The famous Eff-off Sen. Sinema and her eff-off ring

Der Tiger Beat auf dem Potomac (thanks Charlie with an assist from MPS’ patron saint Watertiger) morning email thingie scoops:

MODS TO BIDEN: BIF NOW OR BUST — Sen. KYRSTEN SINEMA (D-Ariz.) delivered a tough message to President JOE BIDEN at a private meeting Wednesday, we’re told:If the House delays its scheduled Sept. 27 vote on the bipartisan infrastructure plan — or if the vote fails — she won’t be backing a reconciliation bill.

So she’s in-line with the House Progressive Caucus, which is kind of interesting.

But as with all things Sinema, there is a frisson of merde on top of that:

“The White House has a new headache as it struggles to get its multitrillion-dollar party-line spending bill passed: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s objections to drug pricing reforms that are already struggling to make it through the House.

“The Arizona Democrat is opposed to the current prescription drug pricing proposals in both the House and Senate bills, two sources familiar with her thinking said. They added that, at this point, she also doesn’t support a pared-back alternative being pitched by House Democratic centrists that would limit the drugs subject to Medicare negotiation.”

So… she’s with the so-called centrists on that?

“As she committed, Kyrsten is working directly in good faith with her colleagues and President Biden on the proposed budget reconciliation package,” said John LaBombard, a Sinema spokesperson, who declined to discuss the prescription drug measure. “Given the size and scope of the proposal, while those discussions are ongoing we are not offering detailed comment on any one proposed piece of the package.”

Anyone can see that the price of what was once commodity-priced insulin has sky-rocketed, Joe Manchin’s daughter has gauged everyone with the price of the EpiPen, and I’m sure that there are other examples of life-saving medicines that Big Pharma are cashing in on (and remember they almost never spend their own R&D money; their “patents” are from government grants usually via Universities).

Sinema clearly has an agenda and like Manchin is looking for the payout. We just don’t know what her angle is, yet.