On Sunday, Independent Vermont Senator Sanders was on ABC’s “This Week.” Host Martha Raddatz brought up Manchin’s refusal to back a key bill for Democrats saying “Senator Joe Manchin, of course, abruptly pulled the plug this week on the Democrats plans to pass,” Raddatz began, and before she could get finished Sanders rudely interrupted her saying, “No, Martha. Let me respectfully disagree. He didn’t abruptly do anything. Six months ago, I made it clear that you have people like Manchin, Sinema to a lesser degree, who are intentionally sabotaging the president’s agenda, what the American people want, what a majority of us in the Democratic Caucus want. Nothing new about this.”
Sanders continued, “And the problem was that we continued to talk to Manchin like he was serious. He was not. This guy is a major recipient of fossil fuel money, a guy who has received campaign contributions from 25 Republican billionaires.”
Manchin announced last week his refusal to support two major provisions in President Biden’s economic package. One was the tax increases on the rich and the other was the spending to initiatives to stave off climate change.
Raddatz then played a clip of the West Virginia Senator expressing his deep concern over inflation in his state, and asking Sanders for his reaction.
Raddatz said in response, “You say he wasn’t serious. Manchin says his main goal is to do what’s good for West Virginia, and he’s worried about inflation.”
“Really? Really?” the sarcastic Vermont senator replied. “Is that right?
Sanders than continued, “You ask the people of West Virgina whether they want to expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and eyeglasses; you ask the people of West Virginia whether we should demand that the wealthiest people and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes.” Sanders continued his argument saying, “Ask the people of West Virginia whether or not all people should have health care as a human right, like in every other country on Earth. That’s what they will say. In my humble opinion, you know, Manchin represents the very wealthiest people in this country, not working families in West Virginia or America.”
You can watch the clip here:
Socialist Bernie Sanders hasn’t changed a bit from when he was running for president in 2016 and 2020.