Kyrsten Sinema - a DINO?

[lpetrich]

Kyrsten Sinema, a traitor to the cause of women's rights, loses support of feminists | Salon.com - Amanda Marcotte - "Sinema's fake feminism has been exposed, and now gender equality groups like Emily's List and NARAL are dumping her"

When Kyrsten Sinema first ran to be the Democratic senator from Arizona, her support from Emily's List seemed to be a no-brainer. The political action committee (PAC) is one of the biggest in politics, and historically is one of the major reasons for the remarkable influx of female leaders in the Democratic Party in the past few decades. The main criteria for supporting candidates — that they be female, pro-choice and Democratic — appeared, at the time, to fit Sinema beautifully. She claimed to believe "a woman, her family, and her doctor should decide what's best for her health" and that she stands for "health clinics like Planned Parenthood and opposes efforts to let employers deny workers coverage for basic health care like birth control." Emily's List was the biggest source of funds for Sinema's 2018 campaign, raising nearly twice as much money for her as her second largest supporting PAC. It is unlikely she would have won by her razor-thin margin without their support.

But, as it turns out, Sinema's claims to feminist values were all nonsense. Sure, unlike Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, her fellow corrupt conspirator in shutting down the Democratic agenda in the Senate, Sinema continues to claim to be pro-choice. She has even voted the right way on the issue in those rare instances that votes even happen in the Senate, all while Manchin continues to vote for right-wing interference with reproductive decision-making. But when it comes to taking actions that would actually protect not just reproductive rights, but the equality of women generally, Sinema has become a major obstacle, with her stubborn insistence on supporting the filibuster, which Republicans use to shut down pretty much all meaningful legislation from the Democratic majority — including bills to protect abortion rights and enshrine gender equality into the constitution.

Noting
EMILY’s List Statement on Voting Rights | EMILY's List

We have not endorsed or contributed to Sen. Sinema since her election in 2018. Right now, Sen. Sinema’s decision to reject the voices of allies, partners and constituents who believe the importance of voting rights outweighs that of an arcane process means she will find herself standing alone in the next election.

NARAL Pro-Choice America Changes Endorsement Criteria to Reflect Commitment to Voting Rights - NARAL Pro-Choice America

Our democracy is in peril. Anti-choice, anti-democracy forces—including all 50 Republican Senators—are dead-set on dismantling the very foundation of our republic. We cannot let this happen. It is past time for the Senate to pass the voting rights protections in the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act and safeguard the freedom to vote by any means necessary. We will not endorse or support any senator who refuses to find a path forward on this critical legislation. Without ensuring that voters have the freedom to participate in safe and accessible elections, a minority with a regressive agenda and a hostility to reproductive freedom will continue to block the will of the majority of Americans.

I find it curious that Kyrsten Sinema doesn't seem to feel very threatened by this potential loss of campaign funding.

Or will she brag about that as "evidence" that she is not some left-wing extremist?

 

[Harry Bosch]

Kyrsten Sinema, a traitor to the cause of women's rights, loses support of feminists | Salon.com - Amanda Marcotte - "Sinema's fake feminism has been exposed, and now gender equality groups like Emily's List and NARAL are dumping her"

When Kyrsten Sinema first ran to be the Democratic senator from Arizona, her support from Emily's List seemed to be a no-brainer. The political action committee (PAC) is one of the biggest in politics, and historically is one of the major reasons for the remarkable influx of female leaders in the Democratic Party in the past few decades. The main criteria for supporting candidates — that they be female, pro-choice and Democratic — appeared, at the time, to fit Sinema beautifully. She claimed to believe "a woman, her family, and her doctor should decide what's best for her health" and that she stands for "health clinics like Planned Parenthood and opposes efforts to let employers deny workers coverage for basic health care like birth control." Emily's List was the biggest source of funds for Sinema's 2018 campaign, raising nearly twice as much money for her as her second largest supporting PAC. It is unlikely she would have won by her razor-thin margin without their support.

But, as it turns out, Sinema's claims to feminist values were all nonsense. Sure, unlike Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, her fellow corrupt conspirator in shutting down the Democratic agenda in the Senate, Sinema continues to claim to be pro-choice. She has even voted the right way on the issue in those rare instances that votes even happen in the Senate, all while Manchin continues to vote for right-wing interference with reproductive decision-making. But when it comes to taking actions that would actually protect not just reproductive rights, but the equality of women generally, Sinema has become a major obstacle, with her stubborn insistence on supporting the filibuster, which Republicans use to shut down pretty much all meaningful legislation from the Democratic majority — including bills to protect abortion rights and enshrine gender equality into the constitution.

