Joe Manchin Ambushed on His Yacht by Activists Demanding He Back Infrastructure Bill
alexmarlowson
2 min read
Senator Joe Manchin was challenged over his resistance to backing the $3.5 trillion price tag of the Build Back Better package by activists who had kayaked to his houseboat.
Manchin and Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema are the only two Democratic holdouts against the infrastructure bill, a centerpiece of the Biden administration.
Manchin has said that he would settle on a $1.5 trillion price tag for his party’s plan, but this is still well short of the lowest number progressive Democrats want.
With no GOP backing, it requires all 50 Democrats in the upper house to get it through the reconciliation process.
Over the last few days, activists in watercraft have been protesting outside the West Virginia lawmaker’s houseboat in Washington, D.C.
🚨BREAKING: Tonight, @Sen_JoeManchin emerged from his yacht for some real talk with the West Virginians who’ve been kayaking to his DC yacht every day this week!
And he invited them to come in for a meeting tomorrow/Monday latest!#DontSinkWV
🧵 pic.twitter.com/VYUhMxobPy— CPD Action (@CPDAction) October 1, 2021
On Thursday, Manchin fielded questions about his stance from the stern of the vessel, called Almost Heaven.
In a video tweeted by the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD), one person questioned Manchin’s resistance to the legislation’s price tag, given that a Pentagon budget of $788 billion had been passed and that defense over 10 years cost over $6 trillion.
Manchin countered by asking the activist “how much do you think that we spend on non-discretionary, basically non-defense? Just as much,” although someone shouted from the water, “not enough.”
Manchin started to say, “let me give you one bit of information,” before being interrupted by an activist who shouted to Manchin, “I’ve got one little bit of information for you.
“The Republicans are likely to take over the Senate, this is our one chance, right now to pass the legislation,” the protester said. Another added that the Republicans are “not going to pass this for the people. They’re not, this is our chance. We can’t wait.”
Elsewhere in the clip, Manchin said that “we’re doing everything we can to create good opportunities,” and when someone shouted “Tax the rich,” he replied, “well, I agree with that,” adding, “we are going to make the rich and the famous pay.”
The demonstrators outside the senator’s yacht this week have come from a number of groups, according to CPD Action.
These include Greenpeace USA, Young West Virginia, and Race Matters WV and have held up banners with messages like “No Climate No Deal,” and “Don’t Sink West Virginia.”
Along with the video CPD shared, which as of Friday morning had been viewed around 500,000 times, was a tweet saying Manchin had “invited them to come in for a meeting tomorrow/Monday latest!”
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Original Article: Joe Manchin Ambushed on His Yacht by Activists Demanding He Back Infrastructure Bill (msn.com)
Remember the ole’ football chant? Hold that line! Hold that line!!!!!!!!
Don’t cave Mr. Manchin, to those few who throw loud tantrums. $3.5 Trillion is ridiculous when all we are doing is bailing out states like California and New York who have no clue how to be fiscally responsible. West Virginia stands with you Mr Manchin, not with this ridiculous bill.
You’re on the right path, Mr Manchin. There are those who want to right the ship and then there are those who want to sink the boat, regardless of the circumstances. Righteousness will be a lonely road, when madness prevails.
Possibly Senator Manchin should get off his million dollar yacht and get down and look at how this bill will help the working class persons he seems not to care about, according to his remarks. In my opinion that is what is wrong with Congress to many with money not caring about the ones who do not have the money or a means to acquire it, and barely scrape by, because those in Congress do not have a clue as to how hard it is to survive, let alone live like Nearly every Congress person does, not all but the majority and get their campaign money and reelection money from those who are in their wealth class or higher.
You obviously don’t know what’s in the 3.5 trillion bill, it is nothing for the little people and filled with pork for special interests. As for no money or the means to acquire it, everyone has the means to acquire it IF they want to put in the work! This is the land of opportunity (but not for long). Unless you’re a quadriplegic or don’t have the intellect or mental stability to hold down a job, there is plenty of work out there. The million people who have illegally crossed our border since January will find the means to make money and support themselves because they want the freedoms we have…you Robert6391 are just looking for a handout.