All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!(Part II)

[Kirby101]

There is another article mentioned where I got this one from that says that most U.S. Textbooks are written in Texas.

Yes, Texas is one of the only States that order books statewide, instead of each School District deciding their own. That means they are big orders and shape what the industry publishes.

A boil on our nation's ass.

[InformationGeek]

You know, people would convince me this gesture isn't white power if it wasn't the fact that everytime I see it, it is always done in a way that's lowkey and trying to be subtle like they're trying to hide it but still make it obvious enough to some.

[Mister Mets]

In 2014, and in 2015, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" published profiles of Joe Miller, a former U.S. Senate candidate from Alaska who believes that the minimum wage and unemployment benefits are unconstitutional, wanted the 17th Amendment of the Constitution repealed, opposes abortion even in cases of rape and incest, paid campaign consultants who were involved in gay conversion therapy clinics, allied himself with militia groups who marched to support his campaign with assault rifles, and had his own security team try and arrest journalists for asking questions he didn’t like. He also was later revealed to have been paranoid enough to wear a bulletproof vest on the campaign trail, and spent the next four years complaining about Democrats in ways to further establish that, including by saying President Obama was in league with the Muslim Brotherhood. Miller has moved on to become a conservative radio talk show host in Alaska who gives a platform to some of the nuttiest kooks in hard-right politics to come on his show. Whether it's anti-immigrant lies from Joe Arpaio and Kris Kobach, anti-Muslim conspiracy theories from Walid Shoebat, or anti-gay propaganda from any number of representatives of the Family Research Council, Miller is there to not only fail to challenge any insane claim made on his show, but to add more fuel to the fires of hatred. Joe Miller did not run for office in 2016, and may finally have given up his dreams for elected office.

On this date in 2016, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" featured a profiled Carlos Beruff, a candidate for U.S. Senate from Florida summed up as "The Little Trump of Florida". His candidacy was a comedy of errors, frankly. While Beruff is believed to be a U.S. citizen born to immigrant parents in Florida, a voter registration form from his home in Manatee County, Florida surfaced where he entered that he was born in Cuba. So only six weeks or so into his campaign, Beruff's got to discuss how that was all just an honest mistake, and he didn't willfully misreport information on a voter registration form because hey... that's a third-degree felony and punishable by up to a $5,000 fine and five years in prison. The Trump comparisons really came because Beruff was notoriously brash, and furiously anti-immigrant (even though his parents were immigrants) and called for a ban for ANY entry by ANYONE from the Middle East into the United States, at all. The point w here Carlos Beruff crossed a line even Trump hadn't, though, is when he called President Obama an "animal", repeatedly in a speech at a county GOP meeting in April of 2016, and claimed that Obama had "destroyed our country and our military". And wouldn't you know it? Beruff refused to apologize for those remarks, at all. In fact, when Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy called upon Beruff to apologize for that, and his other bigotry, Beruff practically tripled down, when he didn't just refuse to say he was sorry, but demand Murphy apologize for "aiding Barack Obama in making America weaker". Beruff was a terrible candidate to an extent that the Florida GOP begged Marco Rubio to renege on his promise to not run for re-election, and against Rubio, managed to get all of 18% of the vote in the primary.

On this date in 2017, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" featured a profiled Todd Wilcox, a former CIA Operative and Green Beret, multi-millionaire, and candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida in 2016. At first, Todd Wilcox seemed like an intriguing candidate in the race to replace Marco Rubio, while he was running for president in 2016, and he was even endorsed by a key advisor to the Donald Trump presidential campaign, General Michael Flynn (which these days isn't as much of a proud endorsement). But there were some pretty big flaws about Wilcox as a candidate, and not just in some of the misdemeanor criminal activity he committed in his youth. You see, Todd Wilcox was more known in the CIA during the Bush administration, and he was rather set in his ways about policies that were being used at the time. Frankly, Todd Wilcox flat out believed that waterboarding works. This is contradictory to the reports released from within the CIA that "enhanced interrogation" techniques garnered no actionable intelligence that were read by people in the U.S. Senate during the Obama administration, and that those findings were released to the public. Wilcox gave his humble opinion that "Social Security is a Ponzi scheme", and talked about getting rid of it. Which, of all the states to play that card… FLORIDA? Wilcox is still floating around on the periphery for the time being, so we'll set aside his profile to go ahead and take a look at a different kooky Republican today instead. (Current crazy/stupid scoreboard, is now 691-30, since this was established in July 2014.)

