'Dude, really?': Filibuster champion Joe Manchin slammed for claiming he is 'concerned' about voting rights
United States Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) lamented the erosion of voting rights during a hearing on Tuesday and observers on social media immediately tore into him for preventing the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
"So on voting rights. I've always believed that a healthy democracy depends on a voting system as accessible, free, fair, and secure. While history is going to tell us that we have come a long way in ensuring all individuals, regardless of their race, sex, or political affiliation, have the ability to cast their vote. We can all agree that we still have a lot of work to do," said Manchin.
"I'm particularly concerned about the recent opinions and rulings that seem to undercut decades of established legal precedent," Manchin continued, referring to Supreme Court decisions that gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Watch below via The Recount:
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) says the country has "a lot of work to do" to ensure voting rights access and says he is "particularly concerned" about the erosion of the Voting Rights Act.pic.twitter.com/mkQfNYMbXi— The Recount (@The Recount) 1650985335
Last November, Manchin joined a bipartisan Senate coalition in support of the legislation, which would have nullified efforts to disenfranchise voters by Republicans in dozens of states. But the bill ultimately failed in January because Manchin – along with conservative Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona – refused to agree to amend the Senate filibuster. As a result, GOP lawmakers were able to torpedo the measure before it was debated on the Senate floor.
The impasse has stymied other proposals by Democrats, who hold a one-seat Senate majority due to Vice President Kamala Harris being a member of their party.
Twitter users had no interest in letting Manchin live it down.
It\u2019s too bad Manchin isn\u2019t in a position to do any\u2014-, oh wait.— Sarah Reese Jones (@Sarah Reese Jones) 1650991554
Wow, Manchin killed the Voting Rights Act and he thinks we forgot.pic.twitter.com/XhNXueC9Bl— August (@August) 1650986051
His "concerns" are about as legit as Susan Collins'. \n\nI'm really really tired of senators being "concerned" but not doing a damn thing about it. He has had multiple chances to do something but he is more "concerned" about bipartisanship w/people who are destroying our rights.— THEE #2022Midterms\ud83c\udf0a (@THEE #2022Midterms\ud83c\udf0a) 1650986186
Gosh @Sen_JoeManchin you had an opportunity to vote for the #VotingRightsAct and you said you weren\u2019t \u201ccomfortable\u201d with it.— Kate D \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\udc5c\ud83d\udc36\ud83d\udc36\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf3b (@Kate D \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\udc5c\ud83d\udc36\ud83d\udc36\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf3b) 1650986867
He was one of them.— 4plus2equalsus (@4plus2equalsus) 1650988810
Dude Really?!?!? You one of the two senators that didn\u2019t want to kill the filibuster and prevent to pass the John Lewis VRA— Seth Cameron (@Seth Cameron) 1650997706
Gee\u2026if only there was a bill @Sen_JoeManchin could have voted for with a simple carve out of the filibuster\u2026.one Republicans will use immediately upon control of the senate to further restrict voting rights.— S. Cohen (@S. Cohen) 1650993323
And yet he will NOT eliminate the one thing that will change this...the Filibuster..all talk and NO action for Democracy.— Mama V (@Mama V) 1650989237
But he still cares more for the filibuster than voting rights.— Robert J Rider (@Robert J Rider) 1650997962
Are you fucking kidding me?— Martha \ud83e\uddf6 Smith (@Martha \ud83e\uddf6 Smith) 1650996437
Is this a joke? A really bad joke?— S.K. Holler-in (@S.K. Holler-in) 1650986170
