All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[TheDarman]

So everyone who drinks can be more plausibly be accused of sexual assault regardless of facts. Cool. You Know you have no real argument here.

The Kavanaugh situation is complicated for many reasons beyond that that aren’t applicable in Biden’s case. Drinking is one part of it, but it is important to note that corroboration of Kavanaugh’s behavior being more aggressive as a result of drinking was done on the part of his friends. Biden’s old staff and friends, meanwhile, maintain that he has never had an atmosphere close to what Reade alleges or that Biden would ever do anything other than run home on the train immediately after work. Kavanaugh had multiple accusations of this exact behavior. Biden has one. Kavanaugh reacted angrily and entitled to the position, engaging in directly political rhetoric, avoided questions on whether he wanted the allegation investigated, and lighting any illusion of impartiality on fire. Biden, meanwhile, hasn’t and has argued for a thorough investigation. There are a number of things differentiating the two. To pretend that they are the same, I think, is to miss crucial nuance that exists between sexual assault allegations across the country as well.

[numberthirty]

...

I do recall people asking both to step aside. That being said...I think that the allegations against Fairfax put into perspective the problems of asking Northam to step down for really bad judgment and insensitive actions, but nothing illegal or particularly heinous. I mean, Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, kept his leadership position for similar things to Northam. I think Fairfax should leave, but I think that Northam should take responsibility, apologize, and move forward.

...

Let's get real for a minute...

When was the last time someone called for that very credibly accused possible rapist to step down?

Now, think about when the last time someone brought up Trump being a credibly accused guy who has likely been involved in sexual assault/battery came up?

When you have a thread where people are consistently questioning why someone doesn't address every single thing that Trump does wrong, should a Democrat being credibly accused of rape just be left to lie after you have called on him to step down?

To me, it feels like it is on the party to call on that guy to step down even more than they bring up the accusations against Trump because he is one of their own who is using the party name while credibly accused.

If a party isn't doing that repeatedly?

I've got to ask myself why they aren't. I can't really come up with a good reason. The guy shouldn't just be sitting there as a Democratic politician who isn't regularly being called on to step down and get out of the party.

[Jack Dracula]

A Republican Governor. Won't listen to Scientists and Doctors, but will listen to Trump.

Lest we forget that our glorious leader and, no doubt, some of his friends are invested in at least one of the companies that manufactures the drug.

[TheDarman]

Let's get real for a minute...

When was the last time someone called for that very credibly accused possible rapist to step down?

Now, think about when the last time someone brought up Trump being a credibly accused guy who has likely been involved in sexual assault/battery came up?

When you have a thread where people are consistently questioning why someone doesn't address every single thing that Trump does wrong, should a Democrat being credibly accused of rape just be left to lie after you have called on him to step down?

To me, it feels like it is on the party to call on that guy to step down even more than they bring up the accusations against Trump because he is one of their own who is using the party name while credibly accused.

If a party isn't doing that repeatedly?

I've got to ask myself why they aren't. I can't really come up with a good reason. The guy shouldn't just be sitting there as a Democratic politician who isn't regularly being called on to step down and get out of the party.

C’mon man...he’s a Lieutenant Governor in one of the fifty states. If we were going to refocus on the misdeeds of every state official and amplify them on a national level, there would never be any other time to do anything about any policy prescription. We would be too busy playing moral tag.

National Democrats ousted Al Franken for sexual harassment claims in 2017. Nothing he did even amounted to the terribleness of the least of Trump’s allegations. We do hold ourselves to a different standard than Republicans hold themselves to.

[Tami]

This seems to be the coming dangerous attitude of more and more Trump-minded Republicans

GOP congressman says letting more Americans die of coronavirus is lesser of two evils compared to economy tanking

Washington (CNN)An Indiana congressman said Tuesday that letting more Americans die from the novel coronavirus is the "lesser of two evils" compared with the economy cratering due to social distancing measures.

Speaking with radio station WIBC in Indiana, Republican Rep. Trey Hollingsworth asserted that, while he appreciated the science behind the virus' spread, "it is always the American government's position to say, in the choice between the loss of our way of life as Americans and the loss of life, of American lives, we have to always choose the latter."