Noting
EMILY’s List Statement on Voting Rights | EMILY's List

We have not endorsed or contributed to Sen. Sinema since her election in 2018. Right now, Sen. Sinema’s decision to reject the voices of allies, partners and constituents who believe the importance of voting rights outweighs that of an arcane process means she will find herself standing alone in the next election.

NARAL Pro-Choice America Changes Endorsement Criteria to Reflect Commitment to Voting Rights - NARAL Pro-Choice America

Our democracy is in peril. Anti-choice, anti-democracy forces—including all 50 Republican Senators—are dead-set on dismantling the very foundation of our republic. We cannot let this happen. It is past time for the Senate to pass the voting rights protections in the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act and safeguard the freedom to vote by any means necessary. We will not endorse or support any senator who refuses to find a path forward on this critical legislation. Without ensuring that voters have the freedom to participate in safe and accessible elections, a minority with a regressive agenda and a hostility to reproductive freedom will continue to block the will of the majority of Americans.

I find it curious that Kyrsten Sinema doesn't seem to feel very threatened by this potential loss of campaign funding.

Or will she brag about that as "evidence" that she is not some left-wing extremist?

I'm very thankful that we have Krysten in the Senate! Having a majority in the senate (an incredibly slight majority) will ensure that we can replace Beyer on the Supreme Court with a liberal. Thank you Krysten!

 

[Jarhyn]

Kyrsten Sinema, a traitor to the cause of women's rights, loses support of feminists | Salon.com - Amanda Marcotte - "Sinema's fake feminism has been exposed, and now gender equality groups like Emily's List and NARAL are dumping her"

When Kyrsten Sinema first ran to be the Democratic senator from Arizona, her support from Emily's List seemed to be a no-brainer. The political action committee (PAC) is one of the biggest in politics, and historically is one of the major reasons for the remarkable influx of female leaders in the Democratic Party in the past few decades. The main criteria for supporting candidates — that they be female, pro-choice and Democratic — appeared, at the time, to fit Sinema beautifully. She claimed to believe "a woman, her family, and her doctor should decide what's best for her health" and that she stands for "health clinics like Planned Parenthood and opposes efforts to let employers deny workers coverage for basic health care like birth control." Emily's List was the biggest source of funds for Sinema's 2018 campaign, raising nearly twice as much money for her as her second largest supporting PAC. It is unlikely she would have won by her razor-thin margin without their support.

But, as it turns out, Sinema's claims to feminist values were all nonsense. Sure, unlike Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, her fellow corrupt conspirator in shutting down the Democratic agenda in the Senate, Sinema continues to claim to be pro-choice. She has even voted the right way on the issue in those rare instances that votes even happen in the Senate, all while Manchin continues to vote for right-wing interference with reproductive decision-making. But when it comes to taking actions that would actually protect not just reproductive rights, but the equality of women generally, Sinema has become a major obstacle, with her stubborn insistence on supporting the filibuster, which Republicans use to shut down pretty much all meaningful legislation from the Democratic majority — including bills to protect abortion rights and enshrine gender equality into the constitution.

Noting
EMILY’s List Statement on Voting Rights | EMILY's List

We have not endorsed or contributed to Sen. Sinema since her election in 2018. Right now, Sen. Sinema’s decision to reject the voices of allies, partners and constituents who believe the importance of voting rights outweighs that of an arcane process means she will find herself standing alone in the next election.

NARAL Pro-Choice America Changes Endorsement Criteria to Reflect Commitment to Voting Rights - NARAL Pro-Choice America

Our democracy is in peril. Anti-choice, anti-democracy forces—including all 50 Republican Senators—are dead-set on dismantling the very foundation of our republic. We cannot let this happen. It is past time for the Senate to pass the voting rights protections in the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act and safeguard the freedom to vote by any means necessary. We will not endorse or support any senator who refuses to find a path forward on this critical legislation. Without ensuring that voters have the freedom to participate in safe and accessible elections, a minority with a regressive agenda and a hostility to reproductive freedom will continue to block the will of the majority of Americans.

I find it curious that Kyrsten Sinema doesn't seem to feel very threatened by this potential loss of campaign funding.

Or will she brag about that as "evidence" that she is not some left-wing extremist?

I'm very thankful that we have Krysten in the Senate! Having a majority in the senate (an incredibly slight majority) will ensure that we can replace Beyer on the Supreme Court with a liberal. Thank you Krysten!

If you don't think she is craven enough to use this situation to extort the rest of the slightly-less-right-leaning contingent of the Senate for various sun and sundry, I have some nice bridges for sale...

