Krysten Sinema Leaves Democratic Party

[Derec]

We all express our opinions here. Why is it only notable for my posts and not for yours or anybody else's?
I think spending $3.5T on things like even more subsidies for having children is irresponsible when the economy was already very inflationary due to all the COVID spending that preceded it.
What are your qualifications and who has heard of you, pray tell?

I disagree with her on Medicare negotiations, and am not a mind reader, so I can't comment on her motivations. However, I must give her (along with Manchin) credit for stopping B³, which would have pushed inflation into the double digits and would have necessitated the Fed to be even more aggressive in raising interest rates.

 

[ZiprHead]

We all express our opinions here. Why is it only notable for my posts and not for yours or anybody else's?
I think spending $3.5T on things like even more subsidies for having children is irresponsible when the economy was already very inflationary due to all the COVID spending that preceded it.

Opinions are like assholes, yadda yadda yadda.

What are your qualifications and who has heard of you, pray tell?

None. That's why I prefer to follow the experts.

I disagree with her on Medicare negotiations, and am not a mind reader, so I can't comment on her motivations. However, I must give her (along with Manchin) credit for stopping B³, which (you think) would have pushed inflation into the double digits and would have necessitated the Fed to be even more aggressive in raising interest rates.

FTFY again.

 

[thebeave]

Will she campaign as a sober Republican?

But it seems like KS is not likely to win a second term in the US Senate.

What will be next for her? More teaching courses on fundraising? More athletic competitions? Becoming a corporate lobbyist? Writing her memoirs and explaining why she became such a big fat sellout? Becoming a fashion model?

That would be a shame if she gets booted out of DC. We will miss your regular updates on her fashion choices and cleavage.*

* not really

 

[lpetrich]

I like Kyrsten Sinema. She did a noble thing blocking the irresponsible $3.5T Spendapalooza.

As opposed to spending that money on military-contractor grifting?

It is a shame that the people of Arizona seem to be rejecting a reasonable moderate in favor of two radicals - one on the Left, the other on the Right.

What makes Ruben Gallego a left-wing radical?

What makes Kari Lake a right-wing radical?

 

[lpetrich]

That would be a shame if she gets booted out of DC. We will miss your regular updates on her fashion choices and cleavage.*

* not really

I was pointing that out to show what she was getting away with. Consider what happened when Senator John Fetterman showed up in gym shorts and a hoodie. Many Republicans were outraged.

Republicans slam Senate dress code changes : NPR

 

[thebeave]

That would be a shame if she gets booted out of DC. We will miss your regular updates on her fashion choices and cleavage.*

* not really

I was pointing that out to show what she was getting away with. Consider what happened when Senator John Fetterman showed up in gym shorts and a hoodie. Many Republicans were outraged.

Republicans slam Senate dress code changes : NPR

You were doing that long before Fetterman was even around.

 

[Politesse]

That would be a shame if she gets booted out of DC. We will miss your regular updates on her fashion choices and cleavage.*

* not really

I was pointing that out to show what she was getting away with. Consider what happened when Senator John Fetterman showed up in gym shorts and a hoodie. Many Republicans were outraged.

Republicans slam Senate dress code changes : NPR

You were doing that long before Fetterman was even around.

It's not just lpetirch. As a general rule, the American "left" has always been quick to forget their own presumed principles of anti-misogyny whenever there is a Republican woman with any degree of power; remember Phyllis Schlalfly?

 

[thebeave]

That would be a shame if she gets booted out of DC. We will miss your regular updates on her fashion choices and cleavage.*

* not really

I was pointing that out to show what she was getting away with. Consider what happened when Senator John Fetterman showed up in gym shorts and a hoodie. Many Republicans were outraged.

Republicans slam Senate dress code changes : NPR

You were doing that long before Fetterman was even around.

It's not just lpetirch. As a general rule, the American "left" has always been quick to forget their own presumed principles of anti-misogyny whenever there is a Republican woman with any degree of power; remember Phyllis Schlalfly?

Yes, I do remember her. From about 1976 IIRC, when I was 15 years old. Odd how you managed to bring in the Republicans on this issue when neither you, me, lpetrich, KS or Fetterman are Republicans. Maybe it is getting harder for you to continue to do this, though, given you had to go back about a half century to make your point.

