Pirate's Cove

Perhaps Joe should have thought about voting for the abomination known as the Inflation Reduction Act after being promised something that has never materialized. He got rolled, at the expense of the American citizens

Manchin’s ‘playing with fire’ — and some Democrats are tired of the drama

Sen. Joe Manchin is losing patience with his fellow Democrats over their signature climate law — and the feeling is mutual.

Wasn’t it supposed to be about reducing inflation? It’s right there in the name, right? No?

The West Virginia Democrat has spent weeks escalating his attacks on President Joe Biden’s implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, the sweeping bill that Manchin helped write in a deal that stunned Washington last summer. Last week, he threatened to join Republicans in voting to repeal the law, as the House GOP is demanding in its legislation for raising the nation’s debt limit.

Manchin’s comment caught his caucus colleagues off guard, even if such a repeal would be a long shot in Congress. It came just as Biden was launching a reelection campaign that rests heavily on that legislation’s climate and health care provisions.

“That surprises me that he wants to repeal it. I think it’s one of his greatest accomplishments,” said Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), a close colleague of Manchin’s on the Energy Committee, in an interview.

The IRA is far less of a political bright spot for Manchin, whose potential reelection hopes are clouded by growing disapproval ratings in his home state, partly driven by his support for the law. Manchin has yet to announce whether he’s running, but a formidable challenger entered the West Virginia Senate race last week — GOP Gov. Jim Justice.

The IRA, and Joe Manchin, must be polling poorly in West Virginia. I doubt the citizens are really happy with either, especially since Joe was never given the fast-track permitting he was promised, and the IRA really hurts the fossil fuels companies and all the WV citizens who work in them.

Some Democrats fear that Manchin’s criticisms will do real damage by confusing the public about one of the law’s most debated-provisions: its $7,500 tax credits for electric vehicles. He has accused the Treasury Department of violating the law by flouting strict provisions he wrote designed to force electric vehicles to be made in the U.S. with American-made parts.

They do violate the law. And they’ve released the list of the EVs that qualify. Most are expensive, except the Chevy Bolts. Which are being discontinued.

Anyhow, it’s a long, long piece which is really about Manchin trying to complain about the stupid law which he’s really at fault for in an attempt to not lose his election next year.