As a correction, it does appear Joe Miller ran for office in 2016, but as a candidate for the libertarian party. He got 29 percent in the Senate election.

http://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpol...e-party-marks/

Seems like I might not have been "Crystal" clear there.

We are living in the internet age. If it came out at any time, someone can probably try to piece together who the woman in question is.

That being the case, I can't see not bringing it up during hearings if you intended on making it public at some point. Never mind that it looks like there is a reasonable possibility that Republicans were aware of this going in. Once that's the case, there's a lot more to it than just the accusation.

I don't think they intended to make it public.

Feinstein seemed to be sitting on it because the allegation by itself shouldn't be enough to change anything (it's impossible to prove a negative regarding something that happened 35 years ago when the currently 50-something nominee for the court was in high school) and because the one source doesn't want to go public with it. Others seemed to force her hand.

It probably would have been better to release the information earlier, so it wouldn't seem like an 11th hour smear (which it isn't from Feinstein or from the accuser, but it can be from anyone pushing for the release now), and so that there would be more time with anyone else who had an unpleasant experience with Kavanaugh to come forward (after the initial reports on Franken and Moore, other women came forward.)

[Jack Dracula]

It gets worse:

Chruck Grassley just released a letter of 65 women (possibly all named Helen) stating that Kavanaugh never raped them.

They knew. There is no way they could have gotten this letter signed within a few hours. They knew, and they kept pushing for his nomination anyway.

It's time for Grassley to just shut-the-f**k-up and retire already.

[Malvolio]

You know, people would convince me this gesture isn't white power if it wasn't the fact that everytime I see it, it is always done in a way that's lowkey and trying to be subtle like they're trying to hide it but still make it obvious enough to some.

I agree with Trevor Noah. The gesture means "OK," and has for a long time. You don't get to change it, especially in such a sneaky, dickish way.

[Mister Mets]

It gets worse:

Chruck Grassley just released a letter of 65 women (possibly all named Helen) stating that Kavanaugh never raped them.

They knew. There is no way they could have gotten this letter signed within a few hours. They knew, and they kept pushing for his nomination anyway.

Virginia Hume, a signatory of the letter, explains how it came about. She heard about it from a friend.

The letter was conceived and drafted by friends of Brett’s, and it was drafted after allegations came out on Thursday. I learned about the letter from a friend and fellow signatory. Others learned about it the same way. Those surprised at the speed with which it came together should see it as yet another testament to Brett’s excellent reputation.

To those who responded to my tweet saying “I knew Brett in high school” by asking if I had gender reassignment surgery: I went to an all-girls school in Bethesda. He went to an all-boys school in Bethesda. We were permitted upon occasion to speak to people of the opposite sex.

To those hearing the thwap thwap thwap of black helicopters because my father is a journalist or because I worked in politics: In a group of 65 graduates of D.C. area schools, it would be odd not to find someone related to or working as a journalist or politician. It is entirely unremarkable. This is a company town. (That said, it might explain why people happened to see my tweets on the subject).

The letter appears to have been organized by former clerks of Kavanaugh's, rather than Grassley.

group of women who have known Brett Kavanaugh since his high school days decided Thursday to put together the letter of support for him — a day after rumors of allegations against him first became public — one of the organizers of the letter told BuzzFeed News.

“We need to rally around Brett,” Meghan McCaleb, one of the signatories, said she told people of the effort to support President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.