 

[ZiprHead]

I like Kyrsten Sinema. She did a noble thing blocking the irresponsible $3.5T Spendapalooza.

As opposed to spending that money on military-contractor grifting?

It is a shame that the people of Arizona seem to be rejecting a reasonable moderate in favor of two radicals - one on the Left, the other on the Right.

What makes Ruben Gallego a left-wing radical?

What makes Kari Lake a right-wing radical?

And what makes Krysten Sinema a reasonable moderate? Her vote on one single issue according to Derec's hobby horse, it seems.

 

[lpetrich]

Sinema Said She Doesn't Care About Reelection, Can Serve on 'Any Board'

According to reporter McKay Coppins's new book, "Romney: A Reckoning," Sinema once told Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah that she could "do anything" once she's out of office and feels that what she's done in the Senate is "good enough."

"I don't care. I can go on any board I want to. I can be a college president. I can do anything," she told Romney, according to the book. "I saved the Senate filibuster by myself. I saved the Senate by myself. That's good enough for me."

In other words, being a complete sellout. I'm sure that a lot of corporate managements would love how well she delivered in exchange for their bribes.

Also, about the Senate's Taste-of-Armageddon filibuster, is defending it anything to be proud of?

"The two senators bonded over their parallel descents into pariah status in their respective parties, and together they relished their self-perceptions as truth tellers and rebels," Coppins wrote. "Sinema affectionately nicknamed Romney 'trouble.'"

Eek.

 

[lpetrich]

Kari Lake May Be Pivoting From Election Warrior to Normie in Ariz. Senate Bid

But with the realization that she'll be running in one of the most competitive swing states in the country, she eschewed any fixation on "fraud" and instead emphasized a desire for election integrity.

Trying to avoid seeming like an election denier. But will Trumpies dismiss her as a RINO wimpout?

But as Lake looks to 2024 — in what will be an expensive race should she win the GOP Senate nomination — she has already met with key Washington Republicans.

 

[ZiprHead]

Sinema Said She Doesn't Care About Reelection, Can Serve on 'Any Board'

According to reporter McKay Coppins's new book, "Romney: A Reckoning," Sinema once told Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah that she could "do anything" once she's out of office and feels that what she's done in the Senate is "good enough."

"I don't care. I can go on any board I want to. I can be a college president. I can do anything," she told Romney, according to the book. "I saved the Senate filibuster by myself. I saved the Senate by myself. That's good enough for me."

In other words, being a complete sellout. I'm sure that a lot of corporate managements would love how well she delivered in exchange for their bribes.

Also, about the Senate's Taste-of-Armageddon filibuster, is defending it anything to be proud of?

"The two senators bonded over their parallel descents into pariah status in their respective parties, and together they relished their self-perceptions as truth tellers and rebels," Coppins wrote. "Sinema affectionately nicknamed Romney 'trouble.'"

Eek.

Another example of saying the quiet part out loud.

 

[lpetrich]

Audio recording reveals the moment that senior Republican figure tried to bribe Kari Lake not to run for Senate | Daily Mail Online

n audio recording obtained by DailyMail.com reveals the extraordinary moment when what appears to be Arizona's top Republican official tried to bribe populist firebrand Kari Lake not to run in the state's Senate race.

Jeff DeWit, 51, chair of the Arizona Republican Party, can be heard asking Lake, a close ally of Donald Trump, to name her price to stay out of politics for two years.

'There are very powerful people who want to keep you out,' he tells her in a conversation recorded at the start of March last year.

JdW: 'So the ask I got today from back east was: "Is there any companies out there or something that could just put her on the payroll to keep her out?’
KL: This is about defeating Trump and I think that's a bad, bad thing for our country,'

Later,
JdW: 'Just say, is there a number at which....'
KL: 'I can be bought? That's what it's about.'
JdW: 'You can take a pause for a couple of years. You can go right back to what you're doing.'
KL then repeatedly rejects his offer, even if for a billion dollars.
KL: 'This is not about money, it's about our country.'

I haven't laughed so hard about political corruption since I learned that AIPAC once offered AOC $100,000 to "start a conversation".

