On Thursday, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) shoved the Biden Administration’s hopes for sweeping legislation off the rails, refusing to support the tax hikes and climate change provisions.
According to CNN, Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have negotiated the issue for months and made some progress with Schumer paring back climate provisions.
However, Manchin drove his stakes down on the two volatile points, insisting that increased federal spending climbing into the driver’s seat has created the runaway inflation Americans are experiencing.
Democrats and environmentalists are now up in arms over Manchin’s stance. They had previously seethed when Manchin erected a roadblock on Biden’s climate and economic proposal – the Build Back Better Plan. The $1.75 trillion version Manchin blocked was a shadow of the original $3.5 trillion spending plan pushed by the White House and other Democrats.
Manchin’s spokesperson, Samantha Runyon, said the senator’s primary concern is addressing the high inflation plaguing the U.S.
“Political headlines are of no value to the millions of Americans struggling to afford groceries and gas as inflation soars to 9.1%,” she said. “Senator Manchin believes it’s time for leaders to put political agendas aside, reevaluate and adjust to the economic realities the country faces to avoid taking steps that add fuel to the inflation fire.”
Items like chicken, eggs and lunchmeat have increased to all-time highs, while energy costs rose more than 40% in June with those that can least afford it suffering the most. It is past time we put our country first and end this inflation crisis. MORE: https://t.co/hM0guT4lng
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) July 13, 2022
Meanwhile, some democrats and activists claim this is the last opportunity to save the planet for future generations by lowing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
“This is our last chance to prevent the most catastrophic—and costly—effects of climate change. We can’t come back in another decade and forestall hundreds of billions—if not trillions—in economic damage and undo the inevitable human toll,” Oregon Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden said.
“This is nothing short of a death sentence,” Varshini Prakash, co-founder of youth climate group Sunrise Movement, said. “It’s clear appealing to corporate obstructionists doesn’t work, and it will cost us a generation of voters.”
However, there is no mention of the food production issues that the so-called climate crisis has created and will continue to build. For example, Farmers in the Netherlands are fighting to keep their livelihood and the opportunity to produce food for their fellow citizens. As the world’s second-largest agricultural food producer, the Netherlands farming industry is indisputably necessary, especially with the Russian-Ukraine war influencing ingredients for food supplies. According to Our World in Data, Ukraine and Russia are key players in the production of global food supplies – with Ukraine producing 40% of the world’s wheat.
