Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) has reportedly expressed interest in reviving parts of the Build Back Better bill, which he helped kill in Dec., with hopes of getting a vote before the Senate's Aug. recess.
Manchin has outlined his goals for a new bill with fellow Democrats and the White House, and in a meeting with climate and energy executives this month.
Democrats and anyone that cares about the planet needs to think bigger than Manchin - with his economic ties to the fossil fuel industry - will ever allow. Combatting climate change should be the priority of any bill, not keeping old-school energy companies in business or addressing other financial issues.
With inflation on the rise and fuel prices unlikely to settle down during the war in Ukraine, this is no time for Manchin or any Democrat to suggest a $1 trillion tax increase on the America people, regardless of what issues the bill would address.
Biden has assured the American public on numerous occasions that Democrats had the votes to pass his agenda. But time and again he's overestimated the willingness of members of his own caucus to fall in line. Manchin has stood firm in his commitment to secure legislative wins for his constituents, but he's never been on board with the bigger agenda. Will this time really be different?