Every week that goes by with Democrats unable to bully or bribe their two recalcitrant Senate colleagues into signing on to one of the worst pieces of legislation in modern history is a good week for America.
Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are still holding out against passage of their party’s $3.5 trillion socialist spending bill, despite relentless attacks from their colleagues, who alternate between coating them with sugar and dousing them with bile.
Democrats have thrown overboard key pieces of the package, including free community college, to lighten the cost enough to win over the two dissidents. They’ve also backed off somewhat on weaponizing the IRS to squeeze more revenue out of working Americans.
But then Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is the driver of the legislative package that would turn America into a full-on welfare state, penned an op-ed last week that ran in Manchin’s home state accusing him of opposing help for the working class. It clearly ticked off Manchin.
In a heated face-to-face meeting between the pair, Manchin reportedly shouted at Sanders, “How about zero?” when pressed for an amount of spending he’d support.
Zero is a fine number. The best number, in fact.
Manchin and Sinema, who herself has been harassed while trying to use the bathroom, hope to help their party and country avoid the disaster this bill would bring.
They understand pouring additional trillions of dollars of government spending onto the trillions already spent would send inflation through the roof.
Its vast new cradle-to-grave welfare programs would provide further disincentive to work for a labor force that is too comfortable staying at home.
The massive tax hikes on the wealthy and corporations that are supposed to pay for this boondoggle will slow investments and job creation, and provide renewed incentives for companies to move their business overseas.
The American people aren’t cheering all the giveaways the bill would shower on them. Rather, they are wary of their government becoming so much bigger and more intrusive. A poll this month from the bipartisan PAC No Labels found 60% of Americans agree with Manchin’s plea for a “strategic pause” on the bill that would provide more time to weigh its impact.
Washington Post’s left-leaning editorial board chided Democrats for attempting to abuse their slim majority in Congress “to stage a revolution.”
That’s a good description of what’s going on. Democrats are trying to radically reshape America without building the broad consensus that should precede such a consequential transformation.
They had hoped to shove it through a month ago. The longer their ambition is denied, the better the chance it will be derailed.
This is a bad bill, and not just because of its tremendous cost. Even a much smaller version would position the federal government as the most dominant force in American life, making nearly every individual dependent on its largesse.
God bless Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema for standing in the path of their own party’s bulldozer. Here’s praying they’ll hang tough.
