(#4702) The momentum for a carve out for voting rights protections is mounting

      There have been a few silent democratic senators who had not endorsed changing the filibuster until recently. So now they are starting to voice their concern for our democracy by being blunt and pointed. They are calling for a carve out when previously they had not been willing to go that far. Still though the main obstacles to a carve out have been manchin and sinema. Well they are starting to feel the isolation that comes with their more silent backers now urging them to change their position. It is well past time and although it may appear to be too late, it isn't. I know how much peer pressure can play in these situations and manchin and sinema will feel it.
     If you watch C-span2 like I do when the senate is in session both manchin and sinema spend a lot of time on the republican side of the senate chamber cajoling and discussing. If one didn't know much about which party they belong to both could easily be seen as republicans given the nature of their positions on the senate floor. During regular times the republicans stay on their side of the chamber and democrats stay on theirs. But not with manchin and sinema. They spend as much if not more time on the republican side of the Chamber. Now we can't hear what they are discussing but if the friendly back slaps and laughter are any indication then it is assumable that both enjoy the company of their republican colleagues quite a bit too much.
     Especially since republicans are in lockstep to defeat any and all Biden bills that would help the democratic party. Which is why a lot of us are a bit confused by the positions of manchin and sinema. Why are they helping republicans undermine the Biden administration and the overall democratic chance to keep our majorities in Congress? An innocent observer would most likely conclude that both manchin and sinema are not democrats but instead more republican allies. If democrats do hold the senate in 2022, joe manchin keeps his 2 chairmanships. If not manchin loses both. So his behavior is doubly confusing. As to sinema her reversal from progressive polices to now conservative ones is more a betrayal to her constituents who thought they were getting a champion, not a turncoat!