Guys, the Democrats in the Senate passed the Budget Resolution Bill way early this morning (4AM eastern!) 50-49. Which —you might note— is strictly party line and NOT bipartisan. Not even a little:

Why it matters: The budget lays the groundwork for Democrat-led committees to begin drafting sections of a massive spending bill that would mark the biggest expansion of America’s social safety net in generations.

• But this is just the beginning. Now that the budget resolution has passed the Senate, it will take weeks, if not months, for Democrats in both chambers to negotiate and draft the final product.
• Final passage of the $3.5 trillion spending bill, which will require all 50 Democratic senators to sign on, will likely not come until the fall.

…and then they took up the Voting Rights Bill:

…the revised version being the Manchin-amended thing. Not that it is a bribe, or anything.

So of course, Manchin is now attacking the Reconciliation Bill:

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued a statement on Wednesday saying he has “serious concerns” about the size of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, calling it “simply irresponsible” to continue spending at such high levels.

…and I think that is the current state of play. Attacking the thing he just voted for even after accepting a bribe. The man has style. Bad style, but style nonetheless.

Part of the performa nature of the budget resolution is that amendments are allowed, though they are non-binding, and this is when the Republicans usually stick in Culture War stuff about the dirty hippies are in favor of Baby Killing so that it goes into the record and then into campaign advertising that the Democrats voted for it.

Except of course that some members are too stupid to know how to play this game. Take Tommy Tuberville (please):

And that is the World’s Greatest Debate Club in action.

Republished with permission from Mock Paper Scissors.