I've always maintained to disregard what Manchin says and instead watch what he does. But sometimes you do have to listen to what he is and is not saying. This is one of those times. he's open to ditching the Byrd Rule? Or not?

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This is a big deal if he means it, but it's unclear if he means it. Watch the clip below, noting that Chuck Todd asks him specifically about using reconciliation to pass "election-only bills like H.R. 1." That's the "For the People Act," Democrats' massive voting-rights reform bill, their absolute top legislative priority before the midterms. Right now it looks dead on arrival in the Senate because, like all non-budgetary bills, it's subject to filibuster rules requiring 60 votes for cloture. And there's no way Democrats will find 10 Republican votes to help them get over that hump.

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Because reconciliation procedures are supposed to apply only to budgetary matters, the Senate parliamentarian would surely rule that reconciliation doesn't apply. But the parliamentarian's opinion is advisory; it can be overruled by the Senate's presiding officer. The question is whether Manchin would be willing to vote yes on a bill under those circumstances. Last month he said he wouldn't, that he'd follow the so-called "Byrd rule" that keeps non-budgetary matters (like raising the minimum wage") out of bills that are subject to reconciliation.

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Note that Manchin himself never mentions using reconciliation for H.R. 1 in the clip. It's Todd who brings it up. But this would have been a fine opportunity for Manchin to reaffirm his commitment to the Byrd rule and he conspicuously avoids doing so. Is the Dems' voting-rights package suddenly viable?

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VIA Hot Air

Besides

If it passes he never has to worry about losing an election ever again as it turns us into a one party China style statist oligarchy

Manchin rolls for Manchin. The dude is a master politician. He sways in the wind on every policy. It's amazing how his state has turned red and he's still there....

GenericAggie said:

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Manchin rolls for Manchin. The dude is a master politician. He sways in the wind on every policy. It's amazing how his state has turned red and he's still there....

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Agree. But it is really scary that one guy has so much power even when he is not in a leadership position.

HR1 is a dumpster fire piece of legislation and Manchin knows it. I don't see him rolling on this one.

AggieUSMC said:

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HR1 is a dumpster fire piece of legislation and Manchin knows it. I don't see him rolling on this one.

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Then he should have said that today. Why it got my attention. He refused to be categorical about it.

This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

Waffledynamics said:

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This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

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Yes, it is. I don't understand why so few people here, on Forum 16, aren't screaming to the high heavens about it.

HR 1 might pass next session , if the Ds control the house and pick up a couple of senate seats. The only other legislative thing that will happen is the ACA and infrastructure will be in the next budget and will be passed through reconciliation. Lots of EO's but no legislation

aggiehawg said:

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The pressure to end the filibuster, toss out the Byrd rule on reconciliation being used for everything means the Senate is no longer a deliberative body, it is just as much of mob rules as the House is.

Dangerous precedents being set.

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Indeed. The Democrats flat out don't care about tradition or the rules any longer. Their zeal and determination to advance the left wing agenda has overridden what little sense they had left. They are on a crusade and believe they hold the moral high ground and that takes priority over everything. They also believe they let an opportunity pass with Obama's first two years and then got caught flat footed with Trump.

I do not believe they will let this two year window slip away without using the nuclear option. They will do irreparable damage to our system of government unless cooler heads prevail.

HR 1 is unconstitutional.

Courts will overturn it

I wish they would make a rule that to pass ANYTHiNG takes 75% majority. That would sure slow down gov growth it seems.

Can Texas at least pass such rule?

Is there a downside to this that I'm not seeing?

aggiehawg said:

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Waffledynamics said:

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This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

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Yes, it is. I don't understand why so few people here, on Forum 16, aren't screaming to the high heavens about it.

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I think it is because HR1 is so bad that we just can't imagine it would ever have a chance of passing. Kind of like Biden getting 80 mill votes.

aggiehawg said:

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Waffledynamics said:

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This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

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Yes, it is. I don't understand why so few people here, on Forum 16, aren't screaming to the high heavens about it.

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A) If they put it in budget reconciliation that means that essentially the filibuster is dead. Don't think Dems want to do that.

B) Most of, if not all, of the law would get ruled unconstitutional. Therefore you just opened up Pandora's box in getting rid of the filibuster for nothing (see the nuclear option and how many times that's bitten the Dems in the ass).

Waffledynamics said:

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This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

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This country was doomed when the dimtards and their ccp and Venezuelan allies stole the last election and the senate seats in Georgia. Now we will have bloodshed in this country if hr1 passes!

geoag58 said:

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Waffledynamics said:

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This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

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This country was doomed when the dimtards and their ccp and Venezuelan allies stole the last election and the senate seats in Georgia. Now we will have bloodshed in this country if hr1 passes!

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This is probably why they still have the national guard around the capitol.

itsyourboypookie said:

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HR 1 is unconstitutional.

Courts will overturn it

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The Obamacare individual mandate was unconstitutional too

Waffledynamics said:

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This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

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Secession of multiple states will be necessary. The elections would not be any better than overseas rigged tyrannies going forward anyway.

K188Ag said:

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geoag58 said:

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Waffledynamics said:

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This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

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This country was doomed when the dimtards and their ccp and Venezuelan allies stole the last election and the senate seats in Georgia. Now we will have bloodshed in this country if hr1 passes!

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This is probably why they still have the national guard around the capitol.

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It is exactly why. Though its interesting that even the Kremlin and Reich Chancellery didn't have to go quite that far. They limited approaching to across the plazas from them.

K188Ag said:

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geoag58 said:

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Waffledynamics said:

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This country is doomed if HR1 passes.

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This country was doomed when the dimtards and their ccp and Venezuelan allies stole the last election and the senate seats in Georgia. Now we will have bloodshed in this country if hr1 passes!

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This is probably why they still have the national guard around the capitol.

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That and drastic gun grab legislation.

Manchin again.

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Manchin said that with just a few concessions, it would have been possible to get some Republicans on the COVID relief package that passed the Senate this weekend on a party-line vote. And he said he'll block Biden's next big package $2 trillion to $4 trillion for climate and infrastructure if Republicans aren't included.

"I'm not going to do it through reconciliation," which requires only a simple majority, like the COVID stimulus, Manchin said. "I am not going to get on a bill that cuts them out completely before we start trying."

Asked if he believes it's possible to get 10 Republicans on the infrastructure package, which could yield the 60 votes needed under normal Senate rules, Manchin said: "I sure do."
Manchin said the infrastructure bill can be big as much as $4 trillion as long as it's paid for with tax increases. He said he'll start his bargaining by requiring the package be 100% paid for.

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VIA Hot Air

aggiehawg said:

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Manchin again.

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Manchin said that with just a few concessions, it would have been possible to get some Republicans on the COVID relief package that passed the Senate this weekend on a party-line vote. And he said he'll block Biden's next big package $2 trillion to $4 trillion for climate and infrastructure if Republicans aren't included.

"I'm not going to do it through reconciliation," which requires only a simple majority, like the COVID stimulus, Manchin said. "I am not going to get on a bill that cuts them out completely before we start trying."

Asked if he believes it's possible to get 10 Republicans on the infrastructure package, which could yield the 60 votes needed under normal Senate rules, Manchin said: "I sure do."
Manchin said the infrastructure bill can be big as much as $4 trillion as long as it's paid for with tax increases. He said he'll start his bargaining by requiring the package be 100% paid for.

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VIA Hot Air

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Just cancel taxes for 2021. That would be easier to manage and hardly less budget busting.

Need an income cap for national politicians and press. More fiscal responsibility might set in then, if they had to watch balancing the bills again.