Politics

Kyrsten Sinema Takes A Victory Lap

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[Office of Krysten Sinema, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]
Walt RasingerBy
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Former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party to become an Independent, has begun what’s being called a “revenge tour,” openly criticizing her former Democratic colleagues for what she perceives as hypocrisy regarding the filibuster. Over the weekend, she took to social media to highlight a contradiction: congressional Democrats, who once pushed to eliminate the procedural hurdle, are now relying on it to block Republican-led initiatives.

Sinema, a frequent critic of her party’s stance on the filibuster during her tenure in the Senate, resurfaced to call attention to this shift. She specifically pointed to progressive lawmakers such as Representatives Ro Khanna of California and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, both of whom had previously denounced the filibuster as an obstacle to advancing Democratic priorities.

“There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters late Thursday, referring to Schumer’s decision. “And this is not just about progressive Democrats. This is across the board — the entire party.” 

The former Arizona senator showed why there’s a big difference between the upper and lower chambers of Congress.

“Once again, pointing out that you repeatedly demanded the Senate eliminate the very tool you’re now insisting they use to stop Trump,” Sinema wrote in response to Khanna’s recent criticism of her position. She also called out Ocasio-Cortez, who once advocated for her to be primaried over her support for the filibuster, for now urging Senate Democrats to use it to block a Republican-backed government funding bill.

 

The filibuster, which requires 60 votes to advance most legislation, has long been a contentious issue in Washington. Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama have criticized it as a relic of the Jim Crow era, and in 2022, Senate Democrats—led by then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer—attempted to eliminate it. That effort failed when Sinema and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin joined Republicans in opposing the change.

Now, with Democrats in the minority, the filibuster has become a key mechanism for halting Republican proposals. This year alone, Senate Democrats have used it three times: to block a bill restricting transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, to prevent sanctions on International Criminal Court officials, and to oppose a GOP-backed measure related to abortion rights.

Republicans have seized on the shift, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune sarcastically noting last month that “the rules are different for Democrats.” Texas Senator John Cornyn echoed this sentiment, commending Sinema for exposing what he described as a clear double standard.

Despite Sinema’s pointed remarks, Senate Democrats remain divided on the filibuster’s future. While some continue to push for its elimination, others have come to state out loud the only thing that really matters to them: power.

As New Conservative Post previously pointed out, Democrats are primarily concerned with maintaining control rather than adhering to consistent principles. In 2022, as Republicans were poised to regain the Senate, Democrats shifted their stance on the filibuster. Once condemning it as a “relic of the Jim Crow era” and criticizing it for granting excessive power to smaller states at the expense of the popular will, they reconsidered their position when political forecasts favored Republican control of the House. The Washington Post noted that Senate Democrats began backing away from efforts to weaken the filibuster as the likelihood of a GOP majority increased.

We shouldn’t be surprised they’re changing their tune again this time around.

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