Joe Manchin saviour after all

I think it's only fair after berating him in recent blogs that a good word now be said for Senator Joe Manchin, the man who appeared to be holding up crucial Biden legislation all on his own. The Democratic senator from West Virginia had solidly and unrelentingly refused to sign up to the massive legislation which covered everything from climate-change measures to health reform and tax policy. He had shown a stubborn face opposed to the legislation on the grounds that it would be too inflationary. Without Manchin's approval the legislation was doomed. Pretty well everyone in Washington had given up on old Joe, putting him down as a maverick who was not interested in saving Biden and the Democratic party because of his obsession with inflation. But lo and behold, while he took the political and personal flak, he and his staff were continuing to negotiate secretly with Senator Chuck Schumer, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and his staff and then suddenly it was announced that there was a deal after all. It will be put to the Senate next week. An extraordinary turn of events and, ever since, the Democrats have been cockahooped. Biden who spoke a lot with Manchin on the phone and in the White House over the weeks, must also have given up hope but can now bask in the triumph. Manchin is a wily old bird. He put up with all criticism, knowing that if he persisted he would get a deal he could be satisfied with. Crucially, the new legislation will reduce US carbon emissions by 40 per cent by 2030. It will also reduce the deficit by $300 billion and $369 billion will be invested in energy and climate-change provisions, including cleaning up fossil-fuel production. So hurray for Joe Manchin. After all that!