Here we go again with Democrats talking mandated masks and possible lockdowns.

Republicans rallied against the mask mandate and the potential arrest threat in the House. That’s clearly bringing them together and is a rallying point against the Democrats.

But meanwhile, the Democrats appear to be all messed up.

Politico reported that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) wouldn’t be canceling on her plans for the summer recess, even if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) keeps folks in session in August, despite the big bills on infrastructure and budget reconciliation coming up in the Senate. She had prior vacation plans, she said, and wasn’t about to let the infrastructure or reconciliation bills get in the way. That’s relatively normal that people have plans and don’t want to change them. But what’s not normal is to have Schumer or someone close to Schumer leaking that information to Politico to apparently take a swipe at Sinema, as though she was being uncaring by taking her vacation.

As Republican communicator Matt Whitlock observed, that was some “next level Dems in disarray.”

Schumer leaking this about Sinema — or telling someone else who leaked it about Sinema — is some next level Dems in disarray. pic.twitter.com/rXVI5PMWos

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) July 30, 2021

Again, it looks like an effort to put pressure on her, to get her to stay so that they can have the numbers needed for a vote. That’s even assuming she’d be for the reconciliation bill, which she has indicated that she isn’t for, at least not in its present form, in part because of the huge cost.

Given that the other efforts to pressure her seem to have only made her firmer in her stance, I’m thinking that maybe if Schumer is behind this play, he hasn’t thought it out very well.

But that wasn’t the only issue, as Politico also reported.

Follow that with booing Manchin (some intending it to be meant seriously) for mentioning the national debt and it would seem Dems are.. not in a great place when they need all 50 votes to do anything. pic.twitter.com/WXZQK5sSst

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) July 30, 2021

The piece notes that “tensions are torquing up among Democrats over the reconciliation bill — or, more precisely, over its proposed $3.5 trillion price tag.” Manchin is disturbing the others because he’s actually concerned about how to pay for it and mentioned the deficit.

Manchin views the growing national debt as a heavy burden that will drag down the economy, threaten national security and impose a heavy burden on future generations — fairly typical budget-hawk beliefs. Does Manchin’s position — and that he was bringing it up at a meeting of his fellow Senate Dems — mean that we’re in store for even more haggling over the price tag of the reconciliation bill? Stay tuned.

So we already have two with Manchin and Sinema — and likely more the two are giving cover — balking at the enormous price tag. So unless they start taking out some of the Democratic wishlist, it seems dead in the water at the moment. But prepare for this to get nastier, with Biden and the rest trying to shove even more stuff in the reconciliation bill since they only get one bite at the apple.