US Politics February 2019: This is one of the great losers of all time.

For instance, if you find the state senator introducing voting restrictions once used blackface, that may be evidence that could be used in a lawsuit arguing that the ostensibly neutral voting restrictions actually have a racist intent.

xp

that seems like p shaky legal reasoning these days see Trump and his Muslim ban

genuinely curious: is the implication in pointing out that these allegations were (supposedly) unearthed by conservative media supposed to be that their accuracy is in question, or that the stories, even if true, matter less? because I think what you're doing is pretty gross partisan BS

here is dr. tyson's full statement, and she does not hedge: https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000168-c430-d6c0-a7ea-d43ce1560002

I'm not disputing their accuracy or veracity - which are fairly obvious - just pointing out that all of this is a clearly orchestrated effort to support Democratic constituencies penchant for (appropriately) punishing transgressions within their own elected officials. Which the GOP most definitely does not do. The other side sees this as a weakness to be exploited.

I am not sure how best to counter this exploitation.

support

sorry that should be "take advantage of"

Let northum stay in i guess

it reminds me of the right's appropriation of civil rights language to fit their own ends - they see a tactic that works for the other side and then adopt it and turn it back on them, and the left doesn't know how to handle it

shaky legal reasoning
― legislative fanboy halfwit (Οὖτις), Wednesday, February 6, 2019 5:24 PM (thirteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Lol, you're the expert!

xp

my personal opinion is that Herring has come out the best of this so far, appoint that guy governor. But I doubt Northam (who already was refusing to step down) and Fairfax (who predictably denies everything) will step aside if there is any indication at all that they can weather this storm.

The Fairfax thing is the worst of these allegations by far. So northam stepping down for him to step up would be kind of grotesque.

I don't see why it matters whether Repub base cares about "this stuff". You force GOP to defend their people against the same allegations/"misbehavior" that resulted in Dems resigning/getting ousted.

lol how many times does it have to be pointed out that that's not how it works because GOP voters have no principles

Trump is a serial sex assaulter that bangs porn stars, robs poor people, is deeply and demonstrably racist, and has never cracked a Bible and his strongest base of support is "evangelical Christians"

oh I didn't realize these things involve a referendum

There is no downside to doing it. Even if you peel off 2% from non-racist independents in a particular race, it could help.

referendum? idgi

the downside is the GOP running Virginia, in this particular case.

Again, it also puts the lie to the GOP talking point that racism was solved in the 1960s.

do you seriously believe that if there was a pic of, say, Steve King in blackface he'd face no consequences because "the base loves that shit"?

Yeah, I would think Herring can still be governor. Who gets to appoint new Lt Governor and AG?

I feel like you guys want to think that I am saying these types behaviors by elected Democratic officials should not be brought to light and punished/reckoned with, which is not what I'm saying at all. I thought this was clear but idk. Blackface is wrong and worth losing office over. Same with sexual assault allegations.

The bigger picture is that the GOP over the last few years is weaponizing these things against Democrats far more successfully than Democrats have against the GOP, because their voting bases are different, and the latter just generally dgaf about how racist or rapey or corrupt their candidates are (and in some cases that makes them even *more* inclined to vote for them!) This is a problem for the party and I don't know what the solution is, as I've said repeatedly.

xp

I'm offended by orangeface.

Steve King in blackface he'd face no consequences because "the base loves that shit"?

Steve King was just re-elected btw, and then he went on to say even more white supremacist shit. for which he was punished by his caucus, but there's no one screaming for him to resign. so no, I don't think he would lose office.

he wasn't caught in blackface.
but I'll stop this cause you are prob the most hardheaded ilxor. love ya tho.

But is that really true? Roy Moore lost, the Kavanaugh hearing definitely damaged Kavanaugh, Rob Porter resigned. Steve King did eventually lose his committee posts. A lot of GOP politicians have been hurt by this. There's definitely a thing where the media goes crazy over anything bad that a Dem does, in order to be fair and balanced - I saw it pointed out on twitter that with these yearbook pages there were no media outlets who felt the need to say 'racially charged' or something like that - and that needs pushback. But I don't actually think the GOP is immune to this?

do you seriously believe that if there was a pic of, say, Steve King in blackface he'd face no consequences because "the base loves that shit"?

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, February 6, 2019 4:51 PM (eight minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I seriously believe this. I mean like a hypothetical Steve King blackface pic is arguably less offensive than some of the things he's already said.

