Manchin expands on his views. “I’m not for any expansion that has a trust fund that is insolvent,” he says of Medicare expansion. He says he never signed off on framework, didn’t throw Biden a curveball and says: “We should have waited.” Thinks tho they’ll get something done
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 2, 2021
Just can’t figure out why Manchin keeps dragging out this Build Back Better debate. pic.twitter.com/vNOf3bhcjX
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) November 1, 2021
Joe Manchin represents .5% of US population but seems determined to tank Democratic agenda supported by 70-80% of Americans & 96% of Congressional Dems
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) November 1, 2021
On CNN, Jayapal responds to Manchin: "We are ready pending some final negotiations" on immigration/Medicare
Says she's "letting the president" handle Manchin
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) November 1, 2021
Asked Manchin about timing: “I just think it’s going to take quite a while. You’re talking about overhauling the entire tax code. That is tremendous. And there needs to be input…And we're not in a rush right now. The rush was trying to get everything” before Biden went overseas pic.twitter.com/qfTjbFit7j
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 2, 2021
Manchin’s gonna be standing alone on that redoubt, if he doesn’t get into gear:
#Schumer announces deal on prescription drug pricing, a key obstacle to mega-bill
Sen. Kyrsten #Sinema, D-Ariz., a key holdout, endorsed the agreement.— Marc Kaufman MD MS Fully Vaxed X 3 Pro Democracy! (@Marco73838565) November 2, 2021
Sinema statement on drug pricing: pic.twitter.com/WwTK1wco5b
— Andy Duehren (@aduehren) November 2, 2021
guachi
In election news, polls close in VA at 7 pm. So either follow closely or avoid to keep your sanity.
Fair Economist
The House should pass the BIF as a “deem pass”, considered passed when the Senate passes the BBB. Put the weight on Manchin and head home for the holidays.
RandomMonster
I hate all of these people.
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
Exit polls show the Houston Astros winning the crucial 1st inning demo.
JPL
It’s time for democrats to run on providing Social Security and Medicare. Republicans didn’t do that. Republicans gave the top one percent tax breaks along with corporations. We are paying for Musk and Bezos to the moon.
MisterForkbeard
@guachi: Option 2. Definitely going to be avoiding until much later tonight
@Fair Economist: Interesting idea. Though I think I can channel Adam and tell you this won’t work because the bill has to come from the Senate, and you can’t refer to a nonexistent bill in a deem/pass situation. Or something.
JPL
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: ha My Houston brother is arriving tomorrow for a visit. I live in Braves country. My biggest concern is that I have to stay up and watch the game. It’s past my bedtime. Go BRAVES
NeenerNeener
@JPL: And the worst part is Musk and Bezos came back.
Hildebrand
Seems that Manchin is just squeezing the last bit of juice he can out of his moment in the sun. He knows that once this is over he will be forgotten.
Bobby Thomson
That Sinema press release is obviously disingenuous AF
Wapiti
As Romney’s Op-Ed said, the Senate is there to ensure the minority gets a say. The important minority to Romney and Manchin: the oligarchs.
Jeffro
Not turning on the tv tonight, no way, how how. Checking WaPo website at 9pm and then calling it a night. The punditariat can tell me on Thurs or Fri that McAuliffe won a close one ?
UncleEbeneezer
@Hildebrand: Not until something is passed on Voting Rights. Sadly, we will be seeing much more of Manchin.
debbie
Someone needs to list out with specific dollar amounts how each of the provisions of the BBB will help West Virginians. Then present it to Manchin and ask why he isn’t supporting the legislation.
UncleEbeneezer
@Jeffro: I’m glad I’ll be on tennis courts with no real Twitter access for most of the night.
Baud
@UncleEbeneezer:
Manchin has already signed on to the voting rights bill though. The only question there is whether he’ll agree to end the filibuster. Less room to play around.
Baud
@Jeffro:
Watching Game 6 and avoiding the news until the morning. Fingers crossed for all you Virginians.
Elizabelle
@Jeffro: I am nervous as a kitten, but thinking we will pull this one out.
In the meantime: have some cubs. Cheetah Cam. They’re napping now after dinner. They were rambunctious earlier.
