Left-wing Democrats lashed out at Sen. Joe Manchin for expressing concerns about massive spending legislation, accusing the West Virginia centrist of pushing “lobbyist talking points” that are “killing people” following historic flooding damage from Hurricane Ida.
“Manchin has weekly huddles w/ Exxon & is one of many senators who gives lobbyists their pen to write so-called ‘bipartisan’ fossil fuel bills,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, tweeted Thursday. “It’s killing people. Our people. At least 12 last night. Sick of this ‘bipartisan’ corruption that masquerades as clear-eyed moderation.”
MANCHIN CALLS FOR DEMOCRATS TO HIT ‘PAUSE’ ON $3.5T SPENDING BILL
Manchin, widely considered the most conservative Democratic senator, articulated his concerns with the price tag of Democrats’ go-it-alone spending plan in a Wall Street Journal op-ed on Thursday.
“Some in Congress have a strange belief there is an infinite supply of money to deal with any current or future crisis, and that spending trillions upon trillions will have no negative consequence for the future. I disagree,” Manchin wrote. He called for a “strategic pause” on the legislation.
“If only you could just ‘hit the pause button’ on our climate crisis,” Rep. Cori Bush, a Missouri Democrat, shot back in a tweet.
Fossil fuel corps & dark money is destroying our democracy, country, & planet.
All day our community has been pulling bodies out of homes from the flood. Entire families. And we’re supposed to entertain lobbyist talking points about why we should abandon people & do nothing? No.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 2, 2021
Framework for the spending plan passed the Senate and House in August, and lawmakers plan to iron out the details this month. An outline of the plan includes money for free community college, green energy initiatives such as a “civilian climate corps,” an extension of the child tax credit, and a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a New York Democrat, shared photos of destruction from Ida in his district, which covers the North Bronx and part of Westchester County.
“How much destruction do we need to see before it’s worth investing in our climate?” he asked Manchin.
Hey Joe, these are the homes in my district after last night’s storm.
How much destruction do we need to see before it’s worth investing in our climate? https://t.co/rIEMt7tBPW pic.twitter.com/kWrDmXjFSd
— Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) September 2, 2021
Nearly 60 people are dead as a result of the destruction from Ida, mostly in New Jersey and New York.
“Instead of writing op-eds, why don’t you look into the faces of my residents who have had their basements flooded with sewage multiple times and their power out for days, Senator Manchin,” tweeted Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Manchin, though, is not the only Democrat who has expressed concern about the $3.5 trillion price tag. Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has also said the amount is too high.
Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, took a swipe at Manchin without directly naming him, saying, “Refusing to aggressively act on the deadly climate crisis will cost us a whole lot more than $3.5 trillion.”
