Kyrsten Sinema

[Valcazar]

Really? I'm against the Dem Leadership when they act like Sinema and Manchin. In this case they aren't.

But what does it say if the bills fail?

It says we're fucked.
And yes, I have been genuinely (but pleasantly) surprised here.
Given your previous behavior and expressed preferences, I would not have expected it.

He was repeating my sig line. The final sentence was a backhand at me. I called him on it. Read his post he says she can do what she wants. Basically he is purposefully misinterpreting my sig for a cheap shot.

And won't admit she should not be a member of the Democrats.

This was 100% a shot at you since this attitude and idea is pretty clearly part of what has driven her entire political career and her history as a third party supporter who is against the Dem establishment so mirrors your expressed preferences.

As for "won't admit she should not be a member of the Democrats", you misunderstand me. I am 100% in agreement she shouldn't be in office as a Democrat.
What I am trying to point out to you is that the Democrats can't remove her.

They have no power to do so. Anyone can declare themselves a member of any party.
The Democratic Senators have no mechanism for removing someone who was elected as a Democrat from their caucus.
If, as you seem convinced, she has been paid off and is acting as a Trojan Horse then they don't actually have any way to stop it (other than assassinating her, I suppose).
Even if they did have a mechanism, what concrete advantage does it give them to do it? If they force her out, the Republicans immediately get formal control of the Senate, which means they can even do less than they can do now.

They can't even stop her from running as a Democrat. Not really. The leadership can support a primary opponent. That's about it. If she runs as a Democrat and the Democratic party voters vote her in, then she goes back. That's 4 years from now anyway so they can't do anything about her before then.

 

[mandrill]

Huh? So violent left extem

I guess you were asleep for most of 2020? The source is observation. Anyone with a properly functioning mind would see it. Jan 6 was overwhelmingly a peaceful rally. There were hundreds of thousands of people there. How many have been charged with violence on that day? There was more violence at one BLM protest than on Jan 6.
The left's attempts to paint Jan 6 as an insurrection is a mockery.

You're in your own little world. Just keep gulping the kool-aid.

 

[Valcazar]

Ok, I don't like her either.

But the system itself is fucked probably beyond fixing. The only comparison I can come up with is the Polish parliament in the 1700's when every member had a veto on all legislation and the Russians and Germans bribed selected members of the parliament to veto all defence bills for a couple of decades until there was no Polish army left and then simply marched into Poland and it ceased to exist.

That's a good analogy. I didn't know that one.

The US system works ok when there are 2 moderate parties with a lot of common ground and compromises can reliably and frequently be ironed out. It fails totally when one party simply decides not to play and the US will probably disintegrate within the next 30 years.

It's very possible. The US Constitution desperately needs a massive overhaul and it isn't likely to happen.

Short of killing Sinema and winning a special election with a loyal, honourable Dem senator, they're fucked.

No special election in Arizona.
The Governor will appoint a replacement directly until the next normally scheduled election.
That Governor is currently Republican.
Arizona law does require that he pick another Democrat, however. He can pick one even more conservative than Manchin if he wants, though.

 

[Valcazar]

Huh? So violent left extem

I guess you were asleep for most of 2020? The source is observation. Anyone with a properly functioning mind would see it. Jan 6 was overwhelmingly a peaceful rally. There were hundreds of thousands of people there. How many have been charged with violence on that day?

A little over 300, I think.

 

[Valcazar]

19 people died in 14 days of protests following George Floyd's death.
3,000+ police officers were injured by bricks, flying projectiles (frozen water bottles mostly), Molotov cocktails and vehicles.
Thousands of arrests for assault, theft, arson, resisting arrest.
Scores of businesses looted and burned to the ground. Churches, police detachments, courthouses set ablaze.

But ya mostly peaceful.

They really were. Think about how small those numbers are despite MONTHS of protests and constant escalation by the police.
It's kind of amazing.