In an interview Friday, McCaleb said the letter-writing campaign began after her husband, Scott McCaleb, got a call from a reporter following initial reporting by the Intercept and BuzzFeed News about a secret letter containing an allegation against Kavanaugh.

Travis Lenkner, a former Kavanaugh clerk who has been helping support the judge during the confirmation process, confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the letter was started by a group of women who knew Kavanaugh in high school and then approached his team about it. Two other women who signed the letter also said they got it from friends.

On Friday morning, the New Yorker reported more details of the claims against Kavanaugh — alleging that he held down a woman and attempted to force himself on her at a party while they were both in high school.

McCaleb, who acknowledged that she is a close friend of Kavanaugh’s to this day and attended multiple days of his confirmation hearing, said the allegation is “really out of left field” and is “nothing like the Brett that we know. At all.”

When the initial reporting came out, she said, a “group effort” began to put together a letter supporting Kavanaugh and attesting that, “For the entire time we have known Brett Kavanaugh, he has behaved honorably and treated women with respect.”

Another of the signatories, reached by BuzzFeed News, said she was contacted Thursday by McCaleb about the possibility of signing on to a letter attesting to Kavanaugh’s character. Megan Williams told BuzzFeed News that she was not aware of specific allegations against Kavanaugh when she signed the letter, but said, “I can’t even tell you how out of character” that would be and made clear that she stood behind the letter. “The guy’s a saint.”

A third woman who signed the letter, Renate Dolphin, told BuzzFeed News she had received the letter Thursday night “from a friend of ours from high school years” and then hung up.

The letter in support of Kavanaugh, signed by 65 women, was released by Senate Judiciary Committee chair Chuck Grassley on Friday, shortly after the New Yorker story published. Grassley’s office had stated that he was not involved in its creation. “Chairman Grassley’s staff was not responsible for putting the letter together,” said Garrett Ventry, a communications adviser to the Senate Judiciary Committee. “We received it this morning.” BuzzFeed News made attempts on Friday to reach women who signed the letter.

McCaleb said the process of gathering the signatures was a quick one, and that women who had attended five different girls high schools in the area signed on to it. Kavanaugh attended an all-boys high school in Bethesda, Maryland.

McCaleb said that she then contacted Lenkner, who had helped her get access to Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing last week, on figuring out how to submit the letter. For a Supreme Court nomination, those working with the nominee usually reach out to people who could speak on behalf of the person from different time periods in their life before the confirmation hearing.

One argument on the speed of the letter is that this is how that culture (insular Washington upper class) operates. They can circle the wagons very quickly.

[Gray Lensman]

Virginia Hume, a signatory of the letter, explains how it came about. She heard about it from a friend.



The letter appears to have been organized by former clerks of Kavanaugh's, rather than Grassley.



One argument on the speed of the letter is that this is how that culture (insular Washington upper class) operates. They can circle the wagons very quickly.

In other words Trump's pick is part of the swamp he says he is draining? Directly into the top of the government, apparently. Like the rest of his swampy picks.

[PaulBullion]

Rasmussen Reports, RASMUSSEN! gives Gillum his biggest poll lead yet in the FL governor race.

[Dalak]

One argument on the speed of the letter is that this is how that culture (insular Washington upper class) operates. They can circle the wagons very quickly.

If that is the case, then why has this never happened before despite there being a metric fuckton of sexual misconduct allegations we've seen play out differently?

[Mister Mets]

If that is the case, then why has this never happened before despite there being a metric fuckton of sexual misconduct allegations we've seen play out differently?

It's a specific circumstance involving the culture that went to and sent their kids to those private schools in DC. Gorsuch went to the same high school, but there wasn't any allegation against him.

As a comparison, Al Franken's private school was in Minnesota. Granted, the allegations weren't about his behavior there, and he did quickly get letters from female staff members and female coworkers at SNL.

http://time.com/5030073/al-franken-f...affers-defend/
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...icle-1.3648564

[Dalak]

It's a specific circumstance involving the culture that went to and sent their kids to those private schools in DC. Gorsuch went to the same high school, but there wasn't any allegation against him.

