David Corn at Mother Jones reports:
In recent days, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has told associates that he is considering leaving the Democratic Party if President Joe Biden and Democrats on Capitol Hill do not agree to his demand to cut the size of the social infrastructure bill from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion, according to people who have heard Manchin discuss this. Manchin has said that if this were to happen, he would declare himself an “American Independent.” And he has devised a detailed exit strategy for his departure.
Manchin denied this saying it was “bullshit.” Whatever.
The truth is that he didn’t have to say anything. The threat has been out from the moment it became clear that we had a 50/50 Senate. As I have written repeatedly, I think Kyrsten Sinema is more like to be the one to bolt if either of them are thinking of it, but really it could be anyone, it’s just that these are the two divas who are making a spectacle of their discontent with the Democratic agenda.
They both voted for impeachment so they will not likely get re-elected as Republicans. That’s probably more relevant for Sinema who has her career in front of her. Nonetheless, it’s always a possibility and that weighs on the negotiations.