Senate Democrats spun away Manchin’s utter rejection of their $3.5 trillion spending dreams and embrace of a $1.5 trillion plan as a positive development, saying that it offered them a path forward for negotiation on a potential deal. When that deal will come to fruition, however, is anyone’s guess.

And that still leaves some Democrats pretty sour about the whole affair, as progressive aspirations face their second major setback. Their original goal was $6 trillion earlier this year, which slipped to $3.5 trillion this summer and could now drop by more than half.

“I could see myself coming below $3.5 trillion but we shall see how far $1.5 trillion goes,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). “He’s confirmed that’s as far as he’ll go, which is pretty sad if you ask me.”