After Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced that he will not vote for Build Back Better, Sen. Bernie Sanders called him gutless.
Video:
Sen. Bernie Sanders says Sen. Joe Manchin doesn't have the guts to stand up to the drug companies and special interests, "He'll have a lot of explaining to do to the people of with West Virginia to tell him he doesn't have the guts to take on the drug companies." pic.twitter.com/5lAcVhhNEN
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) December 19, 2021
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Sen. Sanders said on CNN’s State Of The Union in response to Manchin announcing that he is a no on Build Back Better:
He’ll have a lot of explaining to do to the people of West Virginia to tell them he doesn’t have the guts to take on the drug companies to lower the cost of prescription drugs, why he is not prepared to expand home health care, West Virginia, one of the poorest states this country, elderly people and disabled people who would like to stay at home, are forced into nursing homes, he has to tell the people of West Virginia why he doesn’t want to expand medicare to cover dental, hearing and eyeglasses.
West Virginia is a great state, beautiful people but it is a state that is struggling. He’s going to have to tell the people of West Virginia why he rejects what the scientists of the world are telling us that we have to act boldly and transform our energy system to protect future generations from the devastation of climate change. What’s going on in Washington is the big money interests are importing hundreds of millions of dollars to make sure that we continue to pay the highest prices in the world for the prescription drugs the rich do not pay their fair share of taxes. I hoped to have at least 50 Democrats on board who have the guts to stand up for working families and take on the lobbyists and the powerful special interests. With no Republicans, not one Republican in the United States Senate or the House for that matter is prepared to stand up to the drug companies or the insurance companies or wealthy.Â
I hoped to have 50 Democrats. If that is the case then I hope we will bring a strong bill to the floor of the senate as soon as we can and let Mr. Manchin explain to the people of West Virginia why he doesn’t have the guts to stand up to powerful special interests.Â
No Easy Way Out For Joe Manchin
Joe Manchin has had it easy so far. He hasn’t been forced to come to the Senate floor, look the people of West Virginia in the eye, and say that he rejects the child tax credit and lowering the cost of insulin and other prescription drugs.
Sen. Sanders was right. Manchin does lack guts, and it is time for Democrats to hold his feet to the fire and put him on the record as acting against the best interests of many people in West Virginia.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
