Joe Manchin Is Threatening To Leave The Democratic Party If He Doesn't Get His Way On Build Back Better

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Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 01:41 pm

It is being reported that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is plotting his exit from the Democratic Party if he doesn’t get what he wants on Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.

Joe Manchin Has A Plan To Leave The Democratic Party

Mother Jones with the scoop:

In recent days, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) has told associates that he is considering leaving the Democratic Party if President Joe Biden and Democrats on Capitol Hill do not agree to his demand to cut the size of the social infrastructure bill from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion, according to people who have heard Manchin discuss this. Manchin has said that if this were to happen, he would declare himself an “American Independent.” And he has devised a detailed exit strategy for his departure.

…..

He told associates that he has a two-step plan for exiting the party. First, he would send a letter to Sen. Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, removing himself from the Democratic leadership of the Senate. (He is vice chairman of the Senate Democrats’ policy and communications committee.) Manchin hopes that would send a signal. He would then wait and see if that move had any impact on the negotiations. After about a week, he said, he would change his voter registration from Democrat to independent.

Joe Manchin Could Still Caucus With The Democrats

Leaving the Democratic Party is not the same as Mitch McConnell becoming the new Majority Leader. Manchin could go Independent and caucus with the Democrats, just like current Sens. Sanders and King.

Notice that Manchin didn’t say that he was joining the Republican Party.

Given the way that the Build Back Better negotiations are going, it is unlikely that Manchin will ever have to pull the trigger on his threat. Democrats are closing in on a reconciliation bill that contains much if not everything that Manchin wants.

However, for those who think that Manchin should just leave the Democratic Party, it appears that he is a lot closer to granting their wish, and potentially making Mitch McConnell the Majority Leader than many people realize.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a 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.

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