Fox News host Chris Wallace on Sunday pressed Sen. Joe Manchin on his refusal to support filibuster reform, asking the West Virginia Democrat if his actions are actually causing more harm than good by empowering Republicans to be obstructionists.
“If you were to keep the idea that maybe you would vote to kill the filibuster, wouldn’t that give Republicans an incentive to actually negotiate because old Joe Manchin is out there and who knows what he’s going to do? By taking it off the table, haven’t you empowered Republicans to be obstructionists?,” Wallace asked.
“I don’t think so,” Manchin answered. “Because we have seven brave Republicans that continue to vote for what they know is right and the facts as they see them, not worrying about the political consequences.”
Later in the interview Wallace asked Manchin if he was “being naive about this continuing talk about bipartisan cooperation?” given that Republicans blocked the creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate Jan.6 and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell saying he’s 100 percent focused on blocking the Biden agenda.
“I’m not being naive. I think he’s 100 percent wrong in trying to block all the good things that we’re trying to do for America. It would be a lot better if we had participation and we’re getting participation,” Manchin said. “I’m going to continue to keep working with my bipartisan friends.”
In an op-ed published on Sunday in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Manchin made it clear once again that he does not support filibuster reform to pass the For the People Act, a voting rights legislation passed in the House earlier this year.
“I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act,” Manchin wrote. “Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster. For as long as I have the privilege of being your U.S. senator, I will fight to represent the people of West Virginia, to seek bipartisan compromise no matter how difficult and to develop the political bonds that end divisions and help unite the country we love.”
Video from RawStory.
I see Republicans as being obstructionist right now that’s all they all are about is obstructing anything that the American people want