Discussion: Inside The Senate GOP's Self-Made Debacle On Sex Trafficking And Abortion

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Not to mention the white trash caucus.

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If AG Holder wants to speed up Lynch’s confirmation and take his retirement from the office, he should simply announce that the DOJ is opening an investigation into whether the letter sent by 47 Republican Senators to the rulers of Iran violated the Logan Act (18 U.S. Code § 953). Lynch’s appointment would be confirmed the next day.

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Honor and professionalism. Republicans are deficient in both.

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And fail at both. Typical Republican SOP.

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They’re trying to obstruct Obama’s appointments, because they think it will hurt him. In other words, “We hate you Obama, so we’re going to punch Loretta in the face.” Pigs. Stupid pigs.

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I agree with Sniffit, but with this added gloss: nihilism eats ideologies and ultimately eats the brains of ideologues. You can’t have a little bit of nihilism in your ideology because it is a definitionally unlimitable idea. It’s how you end up with a Reign of Terror in Revolutionary France and a Holocaust in Germany. The urge and demand for destruction brings you to power and only more destruction will keep you there.

Mitch McConnell’s entire political career has been about a purely nihilistic pursuit of power as an end in and of itself. Year on year, every trace of any higher belief than power for its own sake has been stripped away, until here he is now, with the power he always wanted and nothing he can do with it except try to keep it by giving in to the demands for destruction that raised him to the position.

Which is, of course, why the approaching debt ceiling fight fills me with terror. At some point, they’re not going to be pull back from the abyss because they’re ideologically impelled to drive the whole country into it.

Whenever they do stuff that looks self-defeating or self-destructive, think of what O’Brian was whispering into Winton’s ear in Room 101 and all becomes clear.

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It seems the sheer ineptitude, immaturity and willingness of Republicans to trash our institutions has taken Democrats by surprise. As Democrats attempt to stick to the rules and conventions, Republicans veer increasingly out of control, and the spectacle is confounding.

At least I hope that’s the reason.

Maybe it’s just that it’s so much easier to hang on to a cushy job with perks and say nothing. That would be sad.

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You still haven’t quite got it. The Hyde Amendment provides an exception for acts of rape or incest. But the Hyde Amendment applies only to appropriated (i.e., raised from taxpayers) funds. The language in S. 178 extends the language of the Hyde Amendment to cover non-appropriated (i.e., raised from the traffickers by fines or confiscation) funds. The purpose of the Hyde Amendment was so that taxpayers who objected to paying for abortions with their tax money would not have to. However, this purpose does not extend to non-appropriated funds and there is no reason for it to.

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Loretta Lynch…Obama’s appointment for DOJ.
She’s a WOMAN of color.
And she’s the President’s choice.
Three reasons they WON’T take a vote to approve her appointment…
Are there more reason’s???
Yes there are and every single reason is an ATTACK on women’s rights.
Bedrock of it all.
WAR ON WOMEN by the Republicans.
The Human Trafficking Bill, designed to help the victims who are primarily WOMEN and children. The Republicans have added a little amendment to the Bill which is called the HYDE amendment which is to say that there will be no federal money spent for abortions, except for cases of rape and incest…More attacks on WOMEN from the Republicans. What does this have to do with 'HUMAN trafficking???

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Agree. Time to play hardball.

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This is almost amazing. The Republicans have so many issues to hate on and play games with, that somehow unrelated things become related.
Abortion legislation consumes them and is the essence of their war on women. Loretta Lynch is a woman, a black woman, and that hits two other high points on their list. Throw in sex with the Neanderthal party and they just snap.
Its like buzzword heaven o-mania.

Black woman abortion sex taxes shutdown Democrats.
The most exciting word salad that the Republicans could’ve ever hoped to concoct.

Talk about dumb, the Republicans are reduced to name calling and paybacks.

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I hate willful obstinate calculated Congressional dysfunction. There’s no reason to link this bill with the Lynch confirmation. Everyone agrees on her qualifications.
Republicans deliberately want a dysfunctional government and a polarized society. I really wish voters would vote more wisely. The Tea party is a cancer.

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I could think of better words but I appreciate your restraint.

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Relax. There are optimists in the GOP. The debt ceiling fight may turn on Lindsay and McCain convincing them that its hard to fight a war after a default. Choose your abyss!!!

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All because of a Hydden bill.

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Human Trafficking Bill…
I’m calling this a ‘Jekyll and HYDE’ piece of legislation. A trick or treat moment, presented by the Republicans. On the surface it appears to help victims of Human Trafficking, but in the guts of of it they’ve hidden the HYDE amendment. Which is an attack on a woman’s right to chose. WHY are the Republicans choosing to attack the VICTIMS of human trafficking AGAIN.
More proof, that the Republican’s WAR ON WOMEN is till alive. LIKE WE DIDN’T ALREADY KNOW. Seriously, all we need to do is look at the number of WOMEN, especially WOMEN of color under the GOP’s BIG TENT…I think they have ONE. Are we impressed???

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It is looking more likely that getting the GOP “base” congress people under control is an impossibility. I don’t see a time when the whackjobs are not going to be whacky (it pays too well) and the so called establishment lost control a long time ago. Things are dire for the GOP and they brought it all on themselves. Sweet.

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‘Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX), who championed the abortion
language, said Democrats must have known about the abortion provision
and were blocking the bill in a bad-faith effort to make Congress look
dysfunctional.’

Hmmm… I would argue to Mr. Cornyn that the Republican Congress does not need Democrats’ help in looking dysfunctional.

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We know the R’s are capable of a lot of stunts but come on democrats, have someone read the damn bills! Look at the trouble that has been caused by the technical problems in the ACA and now this. Come on, learn from your mistakes.

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So this abortion provision was hidden in plain view in the legislation? Seems plenty of blame to go around, despite this headline.