 

[lpetrich]

Author Amanda Marcotte then discusses "authoritarian misogyny" including Trump's misogynist comments, though she concedes

To be certain, fighting for women's equality in a healthy democracy is hardly a breeze. There's literally millennia of patriarchal oppression that needs to be overturned, and lots of ingrained sexist attitudes held by the majority of Americans. (About 7 in 10 married women, for instance, still take their husband's name, including, however reluctantly, Hillary Clinton.) As noted, suffrage for women was a long and miserable fight that took literally a century. The Equal Rights Amendment, which was almost passed in the 70s, died after anti-feminists activists successfully lobbied against it.

Still, what democracy offers feminism is the chance to make the case: To argue for gender equality, to appeal to voters, and to build — sometimes painfully slowly — public understanding of why women's rights are so important. And, as miserable as that process can be, history shows it's better than the alternatives.

I agree. That's a good case for democracy.

Sinema's support for the filibuster exposes how paper-thin her claims to support feminist values always were. Biden won because of women. He got 57% of the female vote, while Trump won 53% of men. The Biden agenda that Sinema is blocking is what female voters sent not just Biden, but Sinema to Washington to accomplish. And not just on voting rights, either. By supporting the bipartisan infrastructure bill but not the Build Back Better plan, Sinema helped ensure that 90% of new job creation will go to men, instead of the more diverse pool that Biden's larger agenda would have supported.

Voting rights is the issue that gave birth to the American feminist movement. By refusing to support voting rights, Sinema isn't just turning her back on her country and her party, but on the very feminist movement that permitted someone like her, a female senator, to even exist. Sinema may play-act the fun-loving feminist, with her kitschy dresses and loud wigs that stand out from the drab masculinist attire that rules the Senate. But as long as she stands with Republicans against democracy, she is a traitor to feminism and should be regarded as such.

All in the name of centrist posturing that has alienated many of her supporters.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Kyrsten Sinema, a traitor to the cause of women's rights, loses support of feminists | Salon.com - Amanda Marcotte - "Sinema's fake feminism has been exposed, and now gender equality groups like Emily's List and NARAL are dumping her"

When Kyrsten Sinema first ran to be the Democratic senator from Arizona, her support from Emily's List seemed to be a no-brainer. The political action committee (PAC) is one of the biggest in politics, and historically is one of the major reasons for the remarkable influx of female leaders in the Democratic Party in the past few decades. The main criteria for supporting candidates — that they be female, pro-choice and Democratic — appeared, at the time, to fit Sinema beautifully. She claimed to believe "a woman, her family, and her doctor should decide what's best for her health" and that she stands for "health clinics like Planned Parenthood and opposes efforts to let employers deny workers coverage for basic health care like birth control." Emily's List was the biggest source of funds for Sinema's 2018 campaign, raising nearly twice as much money for her as her second largest supporting PAC. It is unlikely she would have won by her razor-thin margin without their support.

But, as it turns out, Sinema's claims to feminist values were all nonsense. Sure, unlike Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, her fellow corrupt conspirator in shutting down the Democratic agenda in the Senate, Sinema continues to claim to be pro-choice. She has even voted the right way on the issue in those rare instances that votes even happen in the Senate, all while Manchin continues to vote for right-wing interference with reproductive decision-making. But when it comes to taking actions that would actually protect not just reproductive rights, but the equality of women generally, Sinema has become a major obstacle, with her stubborn insistence on supporting the filibuster, which Republicans use to shut down pretty much all meaningful legislation from the Democratic majority — including bills to protect abortion rights and enshrine gender equality into the constitution.

Noting
EMILY’s List Statement on Voting Rights | EMILY's List

We have not endorsed or contributed to Sen. Sinema since her election in 2018. Right now, Sen. Sinema’s decision to reject the voices of allies, partners and constituents who believe the importance of voting rights outweighs that of an arcane process means she will find herself standing alone in the next election.

NARAL Pro-Choice America Changes Endorsement Criteria to Reflect Commitment to Voting Rights - NARAL Pro-Choice America

Our democracy is in peril. Anti-choice, anti-democracy forces—including all 50 Republican Senators—are dead-set on dismantling the very foundation of our republic. We cannot let this happen. It is past time for the Senate to pass the voting rights protections in the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act and safeguard the freedom to vote by any means necessary. We will not endorse or support any senator who refuses to find a path forward on this critical legislation. Without ensuring that voters have the freedom to participate in safe and accessible elections, a minority with a regressive agenda and a hostility to reproductive freedom will continue to block the will of the majority of Americans.

