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'BREAKING NEWS'

What you think about this one folks?

'Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona is leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent.'

'Ms. Sinema has not said whether she would caucus with the Democrats, as do two other independent senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine. The Democrats had claimed a 51-49 advantage in the Senate this week when Raphael Warnock prevailed in a runoff election in Georgia.' (NYTimes)

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Yes--just heard this on NPR. She has been bought off by someone (Koch?) for sure. What a (4 syllable expletive deleted). My hope is that she gets primaried and loses. Badly. She's up in 2024. The world would be a better place without her thumb on the fascist scale. I know the Dems love the view of themselves as a big tent, but she's the camel that could tip it over.

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I woke up to this news... my first thought was that Kari Lake would run and win the next primary for Sinema's seat... (sad face) my next thought was about the number of jobs that will result from Biden's deal he just made for the production of chips Arizona. (happy face).

And then I was ready to go back to sleep....

Yesterday's amazing news about Brittney Griner brought tears to my eyes repeatedly throughout the day. By the time I got back home and checked out the current news and heard the cyclone of cynicism I once again had my eyes full of tears.

'Can't she have even one day to rejoice? Can't we embrace this victory regardless of the skew and spins that the dark side wave over this?

I laugh at all of the hypocrisy from the bitter empty suits, from TFG to Mr. Slick Matt Gaetz who undoubtedly wouldn't have known Paul Whalen's name a week ago.

Ugh

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Cynthia, I was thinking the same thing, especially when McCarthy was unable to say "good news," but had to bray that Biden had placed the US in danger by releasing Bout. His determination to be speaker betrays the depths of his depravity. "Ugh" is right.

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they just can't give him an inch... were 'we' that bad? (not counting our reactions to TFG, of course?)

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Apples & oranges, Cynthia!!!

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No, Cynthia, I cannot remember the Democrats ever being so unfair and lying as much as the Republicans do. While they manage to sway the gullible and uninformed, though, they are still shooting themselves in the foot.

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you would think that eventually their followers would get a new prescription in their glasses so they could at least SEE a little light!?!

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They don't think they're the problem - it's all of the Demonrats! They're all blinded by their hate and bias, and can't allow any input from non-evangelicals. Remember, MTG is a "Christian."

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And Jesus weeps

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Yes, he does, knowing that His words and intentions have been totally misconstrued and twisted. Just looking at the nearly-demonic expressions on faces like MTG's and her ilk puts into focus their evil intentions.

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The GOP has zero compassion for a gay Black woman. Gee, who knew?

They don't even bother to hide it anymore.

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Of course not. It's a rallying cry for their racist, misogynistic, homophobic base.

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So far Sinema has not committed to caucus with the Democrats, but is caucusing with the Republicans even an option for her? The people of Arizona probably don’t mind her declaring herself an independent but NOT caucusing with the Democrats may just be a bridge too far. If Sinema does not commit to caucusing with Democrats, will the people of Arizona attempt a recall? Wondering if this could test the laws dealing with the recall of a U.S. Senator: which pledge did Sinema sign, to resign or not to resign, if not re-elected by a recall vote -- as required by Arizona law? (https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_recall_of_federal_politicians_(Arizona)

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She wants to keep her committee assignments. She can't do that if she caucuses with the Republicans. She's given indirect indications that she'll caucus with the Dems, and indeed it's in her interest to do so. Why would Arizona voters want to recall Sinema for changing parties?

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Hope her buddy in weaselness Manchin gets primaried also

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The camel tipping the big tent is a good metaphor.😁

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Independents don't have to run in primaries so they can't get "primaried". In fact, one could argue that the fear of being primaried was a factor in going independent: she isn't popular with much of anybody. See this Slate story from September: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/09/kyrsten-sinema-approval-rating-equally-unpopular-everyone.html.

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Indeed.

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Not enough attention for Ms. Sinema, so she’s found a new way to mess with the Democratic Party and the USA government. And the people. So transparent. But I’m not sure expected.

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Sinema goes where the money draws her in = where the big $$$$$ wants her to be.

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Yes, Fern, maybe I should edit my comment to “I’m sure expected.” That would be a safe conclusion. She certainly gets the attention she must crave.

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$ SHE'S THE MONEY HONEY $

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My adult son calls her an “attention whore.”

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She sold out. She’s taking that big PAC money FROM: ???

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So sad for a former Social worker to be on the take so openly. Just follow her tax returns once she leaves office, Gerhard Schroeder style.

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anyone who will give it to her...

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Down Kirsten goes …down that slippery slope.

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Plus there were republican fund raisers for her.

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I'm feeling sick...

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Sinema never belonged in the Democratic Party to begin with. That she was siphoned off does not surprise me one bit. If there’s a possibility that she can be recalled, Arizonans should go for it.

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Recall seems appropiate.

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I'd work on that campaign.

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I wonder what this herd is capable of if we all could act in concert? “ Everything is impossible until suddenly it isn’t.”

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She just gave the middle finger to all the Democrats who voted for her. Despicable.

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I would like to see petitions for removal.

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…and huge crowds with trash bins full fake money with her name and picture on every bill.

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Well done.

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Is this possible..if so let's see about getting it done

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Can we/they (?) do that?

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Fern Sinema describes herself as ‘bisexual and bipartisan.’ As an Independent running for senatorial re-election in Arizona I would add ‘bye bye.’

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Keith, she is also bifocaled, bifurcated, bilinear and particularly binary....Kyrsten Sinema is the definition of a divided, greedy, mixed-up m/z. (represents mass divided by charge number and the horizontal axis in a mass spectrum is expressed in units of m/z. Since z is almost always 1 with GCMS, the m/z value is often considered to be the mass.)

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Now that's funny!

