President Biden’s climate agenda took a heavy blow yesterday when West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin reportedly told the White House that he strongly opposes the $150 billion clean electricity program that is the “muscle behind” the president’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change. As the New York Times noted, this is “a program to rapidly replace the nation’s coal- and gas-fired power plants with wind, solar and nuclear energy” by rewarding utility companies that switch to renewable sources and penalizing those that don’t. Now, it’s expected to be dropped from the reconciliation bill pending in Congress.
It’s no surprise that Sen. Manchin is determined to deep-six this program: He receives more campaign donations from the oil, coal and gas industries than any other senator. But his veto power over the Biden-led effort to address climate change not only harms the president’s agenda, it accelerates the increasingly visible dangers of fossil fuel-derived carbon emissions. (It’s hard to miss the last year of increasingly deadly wildfires, floods and hurricanes, for example, intensified by climate change.)
So here’s my question: How crucial is confronting climate change to you now? Even as Biden’s team attempts to find alternative policies, how big a blow is Manchin’s opposition? How tragic is this loss to you over a policy that experts say would be the toughest climate policy ever enacted by the US? And how does climate change stack up alongside the many other issues facing America, including the threats to our democracy, gun violence, radical domestic extremism and the continuing reality of unequal justice?
As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts—and the opportunity for this community to learn from each other.
It is unconscionable that a "fossil" like Manchin, whose family earns upwards of $1 million a year from the coal industry, would seek to destroy a crucial element of the vital climate agenda. If one can assume that Manchin is bright enough to understand that serious climate reform is absolutely necessary to prevent disaster on a global scale, the only reasonable corollary is that he is acting out of venal self-interest.
And another thing: what is it that Manchin and Sinema do not understand about being members of a political party? They are welcome to debate all they want about policy issues with other members, but once a decision has been arrived at by the majority, their job is to fall in line and support it.
The hypocrisy of every other Democratic Senator prefacing any comment about Manchin with the words, "Joe is a good friend of mine," is laughable.
An aggressive and bold climate policy is essential now -- too much time has been wasted over the past 2 decades. Addressing the other issues before us will mean nothing if the world becomes inhabitable except for the very wealthy (hmmm...now THAT'S a hidden agenda to ponder!) I am sick to death of Manchin and his obvious love of the limelight (and his big money donors); he is as bad as the worst of the GOP. While the Democrats continue to operate according to the old playbook -- Biden included -- where everybody agrees to abide by the same rules and behave in a civil manner as befits a civil servant, American democracy is crumbling. Unless the Democrats start playing hardball -- REAL hardball -- and SOON, we're done for. This is a crisis the magnitude of which the US has not faced since the Civil War.
Clearly, Manchin will be unlikely to ever vote against fossil fuels; he is only looking at his income stream from powerful donors. But what about Republican senators who oppose this bill? Their children and grandchildren will be equally affected by the horrors in store over the next decades. They are as villainous as Manchin. Our planet is doomed because Mitch McConnell will not hand President Biden a "win."
It’s integral to BBB. Also I find it obscene that no opinions from the Progressive Caucus are being reported. Also that no one is reporting that Manchinema agreed to a deal which they are now reneging on.
The same man who took umbridge at Sen Sanders calling him out and thinks he has no business telling WVa what to do feels entirely entitled to tell the rest of the nation what they can and can't do about climate change, a man who represents 0.6 % of the American population deciding for 325 million, and who is beholden to the coal industry from which he gains $500,000/year himself. "It's difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it"
Reading this in The NY Times nearly made me vomit. I've written a rather nasty letter to Manchin; not sure if I'll send it; not sure if it will make any difference. I don't know what will. We're SO CLOSE to the legislation required to cope with runaway climate change! I just can't with this.
Because there is not a single Republican with a conscience are but one of many reasons that this bill is doomed. They don't really care about anything but themselves as they continue to drag this country down an unforgivable path. It is heartbreaking that the children of this country are doomed without even being given a chance. The children of this country with heart should march against Congress. But in the deepest regions of my soul; I know that Congress will not pay heed to the urgency of the times we live in. Now is the time for a miracle, but I don't believe in them. I wish, just for once, I was proven wrong.
Has anyone asked Senator Manchin what he suggests to reduce carbon emissions to the levels necessary? I’d like to know his recommendations. He appears to be singularly focused on only his and his state’s needs.
I recognize that Manchin is a Democrat in what is now a deep red state. I get it. His seat is precarious and right now it’s what gives the D’s the tiebreaker vote in the Senate if the D’s vote as a solid block.
