Kyrsten Sinema's bathroom protest was a long time coming

[marble falls]

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/kyrsten-sinema-s-bathroom-protest-was-long-time-coming-n1280763

Kyrsten Sinema's bathroom protest was a long time coming

The Kyrsten Sinema of 2003 would have been among the activists protesting her at Arizona State University.

-snip-

“Yesterday’s behavior was not legitimate protest,” Sinema wrote. Leaving aside that Sinema doesn’t get to set the terms of how her constituents hold her accountable, you know who would have likely applauded those activists’ tactics? A young Kyrsten Sinema, the one who didn’t mind calling out Democrats who are more interested in obtaining power than in using it to advance their values.

During the last few weeks, a tidal wave of ink has been spilled as we all try to figure out, in brief, what Sinema’s deal is. Why is the first-term senator acting as a roadblock to passing President Joe Biden’s agenda? What’s driving her? Political donors’ priorities? A misreading of the Arizona electorate? Is she lining up a lobbying gig after her term ends? Does she have a raging case of McCain Maverick Syndrome?

But the here’s the biggest question of them all: What sparked Sinema’s transformation from a Green Party activist into a centrist who may derail one of the largest, most progressive bills we’re likely to see during Biden’s presidency?

-snip-

In her youth, Sinema was part of the antiwar movement ahead of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And at the time, she had no tolerance for Democrats who would support the coming war:

When hawkish and conservative-leaning Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman passed through Tucson during his presidential campaign in 2003, Sinema led a caravan of activists to protest outside his event. “He’s a shame to Democrats,” she told a reporter. “I don’t even know why he’s running. He seems to want to get Republicans voting for him—what kind of strategy is that?”

Big snip.

The last line is great, about the young Sinema would never vote for the new Sinema.

I fear she's more a Green, than a Democrat. There are a lot politically conservative Greens.

[Loki Liesmith]

1. Following women into the bathroom is ok when our team does it

[FBaggins]

2. And the other women filmed in the bathroom were her fault

How dare she force those cameras to follow her into a restroom?

[jimfields33]

5. Bathrooms should be a place to shit and change clothes.

The video person is lucky kids were not changing in there.

[Celerity]

26. on Morning Joe, they said the person filming the girl talking to Sinema was a Sinema staffer

[jimfields33]

32. Ah. Ok. Makes more sense.

[marble falls]

13. I never said that. But if your representative will not listen to you or call townhalls, what ...

... would you do? From her past, she would have done it.

[BlueLucy]

16. They didn't follow her into the stall.

I don't see a big deal here. She needs to engage with her constituents not just wealthy donors. She has no problem meeting people who hold a fundraiser for her but her constituents? Oh! the horror!

[Earth-shine]

3. The problem is that filming in a bathroom is now the issue that's front and center ...

instead of what a sh*t Sinema is.

[Celerity]

27. on Morning Joe they said the person filming the girl talking to Sinema was a Sinema staffer

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. As long as she avoids and stonewalls constituents, Sinema should expect this treatment.

It’s been three years since her last town hall.

[Ex Lurker]

31. Then the chasing her into the bathroom becomes the story

and she becomes a sympathetic character. They could have waited outside. She would have come out eventually.

[gratuitous]

6. Looks like Sen. Sinema's feeble attempt to dodge her constituents didn't work

Not like the "Senators Only" elevator in the Capitol, is it Sen. Sinema? It appears that some of her constituents weren't fazed by her run-and-hide strategy and actually expected her to answer for her failure to keep her promises. Scandalous!

[bullwinkle428]

7. I'm kind of pissed off at the protestors' actions, because it turns Sinema

into a somewhat sympathetic figure. Completely counter-productive.

[SunImp]

17. They really should have just waited outside not letting her leave.

She probably would have called someone to get her, but the situation would have been better

[lagomorph777]

21. You're pissed; Sinema was STALLing.

And to the protestors who streamed in behind her: "Urine trouble now!"

[tenderfoot]

24. Sympathetic to the likes of Fox News and Stephen Miller

very impressive.

[MineralMan]

10. Cool Screen Name...

I'm not sure you're correct with your assessment of that questioning of Sinema, though. I sure didn't see it that way, and I definitely live in the "real world."

[MineralMan]

12. She is standing the the way of two very important bills.

In so doing, she is doing exactly what the Republicans want her to do. We would like her to vote as a Democrat, rather than grandstanding and slowing down progress.

Those two things.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to read DU and today's posts before commenting on this on your first day here.

[BlueLucy]

18. No they should not be stand alone.

It's hard to get everyone on board to vote. If these are stand alone, none would pass. Everyone would just vote only on their issues that they like. Look, she met with wealthy donors but not regular people. Also, she won't say what she is for!

[BlueLucy]

23. You mean elected?

She lied abut who she was.

[Jim G.]

19. Odd...

That you signed up to comment on this thread. It's not your normal wheelhouse.

[lagomorph777]

22. No, of course the bills should not be stand-alone.

SineManchin are the reason they had to be bundled together.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. Howdy!

[marble falls]

34. I do not know how I missed that.

[BumRushDaShow]

35. And it was in your OP

Well the library is closed now.

[marble falls]

36. That's the first time in several years she's responded to me or one of my threads.

[tenderfoot]

25. I see the library is open again.

Or is it Starbucks today?

[Celerity]

28. Sinema has not had a town hall in 3 years, her office is usually closed, and her phones always go to

voicemail. She refuses to talk at all to her constituents.

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

33. This protests is likely to be counterproductive

This is not an effective way to win someone to your point of view

[marble falls]

37. I don't think it will have any effect whatsoever, what it does is show the length Sinema will ...

... go to avoid her constituents and wipe out her her good work from the past.