Juliajms

OMG. I guess it's inevitable that this would turn into some sort of race issue, but this is just sick thinking. He could have had sex with any number of women (of any race) just by throwing some cash around. Instead, he went the drugging route making them helpless. I don't think his motive was racial at all, but hey, I'm not a psychologist.

Probably so. I wonder what is behind this? Is having sex with unconscious women a power move/fetish? It can't be about just sex because he could have had any number of willing partners. I guess it doesn't matter. The tragedy is what a devastating effect one predator can have on so many victims.

Even more than that, it's offensive. I agree with his executive action, but when he put it off due to the election, I found that pretty shady. I know it's politics as usual, but it just rubbed me wrong and felt manipulative. Kind of like he knew he was doing something voters wouldn't like, so he waited until there wouldn't be any consequences. I'm not a swing voter, but if I were, that would have driven me to the Republicans. The strangest part about the executive action on immigration is that it's really no big deal. People with children won't face deportation for 3 years, so what? I mean, I'm happy for those people, I'm sure it's a relief, but I don't feel like this changes much in the big picture. I feel like he should have just given the Dreamers citizenship and been done with it, but maybe he couldn't legally go that far?

He sounds like a real POS.

This Ohio heart beat abortion law is disturbing. I don't even know how this kind of nonsense manages to pass. It just wastes tax payer money when it's challenged. http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-heartbeat-abortion-bill-gets-panels-ok-172324620.html

I've read articles saying that by the time this thing passes, it might not be economically desirable any more. I don't really know if that's true, but I sure as hell hope so.

I think that about nails it. About 6 months ago, I read an article talking about how allegations against Cosby pop up every few years, but people would just forget about it because it didn't gel with what we wanted to believe as a culture. Not sure I can find it again, but these allegations are far from new. Women did come forward over the years. As to keeping an open mind and not passing judgement, well, we are not on a jury. There never will be a jury. He's not facing charges and he won't, so I am free to look at the evidence and draw my own conclusions. There is no way I would ever believe that 14 women are lying, to take down a man at the end of his career. Sure, maybe one or two will be discredited and jumping in for publicity. 14? No way in hell. In the case of Cosby, his best move is to retire and never publicly speak about this, imo. I'm just happy for Stephen Collins victim that there was audio tape because you can bet some would be trying to drag her through the mud too, if it wasn't clearly undeniable.

It is incredibly sad. To me, it's a harsh reminder never to believe the shiny images these celebrities portray. We might feel like we know someone like Cosby, but we don't. It's all just bs to make money. We saw this to a lesser extent with the MM sexual harassment situation as well.

I agree with you Vee. Part of it has to do with the tendency to hero worship celebrities in the first place. I'm as guilty of this as anyone at times. I've seen more than one person say that they feel their childhood has been destroyed because of these allegations. I find it sad as hell that a TV daddy meant that much to someone, but part of me gets it. We want to believe that kind of idealize version of family exists somewhere.

He'll get away with it just like Stephen Collins because too much time as passed. I have a hard time believing that 13 woman just made this up out of nowhere.

Another episode where the screen is basically black. So annoying.

I'm not so sure about this. Aren't lots of illegals using fake Social Security numbers, so that they are paying in, but not able to collect? As for income tax, I doubt there are that many farm workers making enough to pay it in the first place, especially not once deductions are in place. I guess I'm one of the few people who just doesn't feel strongly about this issue. It could be beneficial as a means to slow the "greying of America." There are probably social problems that will be exacerbated by it as well, but that's always been true. I didn't forget and if I didn't already suspect that amnesty will serve corporate America more than it will the working/lower middle class, this is how I'd be sure. I'm still not against it though because although I sympathize with the poorest among us, the status quo (which is what this is, imo) has worked well enough for me.

Well, luckily Texas and NYC aren't our only choices, but I don't think politics has all that much to do with what makes either place attractive as a place to live. At least not to me. It has a lot more to do with money and affordability. I wouldn't live in Texas if I hit the megamillions, but I'd have to hit the megamillions to live in NYC at this stage of my life. I'm well past the age of roomates or paying thousand of dollars for an apartment. I wouldn't even consider sending my kids to a public school there. I can't blame them, but I'd be even more worried about another attack. It almost seems inevitable that it's going to be a terrorist target in the future. Obviously, I hope that isn't the case.

If I had to choose between living in Texas and NYC, I would choose Texas in a heartbeat. When you're a young adult it really doesn't matter, but at some point having a house and raising a family become very difficult in NYC, unless you are doing very well. Most of my extended family has managed, but mostly because they inherited a brownstone or other property. They certainly could never have afforded to buy in that market.

