I certainly did not mean to imply that government spending is the singular cause of inflation. But I do stand by the notion that dropping multiple trillions of dollars of liquidity into the economy fuels a fire that is already burning, as a result, of course, of the COVID disruption, supply chain etc.

You have valid points, and I am not de facto opposed to the progressive agenda. However, I do feel compelled to note two details:

1) Manchin favors repeal of the Trump Republican 2017 tax cuts, he does favor raising taxes in particular ways.

2) He was the one that helped successfully orchestrate the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and its passage through the Senate, something others had mocked him for even trying, assuming bipartisan was impossible. He succeeded and it passed the chamber he is in. The House Democrats then held up that bill, so to say Manchin held it up is quite entirely false. The House could have passed it months ago. They chose to hold it up. Until now. They have passed it. And they are still not going to get the full Build Back Better bill through the Senate without amendments in any case. So it was an all around wasted delay that gained nothing for anyone.

This is a fair debate to have on the economics side, but I was writing on the politics side of the matter of how voters view things. Voters in Virgina said economics was the number one issue for them, and Youngkin won. This is my admittedly simplistic point, but a point that matters in plotting political strategy for winning campaigsn in the future.

The soon to come return of McConnell Majority Leader Senate will make these days of dealing with Manchin look like the good old days and Democrats will look back wistfully upon it.