UncleEbeneezer
@Baud: That’s what I mean though. Once BBB/BIFF is done, that issue (filibuster reform) is gonna get even more attention and pressure.
JPL
@NeenerNeener: They not only came back, but Musk who took government funds to save Tesla, complained about the harm a billionaire tax would do.
Elizabelle
Has Musk been into space? I am not sure. I know Bezos has, twice perhaps (and made sure to load the capsule with Wally the 1960s woman astronaut trainee first, and William Shatner second, cuz otherwise people would be routing for a spectacular fail).
Richard Branson has been on his spacecraft. Of the billionaires, he seems like the best guy.
Jeffro
@UncleEbeneezer: smart
@Baud: also smart
I am going to do some sort of write-up/op-ed/whatever for the papers about my ‘poll observer’ experience today but for you BJers, a quick advance preview of the best part: the 71-year-old lady who was there as an observer for the former guy’s party, at the end of our shifts around 1pm today. She goes, “well…I don’t know if my replacement is coming or not, but even so, there’s clearly nothing going on here”.
(meaning: there aren’t hordes of browns being bused in to vote, nor ballot boxes being stuffed, etc etc)
Nope! Just helpful elections officials, always following the rules (even when dealing with several college kids who can’t remember their own address).
I doubt my new friend will spread the word too far, so I think it’s important that I write it up and help her out, you know? ?
SiubhanDuinne
@guachi:
I’ll probably just have it on as background until 8:09 pm, at which point I’ll be watching beisból.
I do like the energy and chemistry that Joy Reid, Nicolle Wallace, and Rachel Maddow collectively bring to election coverage. Wish MSNBC could figure out how to ditch BriWi and Kornacki, but I fear it’s a package deal.
Sure Lurkalot
Deficit spending for tax cuts and physical infrastructure for my paymasters, a thousand times YES! Sorry if that leaves nothing for my constituents. Someone’s gotta be fiscally responsible here.
Elizabelle
@Jeffro: We run clean and professional elections in Virginia. We really do.
It will be fun to hear what TFFG’s “observers” have to say, after the fact.
Here in Richmond area, it rained lightly from maybe 9:30 am all day.
Kropacetic
I’ve already called my Congressman to support the passage of both bills, but only together.
I’m considering a new call about my change of heart. I’ve been hearing about some provisions in the BIF I don’t like. I’m hoping if the BIF starts getting more scrutiny from constituents, that might create some pressure to pass the pair of bills before it becomes a real problem for the BIF.
Baud
@Elizabelle:
Obviously hoping for a Youngkin loss. I’m curious to see if he concedes or goes with the Big Lie. Hopefully we’ll find out.
guachi
Biden won VA by 10.1%. The most D parts of the state are in the north and generally give results later in the evening, though with so many early votes maybe not this year. I suspect most of the good vote watchers will be comparing the places that do get their results in early to 2017/2020 results to make their predictions. So we’ll likely get an idea on the general trend early.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
I’ve been loving the Cheetah Cam! A week or so ago, quite late at night, the cubs were all taking advantage of the milk bar, and Mama was purring up a storm! She was so loud, she pretty much drowned out the tree frogs (or whatever nocturnal critters are responsible for the soothing background noise). That must be a lovely thing for the kittens, to get maternal purring along with the meal.
Sure Lurkalot
@Elizabelle: Nick Hanauer seems like a decent billionaire too, even if he’s playing some hardball about stopping donating to Dems if they don’t pass the BBB and the BIF.
JoyceH
Call me a masochist, but I’m following the election coverage. Ordered a pizza to fortify myself.
Checked Twitter and realized I had to follow Mack Brown, who tweeted:
“My son set me up on here for my 76th birthday & this is my first tweet. Not sure ya’ll will care what I have to say as a retired religion professor from Texas, who is pro-vaccine & pro-Biden. He said to ask ya’ll to retweet this & follow me if you care what I have to say.”
Bless him, he posted this around seven or eight hours ago and is closing on 17K followers.
https://twitter.com/CMackBrown/status/1455577060387196928
Elizabelle
@SiubhanDuinne: Glad to hear. I love the purring too. And chirping. It’s soothing background noise.
