Inflation-Wary Manchin Voters Put Biden’s Agenda in Peril
- West Virginians leery of government that many of them rely on
- Old-age programs more popular than Biden’s child-care plan
Senator Joe Manchin
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
When Senator Joe Manchin says President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion social spending package will worsen inflation and leave the most basic government services like Social Security and Medicare in danger, he’s reflecting the fears of his aging and vulnerable West Virginia constituents.
Manchin has been one of two major holdouts imperiling Senate passage of Biden’s so-called Build Back Better legislation, which includes universal pre-kindergarten, child-care subsidies, and, possibly, paid family leave and free community college, as well as addressing elder care and prescription drug prices. It also includes measures to address climate change.