"The social scientists are telling us about the economic disaster that is going on. Our (Gross Domestic Product) is supposed to be down 20% alone this quarter," Hollingsworth said. "It is policymakers' decision to put on our big boy and big girl pants and say it is the lesser of these two evils. It is not zero evil, but it is the lesser of these two evils and we intend to move forward that direction. That is our responsibility and to abdicate that is to insult the Americans that voted us into office."

Hollingsworth told CNN, in a statement provided by his office later Tuesday, that "It's hyperbolic to say that the only choices before us are the two corner solutions: no economy or widespread casualties."

[numberthirty]

C’mon man...he’s a Lieutenant Governor in one of the fifty states. If we were going to refocus on the misdeeds of every state official and amplify them on a national level, there would never be any other time to do anything about any policy prescription. We would be too busy playing moral tag.

National Democrats ousted Al Franken for sexual harassment claims in 2017. Nothing he did even amounted to the terribleness of the least of Trump’s allegations. We do hold ourselves to a different standard than Republicans hold themselves to.

Who has the most credible accusation of rape that I have seen against him. Not a "Misdeed..." A particularly credible accusation of rape.

It's not like the guy just made some flub that is damning(which is why I don't think the same should be happening to the governor...)

Since I am not calling on them to go after every Democrat, there is no version of "Being Too Busy Playing Moral Tag..." that you laid out.

It is one very credibly accused possible rapist.

Making an example out of him is not an endeavor that would take up much time.

[sbo]

Honestly, it would not surprise me if some future analysis of Trump's mental state discovers that he has convinced himself that the entire U.S. economy, budget, GNP, etc. all belong to him. So much so, that all of the defunding, budget cutting, and so on is an expression of his greed and desire not to give anyone any money. Much like he tried to cheat contractors and others who were hired to work on his projects.

This is part of a pattern for Trump. He's a cheapskate when it comes to giving money others, but he spends beyond his means when it comes to himself or when he can scam someone else to pay for it.

That seems to be the way most Republicans think now in terms of spending. They sure aren't the party of fiscal conservatism as they claim to be.

They always whine that there's no money to pay for things like health care, food for low income people, or any type of environmental program.
But they will spend several Trillion dollars without a second thought to bail out big businesses, build a wall in the desert, or give tax cuts to the wealthy.

[Steel Inquisitor]

Honestly, it would not surprise me if some future analysis of Trump's mental state discovers that he has convinced himself that the entire U.S. economy, budget, GNP, etc. all belong to him. So much so, that all of the defunding, budget cutting, and so on is an expression of his greed and desire not to give anyone any money. Much like he tried to cheat contractors and others who were hired to work on his projects.

This is part of a pattern for Trump. He's a cheapskate when it comes to giving money others, but he spends beyond his means when it comes to himself or when he can scam someone else to pay for it.

It's that or Putin's marching orders.

[worstblogever]

Now, think about when the last time someone brought up Trump being a credibly accused guy who has likely been involved in sexual assault/battery came up?

When you have a thread where people are consistently questioning why someone doesn't address every single thing that Trump does wrong, should a Democrat being credibly accused of rape just be left to lie after you have called on him to step down?

Again, your attempt at finding hypocrisy betrays your true motives.

Also, it's a lie, as I have stated he should step down, rather than attempt to run for governor within this same fortnight. And absolutely should not be supported by anyone for Governor of Virginia.

That's >0 complaints about it I've made (and I've said it on other occasions when it's come up.)

Meanwhile, you still haven't complained about Trump, and in fact, just made a post where you effectively are telling us won't declare him a rapist unless "the other side" that you're supposed to be independent of, call out a Democrat at the Lt. Gov. level accused of rape who's not necessarily nationally known every day.

Some "independent".

[TheDarman]

Who has the most credible accusation of rape that I have seen against him. Not a "Misdeed..." A particularly credible accusation of rape.

It's not like the guy just made some flub that is damning(which is why I don't think the same should be happening to the governor...)

Since I am not calling on them to go after every Democrat, there is no version of "Being Too Busy Playing Moral Tag..." that you laid out.

It is one very credibly accused possible rapist.

Making an example out of him is not an endeavor that would take up much time.

Fair enough then. I agree that Justin Fairfax should step down and allow for Northam to get a new Lieutenant Governor.

