Democrats angry that Manchin is trying to save them?

 Ed Morrissey:

A better question might be: How do you hold a midterm wave upon the sand? The Hill is alive with Senate Democrats’ frustration over Joe Manchin, whose demand for bipartisanship keeps ruining their efforts to shove a progressive agenda down the throats of Republicans. Trying to return to engagement and regular order are a few of Manchin’s favorite things, perhaps especially when looking at next year’s elections:

Senate Democrats have been left confused and befuddled by Sen. Joe Manchin, and say they’re trying to figure out what their West Virginia colleague is thinking with his most recent moves in bucking his party.

Especially perplexing to Democratic senators is Manchin’s opposition to a sweeping election reform bill intended to protect voting rights. He supported what was largely the same legislation, and served as a co-sponsor to the bill, introduced in the previous Congress by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and former Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.).

“If you can figure out what Joe Manchin is about, let me know because I can’t,” said a Democratic senator who requested anonymity to comment frankly on his colleague. “I’m mystified.”

What’s there to be mystified about? Democrats complain that Manchin’s opposing their For The People Act, their version of vote-system overhaul that never had a prayer of getting through the Senate. They claim that Manchin co-sponsored essentially the same bill last year, and that the only differences are “tweaks,” but The Hill doesn’t specify the changes — and neither do Senate Democrats.

Besides, the context could hardly be any more different. Last year’s bill was a minority proposal offered under a president of the opposite party. It was purely performative, a symbolic effort designed for fundraising. Everyone understood that proposal would go nowhere, Manchin as well as everyone else. It seems pretty strange for Manchin’s colleagues to blame Manchin for changing his mind now that Democrats have nominal control, simply for loyally supporting this PR move in the last session of Congress against his political interests in West Virginia.

It’s clear what Manchin wants — he wants Democrats to stop pushing pre-written performance art and instead get back to regular order for developing legislation. Republicans were guilty of this as well, but Manchin’s not a Republican and the responsibility is leadership’s, which is now Democratic in both chambers. Instead, it appears that Democrats will double down on majoritarian efforts rather than engage....

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I think Morrissey understands Manchin better than others in the media and certain other Democrats.  I get the impression Democrat leaders see their ability to govern for the long term slipping away and they are trying to rig the system to stay in power because they do not think they can get the votes they need in the red states without being able to rig the outcome.