The White House has acknowledged President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion Build Back Better bill will be pushed into next year as talks with Senator Joe Manchin and his fellow Democrats have “soured.” But the West Virginia conservative Democratic lawmaker was quickly mocked after a reporter tweeted a screenshot of Manchin on the Senate floor huddling not with Democrats but with Republicans.
Among the most dire and immediate consequences of Senator Manchin’s refusal to negotiate and support Democratic principles?
“Millions of US families could be pushed back into poverty without [the] child tax credit extension,” reads a headline Wednesday afternoon from The Independent. “Critical lifeline is set to expire after slashing poverty and food insecurity for millions of families with children.”
On social media Manchin was pilloried.
“A lot of smiles all around, as he tells Joe Biden that he wants to take money away from families with children, around Christmastime,” said one Twitter user.
“Manchin is chummy with Republicans as they march towards authoritarianism . . .,” tweeted one social media user. “History will judge him harshly . . .”
“Getting his marching orders,” said another.”
“Holding the line. Like he was paid to do,” tweeted another user.
Manchin is reportedly worth $5 million, owns a $250,000 boat, and in addition to his government salary has income from his family’s coal business. Manchin “received about half a million dollars in 2020 in returns from his investments in the business,” MSNBC reports.
The mockery did not stop there.
“He’s among his peers, joking and laughing about their ability to obstruct Biden’s agenda.”
“Congratulating him on tanking the signature piece of legislation that WE VOTED FOR??”
“HE’S LAUGHING AT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE…
IT’S ALL ABOUT ME AND MY OIL FRIENDS”
“If your country’s future hangs on a coal spokesman from West Virginia doing the right thing, your country is f*cked.”