Fresh off stabbing his West Virginian constituents in the back, Joe Manchin got up on Sunday and tried to muddy the waters. He appeared on various Sunday news shows vainly attempting to explain his sudden decision to support a reconciliation bill that raises taxes on the middle class and spends $400 billion on “climate change” initiatives.

As RedState reported, things didn’t go well. In one instance, Manchin squirmed when pressed on supporting Joe Biden in 2024, as if he could still pass himself off as moderate after what he did on Friday. In other interviews, his explanations ranged from brazenly false to bizarre, but it was one comment mentioned by colleague Nick Arama that really caught my eye.

What if the permitting reform doesn't pass later?

Manchin on Fox News: “There will be consequences”

— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) July 31, 2022

When I read that, I almost spit my drink out. Here, we have Joe Manchin attempting to play tough guy, as if he’s at all in control of the situation in Washington. I hate to break it to the West Virginia senator, but he’s nothing but a useful idiot for the radical party he calls home. That’s the only explanation for him trusting Chuck Schumer to make a deal that sells his own state down the river.

But let’s dive a little deeper, shall we? The background here is that Manchin, in exchange for his flip-flop on reconciliation, supposedly gained a guarantee (lol) from Sen. Chuck Schumer that Democrats would support a bill to reform the permitting process for pipelines and energy leases. That would, theoretically, expand domestic oil drilling and transportation. I say theoretically because no matter what reforms take place, you can bet the president (i.e. Joe Biden), will still retain executive authority to crush the American energy market.

Isn’t that exchange the first red flag, though? Manchin himself lied in order to reverse himself and sign on to the Democrat reconciliation bill. But we are supposed to believe Schumer’s word is as good as gold in the process? That would seem like a rather bad bet given the majority leader has a long history of betraying his word when he makes “deals.”

For example, the Senate is currently locked in a grotesque fight over legislation dealing with military “burn pits.” Schumer originally promised Republicans that he would allow an amendment to the bill that would remove hundreds of billions in unrelated discretionary spending. Sure enough, though, the moment the GOP signed on, Schumer pulled the rug out from under them and is now using the media (and specifically, Jon Stewart) to pretend that Republicans hate veterans.

Schumer’s history of such is long enough that anyone trusting him at this point is nothing but an absolute sucker. And that’s the guy that Manchin got his “guarantee” from on permitting reform? It’s laughable. More than that, it’s objectively pathetic.

As to Manchin’s threat that there will be “consequences,” what consequences? What could Manchin possibly do to the Democrats if they go back on their word? The answer is that he can’t do a dang thing. Further, even if he could do something, he wouldn’t because Manchin is all talk. There is nothing in his history that suggests he’ll actually hold his colleagues accountable for their misdeeds. Instead, you can expect him to shrug his shoulders like he always does.

Because again, Manchin is a useful idiot. He’s bending the knee to the very climate hysterics who have accused him of ending humanity. And for what? A few tepid backslaps before they return to picketing his houseboat? It was a big mistake for Republicans to spend so many years giving Manchin cover and conceding his reelection in the reddest state in the union. Let’s hope that mistake is remedied soon enough.

One thing is for sure, the West Virginia senator should be persona non grata among GOP senators now, and any Republican still giving him the time of day should themselves be held accountable.