Associated Press
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UNITED STATES – Joe Biden’s gigantic social reform plan may have received a fatal blow this Sunday, December 19, with the announcement by Democratic Senator Joe Manchin that he would not approve this crucial program for the mandate of the American president, deeming it too expensive in times of inflation.
Obviously taken aback, the White House immediately criticized this “inexplicable and sudden turnaround”, while affirming that it would continue to try to convince him to vote in favor of the project.
The elected West Virginia chose the Fox News channel, very critical of President Biden, to make his announcement.
“I cannot go any further,” said Joe Manchin, who has been for weeks one of the main obstacles to this program of social and ecological reforms which aims to transform America.
“I cannot vote for that,” added Joe Manchin, citing in particular the rise in prices and the extent of the debt. “I just can’t. I tried everything that was humanly possible, I can’t ”, he repeated. “It’s no”.
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Dubbed “Build Back Better”, the $ 1,750 billion plan includes lowering the cost of child care and drugs, tax credits for American households and substantial investments in reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Conflicting statements according to the White House
After a first vote in November in the House of Representatives, where Democrats had overcome their internal differences between centrists, worried about the effect on the debt, and the left wing, which wanted to go further in spending, its adoption in Senate was pushed back.
The Senate being divided (50 elected for each camp), any Democrat or affiliate has in fact what is akin to a veto on any bill if the Republicans close ranks.
Sen. Manchin’s statements “are at odds with his discussions this week with the president, with White House staff and with his own public statements,” executive spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a long press release where frustration was evident.
“If his comments on Fox and his press release indicate the end of these attempts (to reach an agreement, editor’s note), then they represent a sudden and inexplicable turnaround in his position and a violation of his commitments to the president,” he said. -she adds.
Joe Biden had acknowledged on Thursday that he certainly couldn’t get this project through as quickly as he wanted, referring to difficult discussions with Joe Manchin.
The senator explained in a statement why he opposed this “colossal” law.
Manchin lacks “guts” for Sanders
“My fellow Democrats in Washington are determined to fundamentally reshape our society in a way that makes our society even more vulnerable to the threats we face,” he said. “I cannot take this risk, with a staggering public debt of $ 29 trillion and inflation that is real and that hurts all Americans.”
Inflation hit 6.8% in November year-on-year, unheard of since June 1982.
Joe Biden says the plan “will reduce the deficit by more than $ 100 billion over ten years” and that it will “lower costs, create jobs and rebuild our economy”.
Asked this Sunday on CNN on the statements of Joe Manchin, Senator Bernie Sanders, figure of the left wing of the Democratic Party, accused him of lacking “guts”.
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“He’s going to have to explain to the people of West Virginia why he doesn’t have the courage to stand up against drug companies to bring down drug prices, why he isn’t ready to extend coverage social, ”said Bernie Sanders, calling for a vote in the Senate to be organized“ as soon as possible ”.
“It’s been months that it lasts with Mr. Manchin”, he added. “If he doesn’t have the courage to do the right thing for the families of West Virginia and America, let him vote no to the world.”
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