2. Manchin is legible in way that Sinema isn't: he's just a plain old conservative Democrat, willing to horse trade to get pork in his state in exchange for other things he doesn't like. Since his vote is necessary he has leverage and is using it with frustrating ferocity
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3. Sinema puzzles people more because she hasn't been upfront about demands and a lot of what she does makes sense politically (evidenced by her sinking poll numbers). Combined with her colorful background (Green Party) & attire, she's presented as a freak. That's a mistake
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4. The urge to pathologize Sinema is understandable but it's worth paying attention to the incentive structures & systems that have made her bizarre actions logical to her. She's had a pretty meteoric rise & has real ambition, knowing the system with an outsider's cynicism.
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5. The best explanation for Sinema I've seen is that she's modelling herself after John McCain, an easy mistake on her part given how much McCain was lionized by centrists & Washington types. Of course, it's a bet that will likely fail, but it's a sign of ambition.
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6. I spent some time talking with the astute
@ryanlcooper about what makes Sinema tick here:https://jeetheer.substack.com/p/podcast-manchins-machinations-and?r=bh54&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source= …Show this thread
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Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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Sinema especially plays to such a broadly unlikable stereotype that it feels like she's playing villain of the week so the party can negotiate itself down.
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I know that isn't entirely fair, she has genuine leverage and the party can't stop her from getting a higher-paying gig after her term is up, but they could be leaning on her just a little bit considering no one likes her and she's completely abandoned her constituents.
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The more relevant question is what's the deal with Biden and the Democratic Party and their inability to wield power? Why are they allowing 2 Senators to set the limits on what they can do? Impossible to imagine a parallel situation taking place within the GOP.
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A parallel situation did occur with the GOP failing to repeal the ACA because Collins, Murkowski, and McCain voted against it. But it didn't happen as much because there wasn't very much the GOP was trying to do legislatively, except tax cuts they all agreed on.
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