🧷 From Ally to Adversary: A Voting Record Autopsy
- Dez Lewis
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
How Progressive Promises Became Corporate Compliance
“They campaigned on hope. They voted for harm.”
In the theater of American politics, few performances are more devastating than the progressive turncoat. This post inaugurates our Voting Record Autopsy series—a forensic look at politicians who once spoke the language of justice, only to legislate in favor of capital, control, and compromise.
🧨 Case Study: Senator Kyrsten Sinema
Campaign Persona: Sinema entered national politics as a self-described progressive, championing LGBTQ+ rights, climate action, and economic justice. Her early affiliations included the Green Party and anti-war activism. She branded herself as a bold outsider ready to challenge the status quo.
Voting Record Shift: Once elected to the Senate, Sinema’s voting record began to reflect corporate priorities over community needs. Key moments include:
Blocking Minimum Wage Increase (2021):
Sinema famously gave a thumbs-down to a $15 federal minimum wage proposal—despite earlier support for wage hikes.
Filibuster Defense:
She became a vocal defender of the filibuster, effectively stalling voting rights legislation and other progressive reforms.
Pharma-Friendly Stances:
Sinema opposed measures to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, aligning with pharmaceutical lobby interests.
Tax Policy Resistance:
She resisted closing carried interest loopholes that benefit wealthy investors, despite public support for tax equity.
Corporate Connections: Her campaign donations shifted dramatically toward Wall Street, Big Pharma, and private equity firms. In 2022 alone, Sinema received over $1 million from corporate PACs.
🧠 Pattern Recognition
Sinema’s trajectory isn’t unique—it’s emblematic. Many politicians use progressive language to win votes, only to pivot under pressure from donors, lobbyists, and party leadership. This autopsy isn’t about personal betrayal—it’s about systemic rot.
🧷 Never Forget
We document these shifts not to shame individuals, but to expose patterns. To remind ourselves that branding is not policy. That votes matter more than vibes. And that the people deserve representatives who legislate with integrity—not opportunism.
🧨 From ally to adversary is a path paved in broken promises.
We remember.
We resist.
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