(Photo : Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 20: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) listens during a business meeting with the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs on Capitol Hill on October 20, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Sen. Joe Machin allegedly has a two-step plan to quit the Democratic party if he does not get his way on the Build Back Better bill.
According to Mother Jones, Manchin was heard talking to his associates recently about his plan to quit if Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats disagree with his desire to cut the size of the social infrastructure bill from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion.
Does Sen. Joe Manchin have a two-step exit plan?
If Manchin doesn't get his way, he will allegedly become an American independent. And his two-step exit plan will begin with the senator sending Sen. Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, a letter announcing his removal from the Democratic leadership of the Senate.
Manchin's goal is to see if his decision to quit will have an impact on negotiations. One week later, and depending on the progress of the talks, he would change his voter registration to independent.
However, the senator did not say whether his plans to become an American independent meant that he would continue siding with the Democrats or shift gears and side with Republicans.
Manchin's vote has been very crucial in the Senate because Democrats cannot pass the 50-50 package without him, and he knows it.
As such, Manchin has been adamant at telling Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, and his fellow Senate Democrats that $1.75 is his final offer for the Build Back Better bill.
Manchin wanted to initiate his exit plan this week if an agreement is not made, but Sanders and other Senate Democrats talked him out of it. But if Manchin continues to be out of synch with his fellow Senate Democrats, he could reportedly push through with his exit plan by November 2022.
Sen. Joe Manchin denies the rumors
MANCHIN to @burgessev and me on the report he is threatening to leave the Democratic Party if his demands are not met on infrastructure: “I can’t control rumors and it’s bullshit, bullshit spelled with a B, U, L, L, capital ‘B’”: pic.twitter.com/ex8iHMIiSs
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) October 20, 2021
However, Manchin recently responded to the rumors that he's quitting the Democratic Party by saying he can't control the allegations. But the senator confirmed that there's no truth to them, according to Yahoo! News.
What's true is that Manchin is still insisting on his $1.75 trillion budget for Biden's Build Back Better bill. However, the POTUS and his fellow Democrats said that this is not enough.
Build Back Better bill budget still under negotiation
On Tuesday, Manchin met with Biden and 19 lawmakers to discuss legislative negotiations. After the meeting, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki released a statement saying that a new deal could be announced this week.
"After a day of constructive meetings, the President is more confident this evening about the path forward to delivering for the American people on strong, sustained economic growth that benefits everyone," Psaki said via Reuters.
Jayapal said that the spending package was initially estimated at $3.5 trillion, but it could be reduced to $1.9 trillion to $2.2 trillion. Biden also said that a deal could be reached between $1.75 trillion and $1.9 trillion if Manchin agrees.
As of press writing, the senator has not changed his mind about the budget for the Build Back Better bill.
Related Article: Joe Manchin Lays Out Demands For Biden's Climate Plan, Discusses Reconciliation Bill Talks With Bernie Sanders
