The Politics Thread

[marceline]

I'm not gonna lie, I wish Agnes Nixon was here. Imagine what she would do with the Texas situation,

[Khan]

I agree.

The thing is, Agnes Nixon wasn't the kind of writer who'd read about some current event in the newspaper and then graft it onto one of her stories.  For example, when she wrote the cervical cancer story for GL's Bert Bauer, she didn't write it just to educate women about the need for regular pap smears, or just to give Charita Bauer material to play.  From what I've read, Bert's cancer also served as a catalyst to bring her son, Mike, back home after a period away from the scene.  And when little Molly on AMC became ill with leukemia, it wasn't just to raise awareness about bone marrow donations.  Molly's leukemia, and how Travis and Barbara responded to that, also broke up Travis and Erica and Tom and Barbara and reunited Travis with Barbara.

If I learned anything from Agnes Nixon, it's that stories borne from topical issues have to flow from the characters and their circumstances if you have any hope at all of enlightening the audience.  Otherwise, you're just preaching to them.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Khan

[Vee]

I've talked about what I think GH should do with it, though they don't have the balls anymore: Brook Kerr's character and the other GH staff should break the law after an unexpected anti-abortion measure hits Port Charles in the local legislature and give a young patient an abortion when their birth control fails (specifically, Josslyn Jacks), with the help of Special Guest Star Angie Hubbard.

Agnes' last gift to us in 2013 was a direct address to the camera from Debbi Morgan about exactly these kind of GOP measures, 10 years ago (re: Todd Akin, etc) when Angie cursed 'politicians' who would try to prevent her daughter from having an abortion. I will never forget that scene or the scathing electricity of it. No one will ever convince me Agnes didn't craft that material. It's the kind of thing she always did.

The thing is that a lot of the Beltway media has been into this since at least the Reagan era. Cozying up to Republicans allows them to feel like they are in touch with 'real America,' because they have been conditioned to think they are too effete and liberal by definition as journalists, and that Republicans and their voters are salt of the earth because they said so 40+ years ago. We still get Jake Sherman breathlessly carrying water for any Republican hope he can find, and the jocular, masculine sports TV-esque energy of Congressional coverage overall. Republicans give them fun background and quotes, invite them to parties and they're all rich enough to know (or think) they won't be materially affected by GOP measures. So it's just a fun game of access and who's up and who's down. It's a privileged ouroboros. Meanwhile Biden is 'boring' and doesn't make them feel like part of the gang. Obama was the same. They tried so hard to tear him down and never could.

I do think if Biden's WH can they should put that woman on a plane and get her the care she needs. A stunt? Sure, maybe. But a good one. Paxton would sue, the Republicans would impeach. Let them. The voters will decide.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Vee

[marceline]

The state police would arrest her before she got to the airport. I know they were in the process of passing a law that made it a crime to use state roads to help a woman get an abortion. The optics on that would be great for the pro-choice side but it would be hell for her. Can you imagine what cops would do to her in custody?

[Khan]

My fear is that we'll have to create some sort of "underground railroad" for women who need abortions.

[Vee]

Pretty sure that's already happened. And I know, whisking her off is probably a pipe dream.

[I Am A Swede]

It's insane that this is even a topic for discussion in 2023!!

[Khan]

Let me be perfectly clear: I am against abortion in all cases except where carrying the fetus to full term jeopardizes the life of the mother.  But I am also against anyone, especially the government, telling any woman what she can and cannot do with her own body.  To me, that's what the GOP cares about - not whether that child is allowed the opportunity to be born, but whether they can dictate what rights its' mother has over her own person.  It's appalling, and it's dangerous, and the further they encroach upon women in that way, the more it's going to lead into an epidemic that jeopardizes the future of this nation.

[Wendy]

So the theocratic Texas Taliban Court voted to murder a woman in the name of a fetus that faces certain death itself.

This is a HUGE REMINDER about keeping religion OUT OF GOVERNMENT.

If ladies don't want to become property of the state of Texas or other backwards red states, it's time to wake the hell up and vote these MF'ers OUT.

Thank goodness Kate Cox has gone out of state to avoid giving said Taliban their jollies: A dead woman in the name of Jesus.

https://t.co/bvpOmEN7gR

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Wendy

[Khan]

If I understand this correctly, Kate Cox could face criminal charges if/when she returns to TX after her abortion.  Personally, I would just leave the state for good and never look back, but my God!  How insane is it that a woman is now considered a fugitive just for electing to terminate her pregnancy across state lines?

[DramatistDreamer]

This is the same country that had Fugitive Slave Laws. We’d like to believe that we live in a much different country, but do we?

Some reportedly good news, for a change.

 

[Wendy]

"Skinny Santa" (a.k.a. former President Barack Obama!) greets children in Chicago.

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[janea4old]

Thank you for this!

I highly recommend just sitting back, and watching the entire 18.57 minutes.
Pure joy.  I felt years of tension leaving my body. 

[Wendy]

You're very welcome!

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I figured we all needed this...

[DramatistDreamer]

Oh, that was so sweet, it put a smile on my face the entire time watching that video. Thank you for sharing this @Wendy. I am going to go to YouTube and send the video to some others who I know can use a little emotional lift.