Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) penned an op-ed for the Charleston Gazette-Mail to inform his constituents he will be voting against the For the People Act which would strengthen voting rights across the country.
He adds that he will not support jettisoning the Senate filibuster which calls for 60 votes to close debate on certain bills and move on to a final vote.
Some in my party have argued that now is the time to discard such bipartisan voting reforms and embrace election reforms and policies solely supported by one party. Respectfully, I do not agree.
I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act. Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster.
For as long as I have the privilege of being your U.S. senator, I will fight to represent the people of West Virginia, to seek bipartisan compromise no matter how difficult and to develop the political bonds that end divisions and help unite the country we love.
American democracy is something special, it is bigger than one party, or the tweet-filled partisan attack politics of the moment. It is my sincere hope that all of us, especially those who are privileged to serve, remember our responsibility to do more to unite this country before it is too late.
I understand Manchin believing he’s taking a ‘principled’ approach here. But many say Manchin’s stand for “bipartisan compromise” will basically kill most of the policies Joe Biden promised the American people during his campaign – which got him elected.
Joe Manchin @Sen_JoeManchin:
Using all of the tools at our disposal to stop the blowtorching of our democracy isn’t partisan.
It’s patriotic.
Refusing to stand against voter suppression isn’t noble.
It’s dereliction of duty.
Cc: @kyrstensinema
— Nick Knudsen 🇺🇸 (@NickKnudsenUS) June 6, 2021
Joe Manchin is happy to let Republicans unilaterally enact voter suppression laws but refuses to vote for the For The People Act because he says it’s too “partisan.”
Let’s be clear: there is nothing “partisan” about protecting the right to vote.
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) June 6, 2021
The Affordable Care Act passed the Senate on strictly partisan lines yet became so popular that Joe Manchin based his reelection campaign in 2018 on a pledge to fight attempts to repeal the law.
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) June 6, 2021
Never been this disappointed in a politician before. Joe Manchin is voting against the right to vote. His real reason can only be if we elect more Dems he will lose personal power and leverage he has now. Like so many before him, power has stolen his heart.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) June 6, 2021
“I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act.”
Republicans can rig democracy— and so long as they’re united, Manchin will let it fly. https://t.co/1YWoesUfM7
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) June 6, 2021
Joe Manchin's lazy arrogance is off the charts. He's destroying voting rights by calling for bipartisanship, while doing nothing to bring that about. He's the person you dread running into, because of his droning self-satisfaction
— Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) June 6, 2021