It is far past time that Democrats face up and step up to who Senator Joe Manchin really is.  He is Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Trojan Horse: hence, he is the Republican Party’s Trojan Horse.  Senator McConnell knows it, all of the Republican senators know it, all of the House Republicans know it and Senator Joe Manchin knows it.  Senator Manchin’s feelings won’t be irreparably hurt if Democrats call him out for the Trojan Horse that he is; and if they are, so what?!  Senator Manchin knows who he is and he isn’t at all bothered by what he is doing to President Biden and Democrats for Senator McConnell and how it is impacting on their agenda.

It is bad enough that Senator Manchin is doing what he is doing but it is made worse because he is couching it in a supposed concern for the American people and what we are struggling with as a result of high inflation.  His couching tactic is made even worse because Democrats naïvely continue to believe that he is negotiating in good faith when he is actually working to run out the clock.  One would think that after what happened with Representative Pramila Jayapal when the House was negotiating with Senator Manchin that Democrats would be wise to his method of operation (MO) by now but they are not.  If I am wrong and they are aware of how he operates, they really have an odd way of showing it!

Sure, Democrats have an obligation to continue to try to work with Senator Manchin but they do not have to continue to treat him with kid gloves and try to convince him that everything is hunky-dory.  As previously stated, he knows who he is.  Based on what transpired in his negotiations with Representative Jayapal, he is not a man of his word and, as such, is untrustworthy.  If Democrats want to attribute this to the notion that it is just because he is a politician and this is what politicians do or any other reason that they want to conjure up, so be it.  But please, Democrats, stop with the fake comity and just get real!  If you can reach some kind of reasonable agreement with him – which will likely only be reached by offering something that appeals to his personal political ambition, then you should go for it.  If what you offer fits in with that politically ambitious agenda then he will accept it regardless of whether or not it is couched in comity.  So, Democrats, know that you can express all of the disdain for him that you might have; If the offer is right, he will take it.

Some Democrats out there might think that I am being overly critical of Senator Manchin simply because he is not blindly going along with President Biden’s Build Back Better (BBB) agenda and is voting his conscience in order to help his West Virginia constituents and the rest of America to better deal with the high inflation rate.  Those Democrats may think that I am just a hardnosed far-left Democrat who needs to pump his brakes and accept the honest efforts of a centrist Democrat who, despite the current political situation where our country is completely divided and polarized, is desperately trying to help pull America back together again.  After all, one benefactor has recently said great things about him.  According to an article in RollingStone, this benefactor said “Joe is the most important guy in D.C.  Maybe the most important guy in America today.  I call him every week and say ‘Joe, you’re doing great.  Stay tough, buddy.’  He’s phenomenal.”  And, [he is] “keeping our elected officials somewhere in the middle” and not “pushing us to the extremes…where it’s uncomfortable.”  And some of Senator Manchin’s donors see him – with just as much enthusiasm, as ‘someone who could switch parties and beat Biden in 2024.’

Since America is currently divided and polarized politically, maybe it is not so bad that some of Senator Manchin’s donors view him as someone who could switch parties and beat President Biden in 2024, right?  The problem is that this comment – made by Mr. Nelson Peltz, and these views were expressed at a $5,000-per-plate fundraiser for Senator Manchin held by Trump donor Nelson Peltz.  Mr. Peltz has also held fundraisers for Donald J. Trump, the former Occupier of the Oval Office.  Further, Senator Manchin has been the beneficiary of other Republican fundraisers such as the one he attended in Texas in July 2021 which was organized by oil and gas industry executives and hosted by GOP donors.  Senator Manchin is the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee whose decisions can have a great impact on the Democrats’ infrastructure and climate agenda.

With friends like Senator Manchin, who needs enemies?  He has been so completely consumed by his ego, political ambition and all of the attention that he has been receiving that he cannot see that he is setting in stone a legacy of shame.  He seems unable to comprehend that he is denying science by cavalierly ignoring the warnings of global professionals who say that the window to address the climate change problem is fast closing.  He does not seem to understand that he is not only relegating himself to a terrible legacy that will haunt the annals of history in infamy in perpetuity, but he is likely subjecting all Americans and the world to a horrible future!  And he is doing all of this as a Mitch McConnell minion!  Senator Manchin should know by now how the Republican Party operates; he should know that as soon as he is no longer of use to them that without fanfare and in the infamous Donald Trump fashion, they will ‘hardly know the guy’ and will throw him under the bus.  Ever since the rise of The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America, that is how the Republican Party handles things.  You don’t believe me?  Ask Representative Liz Cheney!

No matter how low the bottom might be for any politician, their word is important currency in the political world.  Senator Manchin’s comeuppance will likely come sooner than later because his word is no longer worth anything to congressional Democrats.  He proved this to be true while negotiating with Representative Jayapal and now he has proven it with Senate Majority Leader Schumer: President Biden no longer trust him or can place any confidence in his word.  So, what’s left for Senator Manchin?  Well, the Republicans will have to run a few tests to see if he is still a valuable toady; and if he is not, the Republicans will stick together like they are so capable of doing – give them credit, they are really good at that whether it is for good or for evil – go out and procure a big bus and…

Maybe Senator Manchin will run for office again, maybe he won’t.  Some of the folks at the above-mentioned Republican fundraiser that was held on his behalf said that he could switch parties and run against, and perhaps defeat, President Biden in 2024; maybe he will do that, maybe he won’t.  Whatever Senator Manchin decides to do, it is probably too late for him to salvage his legacy.  He might be able to dress it up a little bit and make it more palatable to anyone, including himself, that might be interested in or concerned about it.  But “salvage”?  Nah.  But since the Republican bus is fast approaching right now, that is likely demanding his full attention anyway.  If it is not, it certainly should be!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line