Renzatic on 24/9/2018 at 19:30

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Pretty much. The Republicans are rushing to stock the courts with as many conservative friendly judges as they're able. With an unstable president, and the possibility of losing their majority in congress within a couple of months looming over their heads, they're all but trying to steamroll this through as quickly as possible.

Were they more secure in the situation, they probably would've dumped Kavanaugh by now, and ran with someone slightly more moderate, or at least more palatable. Unfortunately for all of us, they don't have the luxury of being choosy with their choices. It's Kav or bust.



It's in Starker's link above.

Gray on 24/9/2018 at 19:54

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Thanks to the Weinstein case, women now feel more confident in coming forward with the allegations. It's a very difficult thing to do, and the way the culture was in the 80s, no wonder so few people who were sexually assaulted even dared to mention it to someone. Even now, after Weinstein, it is estimated that less than 10% of sexual assaults are even reported, for any number of reasons, usually shame or fear of public opinion. I see no reason to doubt women who do come forward (with the exception of the (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/liam-allan-met-police-rape-accusation-false-evidence-disclosure-arrest-mistake-detectives-a8184916.html) Liam Allan case). I am far more inclined to believe there is truth in most claims, given how difficult it is to come forward, and every time another person comes forth with more claims towards the same person, the more likely it seems there might be actual truth in it. I would deem it EXTREMELY UNLIKELY that there is a conspiracy made up to discredit a person in the public eye after five people have come forward with very similar stories. The accused, of course, may not even have been aware of what they were doing and hence consider themselves innocent, even though their victims do not.

Having said that, I've not kept up with the Kavanaugh case and missed some of the details. Maybe he's innocent. Maybe he's just a complete bastard.




[Edit]

I have no first hand experience of this, but a couple of decades ago, my then-girlfriend had been abused by a family member, and it was extremely difficult for her to talk about it, it took a long time for her to trust me enough to even admit that it happened. She gave me very little information, all I know it was a few years before we met and who it was, it was too painful for her to talk about, but I saw no reason to doubt her story. Why would she lie?

Renzatic on 24/9/2018 at 21:15

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Damn Vae if you ain't a one trick pony.

Emotional. Emotions. Emotions. Emotional. Emotions. Emotional. Emotions.

You'd think that someone with your alleged vast intelligence would find another angle to argue at some point, especially one that isn't so much of a double edged sword, it can't equally be applied to you.

“I hate it. I meet these people they call them ‘the elite.' These people. I look at them, I say, ‘That's elite?' We got more money, we got more brains, we got better houses, apartments, we got nicer boats, we're smarter than they are, and they say they're elite? We're the elite. You're the elite. We're the elite.

So I said the other day, let's keep calling these people—and let's face it, they've been stone-cold losers, the elite, the elite—so let them keep calling themselves the elite,” he continued. “But we're going to call ourselves—and remember you are indeed, you work harder, but you are indeed smarter than them—let's call ourselves from now on the super-elite. We're the super-elite.”

And I'd say the Democrats aren't angling for a delay now. They're either going to get a dismissal, or make the confirmation a politically poisoned pill the Republicans will have to swallow if they want to get their way.

Renzatic on 24/9/2018 at 21:33

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Oh, I'm not denying that emotions are being played. I'm refuting Vae's claims of an exclusively emotional section of the electorate.

Or to be colorful about it, he's screaming that the Democrats stink of shit, while he and his are wading waist deep in the septic tank.

And while we're arguing this particular bit of drama, we've missed out on the whole WILL HE OR WON'T HE ordeal surrounding Rosenstein.

heywood on 24/9/2018 at 21:49

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They could withdraw Kavanaugh today, nominate the next conservative on the list, and still have a reasonable shot at confirmation during a lame duck session if they lose the Senate. That might not be fair to Kav, but it might improve the Republicans' chances of keeping the Senate. The worst situation for the Republicans is if Kavanaugh's nomination is still on the table through the election. It turns the Senate races into a referendum on Kavanaugh.