Senator Manchin defied his party, dominated by the far left, and showed far more respect for our constitutional republic than has become customary. He issued a statement on camera on November 1, laying out his enduring objections and expectations as a senator from West Virginia. Manchin defied progressives’ demands as Biden nodded and slept his way through the only COP he and his party support. Senator Manchin defended the Senate against the House, and the Congress against the Executive. He reiterated a series of substantive objections about effects on the present and future of America.

The Democratic Party leadership in Congress failed to leverage Biden’s appearance on the international stage as a pretext for rushing through major legislation. In particular, Speaker (of the House) Pelosi failed to crowd Senator Manchin into doing the bidding of the House Progressive Caucus. Manchin’s words reflected what was once centrist political orthodoxy, but now trigger instant outrage and tantrums from the leftist core of today’s Democratic Party.

I am very cautiously encouraged by Manchin’s latest statement, his apparent position after the Build Back Better Act was supposedly slimmed down from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion. He seems to be pushing back on both policy and real costs. On policy, Manchin objects to major growth in the scope of federal government involvement in Americans’ lives, and to energy and economic harms. On costs, he calls pure applesauce on the budgetary gimmicks. My analysis of the Build Back Better Act concludes it is radically leftist, transformational in its effects on America. Senator Manchin just might help save our constitutional republic for a season.