Joe Manchin threatens to leave the Democratic Party if he can not build better

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) is reportedly planning his retirement from the Democratic Party if he does not 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:

Senator Joe Manchin (DW Va.) Has told associates in recent days that he is considering leaving the Democratic Party if President Joe Biden and Capitol Hill Democrats do not agree with his demand to reduce the Social Infrastructure Bill $ 3.5 trillion to $ 1.75 trillion, according to people who heard Manchin discuss it. Manchin said that if that happened, he would declare himself “American Independent.” And he devised a detailed exit strategy for his departure.

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He told co-workers that he had a two-step plan to leave the party. First, he would send a letter to Senator Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, removing himself from the Senate Democratic leadership. (He is vice chairman of the Senate Democrats’ policy and communications committee.) Manchin hopes that will be a signal. He will then wait and see if the move has an effect on the negotiations. After about a week, he said, he would change his voter registration from Democrat to Independent.

Joe Manchin can still hold a caucus with the Democrats

Leaving the Democratic Party is not the same as Mitch McConnell becoming the new majority leader. Manchin can co-operate independently and with the Democrats, just like current Sanders and King.

Note that Manchin did not say he was joining the Republican Party.

Given the way the Build Back Better negotiations are progressing, it is unlikely that Manchin will ever have to make the threat. Democrats include a reconciliation bill that contains much, if not all, of what Manchin wants.

But for those who think so Manchin just needs to leave the Democratic Party, ieIt seems he is much closer to fulfilling their wish, possibly making Mitch McConnell the majority leader than many people realize.