Where egos dare: Manchin and Sinema show how Senate spotlight corrupts Robert Reich

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

Before February of last year, almost no one outside West Virginia had heard of Manchin and almost no one outside Arizona (and probably few within it) had ever heard of Sinema.

Now, they’re notorious. They’re Washington celebrities. Their photos grace every major news outlet in America.

This sort of attention is addictive. Once it seeps into the bloodstream, it becomes an all-consuming force. I’ve known politicians who have become permanently and irrevocably intoxicated.

I’m not talking simply about power, although that’s certainly part of it. I’m talking about narcissism – the primal force driving so much of modern America but whose essence is concentrated in certain places such as Wall Street, Hollywood and the United States Senate.

(snip)


https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/22/where-egos-dare-manchin-sinema-senate-voting-rights-filibuster

[2naSalit]

1. I'm sure that...

There is a complementary portion of the House who can be included in that grouping.

[Uncle Joe]

2. I agree

but I believe any potential narcissistic dysfunction there would be more contained as one Representative can't disproportionately tie up critical legislation via filibuster.

[madaboutharry]

3. It takes a truly despicable person to undermine the country

in exchange for feeding their narcissism.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

4. S&M paid lip service to the importance of voting, but they sabotaged it.

Evey time one his "red lines" was resolved by the rest of the Democrats, Manchin drew another one. At no time did he nor Sinema put forward a positive suggestion of how to pass the voting rights acts. Never. Like the rest of the Republicans, the only thing he knows how to do is obstruct.

The people of W.Virginia need to be told every day -- by people who live in the state -- that their senator is keeping their lives from getting better. In fact, by ensuring the GQP takes over the House, they will never have any law passed to benefit them. Because of Manchin, their lives will only get worse.