One of the cubs was on his/her back, acting like a little otter for a bit. In the play hour before dinner. And the puddle of cubs. Never tire of that.
Omnes Omnibus
@Kropacetic: I thought about it last night and I like your idea more today. That’s a nice way to approach it.
ThresherK
ABC News (don’t @ me, it’s the thing before Jeopardy!) has a long piece about Cokie and Steve Roberts. I don’t know the real gist of it because will not listen to that newscast, but I was wondering if she died.
Turns out she died two years ago.
I can celebrate all over again, though, can’t I? I mean, live by Cokie’s Law, die by Cokie’s Law, and “It’s out there!”
Kropacetic
@Omnes Omnibus: I appreciate that.
To the Congressional switchboard!
Elizabelle
@Baud: I want Terry Mac (and all the Dem candidates) to win by a big enough margin to make a recount futile.
I am secretly hoping McAuliffe pulls ahead by a lot, though. The majority of Virginians support vaccines, and masks, and getting past this pandemic. I cannot believe they would turn the state over to people who support riots at school board meetings. There may be a lot of “voter excitement” on the GOP side, but we could also call that hysteria. (The national media never does. Always with the euphemisms.)
Polls closed.
Baud
@Elizabelle:
Yes, I would prefer a big win, always. VA has been so solid lately, I’d hate to see it backtrack.
schrodingers_cat
Its Diwali time guys. I brought so much food from the Indian grocery store that I ran out of room in my fridge. Today is Dhanteras. 13th day in the month of Kartik. Think of it as Diwali eve. An auspicious time for new beginnings and to make purchases.
Happy Dhanteras!
Tomorrow I will be making karanjis (empanadas with a coconut filling) and savory, chivda (trail mix with beaten rice cereal). I have also bought some traditional snacks that I don’t have the ingredients for.
The main day of celebration this year is Thursday.
sab
OT: I bought Fiona Hill’s book out of solidarity with an immigrant patriot, and I have found that I cannot put it down. Not what I expected at all. Fascinating. A very intelligent woman sensibly discussing things. Not a reporter holding back to surprise us. Just honest thoughtful discusion by a very bright person who cares a lot about our country.
Also, I had no idea how hard it was for working class kids to keep their heads above water much less get ahead in the UK. I did a junior year abroad in her county when I was twenty and she was ten. There were working class kids at the university. I was friends with some of them. I had no idea what obstacles they had overcome to get there. Of course they wouldn’t talk about that.
schrodingers_cat
@Elizabelle: Exactly people having a manic episode is not “enthusiasm”.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
Same to you.
Elizabelle
@Sure Lurkalot: Right, Nick Hanauer. We should pay more attention to him here. (I am not on Twitter; only see what you guys put up.)
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: Did you checkout my artwork at the link?
SiubhanDuinne
@sab:
I’m very glad to see your review. I haven’t yet started Fiona Hill’s book, but it’s definitely in the “soon” layer of the TBR stack!
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
I hadn’t. It’s beautiful.
Geminid
@schrodingers_cat: I hope it’s a happy Diwali for you and yours.
Elizabelle
@schrodingers_cat: Beautiful artwork. Guessed it was yours, right away.
Send over some of those goodies! Sounds delish.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
They’re completely boneless at that age. “Puddle” is a great collective noun for them right now!
SiubhanDuinne
@schrodingers_cat:
Happy Diwali! Your mandala is beautiful.
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: Trying to recreate a rangoli. You draw patterns with colors just outside your house on your doorstep.
Kristine
@JoyceH: I followed him. Looking forward to some good discussions.
Elizabelle
Dan Rather just turned 90. Happy birthday. He’s doing some terrific aggregating/reporting with News and Guts. Wish him continued health and energetic journalism.
===
I refuse to watch cable or TV stations. Is there a good, nonhysterical online source of news on Virginia election results??
patrick II
@Hildebrand:
We have voting rights legislation coming. If Manchin was serious about his main disagreements about the current bill were economic issues he would be all-in on voting rights. My guess is that he won’t be.
