 Do progressive Democrats owe Joe Manchin an apology for demonizing it these past few months? Well, no, look, this is how the governing process works. You've got activists and organizers who've been pushing and pressuring. In fact, Joe Manchin himself said, and I quote, that their dogs came after me after there was a lot of righteous anger after he pulled out the first time. And so this shows that our democratic process only works if you work out. And then there are people who have been out there fighting on climate legislation, fighting on a more fair approach to taxation, who really do share the credit with Joe Manchin on this. No apologies needed, but this is how the governing process works. You just watched a CNN host with a straight face. Mind you, seriously ask progressive Abdullah El Sayed if progressives owe Joe Manchin an apology. Really? You're seriously asking this on national television. What do you even say to that? First of all, before you parade Joe Manchin around as a hero, we don't even know if this is going to pass yet because Kirsten Sonoma has remained silent and she's long opposed narrowing the carried interest loophole, which is making Democrats nervous that she won't support this. So we don't even know if it's going to pass. Second of all, we have to applaud this coal baron for dictating the terms of climate policy. Are you serious about that? Yes, there are some good things in this bill, such as some investments in renewable technology. The problem is that it also simultaneously allows for more environmental destruction. Why? Because that serves the interests of Joe Manchin's donors in the fossil fuel industry. As Jake Johnson of Common Dreams explains, the agreement was reached as part of an effort to secure Manchin's support for the Inflation Reduction Act, a proposed budget reconciliation bill that includes renewable energy investments, drug price reforms and a number of giveaways to the fossil fuel industry, because its provisions fall outside the bounds of reconciliation. The side deal must be passed as separate legislation, according to a one page summary obtained by the Washington Post. The agreement and its current form would set new two year limits or maximum timelines for environmental reviews for major projects, a potentially massive victory for the fossil fuel industry that could also entail benefits for renewable energy production. It would also aim to streamline the government processes for deciding approvals for energy projects by centralizing decision making with one lead agency, the Post Notes. The bill would also attempt to clear the way for the approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which would transport Appalachian shale gas about 300 miles from West Virginia to Virginia. This pipeline is a key priority of Manchin's as the New York Times notes that move would take cases involving the pipeline away from the fourth district where environmentalists had found success. So if you were one of the individuals who found it a little bit odd that a modern day coal baron was this enthusiastic about so-called climate change mitigation legislation to the point where he's willing to try to persuade Kiersten Sinema to support this. That's why, because there's a lot of giveaways to the fossil fuel industry, including pork for him, specifically for his donors. Now, on top of that, I want to share this video from the people versus fossil fuels that talks about the Mountain Valley Pipeline, because this would be a disaster if it were approved. Mountain Valley Pipeline is a project of Equitrans midstream. It's a 42 inch high pressure, fracked gas pipeline that is creating a sacrifice zone across Appalachia. I'm Russell Chisholm. I'm on top of Brush Mountain, Montgomery County in Southwest Virginia. Behind me is the Mountain Valley Pipeline. This is Maurice Johnson. I'm standing on Doe Creek Farm in Giles County, Virginia. It breaks my heart to see the destruction that's happening here on this farm. We've been resisting Mountain Valley Pipeline since 2014. The resistance to this is because we understand that pipelines are inherently bad, these kinds of pipelines. They take away the property rights. They take this threat in our water and our environment, especially this pristine water that's here in Monroe and Giles County. I'm glad that Joe Biden has declared Code Red for climate. But it has been Code Red down here in Appalachia for a long time with the fossil fuel industry calling the shots. It's not just a regional fight anymore. And it's now a national fight. And I say it's a global fight. So it is time for us to take our message from these hills, from this devastation and destruction to the front steps of the White House and demand that Joe Biden keep his climate promises, put an end to these projects once and for all. So I'm asking you to join me to the Build Back Fossil Free Rally. Join me in Washington, D.C. October 11th through the 15th to stand in solidarity with all the pipeline fights across the country. Our planet depends on it. Think about that. This climate change mitigation compromise and it is a compromise, right? It is going to lead to the approval of that pipeline, among other terrible things for the environment. So, you know, I think that we need to wait to decide on whether or not we support this based on cost-benefit analyses from environmental groups because there's already a number of poison pills in this legislation that make it seem as if maybe it's more bad than good. I genuinely don't know. There's good things in that legislation, right? But the problem is that when it comes to the environmental impact, is there so much destruction that it's going to kind of negate from any of the good when it comes to investments in clean energy? Now, despite the negatives here, Joe Manchin gets to pretend as if he's some sort of a hero because of the good provisions in the bill. So take a