Kick Joe Manchin out of the Democratic Party, ex-Labor Secretary Robert Reich says: 'Already lost control'

Former Democratic Labor Secretary Robert Reich believes it may be time for Democrats to kick  Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., out of the party because they "already lost control over the Senate" and can’t get anything done despite appearing to have power. 

Reich, who served as secretary of Labor under President Clinton and was a member of President Obama’s economic transition advisory board, wrote on Substack that kicking Manchin out of the party would at least allow Democrats to admit they didn’t truly have control when Americans head off to vote in the looming midterm elections. 

Manchin's office had reportedly told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Thursday that he is only willing to support a reconciliation bill in August that includes a provision to lower prescription drug prices and a two-year extension of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, according to a Democrat briefed on the conversations. However, Manchin pushed back later Friday on reports that he had ruled out including tax hikes and climate change subsidies within the Democrats' party-line spending bill, saying he would wait until July inflation numbers are out next month to decide. 

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Reich had already seemingly admitted defeat, declaring Manchin has put "a final spear through the heart of what remained of Biden’s and the Democrat’s domestic agenda, particularly because he "also rejected any tax increases on big corporations or the wealthy" until inflation is no longer an issue. 

"This is rich, in every sense of the word. Raising taxes on big American corporations and the wealthy would not fuel inflation. It would slow inflation by reducing demand — and do it in a way that wouldn’t hurt lower-income Americans," Reich wrote. "Manchin’s state is one of the poorest in America… but Manchin doesn’t seem to give a cluck. After all, the Democrat’s agenda — which Manchin just obliterated — included pre-K education, free community college, child subsidies, Medicare dental and vision benefits, paid family leave, elder care, and much else — all of enormous value to West Virginia."

Reich wrote that Manchin has not "championed anything else Democrats have sought," either, and the former Clinton staffer believes money is the reason. 

"Few if any American-based global corporations or billionaires reside in West Virginia, but lots of money flows to Manchin from corporations and billionaires residing elsewhere. Manchin has not only taken more campaign contributions from oil, gas and coal companies than any other senator (as well as dividends from his own coal company), he has one of the largest war chests from all big American corporations," Reich wrote.

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"If the Democratic Party had any capacity to discipline its lawmakers or hold them accountable (if pigs could fly), it would at least revoke Manchin’s chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. To continue to allow this key position to be occupied by the man who has single-handedly blocked one of the last opportunities to save the Earth is an insult to the universe," Reich continued. "I’m told the Democrats don’t dare take this step for fear Manchin would leave the Democratic Party and switch his allegiance to the Republicans."

Reich then bluntly asked, "Why exactly would this be so terrible?"

He claims that Manchin "already acts like a Republican," and dismissed concerns that Democrats would lose control of the Senate if Manchin switched sides. 

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"I have news for Democrats. They already lost control over the Senate," Reich wrote. "In fact, the way things are right now, Biden and the Democrats have the worst of both worlds. They look like they control the Senate, as well as the House and the presidency. But they can’t get a damn thing done because Manchin (and his intermittent sidekick Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema) won’t let them."

Reich believes "Democrats have accomplished almost nothing of what they came to Washington to do" in nearly two years and recent failures will cost them in the upcoming midterms. 

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"Democrats will have to go back to voters and say ‘we promised a lot but we delivered squat, so please vote for us again,’" he wrote. "This does not strike me as a compelling message."

Reich concluded: "By kicking Manchin out of the party, Democrats could at least go into the midterms with a more realistic pitch: ‘It looked like we had control of the Senate, but we didn’t. Now that you know who the real Democrats are, give us the power and we will get it done.’ Maybe this way they’ll pick up more real Democratic senators, and do it."

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Fox News’ David Rutz and Yael Halon contributed to this report.