All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[worstblogever]

On this date in 2014, 2015, 2016, as well as 2017, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day posted profiles of Bob Marshall, a particularly homophobic and misogynistic member of the Virginia State Assembly who made a bid for Congress in 2016 to serve Virginia’s 1st District, only to lose in the GOP Primary to Barbara Comstock. How homophobic, though? He literally described himself as “Virginia’s chief homophobe”. As conservative as Barbara Comstock is, Bob Marshall is far, far worse. Among the uglier Marshall moments in regards to the LGBT community brought to the fore were the fact that he co-wrote Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage, how he worried that the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would lead to gays bringing more STDs into the military population, and when he saw an LGBT flag flying on state property and tried claiming it was a class six felony. Heck, after some Supreme Court rulings where Justice Anthony Kennedy ruled in favor of gay rights, Marshall publicly commented that he thought it was because Kennedy was secretly gay, too. As far as women’s issues go, he once tried to pass a Personhood bill that would have outlawed many forms of birth control in Virginia, and the time during a debate in 2011 about funding Planned Parenthood that he claimed there was a spike in birth defects and it was because God was angry about abortion. Just to name a couple. Rounding out this summary of that profile, we’ll mention the time Bob Marshall was asked about the Affordable Care Act, and he said it was “forcible economic rape” and in 2016 when he compared his passion to nullify federal gun laws to those who fought to keep the Fugitive Slave Act in place. We are happy to say that as you may have heard, Bob Marshall was booted from office by Danica Roem, who beat him with 54% of the vote in Virgina’s 2017 elections. The story gets even sweeter. You see, Bob Marshall being a huuuuuge homophobe and transphobe who supported transgender bathroom bans and not common sense legislation that might actually help his constituents was what inspired Roem, a transgendered woman and heavy metal singer, to become a candidate for political office, and take him on in 2017. Marshall could not help himself, refusing to debate Roem in person, taking all sorts of potshots at her lifestyle and gender identity, and even had the Virginia GOP send out campaign fliers that deliberately misgendered her. Roem defeated Marshall, and he has faded into obscurity.

On this date in 2018, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” profiled Dennis Hof, the winner of the race for the seat to represent District 36 Nevada’s State Assembly. It was a remarkable upset for several reasons. The first was… Dennis Hof was a pimp. That’s not a euphemism for anything… he was a literal 72-year old pimp, and is part owner of the Bunny Ranch in Nevada as well as several other brothels. This was hardly a secret to the public, what with Hof featuring his businesses on an HBO reality show called “Cat House” in the years prior, where he coached whores in their craft. Adding to the circus-like spectacle of a man employing sex workers winning a GOP Primary was the fact that he had convicted felon and madam Heidi Fleiss attend his victory party. And while some Nevada Republicans distanced themselves from Hof… guess what? HE GOT THE EVANGELICAL WING’S SUPPORT (Merry Christmas, from full-of-s*** conservative Christians everyone!). This in spite of Dennis Hof being, again, a pimp. And not just any pimp, a pimp whose former workers accused him of making unwanted sexual contact with them, and who frequently tried to get a mother and daughter both in his employ to engage in incestuous sex acts. While Hof may have won the election on November 6th, he didn’t live to serve in office, as he died on October 16th, 2018, at a party where people like CSGOPOTD alumni Joe Arpaio and porn star and alleged sexual predator Ron Jeremy were reveling with prostitutes (your party of family values at its finest).

[worstblogever]

On this date one year ago, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” first profiled the sitting U.S. House Representative from Arkansas 1st Congressional District, Eric “Rick” Crawford, who was first elected to that office in… you guessed it, the 2010 Tea Party Wave. Crawford was formerly a news anchor and agriculture reporter before running for office, and still seems like he’s laying fertilizer when he makes public statements. Perhaps the most ridiculous one we’ve seen from Crawford came in August of 2017, when he spoke out in defense of Confederate monuments, and felt that removing them “would lead to closing the Holocaust museum”.

”These people want to sanitize history and make it politically correct so that everybody can breathe easy and not feel any level of offense. This global history sanitation movement that basically says all of these statues have to come down because they might offend some people. At what point are we gonna shut down the Holocaust Museum? Is that on the agenda at any point, because it makes people uncomfortable? I mean, it never stops.”

And if there’s one thing that’s fine it’s conflating a museum commemorating victims of Nazi violence with Confederate monuments that serve as tributes to slavery and white supremacy.

Rick Crawford also got our attention back in 2015 when he responded to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges by saying that “The opinion of five lawyers, not elected by the American people, should not and cannot define what millions of Americans affirm as the true and divine institution of marriage.”

Ah yes… the justices are just “lawyers not elected” when they do things you don’t like. How cute, Rick.

