Kyrsten Sinema has become one of the least popular Democrats in Congress, not only for so often siding with those on the other side of the aisle but for doing so in sometimes flamboyant fashion. In March, she became persona non grata on social media after footage making a goofy — and, many charged, cartoonishly insensitive — show out of voting down a bill to raise the minimum wage for the first time in 12 years. Now it’s a picture that’s driving people mad.
Kyrsten Sinema, the Senate’s most colorful member, posts a pic of herself on instagram rocking a “F*** Off” ring & sipping what looks like Sangria pic.twitter.com/ec6AkEPUiE
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) April 18, 2021
The Arizona Senator posted it in her Instagram stories, but it found its way to Twitter thanks to a screengrab. It finds Sinema at what looks like a gawdy Sunday brunch, at a table, emphatically sipping from what appears to be a Sangria. Her pink hat matches her pink glasses, but there was another fashion accessory that jumped out at people: a ring that bears the words “F*ck off.”
People had a lot of fun mocking her get-up, but most dwelled on the latter. It was a reminder that Sinema rarely toes the party line, seeing herself as an individual, not someone who could help her fellow Democrats achieve some real goals that could help people, like a substantially raised minimum wage. It was also reminiscent of Melania Trump’s infamous jacket bearing the words “I really don’t care do u?”, which was seen as a big middle finger to her husband’s countless critics (and all the people whose lives he ruined or made difficult).
So when people zoomed in on Sinema’s “f*ck you” ring, it seemed like it was directed towards constituents stuck with a low minimum wage.
I’m sure her constituents appreciate it https://t.co/NkkrcjF5lo
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 18, 2021
What is the likelihood that the person who served her this drink made minimum wage? https://t.co/jF1h9yse4a
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) April 18, 2021
the “fuck off” is directed specifically at anyone who makes the minimum wage https://t.co/xE95XFZHZC
— Talia Lavin (@chick_in_kiev) April 18, 2021
It’s so fun how she makes neoliberal austerity and complete disregard for the poor so adorkable. She’ll play you a little song on ukulele about how you don’t deserve healthcare. https://t.co/BNKbQSb3UJ
— Lance St. Laurent (@LanceStLaurent) April 18, 2021
American workers: the federal minimum wage hasn’t been raised in over a decade, can we do something about this?
Krysten Simema: https://t.co/KNAtoHQPsf pic.twitter.com/ZAlaXJw82D
— no visigoths, no spiders (@fanny_omaha) April 18, 2021
I do wonder which constituency this is even for at this point. https://t.co/aZi4O7FMeo
— Hayes Brown (@HayesBrown) April 18, 2021
Others took her to task for other reasons.
this is a very specific kind of “edgy” “quirky” kinda punk with absolute dogshit politics that’s really familiar to anyone who has ever attended a community meeting in a gentrifying neighborhood https://t.co/dMiRkwFdNt
— brandon soderberg (@notrivia) April 18, 2021
Krysten Sinema is the forerunner of so many politicians we’re gonna see over the next 20 years who have “my body, my choice” tattooed on their forearms while voting to keep corporate taxes bellow 30% because “innovation is punk rock” https://t.co/GPkiruAYj2
— Mike Spence (@ItsMikeSpence) April 18, 2021
What’s the message here, @SenatorSinema and who is it directed towards? Because the complaints you’re hearing are from people who presumed that you were at least progressive enough to support voting rights, infrastructure etc. Do you support those things or just the filibuster? https://t.co/lxP7YW6Rb6
— Joy-Ann Pro-Democracy & Masks Reid (@JoyAnnReid) April 18, 2021
And many made jokes, including some decent Gen X ’90s jabs.
Kyrsten Sinema is Tulsi Gabbard for people who used to steal 4 Non Blondes songs on Limewire https://t.co/xRvPhZkltp
— Daley Haggar (@d_haggar) April 18, 2021
this is pic screams “first outing since the accident” https://t.co/FpAfyDWJhs
— Ape’s Delight (@ByYourLogic) April 18, 2021
This is just Ted Cruz. https://t.co/46V65uFq3j
— Cody Johnston (@drmistercody) April 18, 2021
When the Ska Against Labor tour rolls through your town. https://t.co/IYrKpwuqT1
— Dan Brennan (@danieltbrennan) April 18, 2021
If I were Kyrsten Sinema I would simply not keep reminding people of how I did a fortnite dance while blocking minimum wage https://t.co/yILfWKCKWC
— The Guillotine Shouter (@guillotineshout) April 18, 2021
What if the neighbor from Wishbone (Wanda, if memory serves) had power of life and death over a vast underclass https://t.co/x9vC9WgymW
— Dan O’Sullivan ( NOW *LIVE* ON GHOST ) (@Bro_Pair) April 18, 2021
Kyrsten Sinema is proof that people who try really hard to be quirky are usually insufferable. https://t.co/H0VotgKqp2
— 🅽🆃🅷🅽 (@NateBlanchett) April 18, 2021