Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is criticizing Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) for withholding his critical vote on a roughly $2 trillion social spending package.
During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Monday, Ocasio-Cortez said, “The idea that Joe Manchin says he can’t explain this back home to his people is a farce.”
“I mean it’s a farce in terms of plain democracy because I represent just as many or more people than Joe Manchin does,” she added.
Watch the video below:
Rep. @AOC (D-NY) on Sen. Manchin's no on BBB Act:
— The Recount (@therecount) December 20, 2021
“The idea that Joe Manchin says he can’t explain this back home to his people is a farce … I represent just as many or more people than Joe Manchin does.” pic.twitter.com/F9W1Ex8epU
National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar pointed out that Ocasio-Cortez’s district has about 750,000 residents.
Meanwhile, Manchin represents the entire state of West Virginia which has a population of around 1.79 million residents.
AOC said she thought her district had as many residents as West Virginia, on “Morning Joe” today.
— Josh Kraushaar (@JoshKraushaar) December 20, 2021
West Virginia pop: 1.79M residents
NY-14 pop: 750,000 residents
Her comments come after Manchin revealed that he would not vote for Democrats’ roughly $2 trillion Build Back Better Act, as IJR reported.
“I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation, I just can’t. I tried everything humanly possible, I can’t get there,” he said during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”
The West Virginia senator said in a statement, “I have always said, ‘If I can’t go back home and explain it, I can’t vote for it.’ Despite my best efforts, I cannot explain the sweeping Build Back Better Act in West Virginia and I cannot vote to move forward on this mammoth piece of legislation.”
His opposition to the bill led members of the Democratic so-called “Squad” to voice their frustration:
Let’s be clear: Manchin’s excuse is bullshit. The people of West Virginia would directly benefit from childcare, pre-Medicare expansion, and long term care, just like Minnesotans.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) December 19, 2021
This is exactly what we warned would happen if we separated Build Back Better from infrastructure. https://t.co/dhzcSk0qUV
It shouldn't surprise anyone that Manchin goes on Fox to kill BBB – he's been promising to do it for months, and some folks didn't want to believe him. We gave up our leverage the moment BIF passed and he got the fossil fuel subsidies he wanted. https://t.co/yCejuSbSRh
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) December 19, 2021
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki blasted Manchin in a statement as she said, “Senator Manchin promised to continue conversations in the days ahead, and to work with us to reach that common ground.”
“If his comments on FOX and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position, and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate,” she added.
