Republicans once lauded Joe Manchin for recognizing excessive government spending contributed to inflation.
Democrats were angry at Manchin, calling him a barrage of names after he held their “Build Back Better” plan hostage for months.
But after making a backdoor deal with Chuck Schumer, Manchin is about to pay the price for his shady dealings behind closed doors.
A pet project plan going bust
In July, the Democrats changed their massive Build Back Better plan to the slimmer Inflation Reduction Act.
Without Manchin’s support, the new bill would never pass while in a 50-50 Senate.
As a trade for his vote to pass the IRA, Manchin made a closed-door deal with Chuck Schumer that promised him a pipeline in his state.
The plan was to approve permitting to get the pipeline built, a project that’s likely supported by his constituents back home in a state where jobs and the economy are priority number one.
Meanwhile, climate-change Democrats had no idea that this agreement was taking place.
Not only did the deal enrage Democrats, but it also earned Manchin the ire of many Republicans, including Senator Lindsey Graham.
Graham said he would not vote for a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown that is a “part of a political payback scheme.”
He also warned Manchin that he’s not supposed to receive any special deal for a pipeline in his state just so the Senate can approve the continuation of government funding.
Where do other Republicans stand?
Joe Manchin assumed that the Republicans would have no issues with a deal that loosens permitting and regulations for a pipeline, but he was sorely mistaken.
Since Manchin caved and voted yes on Democrats’ frivolous IRA spending package, he’s not going to get much, if any support from the Right.
Mitch McConnell is spending his time throwing heaps of praise at Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who is now gaining more attention from the GOP.
He told members of the GOP that Manchin’s pipeline deal is a “phony fig leaf,” and many Senators said they’d only sign off on the continuing resolution if the deal is removed.
Manchin tried to contact other Senators to get support for his pipeline, but his phone calls were to no avail.
After giving Republicans a no vote on Build Back Better and frustrating his own party, he must feel like he’s owed something this go-round if he’s going to appease the Democrats.
Joe Manchin wanted easier access to permitting and the Mountain Valley Pipeline in his state, yet most Democrats oppose such provisions, especially without environmental analysis.
In the end, the whole thing blew up in Manchin’s face and Chuck Schumer was forced to remove the language after it threatened passage of the continuing resolution.
It looks like Joe Manchin tried to play both sides thinking he wouldn’t get caught, but now it’s clear that no backdoor deal goes unpunished.
US Political Daily will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
