Do not let the coronavirus ruin this vote.
, Sen. Joe Manchin—the man who has been almost single-handedly obstructing action on climate change by refusing to support any version of Democrats’ Build Back Better agenda—announced Wednesday evening that he and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had reached a deal. The revised legislation would be the
the U.S. has ever taken toward combating climate change by a long shot, and possibly one of the most significant pieces of climate spending in the world.: The Senate parliamentarian has to give it the thumbs-up. Various other fickle members of the House and Senate will need to put their egos aside and support it. The fragile coalition will need to survive an onslaught of Republican amendments.
With only 50 Democrats in the Senate, the party needs every single member to be sitting in the chamber, preferably alive and upright, and ready to support this thing when it comes up for a vote.Lest you think I’m being paranoid about one of them missing the vote because they are out sick, consider that several senators are currently down for the count. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is recovering from COVID at her home in Alaska. Manchinis actively sick with the virus as well.
And the majority whip, Sen. Dick Durbin—whose job description literally requires him to run around the Capitol leaning in and whispering and cajoling and bellowing and emphatically clearing his throat and justuntil he gets a final vote count—