Anyway, Crawford also denies the science behind climate change, saying there are “questions about the validity” into the research (that 98% of climate scientists agree is solid), and in January of 2017, came out in support of Donald Trump’s proposed “Muslim ban”. Crawford continued wanking to Trump’s craziness, by claiming the Mueller Report wasn’t finding anything but had cost taxpayers $10 million (which ignores the profit it actually made in seizing Paul Manafort’s ill-gotten assets). In November of 2019, Rick Crawford furthered his fanatical support of Trump, calling the impeachment inquiry a “impeachment hoax”, and resigning his place on the House Intelligence Committee to cede his place on it instead to… Congressman Jim Jordan.

So… yeah… we have Rick Crawford to thank for that. If you’re not getting the idea about how hard right this guy leans, here’s the highlights of his voting record over the past term in office:

• January 23rd, 2019: Rep. Crawford voted against HR 648, because he was gleefully enjoying the longest government shutdown in history.
• February 28th, 2019: Crawford votes against HR 1112, a bill which would have required universal background checks on all firearm purchases, and close the gun show loophole.
• March 7th, 2019: Crawford votes against HR 183, a resolution to condemn anti-Semitism as a hateful extension of intolerance.
• March 14th, 2019: Rep. Crawford votes against HJR 46, which sane members of Congress voted for to reject Donald Trump’s “national emergency” regarding the U.S. border and his attempts to reallocate funds for a border wall without Congressional approval.
• April 4th, 2019: Rick Crawford is one of 158 Republicans who choose to vote against the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act, likely because they feel the 2nd Amendment remaining absolute is more important than preventing people with a history of domestic abuse from owning a firearm (which statistics show, makes them more likely to use those firearms against women in their lives).
• May 17th, 2019: Crawford votes against The Equality Act, which would have prevented discrimination towards Americans based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.
• June 4th, 2019: Rep. Crawford votes against the Dreamers Act, because he’s too xenophobic and partisan to care about immigration reform.
• July 16th, 2019: Rick Crawford votes against a resolution to condemn Donald Trump for his racist statements that four people of color in Congress should “go back where they came from”.
• December 3rd, 2019: Rick Crawford is one of 71 Republicans who vote against House Resolution 546, which stated disapproval of any attempt to readmit the Russian federation back into the G7 and make it the G8.
• May 15th, 2020: Crawford votes against the HEROES Act, to further support the healthcare industry and citizens affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• December 10th, 2020: Crawford signs his name to an amicus brief to the Supreme Court, begging them to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The same election that he won re-election in.

Rick Crawford ran for a sixth term in office in 2020, and it seems and as Arkansas’ 1st Congressional District has a +17 Republican lean these days, and he faced no challenger, whatsoever, which is probably what inspired him to be a seditious mother***er and sign on to that amicus brief to discredit confidence in American elections. We’re hoping someone runs against him in 2022 and points out he’s been useless for twelve years, unless that use is to the Russian republic for weakening American democracy.

[JackDaw]

Rick Crawford ran for a sixth term in office in 2020, and it seems and as Arkansas’ 1st Congressional District has a +17 Republican lean these days, and he faced no challenger, whatsoever, which is probably what inspired him to be a seditious mother***er and sign on to that amicus brief to discredit confidence in American elections. We’re hoping someone runs against him in 2022 and points out he’s been useless fortwelve years, unless that use is to the Russian republic for weakening American democracy.

Two thoughts I often have when I read your stuff.

The first is that if I was a lawyer, I could sue you for false advertising....you are not the worst blogger ever.

The second is how impossible it is to judge people by how they look. So many of these politicians have photos that make them look kind and humane....

I mean, look at this guy he looks like Captain Kirk with a beard.

[worstblogever]

Two thoughts I often have when I read your stuff.

The first is that if I was a lawyer, I could sue you for false advertising....you are not the worst blogger ever.

The second is how impossible it is to judge people by how they look. So many of these politicians have photos that make them look kind and humane....

I mean, look at this guy he looks like Captain Kirk with a beard.

George HW Bush talked about a "kinder, gentler" approach to governance and he managed to order the Highway of Death.. There's been a deep disconnect in conservatism where they talk about supporting Christian ideals, but have zero empathy or self-awareness that they do the opposite. No matter what physical package they come in.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Isn't Tucker Carlson the guy who got a defamation suit thrown out based on the argument that he tells so many lies that things he says can't technically be defamation? That makes his show being the venue for revealing anything to the public both relevant and dubious.

Yes. And we should disregard any and all things he reports out of hand. And those who cite him as a source, at that.

Hell, the very same thing can and SHOULD be said about EVERYONE on Faux News.

[PaulBullion]

That is a valid point. But to the mother with three kids who may not have a place to live in a couple weeks they are going to give little thought to a foreign countries ling term economic that will take decades, or what her ancestors did to said country years ago.

That raises the question if the life of a child in Kentucky is worth more than that of a child in Karachi.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

As long as Pelosi makes it clear , Republicans CHOSE not to give them more money and hammer it home . Just push that HARD as a message. A fact McConnell has to worry that with Monday coming up he needs to move fast now. (a report was Munchin is now working with Republicans now for more money)

[Steel Inquisitor]

That raises the question if the life of a child in Kentucky is worth more than that of a child in Karachi.

