Sinema Leaves Democrats

[dismalist]

I didn't mean to cause offense Ruralguy. Maybe "meeting with" was the original meaning of the word, but it has indeed come to have this specific formal meaning:

To caucus with a party in the House of Senate means that on the floor you vote with the party on personnel or procedural issues, such as who will be Chairman of Committee X.  it is not expected that a caucus member votes with the party on bills.

If we were in a  parliamentary system, we would say "be a member of the X coalition". If she hadn't agreed to that, she would never have been allowed to keep her committee assignments.

Apparently, we are not in a parliamentary system! We elect individuals, not parties. :-)

In fact, the "caucus with" status is not uncommon. At the moment there are two other Senators who caucus with the Democrats -- Berni Sanders and Angus King. Ms. Sinema would be the third. Historically, there have usually been one or two "caucus with" Senators.

[Mobius]

She has about $8 million for 2024. She also needs around 44,000 signatures to get on the ballot. Any registered voter in Arizona can sign a petition, but voters can only sign one petition per office on the ballot.

[Ruralguy]

I had heard Chuck Todd attempting to clarify the caucus kerfuffle.

Apparently, she has not been meeting in person with any Democrats, the sort of thing that might involve a 'caucus' plan, but may or may not be attached to any kind of internal vote or a discussion of votes on bills. So, Sinema herself had made off hand comments such as "I haven't been caucusing anyway," apparently based on this loose definition.  But she also said she would continue with committee assignments for the Democrats. But someone speaking with Todd said essentially what Dismalist wrote here several days ago: If you are being assigned committees by the Democrats (or voting for leadership, etc.) then you effectively are caucusing with them, regardless of whether you are attending various meetings.  This doesn't necessarily clarify the precise definition of 'caucusing,' but at least it explains the sources of confusion over the matter.

[jimbogumbo]

I agree with this piece (yukyuk): https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/nation-shocked-to-learn-that-kyrsten-sinema-had-been-a-democrat

[Anon1787]

I agree with this piece (yukyuk): https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/nation-shocked-to-learn-that-kyrsten-sinema-had-been-a-democrat

Sinema has supported the Biden position 93% of the time. As an independent, maybe she will be more like Bernie and support the Biden position only 91% of the time. https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/kyrsten-sinema/

[jimbogumbo]

Anon: I just thought it was funny. I like funny. Funny is good.

[secundem_artem]

This chick is as crazy as a shit house rat.  I'm hoping Arizona can mount a recall vote.

Joe Manchin is no prize and he's in the pocket of big coal, but he's still a better deal than Sinema who is only out for herself.