Senator Sinema’s Indy Bulls-Eye

Arizona Senator Sinema’s declaring she’s no longer a Dem but an “Independent” doesn’t mean she can’t have her cake & eat it too by caucusing with majority ldr Cryin’ Chuck Schumer’s progressives to keep her cte seats.

In an op-ed she published in the Arizona Republic, Sinema said she registered anew as an Independent because of the increasingly partisan partisanship and radicalization of both political parties. Of course, it suddenly gains for her a ton of personal leverage if not clout. As Fox News noted, Sinema’s “exit from the Democratic Party means one less Democrat in the Senate” so that the assumed 51-49 majority for control over the GOP is now potentially 50-49, “which could complicate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s efforts to organize the Senate ahead of the Congress.” And, if Sinema decides to side on any given issue with the Republican minority down the road to create a 50-50 scenario, it could trigger procedural minefields that could affect Schumer’s ability to ram through legislation.

Sinema certainly knows how to be coy in the mode of West Va’s sometimes Democrat, Joe “Maybe We’re Spending Too Much Money” Manchin, at least, when talking to Politico: “I don’t anticipate that anything will change about the Senate structure … I intend to show up to work, do the same work that I always do. I just intend to show up to work as an independent.” One possible translation: She’s gently but firmly painted a big red and white bullseye on her butt for both Dems and Reps to kiss.

Davd Soul