If you would have told me a year ago that Kyrsten Sinema would turn out to be one of the most controversial political figures of our time, I’m not sure I would have believed you. Since defeating Martha McSally, the Arizona senator has largely remained in the background. Even during the negotiations over Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, Sinema seemed content to let Joe Manchin absorb most of the heat.
Yet, as Chuck Schumer became deadset on nuking his own party by forcing a vote on the filibuster, a time for choosing arrived, and Sinema chose. She held firm, giving a decisive floor speech that laid out her absolute opposition to pure majoritarian rule.
At that moment, an absolutely pathetic tantrum commenced, culminating in Sinema being censured by the Arizona Democrat Party Saturday. According to them, she had failed to “do whatever it takes to ensure the health of our democracy.” The mindless repetition of such idiocy leads me to suspect my dog could come up with a better political narrative at this point.
Then the astroturfing started.
Politico reported on Thursday that a group of 70 Democratic donors wrote to Sinema saying it would end all spending for Sinema unless she went along with President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D., N.Y.) scheme to end the filibuster so that their party can pass federal election reform bills.
The problem: Only 19 of the individuals who signed the letter to Sinema have itemized donations to her campaign, according to the Federal Election Commission. Of the 19 signatories who donated to Sinema, only 6 gave the maximum $5,400 allowed by federal law. None of those max donors lived in Arizona. The single Arizona signatory who donated gave just $250.
I’m sure Sinema is shaking in her boots at the thought of losing a few grand in campaign cash from a few out-of-state lefties, most of whom have never even donated to her anyway. Are you seeing why I decided to use the word “pathetic” to describe this clown show of a resistance movement?
Like a child thrashing on the floor, there’s a lot of noise coming from a combination of overly online liberal wine moms and girlfriend-less pajama boys insisting Sinema is now persona non grata. “We are going to primary her,” they furiously type from their parents’ basement, confident that Twitter is, in fact, real life.
When that doesn’t work, perhaps they can accuse Sinema of being a racist for the umpteenth time, as Joy Reid did again on Saturday? I’m sure that will finally cause the Arizona senator to bend the knee to the collective of incels who can’t grasp the fact that the institution of “democracy” they are always bleating about is literally based on the freedom to vote as one chooses. Or maybe the left can threaten “political consequences” from Joe Biden if Sinema doesn’t fall in line? Yet, shouldn’t it be clear that if the White House had such leverage, we wouldn’t be here in the first place?
This entire spectacle is like watching a bird fly into a window over and over. Or maybe it’s more like seeing my old, arthritic labrador retriever chasing a cat. I mean, I respect the effort, but he’s not catching that cat. In the end, these pathetic attempts at forcing Sinema’s hand will only strengthen her resolve. Meanwhile, the coping and seething will continue.