One of my professors, when I was going for my BA, knew one of the accusers. My professor said that she had struggled immensely with the decision to come forward. She risked a lot to come forward with her story only for the party championing victims of sexual assault to avoid directly confronting it. And that is a legitimate shame.

[numberthirty]

Fair enough then. I agree that Justin Fairfax should step down and allow for Northam to get a new Lieutenant Governor.

One of my professors, when I was going for my BA, knew one of the accusers. My professor said that she had struggled immensely with the decision to come forward. She risked a lot to come forward with her story only for the party championing victims of sexual assault to avoid directly confronting it. And that is a legitimate shame.

Ultimately, that's a separate issue.

I don't really doubt for a second that most of the folks in this thread think that the guy should step down. They've said that they do, and I've go no reason to believe otherwise.

That said, they are not the party.

Factoring in the second part of what you said and how credible her accusation is, I just can't see the party not making a special project out of making this one guy's time as a member of the party as miserable as it can.

Meanwhile, nothing that's anything like that has happened.

Called on the a very credibly accused alleged rapist to step down, and then just moved on while the guy was still calling himself a Democrat and holding office in the name of the party.

[numberthirty]

As for Trump...

It appears that the guy is putting Vince McMahon on this whole "Restart The Economy...." project.

Sure... Put a guy who likely has contracts with at least one network that dictates how many live broadcasts have to be a part of said contract.

That's the guy you want weighing in on exactly when it would be "Safe" to try to phase the economy back in.

[TheDarman]

Bernie Sanders says that it would be “irresponsible” for his supporters not to go with him in his support of Biden; distances himself from his former press secretary.

Dang. This is gonna twist some people into a pretzel to explain.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

The Kavanaugh situation is complicated for many reasons beyond that that aren’t applicable in Biden’s case. Drinking is one part of it, but it is important to note that corroboration of Kavanaugh’s behavior being more aggressive as a result of drinking was done on the part of his friends. Biden’s old staff and friends, meanwhile, maintain that he has never had an atmosphere close to what Reade alleges or that Biden would ever do anything other than run home on the train immediately after work. Kavanaugh had multiple accusations of this exact behavior. Biden has one. Kavanaugh reacted angrily and entitled to the position, engaging in directly political rhetoric, avoided questions on whether he wanted the allegation investigated, and lighting any illusion of impartiality on fire. Biden, meanwhile, hasn’t and has argued for a thorough investigation. There are a number of things differentiating the two. To pretend that they are the same, I think, is to miss crucial nuance that exists between sexual assault allegations across the country as well.

Between Biden and Kavanaugh who has the history of many women saying he made them feel uncomfortable specifically unwanted touching. That’s easily something I could say makes Biden’s situation as complicated. Especially since that’s more directly correlated with crossing boundaries with women than oh I don’t, how bad of a drinker someone is.

Kavanaugh reacted angry to having reputation smeared and being called a sexual abuser and having his name and reputation dragged through the dirt on a very unsubstantiated accusation. Quite a few people would get angry over that. And to be honest you can’t compare that to Biden because you aren’t holding him to the same standard and asking him to be put on the spot the same way. So you can’t even compare one situation to one that hasn’t happened.

I already directly brought up to you in the past how Kavanaugh’s only allegation that is considered remotely credible involves a sketchy situation where the accuser can’t tell you anything about the situation besides they were in a room at some point where the alleged incident occurred. You could accuse anyone of anything if the standards were that you don’t need to explain where and when something happened, how you were there, how you left, and have anyone recall anything about the setting where this happened. You can’t have anyone have an alibi because you don’t have a time and place. You can’t have a counter witness because nobody else even remembers this party happening.

Sorry I think that’s reaching and looking for minor outs so you don’t have to say that people were overzealous in one incident and dismissive of another. They are pretty much identical in the sense that you pretty much have to believe the word of the accuser in the absence of any other reliable information. At best they are minor. Realistically they aren’t even good excuses.

And for the record part of this is defending Biden. He shouldn’t be gutted for this either.

[worstblogever]

Maybe this would be a good time to remind everyone that Blasey Ford was not Kavanaugh's only accuser. She was the only one called to testify by the farce that McConnell and Grassley presided over after burying the rest of the accuser's reports.

Comparing him to Biden is ludicrous.