Kyrsten Sinema is the only Democrat who might stand in the way of the Manchin-Schumer spending bill that Manchin spend all of yesterday claiming won’t make inflation worse.
Via Fox News:
The fate of a social spending and tax bill agreed to by Sen. Joe Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hangs in the balance as another key moderate, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema still hasn’t said if she’ll support it.
Manchin, D-W.Va., said he plans to talk with Sinema, D-Ariz., on the Senate Monday about the bill. But her office says it may take a little longer for the senator to decide how she will vote.
“Sen. Sinema does not have comment as she’s reviewing the bill text and will need to see what comes out of the parliamentarian process,” a spokesperson for the senator told Fox News Digital Monday.
With a 50-50 Senate, and Republicans coalescing against the Manchin-Schumer bill, every vote will count for Schumer, D-N.Y., and his bare bones majority to pass it.
That means Washington is waiting with bated breath to see where she comes down on what may be the Democrats’ last and best chance to pass a social spending bill before the midterms. Extending the drama, Sinema’s announcement may not come until later in the week, due to the nature of the parliamentarian process her spokesperson referred to.
“Byrd Bath”
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough this week will hear arguments from Republicans and Democrats over whether certain parts of the bill comport with the Byrd Rule. That process is called the Byrd Bath.
That rule says, generally, provisions in a reconciliation bill – which is the process Democrats are using to get around the 60-vote filibuster – should affect government spending or revenue.
McDonough will rule on which provisions don’t fit that definition, making them what the rule calls “extraneous matter.” Technically, the Senate could overrule the parliamentarian, but top lawmakers haven’t given any indication they plan to do so.
The fact that Manchin is all in on this makes me think that Sinema will end up caving.
I hope not because as studies show, this will make inflation worse.
Just look at how the White House defends it:
WH's @HBoushey defends their #InflationInflationAct: "Subsidies to health care through the Affordable Care Act, that will certainly help families that are struggling … And, of course, all of the energy rebates to families that are looking to make a transition to clean energy" pic.twitter.com/6iHdSUFHhg
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) August 1, 2022
The CNBC host cited a study that shows it will add to inflation and the White House claims there are no studies saying it will add to inflation. And then they go on to claim all of their clean energy and Obamacare spending will help people’s budget.
This bill needs to die and maybe, just maybe, Sinema will be the one who kills it.