From Business Insider:
In an op-ed for the Charleston Gazette-Mail on Sunday, Manchin argued that he couldn't support a voting rights bill that has no bipartisan support.
But Manchin was a cosponsor of an earlier version of the bill introduced in 2019, which had no GOP cosponsors, a fact that his critics have highlighted.
In March that year — when Democrats did not have a majority in the Senate — Manchin joined 45 others in the effort led by Sen. Jeff Merkley to pass the act.
In his op-ed on Sunday, Manchin didn't comment on whether he had changed his mind about the content of the bill, but focused on its political support in the Senate.
"Today's debate about how to best protect our right to vote and to hold elections, however, is not about finding common ground, but seeking partisan advantage," he argued, appearing to rebuke his own party.
Manchin said that he can't support a bill that has zero support from the other side of the aisle, writing: "Congressional action on federal voting rights legislation must be the result of both Democrats and Republicans coming together to find a pathway forward."
And CNBC points out who’s been pushing Manchin to oppose his party’s agenda:
CNBC reviewed an episode of a Koch policy group Americans for Prosperity’s video series, along with ads crafted by the organization. The network specifically calls on its grassroots supporters to push Manchin, a conservative Democrat, to be against some of his party’s legislative priorities.
Americans for Prosperity launched a website titled West Virginia Values, which calls on people to email Manchin “to be The Voice West Virginia Needs In D.C. — Reject Washington’s Partisan Agenda.”
It then lists all of the items Manchin has promised to oppose, including the idea of eliminating the filibuster, the For the People Act and packing the Supreme Court. It then shows everything the group believes Manchin should oppose, including Biden’s infrastructure plan and the union-friendly PRO Act.
Americans for Prosperity leaders took part in one of their video series with their West Virginia state director in May where they praised Manchin for voicing his opposition to abolishing the filibuster. The video was reviewed by CNBC after it was posted to the group’s Facebook page.
Which is why he refuses to even listen to civil rights groups:
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said on Tuesday that he had a "constructive" meeting with a group of civil rights leaders but that he was unmoved on his opposition to a sweeping bill to overhaul federal elections.
"There was nothing basically for-or-against. ... Basically everyone's position was discussed," Manchin told reporters after the meeting.
Asked if the meeting changed his position on S.1, known as the For the People Act, he added: "No, I don't think anybody changed positions on that."
Manchin met with NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, as well as National Urban League President Marc Morial, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Lawyers’ Committee President Damon Hewitt, National Council of Negro Women President Johnnetta Cole, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights interim President and CEO Wade Henderson and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation President Melanie Campbell.
And Judd Legum point out in his newsletter where Manchin has been getting his talking points:
Standing in the way of this, however, are Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). In his column, Manchin says he opposes the For The People Act because it is not bipartisan legislation.
[P]artisan policymaking won’t instill confidence in our democracy — it will destroy it.
As such, congressional action on federal voting rights legislation must be the result of both Democrats and Republicans coming together to find a pathway forward or we risk further dividing and destroying the republic we swore to protect and defend as elected officials.
...Democrats in Congress have proposed a sweeping election reform bill called the For the People Act. This more than 800-page bill has garnered zero Republican support.
This argument is very strange. On an entirely partisan basis, Republicans in the states are taking steps that Manchin himself acknowledges "needlessly restrict voting." But Manchin says he will only agree to stop this partisan power grab if Republicans agree to join him.
This is the exact same argument the Chamber used in talking points it sent to Senators in April opposing the legislation.
The Chamber believes the ability of Americans to exercise their right to vote in accessible and secure elections and to be able to trust in a free and fair outcome is fundamental to who we are as a nation. The Chamber is deeply troubled by efforts at the state and federal level to enact election law changes on a partisan basis. Changes enacted on a partisan basis are the most likely to erode access and security and undermine public confidence and the willingness of the American people to trust and accept future election outcomes.
The Chamber acknowledges that state laws, like Texas' SB 7, are being advanced by Republicans alone. The Chamber, however, has not opposed SB 7 or any other state legislation. But it insists federal legislation to stop this Republican power grab must be bipartisan.
Voting rights groups and activists aren’t giving up and are pushing Senate Democrats to take action. Received this e-mail today from Stacey Abrams:
We can’t wait any longer for Congress to protect Americans’ freedom to vote, which is why we need Senators to pass the For The People Act (HR1/S1). With voting rights under attack in 48 out of 50 state legislatures across the country, the moment has never been more urgent, and it will take all of us to ensure that Congress passes the voting rights protections our country and democracy desperately need. No matter where you live—blue state, red state, or somewhere in between—we need to make sure that EVERY U.S. Senator is hearing from their constituents about the urgent need to pass HR1/S1.
