Maxine Waters: Manchin, Sinema Don’t Have Empathy for ‘Those Who Are Less Fortunate’

Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) said Sunday on MSNBC that Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) did not seem to have empathy for “those who are less fortunate” because they are balking at the $3.5 trillion price tag of Democrats’ reconciliation bill.

In a video, Manchin said, “I cannot accept our economy or basically our society moving toward an entitlement mentality, that you’re entitled. Okay? I’m for rewarding because I can help those who really need help if those who can help themselves do so.”

Guest-host Tiffany Cross said, “Congresswoman, I think what the American people cannot accept is one senator who represents a tiny speck of America going against the will of the people. What are your thoughts?”

Waters said, “Well, I’m with you. I  think the same way. It is absolutely not to be understood that these two members of the Senate can talk about this being too much. Too much for whom, for people who have been denied, discriminated against, and excluded in every sector of our society? Simply to say that this is too much money and reject particularly housing and child care and climate change and all of this is baffling to me. I don’t get it.”

She continued, “With Sinema, she has not indicated exactly what it is in this bill that’s so objectionable to her that she would like to have taken out. As for Manchin, maybe he doesn’t understand people who work every day who are paying 50% of their income on housing, people who work every day and can’t afford a down payment even though they could afford the mortgage, but that down payment is too much, people who don’t have the security deposit to get a rental unit because it would double the cost of getting into that unit.”

Waters added, “These people are well off, and they live very well and they maybe don’t have empathy or any real concerns for those who are less fortunate. So whether we’re talking about poor people or middle class people who work every day but can’t afford the housing that is safe and secure for their families — I don’t know, maybe they just don’t get it. Maybe they just don’t want to get it.”

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