I find it curious that Kyrsten Sinema doesn't seem to feel very threatened by this potential loss of campaign funding.

Or will she brag about that as "evidence" that she is not some left-wing extremist?

I'm very thankful that we have Krysten in the Senate! Having a majority in the senate (an incredibly slight majority) will ensure that we can replace Beyer on the Supreme Court with a liberal. Thank you Krysten!

If you don't think she is craven enough to use this situation to extort the rest of the slightly-less-right-leaning contingent of the Senate for various sun and sundry, I have some nice bridges for sale...

You might be right. But I hope that maybe the nomination will remind everyone on the left who the real enemy is, and maybe unite us a little. We need to come together, because the right is very together, and they want the house and the senate in 22; more in 24. I'm predicting dark times for the democratic party if we don't come together a little...

 

[lpetrich]

Zach C. Cohen on Twitter: "Sen. Kyrsten Sinema confronted Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the Senate floor last night about the chamber’s slow voting process, per ⁦@StevenTDennis.⁩
“Could we have some discipline in the votes, ever? You’re in charge!” (link)" / Twitter

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Actually he should continue to make their lives as difficult as possible and treat them the way they treat, say, public housing residents. Or parents who rely on CTC. When they improve, maybe process can improve too.
Why should we make the lives of obstructionists easier?" / Twitter
CTC = Child Tax Credit

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Cancel vacation. Vote on weekends. Vote for hours. Vote last minute. Call votes when Senators are courting billionaires at fundraisers. They may get apoplectic, but it’s nothing compared to the people they’re forcing to sleep without heat in winter, or losing the right to vote." / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

Biden book: "This Will Not Pass" on 2020 election and Biden's first year

New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns are writing a book, "This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America's Future", about the Biden Administration. It's due to come out on May 3, but some bits of it have now come out.

President Biden confessed in private that he didn't understand Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who helped stymie his biggest legislative dreams ...

Sneak peek: "One person close to the president likened Biden's perplexity at Sinema to his difficulty grasping his grandchildren's use of ... TikTok. He wanted to relate, but he just didn’t quite get it," the authors write in "This Will Not Pass," about the 2020 election and President Biden's first year.

That's not surprising. In 1970, Alvin Toffler wrote the book  Future Shock describing how rapid technological and societal changes are producing a version of culture shock. Seems like that's what's happening here.

"In the spring of 2021, "she became the first-ever lawmaker to argue with White House aides when they asked her to wear a face mask in the company of the president, repeatedly asking why that was necessary when she had been vaccinated."" - that seems very petty. She seems very full of herself.

"She also discouraged Biden from coming to Arizona after the president signed the COVID rescue plan in 2021." - Why???

"Biden aides complained that Sinema sounded more like Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) than a Democrat, the book says" - not surprising.

"At a private fundraiser in D.C. with a Republican-heavy group of lobbyists — which hasn't been reported before — she portrayed herself as anti-tax and anti-government."
Sounding like a Republican.

"She mocked Biden while speaking warmly about House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, and even defending far-right Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who denied the election results and claimed Antifa had infiltrated the Capitol riot. "I love Andy Biggs," she said. "I know some people think he’s crazy, but that's just because they don’t know him."" - Rep. Biggs might be nice to her in person, but that does not excuse his election conspiracy mongering.

"]Separately, Sinema told colleagues five or six other Senate Dem moderates were "hiding behind my skirt" as she pushed back on the left." - I wouldn't be surprised. It's the "rotating villain" conspiracy theory, where several politicians let one of their number do their dirty work.

 

[lpetrich]

This is from last February, but it is very revealing about her. Kyrsten Sinema courted Republican fossil fuel donors with filibuster stance | Oil and gas companies | The Guardian - Tue 1 Feb 2022 05.00 EST - Houston fundraiser reveals Democrat’s aggressive efforts to capitalize on her Senate power on matters ranging from climate to taxes

With a crucial vote pending over filibuster rules that would have made strong voting rights legislation feasible, Democratic senator Kyrsten Sinema flew into Houston, Texas, for a fundraiser that drew dozens of fossil fuel chieftains, including Continental Resources chairman Harold Hamm and ConocoPhillips chief executive Ryan Lance.

The event was held on 18 January at the upmarket River Oaks Country Club. One executive told the Guardian that Sinema spoke for about half an hour and informed a mostly Republican crowd that they could “rest assured” she would not back any changes with filibuster rules, reiterating a stance she took several days before during a Senate speech.

The Arizona senator also addressed some energy industry issues according to the executive, who added that overall he was “tremendously impressed”.