It isn't, the sad truth is that many people see their own interests first before others and that includes the mother of the child in Karachi.

[Mister Mets]

That raises the question if the life of a child in Kentucky is worth more than that of a child in Karachi.

American politicians aren’t going to be able to say otherwise.

That said, in the context of the discussion on the effects of capitalism on the global poor, it is worth noting that there has been a significant reduction in extreme poverty in the 21st century.

Yes. And we should disregard any and all things he reports out of hand. And those who cite him as a source, at that.

The article was from the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the source is a video.

Unless Carlson has a deep-fake, his main role is providing an excuse for the rest of the media to cover the material.

It is not irrelevant that it aired on Tucker Carlson, because the story only makes the candidate look bad because he is reporting the story as if it makes the candidate look bad.

It is not a serious allegation. If her foot had been crushed by a car, it would at least be an allegation.

If there had been any injury. If he had been charged with anything. Then there would be at least a story. As is, this is just sensationalization.

"The best case is that he had the poor judgment to marry someone who is deeply troubled..."

Is she out in the media making this case currently? Because my quick searching here seems to suggest this bodycam footage from March was dredged up and put in the media as if it's a statement she is making to the press, which would be a different matter. That, again, might make it a "serious allegation".

If the story is based entirely on this bodycam footage, I'd again call it irresponsible to spread the story as if it's a statement she meant to make to the voters, and especially for the news sources involved, I'd even consider it unethical ... that is, if you don't have current statements from this woman backing up that she is accusing him of violence or abuse or that people should not vote for him, but instead you have bodycam footage of something she said during an emotionally charged moment, that was in fact a personal and family matter, not a statement she made to the press.

It does not show that he has poor judgment, because he got divorced. It does not show that she is "deeply troubled" if she had a deeply, deeply negative view of him, during the divorce process.

I mean, I have not gotten divorced, but I have seen multiple family members through marriages falling apart, and it can be brutal. I don't know what happened with the car and her foot, I imagine she must have felt like her foot was rolled over, but I also think that if a car rolls over any substantial amount of your foot, you should have some broken bones. I could be wrong about that, I don't know ... but I guess, I also think an accident that leaves no injuries is different from a marriage that includes domestic abuse, which is what this news story is suggesting, and I think you are aware of that.

In answer to the question of the ambiguity, I suppose I don't think there likely are many voters who are wavering between the two. I suppose if someone were wavering at this point, then such a person could probably be influenced by the insinuation of a story like this, which again is why I would consider the story irresponsible to unethical. Because it would seek to influence someone with very poorly researched political opinions.

In any event, I really feel it's more likely a matter of whether a given voter will feel motivated to go out to support one of the other of the candidates. In other words, this story getting out there might discourage some half-hearted Democrats from voting. Which I guess is still a win for the right wing. But, I have never really much believed in the mythological swing voters. At least, not in big enough numbers to really decide matters.

You know, look how the presidential election played out ... I don't think it was really decided by the number people who voted Republican in the last election, who switched to Democrat, this time around. But rather, how many dyed in the wool Dem and Rep voters decided to support the candidate running for "their side".

If she lied to cops about her then-estranged husband running over her foot, that suggests she was troubled.

She may still prefer to see the Democratic nominee for Senate, the father of her children, win the election so her silence isn’t meaningful. It’s worth noting that she isn’t making any statements to reassure voters that her ex-husband would never act the way she said he did.

I am curious what the response would be if a Republican in a close election were in a similar problem. Do you think it wouldn’t be covered in the news if David Perdue had been recently divorced, and there was police body cam footage of his ex-wife (on the staff of Brian Kemp) claiming that he ran over her foot and that he’s a great actor, hiding his real personality?

These do seem to be really close elections, so it is a story that could matter.

[worstblogever]

The article was from the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the source is a video.

Unless Carlson has a deep-fake, his main role is providing an excuse for the rest of the media to cover the material.

The AJC reported on Carlson's comments.

Ergo, and stop me if this is too big a leap for you... the source is Tucker Carlson.

Who is not a reliable source, as detailed.

And you don't need to dilute this sauce to make it any weaker than it already was.

[shooshoomanjoe]

The AJC reported on Carlson's comments.

Ergo, and stop me if this is too big a leap for you... the source is Tucker Carlson.

Who is not a reliable source, as detailed.

And you don't need to dilute this sauce to make it any weaker than it already was.

Even Fox's layers say not to take carlson seirously.

[Amadeus Arkham]

You’re a mean one, Mr. Mitch.

[Mister Mets]

The AJC reported on Carlson's comments.

Ergo, and stop me if this is too big a leap for you... the source is Tucker Carlson.

Who is not a reliable source, as detailed.

And you don't need to dilute this sauce to make it any weaker than it already was.

Do you think Carlson made up the video?

[worstblogever]

Do you think Carlson made up the video?

Fox News' legal team says we should all consider that possibility, Mets. He shouldn't be taken seriously.

[zinderel]

All political differences and partisanship aside, I hope everyone here has a Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate. And if you don’t celebrate, Happy Friday!