That said Manchin disappoints and infuriates me daily. I wish the Senate and House D’s hadn’t underperformed in 2020 elections. But you know what they say about wishes and Manchin is our, hanging by a thread, reality.
So. Joe to Joe, I hope Joe Biden asked Joe Manchin, “Okay you’ve come out against my plan, what’s yours?”
Does Manchin recognize climate change is real? Does he acknowledge the role of fossil fuels in climate change? If Manchin does indeed see reality, what is his plan to address it?
What I would say to Joe Manchin if I were his constituent (I’m not) is be part of the solution or at least not get in the way. Because the way I see it is his actions are literally like pouring gasoline on a burning planet.
If there is no safely livable earth, what difference do other issues make. Fossil fuels are on their way out, as should a fossil like Manchin. He should be embarrassed.
I'm not one for crazy conspiracy theories but given Joe Manchin's apparent disregard for life on the ENTIRE PLANET to please his dark corporate overlords, I just seriously have to have a moment of "OMFG what if reptilians are really a thing" 0_o !! I just cannot wrap my mind around knowing what we are facing as a planet and not having a trace of conscience, especially if you have children/grandchildren .I can grasp greed ,power lust and corruption,I just can't get this basic lack of being a human on a living breathing planet and hastening it's death. I just can't imagine that someone who lives on a houseboat can look around at all of the life in and around the water and still destroy it because at some point he and the other wealthy elite can live under domes and count their money. I have long thought that evangelicals and others were trying to bring about " the end times" but to what end and they'd never survive without "the rest of us" to exploit , so what exactly is his end game? I really hope that anyone with a microphone and camera near Joe Manchin doesn't glad hand him and give him nice softball questions. I can't help but envision Joe's face superimposed on the death dealer by Frazetta. If we survive this and that's a BIG IF, we must GET PROFIT OUT OF POLITICS .
Joe Manchin must return to the Republican Party from whence, I'm sure, he came. He's never been a Democrat and only gives the Democrats the imagined majority they were wishing for last November.
He is bought and paid for by fossils so of course he is against any meaningful progress. The two are the S&M of the supposed dem party. Coal in both of their and others stockings for sure, none are nice.
The irony is that he's not helping his constituents, including coal miners. The industry is fast withering. The transition to alternative energy sources will create an extraordinary number of jobs (see Germany, for example), safer jobs that the miners and others could be trained for. Manchin is trying to keep his company alive as long as possible, and the big bucks it pays him
So he's lining his pockets to keep the U.S. from helping the world avoid a clear existential threat. I doubt Manchin has thought for a moment about the suffering and death that millions will face in part based on his unspeakably selfish decision. He won't be around then. But he will be remembered.
How is it that a U.S. senator with a major conflict of interest is allowed to vote on climate change issues? Enough is enough.
It is unconscionable that a "fossil" like Manchin, whose family earns upwards of $1 million a year from the coal industry, would seek to destroy a crucial element of the vital climate agenda. If one can assume that Manchin is bright enough to understand that serious climate reform is absolutely necessary to prevent disaster on a global scale, the only reasonable corollary is that he is acting out of venal self-interest.
And another thing: what is it that Manchin and Sinema do not understand about being members of a political party? They are welcome to debate all they want about policy issues with other members, but once a decision has been arrived at by the majority, their job is to fall in line and support it.
The hypocrisy of every other Democratic Senator prefacing any comment about Manchin with the words, "Joe is a good friend of mine," is laughable.
Also obscene.
So tired of bought politicians.
All of the legislation is important. Unless we address climate change the rest of that program is for naught. I wishI could vote manchin out.
An aggressive and bold climate policy is essential now -- too much time has been wasted over the past 2 decades. Addressing the other issues before us will mean nothing if the world becomes inhabitable except for the very wealthy (hmmm...now THAT'S a hidden agenda to ponder!) I am sick to death of Manchin and his obvious love of the limelight (and his big money donors); he is as bad as the worst of the GOP. While the Democrats continue to operate according to the old playbook -- Biden included -- where everybody agrees to abide by the same rules and behave in a civil manner as befits a civil servant, American democracy is crumbling. Unless the Democrats start playing hardball -- REAL hardball -- and SOON, we're done for. This is a crisis the magnitude of which the US has not faced since the Civil War.
I agree, Carol. These are not times to play by the same rules.
Clearly, Manchin will be unlikely to ever vote against fossil fuels; he is only looking at his income stream from powerful donors. But what about Republican senators who oppose this bill? Their children and grandchildren will be equally affected by the horrors in store over the next decades. They are as villainous as Manchin. Our planet is doomed because Mitch McConnell will not hand President Biden a "win."