The day after the Houston bash, Sinema voted against changing filibuster rules, thereby helping to thwart the voting rights bill.

What a turnaround from calling campaign contributions "bribery". Early KS would consider present KS hopelessly corrupt.

 

[lpetrich]

Kyrsten Sinema: Arizona Democrats censure senator for voting rights failure | Arizona | The Guardian - Sat 22 Jan 2022 14.43 EST - "Democrat opposed move to carve voting rights issues out of filibuster and thereby overcome GOP opposition"

Also from early this year,

Zach C. Cohen on Twitter: "Sen. Kyrsten Sinema confronted Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the Senate floor last night about the chamber’s slow voting process, per ⁦@StevenTDennis.⁩
“Could we have some discipline in the votes, ever? You’re in charge!” (link)" / Twitter

AOC responded
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Actually he should continue to make their lives as difficult as possible and treat them the way they treat, say, public housing residents. Or parents who rely on CTC. When they improve, maybe process can improve too.
Why should we make the lives of obstructionists easier?" / Twitter
and
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Cancel vacation. Vote on weekends. Vote for hours. Vote last minute. Call votes when Senators are courting billionaires at fundraisers. They may get apoplectic, but it’s nothing compared to the people they’re forcing to sleep without heat in winter, or losing the right to vote." / Twitter

 

[blastula]

Ignorant, ahistorical babble. Gives off second hand imposter syndrome.

 

[lpetrich]

That was at the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, founded by Mitch McConnell himself: Mission — McConnell Center

Sinema in speech at McConnell Center says 60-vote Senate threshold should be restored | The Hill

Not only am I committed to the 60-vote threshold, I have an incredibly unpopular view. I actually think we should restore the 60-vote threshold for the areas in which it has been eliminated already. We should restore it.

Not everyone likes that, because it would make it harder for us to confirm judges and it would make it harder for us to confirm executive appointments in each administration, but I believe that if we did restore it, we would see more of that middle ground in all parts of our governance, which is what, I believe, our forefathers intended.

...
While it is frustrating as a member of the minority in the United States Senate — and equally as frustrating in the majority, because you must have 60 votes to move forward, that frustration represents solely the short-term angst of not getting what you want. We shouldn’t get everything we want in the moment because later, upon cooler reflection, you recognize that it has probably gone too far.

She also described the Senate as a "cooling saucer" for the House, an old analogy, and she didn't want the Senate to become more like the House.

 

[lpetrich]

Will Ehrenreich on Twitter: "@HeartlandSignal There’s no such thing as a 60 vote threshold to pass a law. Sinema is lying, again. There’s a 60 vote threshold on ending debate. Any bill that gets 51 votes will pass. What Sinema is protecting is the right of Republicans to insist on more debate w/o actually making them debate." / Twitter
I agree. If the Republicans get the majority and then abolish the filibuster so that they can pass whatever they want, what will she say? Will Kyrsten Sinema stare as blankly as Susan Collins has about Donald Trump's misbehavior?

KS said "The best thing you can do for your child is to not give them everything they want" and some of the commenters were not sure who she was calling "children". Voters? Reps? Senators?

XLProfessor on Twitter: "@HeartlandSignal @SenatorSinema Trying to figure out what Sinema is doing is hard, because if she has any of the normal goals - being a lobbyist, becoming president, getting reelected, even being a third-party spoiler candidate - the only way to explain her behavior is that she is stupid (link)" / Twitter
I'm also baffled. What does she want to achieve? Other than being a faithful servant of her bribers? Using what she once called campaign contributions.

 

[lpetrich]

This makes me think of the  Liberum veto of the Sejm ("same" - the parliament) of the  Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth - any one person could veto anything, thus requiring unanimity: 100% agreement.

Let's see what noblewoman and Sejm member Krystyna Sinemaska might have thought of the liberum veto during the  Partitions of Poland (1st: 1775, 2nd: 1793, 3rd: 1795, with Poland disappearing). She's make passionate speeches about how the liberum veto is necessary to get lasting agreement, how it's important not to get everything one wants, how she doesn't want the Sejm to be like other nations' parliaments, etc. But she does not reveal that she is being bribed by Russia to defend the liberum veto.

 

[Harry Bosch]

I like Sinema. She's a little more conservative than I. But that's okay. I'm okay with my party being a big tent. A lot of dems will be unhappy in a year that we didn't listen to her request to strengthen the filibuster when the republicans take the senate. But I'm very glad that Tulsi has finally renounced her democratic ties. She's so fake. Pro-putler religious nutter. I never wanted to be in her tent.