Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said that he disagrees with Republicans on not changing the Trump tax cuts for the rich and signaled support for Democrats passing infrastructure alone.
“I’ve come to the knowledge, basically, that budget reconciliation is for reconciling budgets. So it’s money matters,” Manchin told NBC News, calling for bolstering “human infrastructure” — Biden’s term for investments in child care, community college and paid leave — and raising tax revenues to fund them.
“Republicans have drawn a line in the sand on not changing anything, and I thought the 2017 tax bill was a very unfair billand weighted to a side that basically did not benefit the average American. So I voted against it,” Manchin said. “I think there are some adjustments that need to be made.”
If Manchin is on board, the Biden infrastructure/jobs bill is going to pass the Senate. Progressives in the House and Senate want action on climate to be part of the package, but so does the President, so the negotiation will likely center around the details on each issue, but Democrats are going to come to an agreement among themselves because they agree on the need for action.
The Trump tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations need to be changed, and Manchin’s support is the strongest omen yet that by late summer/early fall, Biden and congressional Democrats will deliver another big win to improve the lives of the American people.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor, who is White House Press Pool, and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association