‘Undemocratic’ claim crumbles

OPINION:

Democrats and leftist commentators claim that it’s undemocratic for Joe Manchin, a senator from a small state, to kill the Build Back Better bill. Let’s examine that claim.

First, it flunks simple arithmetic. If Manchin opposes passage, it fails 51-49 in the Senate. How is 51 undemocratic but 49 isn’t?

West Virginia has a small population, so Manchin casts a vote for a small sliver of the American electorate. In a 50-50 Senate, every vote is critical to pass or defeat the bill. West Virginia has 1.8 million people. Vermont has 620,000 people, with two Democratic senators. Delaware has 1 million people, with two Democratic senators. Montana has 1.1 million people, with one Democratic senator.

How is it that passage by senators representing 620,000 people, 1 million people or 1.1 million people is democratic, but defeat by a senator representing 1.8 million people is not?

JIM DUEHOLM

Washington