No. 2 Senate Democrat 'stunned' by Manchin's stance on child tax credit

[left-of-center2012]

Source: The Hill

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters Thursday that he was “stunned” to discover that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is opposed to a one-year extension of the expanded child tax credit, a core component of President Biden’s agenda. Durbin said he’s “frustrated and disappointed” while acknowledging that Biden’s sweeping social spending and climate bill doesn’t appear to be headed to the president’s desk anytime soon.

Manchin recently told White House negotiators that he wants the Build Back Better bill to include a 10-year extension of the expanded child tax credit so that its true cost is reflected in the official Congressional Budget Office score of the bill.
At the same time, he wants to keep the overall cost of the bill at $1.75 trillion, which means there would be little room for other Democratic priorities.
A 10-year extension of the expanded child tax credit would cost about $1.5 trillion alone. That would leave only $250 billion to $350 billion for other priorities such as long-term home health care, expanded child care subsidies, universal prekindergarten and raising the cap on state and local tax deductions.

“I was stunned by that,” Durbin said on Thursday when asked about his reaction to the late-breaking news that Manchin didn’t want to include a one-year extension of the expanded child tax credit. “We were so proud of what we accomplished there and for this to come up as an issue toward the end was stunning.”

“Apparently, Manchin’s approach to this has changed a lot.
I don’t know where Manchin is today or where he’ll be tomorrow,” he added.



Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/586121-no-2-senate-democrat-stunned-by-manchins-stance-on-child-tax-credit

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[msongs]

1. one suspects mitch mcconnell is not stunned/surprised by this nor is anyone on DU nt

[Polybius]

2. I'd be more stunned if he supported it

At this point, you can no longer be stunned.

[jalan48]

3. This makes me question Durbin's political acumen.

[msfiddlestix]

12. I suspect Durbin wasn't really stunned,

but saying he was stunned might have been telegraphing other messaging.

could be wrong, just speculating a couple of theories not fully fleshed out at the moment.

I feel like Durbin was not surprised. I'm not surprised,, and I'm not even there.

[jalan48]

15. That could be true but given the dire situation the country is in I'd think it was time to talk

directly to the American people and eschew "political speak". We had a coup attempt a year ago and polls show us losing in the midterms. If we lose the House and Senate the game is up and politicians like Durbin who chose to telegraph instead of speak directly at this time will be part of the reason it happened.

[msfiddlestix]

16. ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ n/t

[jalan48]

18. Right on!

[Lonestarblue]

4. Manchin has become as expert at obstruction as McConnell.

We really need to elect more Democratic senators in 2022 to make Manchin irrelevant. It’s a tough hill to climb, but desperately necessary.

[mpcamb]

17. Months back Manchin talked about an 'exit strategy' for changing parties. This's it.

Screw his old buddy Joe Biden at Mitch's behalf.

[BradAllison]

5. Someone should ask Manchin if he wants more Democrats elected to the Senate in 2022

Watching him shit himself on live TV as he tries to answer would be awesome.

[jalan48]

6. That's the question I have as well. What does he believe will help to elect more Dems?

[BradAllison]

7. Well, he endorsed Susan Collins in 2020.

Something that certain people here refused to comment on, so I guess it was okay.

I guess he wanted this all set up for his sweet spot he's in now. Which means he doesn't want PA, OH, NC or MO flipping. Hard truth, Mancinema Cru.....

[msfiddlestix]

13. Wow. I missed that. jeeze. n/t

[BradAllison]

20. .....

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/11/joe-manchin-endorses-susan-collins-1271151


“I would go up and campaign for Susan Collins. If she wanted me to, I would campaign for Susan Collins. For America to lose somebody like Susan Collins would be an absolute shame. I feel that strongly about her," Manchin said on Thursday.

He admitted his comments will not please Democrats eager to defeat Collins.

“You think my party will be happy? No," Manchin said in an interview with C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” program that will air beginning on Friday night.

[msfiddlestix]

21. No words...

except there's eff all the party can do about him and Sinema except win more seats in the Senate. lots more.

[DemocraticPatriot]

28. god, no wonder. Like susan, he is

"very concerned"--

about this or that thing, but not about the well-being of his base constituents or the nation

[Champion Jack]

8. Manchin only cares about Manchin

[sakabatou]

11. Bingo

[TomCADem]

24. Manchin Only Cares for WV

I have yet to hear of him taking a position that is causing backlash among WV voters, who are mostly Republican.

[UCmeNdc]

9. Manchin

Link to tweet

[rockfordfile]

10. Remember these things help Americans. So that tells us a lot about Manchin

[myohmy2]

14. of course...

...

[monkeyman1]

19. he wants to put the kids to work in his coal mine's ! cheap labor !!

[mathematic]

22. Making the CTC fully refundable permanantly is the biggest impact of BBB

"Fully refundable" for a tax credit means that the poorest families get the full amount, even if they didn't have a tax liability. It is essentially a direct cash payment to the poor. It's far more important that increasing the amount of the CTC.

The fully refundable portion of the CTC, passed this year by Democrats, and President Joe Biden, account for 87% of the poverty reduction effects of the enhanced CTC (according to one analysis). The larger payments and extension to older children account for the a small portion of the anti-poverty measure.

I don't know what Manchin wants but if he's trying to kill the increased amounts but we keep the full refundability of the credit then that is an unambiguous, massive policy win.

[DemocraticPatriot]

29. He wants a "work requirement" too..

clearly that would disqualify grandparents, who may be retired and thus not working-- from receiving the benefit of this credit even when they have become responsible for the children of their children....

and "work requirements" are clearly a GOP position, so we can see what audience he is catering to, here..

[Stuart G]

23. The smile on his face says it all.

[apnu]

25. I think Manchin wants to be kicked out of the party.

I think he wants to be kicked out. I think he thinks it will benefit him with Republicans when he switches parties.

I cannot think of another reason for him to delay like he has and negotiate in bad faith as Republicans do.

[CTyankee]

27. I think you are right. I want to have him go and not think about him any more...

[Bengus81]

26. Let em eat cake eh Manchin?? That POS is NOT a Democrat at heart........