Manchin: ‘I’m Willing to Go to Reconciliation’ to Make Tax Code Fair

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that he was willing to do a Democrat-backed infrastructure package with the reconciliation process, which only requires a simple majority to pass it in the Senate.

Manchin said, “We have two tracks, and that’s exactly what I believe is going to happen. We’ve worked on the one track. We’re going to work on the second track. There’s an awful lot of need, and everything they talked about is something we need. I didn’t vote for the 2017 tax cuts under President Trump. I thought they were weighted too much toward the high end if you will. I think we need to make some adjustments. I’m willing to step forward to make the adjustments. I’ve been clear about that. But we also have to take into account where we are in this country. What our debt structure is. We’re $28.5 trillion. We cannot continue to add on things that we can’t pay for. I’ve always said this. We’re writing checks our kids can’t ever cash. This is going to put a heck of a burden on the next generation. We have to be aware of that. There’s a lot of need of that. Whether it’s child tax credits or helping the kids have a start in life, whether it’s fixing a lot of the human infrastructure that has fallen by the wayside of helping middle-class hardworking people have a chance to get ahead and enjoy the American dream, I’m all for that. To what degree we’ll see what we’re able to pay for.”

Anchor Jon Karl said, “You get hammered all the time by fellow Democrats, especially progressives who say you are constantly drawing red lines for what you’ll support, and creating limits on how far Democrats will be able to go now that you control all the House, the Senate, and the White House. What do you say to those who say why don’t you draw red lines with Republicans?”

Manchin said, “I’m willing to meet everybody halfway. If Republicans don’t want to make adjustments to a tax code which I think is weighted and unfair, I’m willing to go to reconciliation. If they think in reconciliation I’m going to go to 5 or $6 trillion and throw caution to the wind when we can only afford one or maybe two in what we can pay for, then I can’t be there. I’m very open. I think we can find our priorities. We can help a lot of people and lift them up, but people have to get up and make an effort. We all have to fight for the same greater country we live in and appreciative we’re here.”

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