Who would want to pay KL not to run? I'm guessing that it might be some Republican big donor who has watched the MAGA movement drag his party down into defeat after defeat after defeat, some donor who doesn't want that to happen again.

 

[lpetrich]

Arizona Republican chair Jeff DeWit RESIGNS over bombshell audio bribing Kari Lake to stay out of office | Daily Mail Online

In his resignation statement he accused Lake of setting him up by recording a private conversation.

'This morning I was determined to fight for my position,' said DeWit, 51. 'However a few hours ago I received an ultimatum from Lake's team: Resign today or face the release of a new, more damaging recording.'

He said he was resigning in the hope that it would end her attacks on him.

Kari Lake tells Megyn Kelly that Jeff DeWit pulled up to her HOUSE and demanded to speak in person before offering 'bribe' that led to his resignation: 'I felt like I was in an episode of House of Cards' | Daily Mail Online

'The only reason I taped this is because it sounded highly suspect when he said “I've got to come over. I'm right outside your neighborhood. I'm pulling in and I have to talk to you in person. Because what I have to say cannot be said over the phone,” she told Kelly.

'I don’t know about you, but a huge red flag comes up when you hear that and I thought what on earth? I felt like I was in an episode of House of Cards. What on earth is going to happen here? And I never even listened back to it until earlier this week,' she said.

...
'The only reason I taped this is because it sounded highly suspect when he said “I've got to come over. I'm right outside your neighborhood. I'm pulling in and I have to talk to you in person. Because what I have to say cannot be said over the phone,” she told Kelly.

'I don’t know about you, but a huge red flag comes up when you hear that and I thought what on earth? I felt like I was in an episode of House of Cards. What on earth is going to happen here? And I never even listened back to it until earlier this week,' she said.

That was nearly a year ago, and that provoked her to get into the Arizona Senate race. She decided on that because if someone wants to bribe her not to run, then that means that she must be a strong candidate. But she had no idea of why that would-be briber wanted to do that. I myself think that he wanted someone that he thought was more electable than a MAGA election denier. She also wasn't very happy about JdW's resignation letter, because of his complete lack of contrition, and because of his claim that KL presented those bribery parts out of context. She also ridiculed the idea that that conversation was "normal business talk".

 

[Derec]

I wish Gallego wasn't in the race and we could see a proper Sinema on Lake catfight.

 

[lpetrich]

United States Senate election in Arizona, 2024 - Ballotpedia
Filing deadline: April 8, 2024
Primary: August 6, 2024
General: November 5, 2024

Is AZ's Sen. Sinema running for reelection? Time may be slipping away

Sinema, I-Ariz., has until April 8 to submit the signatures of more than 40,000 registered Arizona voters to qualify for the November ballot. If that is her plan, she likely would want to submit thousands more than the minimum as insurance because some signatures likely would be ruled invalid.

The later the operation begins, the more it costs, experts in that field say.

The looming deadline comes as Sinema is about 20 percentage points behind the leading challengers for her seat in the limited available polling on the race and as her once-stellar fundraising has slowed noticeably since she left the Democratic Party 13 months ago.

Signature collectors Jon Sutton and Meghan Cox:

He estimated that overall expenses related to Sinema qualifying for the ballot could top $4 million.

“That’s a high hurdle,” Sutton said.

Cox, who has handled signature collection efforts in all 50 states, estimated the work could cost between $500,000 and $1 million depending on how soon it starts.

Seems like she's trying to avoid attracting attention to herself as she quits.

 

[lpetrich]

Arizona Senate Race Looking More And More Promising For Democrats
Vaughn Hillyard on X: "Per @AZSecretary:
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has until April 4 to gather the 42,303 signatures required to qualify for the ballot in Arizona as an Independent.
She has yet to file her statement of interest with the AZSOS to begin gathering qualified signatures." / X

Jeff DeWit:

“The interest of myself and any other people in wanting Kari to consider sitting on the sidelines for a cycle purely revolved around her limited appeal with moderates and independents, and her being a drag on the entire ticket,” DeWit told the New York Times. “My desire as party chairman is to put forth the best slate of candidates, and Mark Lamb has a broader appeal and positive approach.”