As a comparison, Al Franken's private school was in Minnesota. Granted, the allegations weren't about his behavior there, and he did quickly get letters from female staff members and female coworkers at SNL.

http://time.com/5030073/al-franken-f...affers-defend/
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...icle-1.3648564

The only mention of time in those links was about accusations from 'last week' and a bit more than half the number of signatories at best, this beats that by a significant portion in both speed and number. And considering how connected and involved the Hollywood culture is there's no significant difference IMO to the DC Private School culture you mention. This is a major outlier Mets and you know it, so why are you acting like this is the norm?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

One argument on the speed of the letter is that this is how that culture (insular Washington upper class) operates. They can circle the wagons very quickly.

Sorry, not buying it. That many names, THAT fast? Even in such an insular community, the speed to which that letter made the rounds was breathtaking. Maybe I’m dumb and just don’t understand how this all works, but it doesn’t pass the smell test.

[Mister Mets]

The only mention of time in those links was about accusations from 'last week' and a bit more than half the number of signatories at best, this beats that by a significant portion in both speed and number. And considering how connected and involved the Hollywood culture is there's no significant difference IMO to the DC Private School culture you mention. This is a major outlier Mets and you know it, so why are you acting like this is the norm?

I'm not acting like it's the norm. I've given one reason it's such an outlier. Another factor is that with major nominations (and a spot on the Supreme Court is second only to one on a presidential ticket) they already had a rolodex of character witnesses ready, which made getting some signatures relatively easy. It could also be that earlier accusations against other powerful men (some accurate, some BS) have provided ideas on how to respond to it now.

There has been some speculation about how Grassley got the list. I've sourced comments by a woman who signed the letter, and an article from a reputable news source that isn't right-leaning.

It's possible that they're all lying or misled. We'll know soon enough. I'm reasonably careful in what I say, so I shouldn't be embarrassed should multiple women come forward in the next few days to accuse Kavanaugh of actions so terrible that his current position as Appeals Court judge will be rightfully threatened. It could also be some weird mix (No one else comes forward against Kavanaugh but it does turn out that Grassley came up with the list months ago.) However, it is also possible that his critics will turn out to be wrong in ways that reflect poorly on them and their understanding of the world.

[Dalak]

I'm not acting like it's the norm. I've given one reason it's such an outlier. Another factor is that with major nominations (and a spot on the Supreme Court is second only to one on a presidential ticket) they already had a rolodex of character witnesses ready, which made getting some signatures relatively easy. It could also be that earlier accusations against other powerful men (some accurate, some BS) have provided ideas on how to respond to it now.

There has been some speculation about how Grassley got the list. I've sourced comments by a woman who signed the letter, and an article from a reputable news source that isn't right-leaning.

It's possible that they're all lying or misled. We'll know soon enough. I'm reasonably careful in what I say, so I shouldn't be embarrassed should multiple women come forward in the next few days to accuse Kavanaugh of actions so terrible that his current position as Appeals Court judge will be rightfully threatened. It could also be some weird mix (No one else comes forward against Kavanaugh but it does turn out that Grassley came up with the list months ago.) However, it is also possible that his critics will turn out to be wrong in ways that reflect poorly on them and their understanding of the world.

There is a thread here where the validity of news sites is rated and Buzzfeed comes in near the bottom, so I wouldn't classify it as 'reputable' and I already countered your original assertion that it's just a thing about the Washington Elite. And considering the current almost religious objection to the Truth those on the right currently have i'm not about to accept this happening in a single day based on the word of one of the signatories. Not to mention the logistics of getting so many actual signatures in time to get it delivered should they all be actual signatures.

Someone leaked that the story was coming up or they knew it was coming and prepared this ahead of time, and no one has tried to put a time frame to how long ago it was so far so we'll see if it's Months as you say (I assume sarcastically).

[PaulBullion]

Did Putin poison Pussy Riot member?

Pussy Riot's Pyotr Verzilov flown to Germany for treatment