Say It Ain’t So, Joe

Mr. Manchin worries that the short-term benefit of ditching the filibuster would backfire for Democrats over the long term.  “I’m concerned about the House pushing an agenda that would be hard for us to maintain the majority,” Mr. Manchin said about the progressive legislation that House Democrats are stacking up at the Senate door.  To a growing number of his Democratic colleagues — and not just liberals — it’s naïve to keep putting hope over history,  and believe, as Mr. Manchin said about gun legislation, that Republicans may say, “Listen, it’s time for us to do the reasonable, sensible thing.”  Of course, few in a Senate that depends on Mr. Manchin for a 50th vote will say outright that their colleague is indulging in fantasy.  “Joe’s focus, I believe, is bipartisanship, and I agree with the starting point,” said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, before lowering the boom: “They weren’t going to give us a single vote,” he said about the stimulus bill.  What Joe has consistently ignored is Republicans have no intention of any form of cooperation with a Democratic administration or a Democratic agenda.  What more proof does Joe need than the Affordable Care Act?  This legislation was, for the most part, designed by the Heritage Foundation, a Republican/Right-wing think tank.  It was first voted into law in Massachusetts and signed into law by a Republican governor.  President met with Senator Grassley, a Republican, on a number of occasions asking for and getting his input for the legislation.  In spite of having some of Grassley’s suggestion included in the legislation when it came time for a vote not a single Republican voted for the measure.  The recent Corona Relief Act is another example where a Republican amendment was included in the measure and the Republican author of the amendment still voted against the measure.  The idea of Republican bipartisanship is a myth with no possible reality just like the tooth fairy.  Republicans just cannot govern.  The only thing to come from a Republican majority in over 10 years is tax cuts and obstruction of every thing else.  So, Joe must have some special cool aid stowed in the galley of Almost Heaven that he continues to drink on a daily basis if he thinks there is a chance in Hell McConnell will ever vote in a bipartisanship manner.