Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is moving ahead with a vote on a rules change to enforce a talking filibuster instead of a 60-vote cloture vote. However, he knows it won’t pass; Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) has already said he has no intention of supporting a rules change.
“I just don’t know how you break a rule to make a rule. We’ve never done this,” Manchin said. “The majority of my colleagues in the Democratic caucus, they’ve changed, they’ve changed their minds. I respect that. They have a right to change their minds. I haven’t. I hope they respect that too. I’ve never changed my mind on the filibuster.”
So, what’s the purpose of the vote when it’s doomed to fail?
“The public is entitled to know where each senator stands on an issue as sacrosanct as defending our democracy,” Schumer said Tuesday. “The American people deserve to see their senators go on record on whether they will support these bills or oppose them. Indeed, that may be the only way to make progress on this issue for now: for the public to see where each of us in this chamber stands.”
In other words, this is all a pressure campaign against Sens. Manchin and Sinema (D-Ariz.), who have repeatedly refused to support a rules change.
Back in October, there were rumors that Manchin was considering leaving the Democratic Party. Manchin dismissed the rumors, saying, “I can’t control rumors, and it’s bull****.” However, he did acknowledge that he’s approached “every day” about switching parties and has said that it probably would be “easier” to join the GOP than remain a Democrat.
“It would be much easier, my goodness,” Manchin said. “But is that the purpose of being involved in public service, because it’s easy?”
However, sources close to Manchin said last year that he would be more likely to switch his affiliation to independent and caucus with the Democrats instead of becoming a Republican. But, given this stunt by Schumer, maybe it’s time for Manchin to reconsider.
Related: CNN Analyst Says Manchin Should Leave the Democrat Party
As long as Democrats have the majority in the Senate, they will continue their attempts to change the rules and get their voting legislation passed. If Manchin were to become an independent and caucus with the Republicans, the GOP would gain control of the Senate, and the Democrats’ election overhaul legislation would be dead in the water in the upper chamber.
The closer we get to the midterm elections, in which Democrats are expected to suffer historic losses, the more desperate they will become, and the more pressure they will put on Sens. Manchin and Sinema. Between the two of them, Manchin is more likely to caucus with or switch to the GOP, and the moment to do that has presented itself. If Joe Manchin plans to run for reelection in 2024, becoming a Republican might be the best way to save his political career.
And more pressure will come if Manchin doesn’t use his unique position to strip Chuck Schumer of his role as Majority Leader. Both Manchin and Sinema have been targets of harassment in recent months when leftwing activists were desperately trying to get them on board with Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. Joe Biden didn’t even condemn the harassment. Instead, he dismissed it as “part of the process.”
As long as Manchin remains a Democrat or caucuses with them, they have control of the agenda in the Senate and the harassment will continue. It’s time for Manchin to give serious thought to ending the Democrats’ reign of terror in the Senate, before they resort to even crueler tactics.
