Sen. Joe Manchin on Government Shutdowns
Senator Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) expressed on Wednesday that there’s a good chance that Democrats could find themselves bearing the brunt of criticism if the government shuts down.
“They’ll be blamed for shutting it down,” Manchin mentioned, questioning, “Why would they want to put themselves in that spot? They’re not capitalizing on the opportunities available to them.”
He emphasized, “You really need to grasp the situation you’re in – you have to play your cards right.”
As it stands, government funding is set to run out on September 30 unless lawmakers can negotiate a stop-gap agreement. House Democratic leaders have already turned down a 91-page proposal from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) that aimed to extend the shutdown deadline to November 21st.
This continuing resolution (CR) also includes an extra $58 million for security for executive branch and Supreme Court officials and $30 million designated for security for council members in their home districts. Recently, there has been heightened concern for safety following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week.
However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) have voiced their disapproval of the proposals pushed by Republicans, citing the GOP’s refusal to expand subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Manchin has also echoed concerns regarding the state of affairs.
The two Democratic leaders stated, “Republicans are leading our country straight towards closure.”
A Democratic senator previously remarked that a government closure would convey a “message” to President Trump.
Manchin, an independent who previously identified as a Democrat before leaving the Senate in January, critiqued Trump’s handling of the situation in a Semaphore interview, posing a question: “Why do you put others through this because of your inability to do your job? Seriously, who gets blamed here?”
“You’re in a position,” he added. “Are you prepared to make any changes? And how many people will suffer because of your decisions?”
If a shutdown occurs, it will be the first since the record-setting 35-day closure that took place from December 2018 to January 2019, stemming from disputes around funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border during Trump’s first term.
Manchin characterized the deadlock as “crazy,” remarking, “It’s pointless, my friend.”
West Virginia Independence also praised Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Manchin described Fetterman’s insights as “refreshing.”
This commentary comes just two days after the release of Manchin’s new book, “Dead Center: Perence of Common Sense.”
The Hill reached out to Schumer and Jeffries for further comments.
