Senator Sinema sauntered to the desk, gave a thumbs down jab and an adorable little curtsey, turned on her heel and danced out of the senate. In her wake, the hopes of millions of minimum wage workers were dashed.
Her excuses online — that this shouldn’t have been part of reconciliation — were not only flimsy, but clearly a lie, given her farcical choice in how she said no. 7.25 an hour is a starvation wage. It’s a wage that has for decades contributed to misery, and crime, and violence, and illness, and hunger in this country. It’s a wage that leaves children malnourished. It’s a wage that stands as a profound insult to the human dignity of all workers.
She wasn’t alone in her vote. Tester, Shaheen, Hassan, King (I), Coons and Carper all failed the people of this country, people we promised we would raise up into dignity and security, people who have toiled and died in this pandemic, people who risked their lives to give us the Senate.
Today was a disgrace, and there’s no other way to slice it. These senators betrayed the poor of this nation. These senators enjoy a wonderful wage, free healthcare, and a lifetime of influence and power derived from their position as elected officials. Their tickets are written, they will never want for anything again. Think tanks, speaking tours — the life of a US Senator is pretty much paved in gold.
They will never have to suffer in hunger. They will never have to live in constant fear of homelessness. They will never have to choose between medicine and food.
To hell with the lot of them. No one who lives hungry gives a damn about process. No one who can’t afford to heat their home gives a damn about comity in the senate.