Patricia Kayden
Chinchilla is going to lead me to drink and I don’t even drink!!
Baud
@Patricia Kayden:
Obvious trolling for clicks.
Elizabelle
@Patricia Kayden: Oh fuck Chris Cillizza.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Jeffro: Excellent. That’s more or less what Kay predicted would happen in Ohio too. The MAGAs wouldn’t see what they expected. Just boring work.
Omnes Omnibus
@Dorothy A. Winsor: That’s what it always is.
Omnes Omnibus
@Patricia Kayden: Just for kicks.
Mallard Filmore
@Elizabelle:
I am here:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2021-elections/virginia-governor-results
gene108
@guachi:
NJ polls close at 8 pm EDT. But no one’s paying attention to the NJ governor’s race.
Steeplejack
Manchin is just squirting squid ink around to block, obfuscate and delay without admitting that that is what he’s doing. Every “issue” he brings up has been on the table for months, and he’s dragging out clichés that have been around for years. “Medicare insolvent—eek!” What a maroon.
Baud
@gene108:
Wasn’t Fox pushing some “polls tightening” propaganda in NJ?
But yeah, NJ has been refreshingly calm.
bluegirlfromwyo
@Patricia Kayden: My, Chris really misses Trumpelthinskin, doesn’t he?
JPL
@gene108: If NJ went for a republican that would be the real indicator, but fk the news that won’t say that.
SiubhanDuinne
@Omnes Omnibus:
OMG. That is high-fucking-larious!!
NotMax
@JPL
Ciattarelli isn’t half the man Christie was.
//
prostratedragon
@patrick II: I think that the structural integrity of bullshit when piled to enormous heights will be a revelation to us.
Mousebumples
@Omnes Omnibus: I’m beginning to wonder if NYT follows Doug for story ideas…. ?
gene108
@Baud:
Polls have been tightening.
To what extent? IDK.
I couldn’t find much recent polling.
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
@NotMax:
At 375 pounds, Christie is twice the man of most people.
zhena gogolia
Now I have another news organization to say fuck you to. The Atlantic. Why am I giving them money?
They really, truly preferred TFG. They all did.
Another Scott
Non-election news: ProPublica created a very nice interactive map of cancer-causing industrial emissions. Stay away from refineries, etc., in Texas, Louisiana, and West Virginia!
The story is here.
Cheers,
Scott.
sab
@Steeplejack: Well maybe we could do somethimg to make it more solvent. I have never understood what is the point of depriving working age (not senior) people of adequate health care so that they can work more productively. Sure a few of them will cost us a lot, but most of them will stop limping around on that painfully bad knee and get seriously back to work.
bnateAZ
Just sink with your yacht to the bottom of the sea you absolute shit heel.
sab
@Another Scott: My stepson’s neighborhood in Akron Ohio doesn’t look too good either. I’d say ‘yikes!’ but I had assumed as much for years.
karen marie
@Elizabelle: The nuts part to me is that McAuliffe already served a successful term as governor there. Did everyone forget?
Brachiator
I am so tired of this fool Manchin and his false arguments. He pretends as though the Democrats are trying something that has never been done before. He ignores the goddam fact that the Republicans ripped through the tax code in secret and without consulting with moderate Republicans or any Democrat in devising the Trump tax cuts.
Manchin has had plenty of time to provide input. But instead he simply babbles objections while throwing up obstacles.
I don’t know. Is there any way the Democrats can get Manchin to back down?
Brachiator
@zhena gogolia:
This is truly some of the dumbest crap I have read in a long time. Who is the author? Who the hell is Sarah Zhang?
Do they get any medical experts to give advice or is this all pundit gas?
sab
Voted today wearing my tie-dyed purple and grey “women voter” shirt from the Post Office. I bet you didn’t know there was such a thing. It had a copy of a commemorative stamp on the front.
The votimg was reassuringly dull. 5 names on the ballot, one muniacipal judge and four board of education candidates for four places. Everyone unopposed. The poll workers said it was surprisingly more busy than they expected, simce everyom was unopppsed. That cheers me up.
sab
@sab: My typing is a bit embarrassing tonight. Bedtime.