families," according to "people familiar with the matter."
Specific parts of the bill that were problematic for Manchin included child tax credit and paid family leave, as he was concerned that these entitlement programs could be abused or would add too much to the deficit.
A score from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) laid out how Build Back Better would add $3 trillion to the deficit from 2022 to 2031 if those programs were made permanent. Manchin was reportedly "stunned," Leah highlighted.
At this point it looks like Democrats are desperate to get anything passed, just so that they can say they've delivered a win for President Joe Biden. The Build Back Better Act was a particularly major part of the president's failing agenda.