President Joe Biden’s (D) $3.5 trillion budget has generated Democratic infighting as some lawmakers like Florida Rep. Omari Hardy (D) support the budget, and other lawmakers like Senator Joe Manchin (D) do not approve. This week, Senator Manchin reiterated that he would not be voting in favor of the bill, writing an opinion article for the Wall Street Journal titled “Why I won’t Support Spending Another 3.5 Trillion.” In Response, Florida Rep. Darren Soto (D) took to Twitter to criticize lawmakers that oppose the budget, disregarding Manchin’s argument that it will contribute to inflation and arguing that the budget is a response to “the pandemic… that’ll makes us stronger.”
"We passed the American Rescue Plan & CARES Acts to fully fund the COVID-19 response & avoid another Great Recession," argued Soto, adding that his "Republican friends complain about minor inflation." However, Soto feels that if lawmakers hadn't passed both bills, "they would rather have had another recession." Instead, lawmakers chose to "go BIG," which is why Soto feels that lawmakers should "Build Back Better!"
That "minor inflation" Rep. Soto refers to is actually a lot bigger than he and other House Democrats are leading on.
While being interviewed by NBC News’ Chuck Todd, Todd pressed Manchin to explain why he isn’t supporting the budget. Responding to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D) support of the budget, Manchin noted that “everything that the speaker… has mentioned, I have been for and voted for.” Commenting that lawmakers “spent $5.4 trillion,” he added that “a lot of that really continues way into next year,” and those are funds that “we haven’t dispersed at all.”
The West Virginia Democrat has been clear that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) is not going to “have my vote on the 3.5.”
In response, lawmakers like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (I) have called Manchin’s decision unacceptable.
On Twitter, Soto shared a clip of comments he shared on the House Floor, praising the budget along with the response Democrats have taken.
We passed the #AmericanRescuePlan & CARES Acts to fully fund the #COVID19 response & avoid another Great Recession. My Republican friends complain about minor inflation. Apparently, they would rather have had another recession. The choice is clear: go BIG & #BuildBackBetter! pic.twitter.com/BjMVYFQcfn
— Rep. Darren Soto (@RepDarrenSoto) September 13, 2021
