As he continues to posture himself in advance of a tough reelection bid, Democrat Joe Manchin (D-WV) routinely preaches the importance of fiscal responsibility to West Virginians, even complaining earlier this year that our nation could never tackle its spending and debt crisis “unless there is a balanced budget amendment that forces us.”
But today, Manchin stood instead with President Barack Obama and voted with his Washington party bosses against even considering a measure to balance the federal budget while cutting runaway spending now and capping Washington’s spending in the future – just the latest in a growing pattern of Manchin putting his support for Obama’s liberal Washington agenda ahead of keeping his promises to West Virginians.
Manchin’s decision to help kill a balanced budget earned him high praise today from anti-coal Senate Democrat leader Harry Reid, who said his “friend from West Virginia” has been a “great addition” to the Democrat-run Senate. Notably, Manchin himself recently admitted to Hoppy Kercheval that a Republican-run Senate would be better for West Virginia on issues like job-killing regulations.
“Sadly, it’s not surprising that Senator Manchin would side with President Obama and vote against even considering a balanced federal budget today. But West Virginians are no doubt wondering how Manchin explains his vote today to kill a balanced budget in light of his repeated claims that he supported a balanced budget in Washington.” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond today.
Over the last several years, Manchin has routinely abandoned his supposed support for fiscal responsibility, instead choosing to support President Barack Obama’s reckless spending agenda – including the failed $787 billion stimulus and $2 trillion health care overhaul.
In fact, it’s been 814 days since Manchin’s fellow Democrats who run the Senate have proposed any federal budget, much less the balanced budget Manchin claimed to support.
MANCHIN HAS REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR A BALANCED FEDERAL BUDGET:
MANCHIN: “But, You Know, Every — In West Virginia, Every Family Sits Down And Work Through Their Budgets, And They Set A Budget And Stick With It. Most States Have A Budget Balance Amendment. And I Want To Know What Your Thoughts Would Be For This Federal Government, Because It Doesn’t Seem To Me That We’re Ever Going To Have The Will To Tackle The Problems That We Have To And The Votes That’s Going To Have To Be Made Unless There Is A Balanced Budget Amendment That Forces Us.” (Senator Joe Manchin, Senate Committee On The Budget, 1/27/11)
MANCHIN: “States Have To Work Within Balanced Budgets. We Have To Start Living Within Our Means In This Country. And To Be Serious About — We Have Very Serious Problems.” (Fox News Channel, 6/27/11)