Arizona G.O.P. Chairman Resigns After Tape Suggests Attempt to Bribe Kari Lake - The New York Times - "The chairman, Jeff DeWit, denied the conversation amounted to bribery, and said Ms. Lake, a Senate candidate, had threatened to release another damaging recording if he did not step down."

She supported Donald Trump's election denying, and when she lost the Arizona Governor race in 2022, she became an election denier about that also.

 

[lpetrich]

It's time to stop using the term "moderate" in politics - The Fulcrum

If you held a conference for moderates – inviting federal politicians and citizens – it is unclear who would attend.

In Washington, moderates tend to be House members, senators, the president or vice president, or Cabinet officials who belong to either the Democratic or Republican party. One is therefore a moderate Democrat or a moderate Republican.

But throughout the country, many citizens who regard themselves as moderates do not identify with either political party. Instead, they identify as independents.

...
A second major problem for the moderates at the conference is the lack of definition of “moderate.” Some of the independents will be extremists – libertarians or socialists. But probably close to half of the moderates are going to say that they want the two parties to find a middle ground. And about half are going to say that their concept of being a moderate is about creating policies that reflect an interesting synthesis of what the two parties are advocating. They are ambitious moderates.

...
The chief problem is that the moderates who are independents are frustrated with both political parties and therefore believe that the moderate Democrats and Republicans are part of a broken political system. It is a system marred by gerrymandering, an outsized role for money in politics, closed primaries in most states, and ranked-choice voting in only a handful of congressional districts. Independent moderates therefore feel unrepresented in Washington.

One ought to go further and have proportional representation. Then we can see if some Moderate Party will get a majority of seats in Congress.

 

[Derec]

It's time to stop using the term "moderate" in politics - The Fulcrum

I disagree with the author. The term is very much useful, as a descriptor. He is right though that "independent" is hardly the same as "moderate". But that does not make "moderate" useless - in fact it makes it more useful. If it was congruent with another term, then you could make a case that one of them is superfluous.

If you held a conference for moderates – inviting federal politicians and citizens – it is unclear who would attend.

So? Are terms only useful when you can have a conference? I fail to see how his math is mathing here.

In Washington, moderates tend to be House members, senators, the president or vice president, or Cabinet officials who belong to either the Democratic or Republican party. One is therefore a moderate Democrat or a moderate Republican.

Right. Sinema was a moderate Democrat. Chris Sununu is a moderate Republican. How is this modifier not useful? Why should it be retired?

But throughout the country, many citizens who regard themselves as moderates do not identify with either political party. Instead, they identify as independents.

One can be a moderate and independent, or radical to the left or right. One can also be moderate on some issues only. Say moderate on fiscal or foreign policy, but strong on individual liberties.

The chief problem is that the moderates who are independents are frustrated with both political parties and therefore believe that the moderate Democrats and Republicans are part of a broken political system. It is a system marred by gerrymandering, an outsized role for money in politics, closed primaries in most states, and ranked-choice voting in only a handful of congressional districts. Independent moderates therefore feel unrepresented in Washington.

True. We do. It's not just the idea of closed primaries that invites extremism, but also the very idea of partisan primaries. I think jungle primaries would be a good idea to adopt nationwide.
How we can reform presidential primaries is more complicated, but I think it can be done. The modern primary system is about half a century old and is fraying at the edges. We need to reform it, but the way Biden has done it to put South Carolina first (as part of his Corrupt Bargain with Clyburn) is making it worse I think.

One ought to go further and have proportional representation. Then we can see if some Moderate Party will get a majority of seats in Congress.

I think what is more likely to happen is smaller (but still large) Republican and Democratic Parties contesting the Middle with several parties such as the Libertarians and Greens occupying the ideological space left open by the two major parties. In the case of Greens reliably on the far left, but in a more complex way for Libertarians.

 

[Derec]

Seems like she's trying to avoid attracting attention to herself as she quits.

That would be a loss. Without her, it's a fight between two extremists.
Remember why Sinema became unacceptable to the Democrats. It's because she exercised her own judgment and opposed the irresponsible $3,500,000,000,000.00 spending bill.

But hey, if Manchin decides to run for president, maybe she could be his running mate.