Dirty Hypocrites

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Clarissa

November 17, 2017

I was deeply saddened when I saw that after the Franken bombshell one Democrat after another started releasing these identical, copy-pasted statements of fake condemnation and asking for the ridiculous “Ethics Commission” in an identical voice. Gillibrand, Schumer, both of my senators, Durbin and Duckworth. OK, Duckworth is notoriously dumb but Durbin? I kind of liked him.

Of course, I also liked Franken. I read his book, followed his fraught first election, subscribed to his site. But he turned out to be a disgusting creep. And the party that rallies – entirely needlessly because nothing is lost in political terms if he resigns – to his defense after pilloring others for these and much smaller transgressions simply stinks.

At the very least, I hope that nobody will now have the gall to mention the stupid pussy-grabbing tape.

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7 responses to “Dirty Hypocrites”

Evelina Anville

November 17, 2017

Yes. I’m disappointed in Franken also………But what do you think the other Dems should do? I’m not sure I understand what you find problematic about the responses from Durbin, Gillibrand, Schumer etc.

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UDR

November 17, 2017

It’s a retread of the Clinton presidency. Will powerful Democrats make the right call this time?

The more I think about it, the more it feels like Trumps whole presidency is the Democrats politically expedient decisions during the Clinton years coming home to roost.

I was looking for news articles from that period online, as I was relatively young and I wanted to refresh my memory of the tone that was taken about the women making allegations. This one is depressingly accurate, and demonstrates why a lot of conservatives don’t take liberals seriously when it comes to claims of sexual assault, or the political moral high ground.

https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/1998/05/williams199805/amp

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1. Clarissa
  
  November 17, 2017
  
  This was a revelation to me and explained a lot since I wasn’t here in the 1990s. I think you are absolutely right. This is the legacy of the Clinton era. He was also the one who laid down the dynamic with the Russians that is culminating right now.
  
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Shakti

November 17, 2017

I’m a feminist. I study rape culture. And I don’t want Al Franken to resign.

But in the world we actually live in, I’m betting that there will be more. And more after that. And they won’t all come from states with Democratic governors and a deep bench of progressive replacements. Some will, if ousted, have their successors chosen by Republicans.

In other words, if we set this precedent in the interest of demonstrating our party’s solidarity with harassed and abused women, we’re only going to drain the swamp of people who, however flawed, still regularly vote to protect women’s rights and freedoms. The legislative branch will remain chockablock with old, white Republican men who regard women chiefly as sex objects and unpaid housekeepers, and we’ll show them how staunchly Democrats oppose their misogynistic attitudes by handing them more power.

While I understand the author’s line of thinking, the effect of not appearing to take sexual assault seriously might depress voter turnout and engagement, especially among key constituencies for the Democratic party.

Honestly, this underscores how people who are for women’s bodily autonomy are pretty much alone politically. “We need to support the party which is less bad!”

I voted in the last local election on a referendum question to keep the sales tax where it is because it funds infrastructure projects. There was barely anyone there at my precinct.

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1. Clarissa
  
  November 17, 2017
  
  Absolutely, absolutely. It will depress my voter turnout for sure. The argument of “we can act like total swine and you’ll have to lump it because our opponents are even bigger swine” leaves me cold. If the Democrats won’t even be bothered to come up with a better strategy to attract voters,fuck them. I can do very well for myself without them.
  
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Demotrash

November 17, 2017

Sherrod Brown is giving all his donations from Franken to charity. Someday he’ll do something that disappoints me, but so far that day hasn’t come.

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1. Clarissa
  
  November 17, 2017
  
  That’s good to know.
  
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