We must address climate change now! It is the most important item in the whole bill.
It’s integral to BBB. Also I find it obscene that no opinions from the Progressive Caucus are being reported. Also that no one is reporting that Manchinema agreed to a deal which they are now reneging on.
The same man who took umbridge at Sen Sanders calling him out and thinks he has no business telling WVa what to do feels entirely entitled to tell the rest of the nation what they can and can't do about climate change, a man who represents 0.6 % of the American population deciding for 325 million, and who is beholden to the coal industry from which he gains $500,000/year himself. "It's difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it"
Reading this in The NY Times nearly made me vomit. I've written a rather nasty letter to Manchin; not sure if I'll send it; not sure if it will make any difference. I don't know what will. We're SO CLOSE to the legislation required to cope with runaway climate change! I just can't with this.
Because there is not a single Republican with a conscience are but one of many reasons that this bill is doomed. They don't really care about anything but themselves as they continue to drag this country down an unforgivable path. It is heartbreaking that the children of this country are doomed without even being given a chance. The children of this country with heart should march against Congress. But in the deepest regions of my soul; I know that Congress will not pay heed to the urgency of the times we live in. Now is the time for a miracle, but I don't believe in them. I wish, just for once, I was proven wrong.
Has anyone asked Senator Manchin what he suggests to reduce carbon emissions to the levels necessary? I’d like to know his recommendations. He appears to be singularly focused on only his and his state’s needs.
I recognize that Manchin is a Democrat in what is now a deep red state. I get it. His seat is precarious and right now it’s what gives the D’s the tiebreaker vote in the Senate if the D’s vote as a solid block.
That said Manchin disappoints and infuriates me daily. I wish the Senate and House D’s hadn’t underperformed in 2020 elections. But you know what they say about wishes and Manchin is our, hanging by a thread, reality.
So. Joe to Joe, I hope Joe Biden asked Joe Manchin, “Okay you’ve come out against my plan, what’s yours?”
Does Manchin recognize climate change is real? Does he acknowledge the role of fossil fuels in climate change? If Manchin does indeed see reality, what is his plan to address it?
What I would say to Joe Manchin if I were his constituent (I’m not) is be part of the solution or at least not get in the way. Because the way I see it is his actions are literally like pouring gasoline on a burning planet.
If there is no safely livable earth, what difference do other issues make. Fossil fuels are on their way out, as should a fossil like Manchin. He should be embarrassed.
I'm not one for crazy conspiracy theories but given Joe Manchin's apparent disregard for life on the ENTIRE PLANET to please his dark corporate overlords, I just seriously have to have a moment of "OMFG what if reptilians are really a thing" 0_o !! I just cannot wrap my mind around knowing what we are facing as a planet and not having a trace of conscience, especially if you have children/grandchildren .I can grasp greed ,power lust and corruption,I just can't get this basic lack of being a human on a living breathing planet and hastening it's death. I just can't imagine that someone who lives on a houseboat can look around at all of the life in and around the water and still destroy it because at some point he and the other wealthy elite can live under domes and count their money. I have long thought that evangelicals and others were trying to bring about " the end times" but to what end and they'd never survive without "the rest of us" to exploit , so what exactly is his end game? I really hope that anyone with a microphone and camera near Joe Manchin doesn't glad hand him and give him nice softball questions. I can't help but envision Joe's face superimposed on the death dealer by Frazetta. If we survive this and that's a BIG IF, we must GET PROFIT OUT OF POLITICS .
Joe Manchin must return to the Republican Party from whence, I'm sure, he came. He's never been a Democrat and only gives the Democrats the imagined majority they were wishing for last November.
He is bought and paid for by fossils so of course he is against any meaningful progress. The two are the S&M of the supposed dem party. Coal in both of their and others stockings for sure, none are nice.
The irony is that he's not helping his constituents, including coal miners. The industry is fast withering. The transition to alternative energy sources will create an extraordinary number of jobs (see Germany, for example), safer jobs that the miners and others could be trained for. Manchin is trying to keep his company alive as long as possible, and the big bucks it pays him
So he's lining his pockets to keep the U.S. from helping the world avoid a clear existential threat. I doubt Manchin has thought for a moment about the suffering and death that millions will face in part based on his unspeakably selfish decision. He won't be around then. But he will be remembered.
How is it that a U.S. senator with a major conflict of interest is allowed to vote on climate change issues? Enough is enough.
Context from Paul Krugman: https://twitter.com/paulkrugman/status/1449385953563381767