Don't hold your breath waiting for Manchin to flip Senate.

House Democrats Refuse to Support Second Part of Manchin-Schumer Deal for Increased Energy Development and Permitting

Looks like we are going to find out exactly what Joe Manchin’s leverage was over Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer {REMINDER HERE}.

On July 31, According to Manchin the deal between himself, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden includes his support for the current green energy spending, in exchange for two new items in future legislation: 1) Streamlined energy permitting/regulation; and 2) Increased development of Oil, Coal, Gas.  Both of these pieces of legislation have to be handled in a separate Senate bill.

According to Manchin, his agreement to the current spending bill was contingent upon a promise that: (A) Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will generate a new bill for streamlined energy permitting and increased oil, gas and coal development; (B) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will take up the Senate bill and whip enough of her House Democrat membership to join with Republicans in support of that Senate bill; and (C) Joe Biden will sign that increased energy production bill.

Here’s the important part.  Senator Manchin claimed he has leverage over Biden, Pelosi and Schumer to ensure a new bill with those priorities is created and advanced.  Manchin further claimed there were “consequences” for Biden, Pelosi and Schumer if they were to renege on the deal.  He is quite emphatic about that point if you listen to the NBC interview. (LINK)

The only possible leverage Manchin could have of such significance would be a threat to switch parties if Biden, Pelosi and/or Schumer reneged on the deal.  That would immediately flip the Senate.  In the latest development, the House democrats are threatening not to support the increased energy production and streamlined permitting part.

(Politico) – House Democrats managed to maintain party discipline in passing a historic climate bill heavily influenced by fossil fuel state centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) on Friday. But a contentious, intraparty battle on permitting of energy projects lies ahead.

Progressives ultimately supported the Inflation Reduction Act now heading to President Joe Biden’s desk despite it spending less to fight climate change than initially envisioned in the Build Back Better legislation. But they are now vowing to fight a secondary agreement struck by Manchin, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Biden to pass permitting reform legislation aimed at speeding up the building of oil and gas pipelines, green infrastructure projects and mines to dig up critical minerals.

“I am not going to be steamrolled into a bunch of fossil fuel give-aways just because Manchin cut a deal in a closed room with Chuck Schumer,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). “He doesn’t get to run the show on something like this, and many of us will have a say on what that deal looks like if it even happens.” (more)

The barking moonbats were obviously not part of the negotiations.  However, if they dig in, we might find out what that leverage was that Joe Manchin was talking about. (read more)