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Kyrsten Sinema
Dec. 6th, 2012 10:34 amYou know how anybody really good doesn't run for elective office because they have to hide ways in which they don't conform? Or they do run, but pretending to be centrist? (Or simplistically anti-centrist if the primary is the real election there, but still not challenging local orthodoxies?) Well, get this, from a competitive district in Arizona, of all places:
Newly elected Kyrsten Sinema (age 36)
Religious affiliation: none. "When Sinema's religious views were raised as an issue, her campaign stated that she simply believes in a secular approach to government." 20% of Americans report they are atheist, agnostic, or have no particular religion. But of 535 members of Congress, Sinema will be 0.2% of whom that is true.
OK, so is that like one quirk she gets away with and so conforms everywhere else even more so? No.
She is the first openly bisexual member of Congress.
So maybe she succeeds by playing along with bosses and keeping her head down regarding controversial issues. Well, in the Arizona state legislature:
"In 2005 and 2006, she was named Sierra Club’s Most Valuable Player. She also won the 2006 Planned Parenthood CHOICE Award, 2006 Legislator of the Year Award from both the Arizona Public Health Association and the National Association of Social Workers, 2006 Legislative Hero Award from the Arizona League of Conservation Voters" and "In 2006, Sinema sponsored a bill urging the adoption of the DREAM Act."
Arizona has been the base of some of the most whacked out, reactionary politicians since before I was born. But it was also the home of Mo and Stewart Udall and it's trending Democratic. I wonder if someone like Sinema can eventually get elected state-wide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrsten_Sinema
Newly elected Kyrsten Sinema (age 36)
Religious affiliation: none. "When Sinema's religious views were raised as an issue, her campaign stated that she simply believes in a secular approach to government." 20% of Americans report they are atheist, agnostic, or have no particular religion. But of 535 members of Congress, Sinema will be 0.2% of whom that is true.
OK, so is that like one quirk she gets away with and so conforms everywhere else even more so? No.
She is the first openly bisexual member of Congress.
So maybe she succeeds by playing along with bosses and keeping her head down regarding controversial issues. Well, in the Arizona state legislature:
"In 2005 and 2006, she was named Sierra Club’s Most Valuable Player. She also won the 2006 Planned Parenthood CHOICE Award, 2006 Legislator of the Year Award from both the Arizona Public Health Association and the National Association of Social Workers, 2006 Legislative Hero Award from the Arizona League of Conservation Voters" and "In 2006, Sinema sponsored a bill urging the adoption of the DREAM Act."
Arizona has been the base of some of the most whacked out, reactionary politicians since before I was born. But it was also the home of Mo and Stewart Udall and it's trending Democratic. I wonder if someone like Sinema can eventually get elected state-wide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrsten_Sinema