Well, I personally trust people who can be a little bit critical of their own party more than I trust true believer zealots. That inability to see anyone else's point of view and try to compromise is exactly how we ended up with government shut downs and threats of default, imo.

Lee Terry paid.

Interesting point Q. More proof that I'm no longer a spring chicken because my main motivation for voting was getting Lee Terry out. I guess I was also for the minimum wage hike and public school bonds, but I would have crawled through broken glass to vote that smug SOB out. No one can believe NE voted out a 16 year Republican incumbent when the rest of them won 2:1, but that man dug his own grave and had it coming.

Good job finding some good news in all of this. I'm actually even happy for Mia Love. Whatever the politics, I do see Utah electing a black woman as a positive thing. In other good news there is a chance that Lee Terry lost here in Nebraska. He's the one who supported the government shutdown and than said he'd continue to take his $175,000 salary because he has a "nice house and a kid in college". I was really hoping he'd go down. They are still counting votes, but it looks like he might be out.

I really do believe that's possible, but it's going to be a tough road. imo. Healthcare is so broken I wouldn't have the first idea how to fix it. I can't certainly say general things like I'd like to see everyone get the treatment they need, but that's a result, not what it takes to make it happen. Even once we get a single payer system, it's going to be a far cry from utopia. I do think the Republicans are right about that. It's just that single payer is probably the best of all the bad ways healthcare can go. When you see the "real" cost of healthcare it's truly frightening. Just the other day, I got a $10.00 bill from my OB, but I saw everything my insurance did pay. Almost $400.00 for an initial OB appointment. I think I spent may 15 mins with the doc. It's completely out of control and I wish good luck to anyone trying to reign it in. Sure, but scaring people works pretty well, especially when there is video of Americans getting beheaded. I'll admit I don't have the stamina to figure out exactly how or why Isis emerged. I'd say it was a combination of getting involved in a region we don't understand very well and then leaving after we destabilized the whole region. Whatever political party is ultimately to blame, I feel our failed polices have gotten a lot of people slaughtered. This is an interesting point to me because it's another case of perception versus reality. Employment is up, but people seem to feel insecure about their economic futures. I certainly don't think most people will be better off after yesterday, but I don't think politicians would have gotten very far trotting out Obama and talking about how much better the economy is.

I can't say for sure, but I have a few ideas from listening to people around me. 1) I think the ACA is complicated and people were told they could keep their policies. Doesn't look like that was true in many cases. It's easy to attack a policy that people don't fully understand. 2) Some people resent that Obama plans to take executive action on immigration. It's easy to demonize millions of poor Mexicans. Personally, I think it's silly to feel more threatened by immigrants than say, the Koch brothers and their ilk, but that's me. 3) Some people blame Obama for Isis. Again it's a pretty complicated situation. Do people really have the time and will to figure out how Isis came to power, after a long day at work and taking care of themselves and their family? Getting to the truth of these matters isn't just a matter of turning on CNN or any other news channel because you still have to trust the analysis of the talking heads. There's always a whole lot more going on than what's on the surface. Plus I think when things are going wrong people get President fatigue for lack of a better word. Even though I lean left, I'm ready for 2016 myself.

I'd like to believe that, but we'll see soon enough. I'd bet anything she wants to run and will, short of some major problem coming up. People don't spend time in Iowa for the hell of it (and I would know, it's about a 20 min car ride from me). Biden won't be the nominee, but if he were, I'd really have to hold my nose to vote for him. He truly rubs me the wrong way.

^ Yep. I thank God that I'm not at a particularly vulnerable (Poor, old, unemployed, disabled) point of my life right now because it seems to be an every person for themselves mentality. I'm optimistic enough to think this won't last, but it really sucks for now.

I think this article makes a lot of good points about why the abortion issue works for Republicans. So sad people fall for this, imo. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-schmookler/why-the-republicans-love-the-abortion-issue_b_6087404.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

I thought Noah was pretty brave to help Beth as much as he did, considering he didn't really know her at all.

You're preaching to the choir there. I just wish that these very people who don't want to help the poor would also kindly stop trying to stick their noses in other people's family planning decisions. It's so annoying that the very people who want the government to stay out of their lives want to use the government to restrict other people's right to abortion and birth control. The individual is better at running their own lives than government, right? Except when they don't agree with someone else's choices. Of course, if those babies need healthcare, food or housing that's their parent's fault for having kids that can't afford.