Kyrsten Sinema Is Still Playing the Same Old Game

Sinema registered as an independent but won't caucus with the Republicans—meaning that she can still be a useful excuse for do-nothing Democrats.

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There are Democrats in name only, and now there’s Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who’s casting off the name entirely after announcing today that she has registered as an independent. Sinema said she would not caucus with Republicans, but wrote in an op-ed for The Arizona Republic that she was “declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.” She also reportedly plans to keep her committee assignments with the Democrats.

The news comes just days after Democrats secured a narrow 51-49 majority in the chamber after Raphael Warnock won his runoff race in Georgia, a closely watched—and insanely expensive—electoral feat. So, naturally, now the question is how Sinema’s move will affect that hard-won margin—and whether it will affect her equally important role as a convenient foil for the rest of the party.

Sinema’s decision is selfish, wildly narcissistic, and supported by some of the dumbest people around—just like almost all the decisions she makes. But according to the White House, which praised her as a “key partner” is passing (?) President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda (??), everything’s still fine and dandy.