look at this interview that he had on Fox News, where it gets pretty heated. Yeah, but the elections are going to need some help. You've got a president who is not going to make a statement on that. Approval rating is like as low as Congress's. Well, can't we all do something right? You know that when you get into the thirties, no one's that popular. Harris, are you scared we're going to do something good to help our country? And someone might take credit for it? Are you kidding? Service is in the Bible. That's what we do. We serve our fellow man and woman. That's exactly what I'm going. Don't don't make this personal because it's not. So look at the way that he's framing this. He's framing this as him serving the people, the people of West Virginia, specifically, when if this passes, it would lead the way for the approval of a pipeline that could potentially poison their drinking water, not to mention trample on indigenous sovereignty. So he gets to have plausible deniability, right? He gets to pretend as if, oh, well, I'm the hero. Applaud me because there are actually good things in this legislation like a tax right on tax hike on corporations. So he gets the boost about that while downplaying simultaneously all of the negative environmental impacts that this bill will have. Take a look at this clip. We got to know the bottom line on taxes. Let me tell you the bottom line on that, Harris. You want to know the bottom line, the joint committee on taxation? That opinion was only written by my friends on the Republican side. It was not done by the whole joint committee. So that is unfair, too. So let's be accurate what we're doing here. The bottom line is how in the world can you be raising taxes when all we're saying is the wealthiest corporations in America, 55 of them pays zero to help this great country of ours to defend ourselves. Well, how does this change that? Because that's that's part of the corporate structuring, right? It's a minimum of 15 percent. The tax rate was at 35 percent before 2017. Right. Then it went to 21 percent. That was a tremendous savings, but that's not good enough. I guess all we're saying is at 15 percent minimum, everyone in West Virginia, I know and most people around the country, pay a 21 percent corporate or greater. So why can't the greatest billion dollars of revenue a year? Why can't they pay at least 15 percent for this great country? Are you trying to also say, because this is this is the part that counts? I mean, people look at the corporations and they know they've got great tax accountants. Heck, they have complete departments trying to come up with ways to to find loopholes and keep more and to hire people as well. I mean, let's not forget that, too. But four hundred thousand dollars was supposed to be the cut off. And I'm reading and I am reading, Senator, that it's been any taxes, who's paying any taxes that doesn't have a corporation that has revenue of over a billion dollars a year? Not one person. Not one person, Harris, you're assuming because they'll pass that on. The companies were paying zero. No, no, no, I'm asking a different question than you're answering. I'm saying Americans, four hundred thousand dollars and below now are going to be taxed. That's wrong. That's a lie. That is a pure outright lie. So their taxes are not going to go up. Not at all. And you know one thing, how about the people that are going to be saving as far as on their Medicare, two hundred and eighty eight billion dollars who are paying a higher price than they should, aren't they? They didn't even assume that in the evaluation. They didn't talk about any of that. How about if gasoline prices go down because we're producing more or to make more gasoline? Those are going to fluctuate. See, this is why I hate this so much, because right there, he's undeniably correct. He's correct. And he, I think, did a good job at shooting down her lie. But the problem is that, again, he gets to pretend to be the hero currently while bolstering, you know, this populist image that he may be trying to cultivate, saying we're trying to, you know, raise taxes on corporations. But at the same time, minimizing the harmful aspects about this legislation, such as the unpopular Mountain Valley pipeline. So it's frustrating that we're in this predicament where the only opportunity where Democrats can get anything accomplished with regard to climate mitigation is to essentially let a coal baron dictate the terms of what is and isn't possible. And even if there are good things in this bill, aside from the climate thing, you know, more subsidies for the affordable care act and whatnot, corporate tax hike. You know, we don't know if this is going to do more harm than good with respect to the environment, because again, sure, we're allowing for more investments in renewable technology. But how much environmental devastation will this bill cause? It's a total catch 22. So this is where we're at, where this is our only chance at climate mitigation, but we don't even know if it's actually going to do what we hope it does. Oh, well, Joe Manchin gets to pretend to be a hero. And media will pretend as if he's a hero, except for right wing media who is attacking him because they're against this because they don't support that the corporate tax hike. And they also don't want any investments in renewable technology. So it's such a bizarre predicament to be found in. But either way, you know, if Joe Manchin is this enthusiastic about something that should be a huge red flag for everyone. So either way, you know, we don't necessarily know if this will even pass because Kyrsten Sinema is in agreement with Republicans that corporate taxes shouldn't be raised. Capital gains taxes shouldn't be increased. So we don't know what's going to happen. But either way, one thing we know for damn sure is that Joe Manchin is no fucking hero and stop pretending as if he is one.