Today I’m launching Hot Call Summer— because in order to pass the For The People Act, we need your help to make sure our Senators know how important this legislation is to you.
Here’s what you can do right now:
- No matter where you live, no matter what your Senator has already said, I need you to call your US Senators every day in June to demand that Senators pass the For The People Act to protect our freedom to vote. Call 888-453-3211 to be connected to your Senators now - and don’t be afraid to call them daily to keep the pressure on.
- Join Fair Fight Action’s text bank days of action on June 11, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22 and 23 to ask voters in key states to call their Senators about the For The People Act. If you have not already attended Fair Fight’s text training on our new text platform, Impactive, sign up for a training here for everything you’ll need to join one of these text banks.
- Join me and special guests throughout June for virtual events across the country to share the importance of passing the For The People Act.
Southern Town Hall
June 10, 8pm EST/7pm CST
With Congresswoman Nikema Williams and special guests
REGISTER
Northeast and Midwest Town Hall
June 14, 8pm EST
With special guests TBA
REGISTER
Southwest Town Hall
June 17, 9pm EST, 6 pm MST, 6 pm PDT
With Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, Nevada Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson and special guests
REGISTER
Sign up, call, and share with your networks — together, we can ensure that the For The People Act is passed, and that voters across the country have their freedom to vote protected from Republican attacks.
Thank you for all that you do,
Stacey Abrams
Founder, Fair Fight Action
Click the links above to register for the Town Halls. Click here to sign up for text bank training.
Now, progressive groups aren’t going to stop fighting Manchin on this. Received this e-mail today from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee:
In an op-ed Sunday, Sen. Joe Manchin wrote that he wouldn't support the For The People Act to protect voting rights and democracy because the bill isn't bipartisan.
The thing is, it is bipartisan. Two thirds of voters across the country support it. In his own West Virginia, 81% of Democratic and 79% of Republican voters want the For The People Act.
We know this bipartisanship argument can work. It is the exact same thing President Biden said before Manchin reversed himself on the American Rescue Plan and agreed with Dems going it alone.
SIGN THE PETITION: Join the thousands telling Sen. Joe Manchin to pass the For The People Act because bipartisanship means voters from both parties agree -- not DC politicians. We're keeping Manchin's office updated as tens of thousands of people sign on.
Everyone knows that there are not 10 Republican senators who will support voting rights or fighting big money. That's how many would be needed to break a Republican filibuster.
That's why tons of people -- from blue-collar West Virginia mineworkers to civil right leaders -- are telling Manchin NOPE! We insist you pass the For the People Act. Take a look below and join them here.
SIGN THE PETITION: Tell Sen. Joe Manchin the For The People Act IS bipartisan, with 2/3 of voters supporting it, including a majority of Republican voters.
Thanks for being a bold progressive.
-- The PCCC Team (@BoldProgressive)
Click here to add your name.
Some Senate Democrats are still pushing Manchin on this:
Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat who faces reelection next year in a state whose Republican governor approved much-criticized voting changes earlier this year, expressed optimism that Manchin would eventually come around and that Congress would take some kind of action.
“We talked last night,” Warnock said Monday evening. “We’re going to find a way forward. We have no other choice.”
“I think that Joe Manchin understands that this is a defining moment in American history and that our children are going to judge us, our grandchildren are going to judge us, based on what we do right now to preserve our democracy,” he added.
And some Democratic candidates are making Manchin and example of why we need to expand our Senate Majority. Received this e-mail today from Lt. Governor John Fetterman’s (D. PA) U.S. Senate campaign:
In case you missed it, it looks like Joe Manchin is a "no" vote on the For the People Act.
I truly don't get it.
We're talking about a simple bill that the vast majority of Americans support. It's a no-brainer as Republican lawmakers across the country try to systematically disenfranchise people to rig elections in their favor.
Call me old fashioned, but I think Democrats should vote like Democrats. We don't need to be so concerned with how Republican senators will vote — we just need to vote for what's right for the American people.
Here's a promise: If I get to the U.S. Senate, I'll be 100% on board with saving our democracy. I'll never base my vote on which way I think other senators are going to go — I'll just do what I know to be right.
Without flipping at least one more seat blue, we won't be able to toss the filibuster and get things done. That makes our race even more important. So, I'm asking for your help right now: Can you chip in another $50 or more to help flip PA and save our democracy?
I am truly, truly grateful for all the support you've given our campaign so far. If millions of people here in Pennsylvania and across the country donate, volunteer, and spread the word, I'm confident we will win. And when we do, I'll go to the Senate and fight for our democracy as hard as I can. I guarantee it.
Thanks for everything,
John
John Fetterman
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
Click here to donate to Fetterman’s campaign.
Also, keep urging your Democratic Senator to get rid of the filibuster to pass voting rights. Click here to contact your Democratic Senator.