Her contribution to our cause was minimal, at best. If she caucuses with the Dems, which Rachel Maddow predicts she will, she might be useful on occasion. I think her intention is to thwart being primaried in '24.

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From your lips to God’s ear, Keith. I know I use that expression a lot. It’s meant as praise, and I hope is taken that way.

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I want you know what this means for the Dem majority in the Senate. If she's not caucusing with the Dems, does that mean we are 50-49? That's still majority, but where does she go? If with R's, it's 50-50 and we're really screwed.

My first reaction is unprintable,, but I'm not sure how this plays out with Senate rules. Need more info.

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Apparently, for the time being, she is committing to not caucus with Republicans, so this is just an attention getting stunt. See: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/09/sinema-arizona-senate-independent-00073216

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Thank you twice, SAT12.

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So far Sinema has not committed to caucus with the Democrats, but is caucusing with the Republicans even an option for her? The people of Arizona probably don’t mind her declaring herself an independent but NOT caucusing with the Democrats may just be a bridge too far. If Sinema does not commit to caucusing with Democrats, will the people of Arizona attempt a recall? Wondering if this could test the laws dealing with the recall of a U.S. Senator: which pledge did Sinema sign, to resign or not to resign, if not re-elected by a recall vote -- as required by Arizona law? (https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_recall_of_federal_politicians_(Arizona)

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Thank you, 3 times SAT12!

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Kristen Sinema has been a wild card in the Senate...along with Manchin...can't help but feel like she doesn't know why her constituents elected her...more like she's making it up as she goes along...

Can't lie, this last act of hers has made me very angry especially after the hard fought rerun in Georgia's race...

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Biden needs to appoint Sinema as Ambassador to Somewhere after the new Dem governor of Arizona takes over.

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Great idea

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She probably was giddy to have the opportunity to rain on the 50+1 majority. She remains a useless twit.

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My husband gave me this news when I got up this am. What does the timing suggest. I don't usually apply the b word to women, but she deserves it. She probably knows that she will never win again being a D or maybe never win again, period. I suspect she has garnered enough money (bribes) from various sources that it won't matter to her. This is one of the ugliest political moves I have ever seen.

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Michele If Sinema were male she would be a bastard. I guess that she could be characterized as a *itch.

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I think bastards can be of either gender if we go with illegitimate births. If I were to use that kind of pejorative directed to a male, it would start with p. My problem with the b word and the c word is that the latter is really offensive to me and now I see it used, along with the b word by men to describe other men. I have gone around with a few women with the phrase b slap because it promotes violence toward women.

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Michele S++t is genderless and it has the aroma of Justice Sotomayor’s Stench Court.

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Oh yes, and it doesn't even have to apply to humans. As for the Stench Court...such hubris. Alito is one those male you know....And the more I read about all this, the angrier I get. They have utterly destroyed the idea of the Court and its rep is in the sewer with the aroma you mention.

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The b word is exactly what fell out of my mouth when I saw the headline.

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This sets up a three way race for Senator in 2024. Kari Lake (R), Ruben Gallego (D), and Sinema (I). What a mess. Full disclosure I'm an AZ registered Independent, voted for Sinema last time but never again.

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Charles Sinema has run the political gamut from being a Naderite to Dem to Independent.

Running as an Independent she would be a sure loser, though Republicans might support her as a spoiler to assure Lake rather than Gallegos as next senator. She has been called a twit, which rhymes with s++t.

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Humph...her lack of any concrete principles makes me think of Lake who has also been through the array of possible political party choices.

Why on earth would anyone go into politics without knowing where their own ideas and principles feel most at home? Ms. Sinema desperately needs to be primaried.

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As an Independent, presumably she wouldn’t be in a Dem or Rep primary. I suggest a modeling career for her with her gaudy costumes.

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You are quite correct and I definitely wasn't thinking when I wrote that. What I wanted to write was probably a bit too inciteful of minor violence for a usually peaceful progressive to admit to.

It's frustrating...two steps forward; one and a half back. Always something.

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How like Senator Sinema to be making certain she remains in the news. In whose service is she?

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Remarkably stupid. I’ve seen it theorized that she is heading off a primary challenge from Reuben Gallego, but it gives him two years to consolidate support in the Democratic Party and to raise money for a 3-cornered race. She might be vindictive—of dumb—enough just to try handing her seat to some Republican nonentity, it what’s her base for three-candidate race? (If someone knows the answer to that question, please tell us.)

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I do not know THAT answer but Senate Dem' majority still retains their Committee control advantages.

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Not all of us that want the Republican Party to implode, and go through a catharsis that purges itself of the anti-human wing, think she's stupid. I think the Dems' progressive impulses risk ovrrreach that may cause a major backlash from the voting public. In my view, she and Manchin have been saving the Democratic Caucus from itself.

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I’m with you in that view.

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Sinema is a self-centered drama queen who quite literally is for sale. She won't be re-elected and knows it, thus she's put herself in the best position to cash in. If the dictionary listed an antonym for public servant, it would be Sinema.

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Likely already has a contract to sign to become a lobbyist on the first day she leaves. But the fact Colorado locals re-elected Lauren Boebert and the near miss of getting another crazy from Georgia shows that partisans are happy to elect sub-intelligent self-centered narcissists if their party so orders.

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There has to be a law that she has broken if taking cash.

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Polite - and legal - bribery.

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She should not be representing Arizona. My cousin, a Democrat, that lives in Flagstaff has warned me about her. Nothing that she has done has surprised me. I think she ran as a Democrat to get elected. She should have never been on a primary. She is really a Republican.

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Remember when the DCCC announced in 2019 that they wouldn't partner with any group or vendor seeking to primary an incumbent Democrat? B'bye, Kirsten.

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