The successful negotiations between Democratic leaders and Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia on a climate bill (called an inflation reduction bill) was a surprise. He has always opposed progressive environmental policies.
What is in the Inflation Reduction Bill? It contains several welcome climate change measures. They include
- investment in the power and transport sectors,
- assistance for poor communities,
- tax credits for renewable energy and energy-saving technologies and support farmers to improve agricultural practices.
The bill marks an important change away from market led cap-and-trade measures to reduce greenhouse gases.
Drilling for offshore oil and gas
But the cost of Manchin’s agreement was the approval of continued drilling for oil and gas, in federal lands and offshore.
Manchin’s hypocritical opposition to effective greenhouse gas reduction measures is notorious. He and his family have built their wealth on the coal and oil and gas industries.
But because of the total opposition of Republicans to effective climate legislation, and the need for support from every Democratic senator to approve the legislation, the Democratic leaders have been forced into a compromise to get the numbers necessary numbers to pass the legislation.
Oil companies’ influence over government
But Manchin’s prominence in the negotiations has overshadowed the larger problem of corrupt, fossil fuel funded politics in the US. In 2022, 258 Republican and 184 Democrat members of congress received campaign contributions totaling over $14 billion from the fossil fuels lobby.
Manchin has always claimed that his support for coal will benefit the people of West Virginia. But his coal derived wealth came under a lot of scrutiny during the long negotiations. This clearly played a large part in his agreement to a deal.
What is the best response to Manchin’s corrupt politics? The exposure of his fossil fuel wealth has certainly been effective. But this should be accompanied by the promotion of legislation that would genuinely assist ordinary people in West Virginia and the rest of the country. And vigorous opposition to fossil fuel lobbying has to be a key aspect of activism inside and outside the Democratic Party.