Although polls show that most Americans favor a more moderate approach to the economy, criminal justice reform, voting rights bills, and a host of other political hot topics, the Progressives in Congress continue to forge ahead with their ultra-left policies. Many Progressives are going as far as to put as much pressure as possible on more centrists within the Democratic Party.
No one understands this better than Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema.
Sinema first began to encounter push-back from the Progressive wing of her party earlier last year after she expressed that she would not vote for the Build Back Better bill. Sinema has been followed by irate voters into Capitol Hill bathrooms, harassed at private functions, even threatened with censure by fellow Democrats in Arizona. Yet, Sinema stands unwavering. She even voted against changing the rules of the filibuster in order to pave a way for passage of two voting freedom bills that Sinema says she actually supports.
New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to make Senator Sinema’s life “as difficult as possible.” This comes after Sinema told Schumer to “pick up the pace when it comes to conducting a floor vote in the upper chamber.” This process can often take hours.
On Tuesday night, Sinema told Schumer angrily, “Could we have some discipline in the votes, ever? You’re in charge!” according to a Bloomberg News reporter.
Although AOC had announced earlier this week that she’d be staying off social media, she tweeted out a message to Senate Majority Leader Schumer. She inferred that Schumer should “continue the Senate’s painstaking procedures for the mere purpose of annoying moderate Democrats,” which includes both Sinema and her moderate colleague, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV).
AOC has referred to both Sinema and Manchin as “obstructionists.”
AOC’s tweet read: “Actually he should continue to make their lives as difficult as possible and treat them they way they treat, say, public housing residents. Or parents who rely on CTC (the Child Tax Credit that is set to expire since Build Back Better did not pass). When they improve, maybe process can improve too.”
The eight votes that frustrated Sinema had nothing to do with key Democratic issues, including Build Back Better or a voting bills. Instead, these votes had to do with state court appointments. At this time, it is not certain why Sinema became so frustrated with the voting process.
Both Sinema and Manchin have proven to be effective roadblocks in their party during the current Congressional session. The two voted “no” on both Biden’s flagship spending bill, the Build Back Better legislation. The pair also blocked a vote on procedural rules that could eliminate the filibuster and pave the way for a simple majority vote regarding federal election laws.
The progressive wing of the Democratic Party appears to be in constant combat with the more moderate members of the party.