The media would go nuts, dems would go nuts, but who's going to impose these consequences upon him?

If King resigned, wouldn't his successor pretty surely be Republican? I don't think his district is happy with him not being on any committee.

I'm not saying a GOP politician would definitely be allowed to just carry on as normal after video leaks of his Jim Crow-themed birthday party, but it's certainly conceivable that he'd coast to a relatively smooth reelection down the road.

Repubs have called for Northam to resign. They won't be able to avoid doing the same if same situation happens with a Repub.

Roy Moore lost

yes, highest profile instance of this for sure

the Kavanaugh hearing definitely damaged Kavanaugh

it didn't damage him at all. he got a lifetime appointment from which he can unilaterally get revenge on his perceived enemies, just like his fellow sexual assaulter Thomas.

Rob Porter resigned

replaced by a Republican. who is also probably as racist as every other Republican in Florida (which afaict is all of them, including my in-laws).

Steve King did eventually lose his committee posts.

this is an interesting and unexpected case. he is still in office, though he now has nothing to do, which is gratifying. he will probably be primaried from the right the next time he's up.

I have no idea what universe GD is living in tbh

Repubs have called for Northam to resign. They won't be able to avoid doing the same if same situation happens with a Repub.

lmao watch them

the one where you don't know everything ever

Steve King is an actual white supremacist, not a dumbass who posed for an offensive photo as an “edgy” joke

They won't be able to avoid doing the same if same situation happens with a Repub.

My impression is that if the cost of staying in power is to brand themselves as hypocrites, they'll choose hypocrisy every time.

and apparently where the GOP does not shy away from baldfaced hypocrisy for political gain

I wish I lived there tbh

xp

If repubs are fine with him and were fine with that ghoul in alabama bannon supported they’d be fine with anything

Their president is a career criminal. He ran a scam against people who wanted to become realtors through an online course.

Here is how the two-party system works in the US: both sides agree to a game of checkers, and one side truly believes that they're playing a game of checkers and generally tries to maneuver within an accepted set of rules, and the other side pays ample lip service insisting that they are playing the fairest and most god-fearing game of checkers ever even as their every crooked move reveals nothing but abject contempt for the game of checkers. And the first side will haplessly sputter 'b-but the rules!' while the second solemnly insists that they're following the rules to the letter even as they're very overtly pulling extra checkers out of their pockets and painting red squares black and slipping revised rulebooks into the box. And each side is behaving exactly as their supporters would have them behave.

p much

Deleting this tweet because the reaction proves me wrong and that's a good thing. But the more I think about it the more I think it is wrong to push anyone out of office for a 35 year old incident when his present life suggests he's not that guy anymore. pic.twitter.com/vVVp6UIrpc

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) February 2, 2019

Repubs are basically already being hypocritical about it, so, they'll have no problem doing that again.

ugh I hate Checkers burgers

Scrolling through Ericksons feed to find that tweet, yuck.

Repubs are basically already being hypocritical about it, so, they'll have no problem doing that again.

― Frederik B, Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Rich LOLwry aligned with Erick Erickson on a Sunday talk show, and you know what? For once I took him at his word. As a Beltway guy, he does worry about the NRO racists with college photos in the Reagan White House wearing blackface.

He probably feels differently now that Virginia is in a pickle.

actually, GOP's position: INFANTICIDE IS FINE, BLACKFACE ISN'T

My impression is that if the cost of staying in power is to brand themselves as hypocrites, they'll choose hypocrisy every time.

FOX NEWS HOST TO @tedcruz: You cool working with alleged child molester Roy Moore if he's elected?

CRUZ: Sure, no problem, that's up to the voters.

FOX NEWS HOST: And what about alleged groper Al Franken?

CRUZ: Now that's a very serious problem. I'm extremely concerned. pic.twitter.com/1QzMq0Hud5

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 30, 2017

The GOP's whole infanticide song and dance routine is so, so gross. I could barely even explain it last night to my spouse, who was so confused, without sighing myself into oblivion.

Ugh, NPR is all *affects serious voice* "These incidents have shone a spotlight on Virginia's complex racial history." Virginia's? Um, NPR, maybe try "the whole country's racial history."

They are colonially fucked up.

And all the military families gives it a dependa patriot give me my tricare and housing subsidies but down with socialism good tidings.