No, I don’t know why Joe Manchin is a putz.

If I knew, I might not be so exasperated. He joined all the Senate Republicans today to vote down the Women’s Health Protection Act, previously passed by the House.

 Manchin says he wants to codify Roe. Just not with this bill. 

“It is not Roe v. Wade codification, it is an expansion,” Manchin told USA Today before a vote in the Senate, resulting in 49-51. “We should not be dividing this country further than we’re already divided.”

The next step, I presume, is for the Democratic leadership to water down the current version of the bill, pass it and hope the House progressives don’t balk. Shy of that, there’s no other way forward. 

Chuck Schumer can’t make Manchin not be a putz. All he can do is set up votes to show Americans where everybody stands.

The Democrats really need the people to decide in the fall. The goal should be clear. 

The Democrats need more Democrats.

The Editorial Board does everything it can to inform citizens, defend the public square and empower communities to govern themselves. But me and everyone else here working hard can’t do it by ourselves.

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