Dem Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is facing censure from her own party. Wait till you hear her ‘crime’

Dem Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is facing censure from her own party. Wait till you hear her ‘crime’
Kyrsten Sinema (Image: YouTube screen grab)

By K. Walker

Progressives within the Arizona Democratic Party are extremely upset with Sen. Krysten Sinema, so much so that the senator is facing a censure vote. So what has the openly bisexual Sinema done to incur the wrath of her own party? She has dared to support the Trump agenda by confirming nominees and opposing the attempt to reinstate “net neutrality.” She has in other words voted her conscious, and now she is being made to pay the price for her treachery.

The Arizona Republic reports:

Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?

Sinema, D-Ariz., built a moderate political brand during her three terms in the House of Representatives, which has extended to her early days in the Senate. According to the FiveThirtyEight Trump Tracker, she has opposed Trump while in the Senate 81% of the time. In the House, she supported Trump’s agenda 54% of the time.

While Sinema’s political centrism has earned her Republican support, it has grated on progressives — some of whom silently protested her during a state fundraising dinner in downtown Phoenix. Democratic state committeemen will consider the resolution on Saturday, at the Arizona Democratic Party’s quarterly meeting.

Democrats specifically cite her votes to confirm Attorney General William Barr and David Bernhardt, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Interior, as well as her opposition to the reboot of net neutrality.

Sen. Sinema’s “problematic” votes have frustrated progressive Democrats who feel that her bipartisanship is interfering in pushing forward their party’s ever-leftward agenda. The state coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America, Dan O’Neal, says that the move to censure Sinema is intended to push her to the left.

“Here’s the thing: We really support Kyrsten Sinema, we want her to succeed, we want her to be the best senator in the country,” O’Neal said. “But the way she is voting is really disappointing. We want Democrats to vote like Democrats and not Republicans. “

The wording of the censure has yet to be finalized.

It’s unclear if the censure vote will pass, though the Arizona Democratic Party chairwoman, Felecia Rotellini, says that it will be heard and discussed.

“We are a very diverse group and that means diversity of thought, as well,” Rotellini said. “I don’t think it reflects poorly on the party at all, I don’t think it’s an indication of a fracture. I think it’s an indication of a group of people who think differently and have a different perspective on the same topic.”

“Democrats should vote like Democrats,” adds O’Neal.

What does that even mean now? Are Democrats the party of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer or the party of the “Squad,” Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren?

Also, does that mean that the reverse is true? Should Republicans vote like Republicans, or should they be “bipartisan” and “reach across the aisle” sometimes?

Or — and here’s a wacky idea — should elected officials actually represent their districts?

Imagine thinking that confirming nominees based on their credentials is caving to an administration.

Cross posted at Clash Daily

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