Bernie Sanders Lets Manchin Have It Over 'Entitlement' Remarks

By Susie Madrak — October 7, 2021

Great Maddow interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders last night in which he spelled out his frustration with Joe Manchin's comments about Bernie wanting an "entitlement" society (West Virginia is the 4th largest recipient of federal funds, but okay, Joe) as opposed to the "compassionate and rewarding society" Manchin says he wants.

He's also pushing back hard on Manchin's and Kyrsten Sinema's obstruction of the reconciliation bill.

When you've got the support of the majority of the American people, the Democratic House and Senate caucus, and when you've got the support of the president — this is not some 50-50 deal.

Two people cannot stand in the way of delivering for the working people of this country. pic.twitter.com/iKCr571958

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 7, 2021

“I could, in five minutes, go to Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, and say, ‘Chuck, I can’t support this bill unless you have a Medicare-for-all provision.’ But I’m not going to do that,” he said.

“It is wrong and it is really not playing fair that one or two people think that they should be able to stop what 48 members of the Democratic caucus want, what the American people want, what the president of the United States wants.

“Two people do not have a right to sabotage.”

Go, Bernie, go!

"2 people do not have a right to sabotage" what the American people voted for and want. -- @BernieSanders on Sinema and Manchin moments agohttps://t.co/OouWBbE6i0

— Faiz (@fshakir) October 6, 2021

Bernie Sanders calls on Joe Manchin to explain what he means by an “entitlement society.” He asks if the West Virginia senator views Medicare vision/dental/hearing, child tax credit, universal pre-K, housing, 2y community college, climate action or other policies as entitlements. pic.twitter.com/aJnkMQD7pH

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 6, 2021

Bernie Sanders: “Across America, people work 50-60 hours a week, can't afford child care, have no health care, and they turn on the TV and the media says 'everything is great!' because corporations are making record profits.”https://t.co/AXRbjDKZJJ

— Paul Cogan (@PaulCogan) October 6, 2021

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV): “Is protecting working families and cutting childhood poverty an entitlement?” pic.twitter.com/2BAiBws5Ae

— The Recount (@therecount) October 6, 2021

Progressives, incl. @AOC, have argued for a while that the focus on the top-line number for the bill distracts from the much more important question of what it would actually do.

Here's @BernieSanders on Manchin's objections. pic.twitter.com/zUuNdNZprz

— Niall Stanage (@NiallStanage) October 6, 2021

Sen. Bernie Sanders: "Does Sen. Manchin really believe that seniors are not entitled to digest their food and that they're not entitled to hear and see properly? Is that really too much to ask ... That elderly people have teeth in their mouth and can see and can hear?"

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 7, 2021