Left besieged Kyrsten Sinema faces protests, main challenge, SNL Scorn



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Kyrsten Sinema seems to have fewer friendly faces among his Democratic peers these days. The Arizona senator has taken the opposite view of the progressives, a main challenger for her 2024 re-election candidacy is already in the works and she is being taunted Saturday Night Live.

Now she has protesters showing up at her fundraising events, and she’s not even halfway through her first term as a U.S. Senator – the first woman from her state to win the post.

Why is Sinema facing so much criticism from her own party? In large part, that’s because she recently objected to the large spending on President Biden’s proposed Build Back Better program. Progressive Democrats want more than just a $ 1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. They want an additional $ 3.5 trillion reconciliation package they call “human infrastructure”.

A bill was put to a vote last Thursday, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has delayed the vote until she knows Democrats will have enough votes to pass it.

Sinema lambasted Progressive Democrats for delaying a vote, calling it an “ineffective coup” while calling the delay “inexcusable” and “deeply disappointing”.

Bernie Sanders, a progressive senator from Vermont, hit back Sunday morning in an interview with ABC’s This week.

“I think Senator Sinema is wrong. I think from day one … it was clear – President of the United States said, Speaker of the House Pelosi made it clear, Majority Leader in the Senate [Chuck] Schumer has been clear: these two bills are moving forward in tandem, ”Sanders said.

Sinema was back in Arizona this weekend for a posh fundraiser at a location in Phoenix. There were protesters outside the Royal Palms Resort who asked Sinema to vote to approve the spending bills.

Joyful.  Kyrsten Cinema
Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) leaves the Senate at the United States Capitol on September 29, 2021 in Washington, DC. With an impending shutdown of the federal government, Congress Democrats are scrambling to find common ground between their progressive and moderate members in an attempt to pass a handful of laws, including infrastructure bills, the White House Build Back Better Law and Debt Limit.
Photo by Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Last Tuesday afternoon, two days before the planned infrastructure vote, Sinema was organizing a high-priced fundraiser that costs her supporters between $ 1,000 and $ 5,800 to spend 45 minutes with her. The supporters were groups of lobbyists who oppose multibillion dollar bills.

Sinema fiercely opposed the spending bills, and this prompted the formation of a Political Action Committee (PAC) in Arizona to find a strong opponent to face him in the 2024 primary. The Primary Sinema PAC was formed last Thursday, and they hope to use a popular campaign to not only find a good candidate, but also use the money to support organizations that hold the senator “accountable.”

Alex Gomez and Tomás Robles, who are co-executive directors of Living United for Change in Arizona, worked hard to get Sinema elected in 2018. They believed she was the right candidate to work for the state on issues such as change. climate and immigration. Last week, they released a statement that lambasted Sinema.

“It is clear that Senator Sinema is not listening to the people of Arizona,” they wrote. “Sinema has proven time and time again that she does not share these values, so now is the time to organize and replace her with someone who does.”

Sinema and West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin opposed any multibillion-dollar spending bill. The Senate will need the 50 Democrats to pass the big spending bills, which makes Sinema and Manchin stand out among their colleagues. Republicans have said they will not do it for the bill.

Then there is Saturday Night Live, who took a left turn to mock a Democratic senator. The skit looks a bit like Sarah Palin, which could hurt the senator in her run for re-election and in the eyes of the Arizonans. For those who remember it or not, SNL Skits about Palin became popular in America, but unpopular for Palin, who was the running mate in the 2008 election at the time.

SNL Actress Cecily Strong starred as Sinema in the opening skit on Saturday night. He opened up with an actor playing President Biden to talk about his “bad summer,” then talk about the spending bill. He then presents “Sinema”.

“What do I want from this bill,” Strong asked while smiling and playing the part of Sinema. “I’ll never say it. Because I didn’t come to Congress to make friends. And so far, mission accomplished.”

The skit continued with actresses playing the roles of Manchin and progressive representatives Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Biden’s character trying to find a compromise on a spending bill.

When Biden says “lower the price of prescription drugs,” the Sinema actress defiantly says, “no!”

When Biden says “raise taxes on billionaires”, the SInema character gives a thumbs up while giving a “thwwpppp”.

“Just tell us Kyrsten, what do you like.? What’s good for you?”

Strong gave a wide range of responses in his role as Sinema.

“Bursts of yellow stars, the movie ‘Polar Express’ and when someone eats fish on a plane,” Strong joked.

The Ocasio-Cortez character asked if Democrats could agree on anything. Strong made another comeback for his role in Sinema.

“Listen, as a bisexual wine-drinking triathlete, I know what the average American wants,” Strong said. “They want to be put on hold when they call 9-1-1. They want bridges to stop and cars to fall. They want water so thick you can eat it with a fork.

“And I’ll fight for this no matter what. Unless my foot hurts, then I have to go back to Arizona.”

This skit ends with actors playing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, also from New York.

Sinema, who was laughed at the most in this skit, finds himself with more enemies than friends right now in his office. She has the far left against her, she has protesters in her state, a likely main challenger, and now a popular show using her actions to their cost and to their benefit.

News week contacted Kyrsten Sinema’s office for comment.

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