Sen. Pat Toomey Criticizes Sen. Joe Manchin’s Support for Democrats’ Reconciliation Bill

Republican Senator Pat Toomey did not hold back in his criticism of Democratic Senator Joe Manchin’s decision to support a reconciliation bill that aims to revive Democrats’ domestic agenda. Toomey slammed Manchin’s move, calling it a disaster that would worsen the recession and inflation.

In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on State of the Union, Toomey expressed his disbelief at Manchin’s decision, highlighting his concerns about the bill’s provisions on corporate taxes, health-care subsidies, and climate change funds. Toomey accused Manchin of being “taken to the cleaners” and questioned what the West Virginia senator gained from supporting the bill.

Toomey’s criticism echoed that of other Republicans, who felt blindsided by Manchin’s support for the Inflation Reduction Act, a $700 billion bill that funds some of President Joe Biden’s key priorities. Some GOP members, including Senator John Cornyn, felt betrayed by Manchin’s move and questioned how they could trust future negotiations with Democrats.

Toomey also took aim at the bill’s climate provisions, arguing that they were insufficient in addressing climate change. Despite moderate Democrats like Rep. Abigail Spanberger supporting the bill, Toomey dismissed the measures as mere gestures that would not make a significant impact.

Additionally, Toomey criticized Democrats and comedian Jon Stewart for their push for a veterans’ relief bill that Republicans ultimately blocked. Toomey accused Democrats of using sympathetic groups like veterans to sneak in unrelated provisions that they knew would not pass on their own.

Overall, Toomey’s strong words against Manchin’s support for the reconciliation bill and his criticism of Democrats’ tactics highlight the deep divide between the two parties on key policy issues. The fallout from Manchin’s decision is likely to reverberate in Washington for some time to come.