The Politics Thread

[Max]

Todd Akin's comment's were beyond offensive and reprehensible, and Romney has condemned them. Scott Brown has demanded Akin to withdraw from the race, and I hope other prominent Republicans will do the same:

http://news.yahoo.co...-145729298.html

To generalize this type of thinking to the entire GOP is a huge exaggeration. For some Democratic partisans, it seems that nothing a Republican can do or say is sufficient to convince them that the party doesn't "hate women." (It is very interesting to note that liberals have been hell bent on defeating Senator Brown, and his harsh comments about Akin certainly will not change that.)

Without winning the MO seat, the GOP has virtually a zero chance of retaking the Senate. (I highly doubt Akin will drop out, because his ego seems too massive for him to do that.) But you're living in fantasy land if you believe that the Democrats have a realistic chance of regaining control of the House. I don't know of a single, non-partisan political analyst who is predicting that the Democrats are favored to regain control. Larry Sabato, who in 2006 was 100% correct when he said that the Democrats would gain 29 House seats, currently has the races pegged as follows:

Safe R: 195

Likely R: 15

Lean R: 23

Toss Up: 16

Lean D: 20

Likely D: 10

Safe D: 156

So even if the Dems will all the toss ups, the GOP will still have a majority with 233 seats.

Edited August 20, 2012 by Max

[quartermainefan]

Is it in the party's platform and the position of every republican running for office to be anti-choice or not?

[Wales2004]

Even if Todd Akins were somehow on an island by himself, it does not change the fact that he and Paul Ryan agree on the outlandish offensive term "forcible rape." He should be interviewed about it and if he answers ambiguously then it ought to be brought up in the debates.

People like that disgust me. If their wives who happen to be over 18, were drugged and raped, they would seriously be able to look into those womens' eyes and tell them they weren't raped in the same way that a woman who tries to fend off her attacker was raped because they lacked the physical capacity to fight back.

I get that they are against abortion and don't want it publicly funded but don't minimize the violation of a woman's body or strip her of her dignity in order to get what you want.

[Roman]

What disgust me is the women in that party who either say nothing or defend this vile garbage. And Romney? he has yet to tell him to rop out of the race here.

[marceline]

I guess we can look forward to a bunch of right-wingers lining up around the block for "Legitimate Rape Appreciation Day."

[alphanguy74]

Boy... Akin just stepped in every pile of poop he can find. This guy is such an ass. From a personal standpoint, if I were a woman who was raped, and got pregnant... I would never have an abortion (I would have done morning after pill), because I personally don't believe in it, and I can compartmentalize, in my mind, a new life being brought into the world would be the ONLY good thing that could come from that bad situation. So I wouldn't get rid of it, when it's the only good thing. It's not the baby's fault after all, the circumstances regarding conception. But I know lots of women just want to get rid of it, because they feel it would be some kind of permanent reminder or something. Some women just don't have the strength and fortitude to look at it logically instead of emotionally and not kill the baby because someone ELSE was a vicious monster. So therefore... I would never legislate something like that.... prohibiting the abortion or anything.

Edited August 21, 2012 by alphanguy74

[DRW50]

I'm surprised at how this has blown up. Akin's comments are in the mainstream of today's GOP. Romney would usually just say, "He has a right to his opinion, even if I don't share it," not condemn. I think the only reason he is condemning is because everyone knows Paul Ryan has the exact same view, and Romney wants to deflect from that.

[Wales2004]

Besides finding a way to further reduce his taxes, where does Mitt Romney even stand on anything? He pretty much says whatever will work at the moment and tries to laugh everything off.

Reince Priebus was on with Jansing implying that Mitt Romney did want Todd Akin to drop out. I guess they didn't want to include that in Mr. Romney's written statement.

[Ann_SS]

It is the Republican platform so I don't know why some Republicans are trying to pretend otherwise. This idea of legitimate or forcible rape has been the mainstay of anti-abortion folks forever and they have tried to legislate it.

Pretty much.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Ann_SS

[I Am A Swede]

With all due respect, I find it very difficult to imagine that anyone would be thinking very logically after being raped. It's all very well to speculate about how one would react, but I just don't think one can imagine something like that. And, frankly I think that applies even more to both you and me as males, especially when it comes to the matter of pregnancy after rape.

[Ann_SS]

Don't know how I missed this. If you were a woman who was raped... Please. You, Akin, and your ilk are incredible and have freaking nerve to make a judgement about woman's right to control her own reproduction, especially to denigrate a woman who has been raped. Women have abortions for variety of reasons and that it is their decision. Worry about your own strength, fortitude, logic, and emotion about the decisions in your own life.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Ann_SS

[Roman]

I wonder if the men in prison or elsewhere would agree with what Alphanguy said? Don't believe so. What separates us a genders is that a woman, if those clowns have their way, will have to carry a child to term after suffering from the emotional pain of an event that changes that woman's life forever. To once again make a blanket statement about women just like what was made about black Americans....sad. Truly sad.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Roman

[alphanguy74]

Ann... did you read my post? I said it was just my personal feeling, that I would never legislate it. A woman has a right to choose, she doesn't have a right to choose and everyone pat her on the head and say "You did the right thing".

Edited August 24, 2012 by alphanguy74

[Ann_SS]

I read exactly what you posted and find it incredible that you cannot see how it denigrates a woman who is raped and makes the decision to have an abortion. The fact that you claim that you do not support making abortion illegal does not change the fact that you have the nerve to insult a woman who decides to have an abortion when she is raped. Goodness knows the judgment that you must make when woman who has an abortion for other reasons.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Ann_SS

[alphanguy74]

Well... if a woman doesn't take the morning after pill, then WTF? Now, if the injuries are such that she's unconcious or something or isn't physically able to get the morning after pill... then I totally don't think bad of her having an abortion at that point. But especially an abortion for convenience? I think that's ridiculous. With being able to have children comes responsibility, and if you don't want to have a child, you can always have sex in any of the other orifices. Now, if the mother's life is any way in danger... then all bets are off. I never have ANY judgement for abortion in that case. And yes, maybe I have the nerve to insult women who have an abortion for convenience, but then they just need to have the nerve to not give a damn about what I think, cause after all, I would still never make it illegal, that's the most important thing.