Associated Press
Sen. Patty Murray is the Democratic point person on the Violence Against Women Act.
Back in April, the Senate approved the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act fairly easily, with a 68 to 31 vote. Though all 31 opponents were Republican men, the measure enjoyed at least some bipartisan support, and hopes were high that VAWA would be extended before it expires at the end of the year.
Sahil Kapur reports that there's far less reason for optimism now.
House GOP leaders aren't yielding to a bipartisan coalition of Senate leaders demanding they extend the protections of the Violence Against Women Act -- an anti-domestic abuse bill that was first passed with broad support in 1994 but hit a brick wall of Republican opposition earlier this year.
"Nothing has changed," a senior GOP aide told TPM.
Republicans lost badly in the 2012 elections, thanks in large part to the largest gender gap in modern times, but if that changed GOP attitudes towards legislation affecting women, the party is hiding it well.
Remember, the House could pass the bipartisan Senate bill, co-written by a liberal Democrat (Vermont's Pat Leahy) and a conservative Republican (Idaho's Mike Crapo), but the House GOP is convinced the bill is too nice to the LGBT community, immigrants, and Native Americans, so Republican leaders won't even bring it to the floor.
But the weak, watered-down House version can't pass the Senate, and it's already sparked a veto threat from President Obama.
This was supposed to be one of the year's easier bills, but as things stand, VAWA may die next month. Without an extension, consequences would include far fewer resources for state and local governments to combat domestic violence.
"Domestic violence protections for all women shouldn't be a Democratic or a Republican issue," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said in a statement. "A six month delay is inexcusable. One day is inexcusable. As we enter the final days of this Congress, it is time for House Republicans to look beyond ideology and partisan politics. Their obstruction is taking a toll on women across this country."
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It's like they want to start early on shooting themselves in the foot for 2014... It's sad, really, when people just can't buy a clue.
I just hope we remember to show up at the polls in 2014. And by we, I mean women and democrats in general. Now is not the time to get lazy!
Alex Wagner made an excellent point yesterday on Last Word about Jindal's free posturing yesterday. Mitt Romney gave GOP posers like Jindal denounce Romney and so, got a free news cycle with the message they were the new voice of moderation in the GOP without having to doing one blessed thing.
The interesting thing for an enterprising journalist to do is to call Jindal's office and ask for comment on whether the Governor urges the House to immediately pass the VAWA as it is- unchanged from the Senate passed version.
Then we shall know how serious this Nouveau moderate is.
Contact your state Democratic party officials and tell them to get off their butts and start working on 2014 right now. Don't wait until 2014, or even 2013, start today. Lay the foundation for major Democratic inroads in gerrymandered districts across the country. Make Republicans defend every district in the entire nation. Nobody is going to be allowed to run unopposed.
Here is what Nancy told Rachel yesterday:
Let's test the limits of monosyllabic communication.
To do is to be.
Do be a do bee; don't be a don't bee. And as Frank Sinatra advised, "Do Be Do Be Do!"
The trouble with ignorance is that it picks up confidence as it goes along.
- Arnold H. Glasow
;-)
they'll teach those bitches to vote for Obama!
I understand the right is adding stoning to their platform. Stoning it's not just for adulteresses anymore will be their new motto.
They will never go for repeal of the drug laws.
These guys are already stoned on testosterone boosts- products like "Ageless Male".
McConnell does appear so life like too. Who would have suspected he was Low T.
The GREATEST gift to the Democrats simply keeps giving and giving and giving.
It's called the Republican party.
These guys probably all bought the book "The 1872 Husband" which is a best-seller among the fundies. It says the problems of the family will be solved with the head of the family is finally allowed to exercise his authority when his wife refuses to submit to his awesomeness. They want to maintain that option. After all, the "witch" was probably "askin' fer it."
There are so many aspects of this latest obstruction that are so wrong and unfair that I have no idea where to begin. It's beyond disappointing.
And Mitt Romney is still dead.
I want to know who the constituency groups are who will score lawmakers negatively for voting for VAWA. Who are they responding to? Who has been lobbying against this? I want names.
Oh wait, I found some: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/southern-baptist-convention-political-arm-opposition-violence-against-women-act
And the circular firing squad reloads and begins shooting at each other again. Maybe it's time to give serious consideration to medication for these guys. Their congressional healthcare plan would pay for it.
So the party of NO, is now angered by the shellacking that they took a week ago and think that the best way to US their displeasure is by not voting for VAWA, really? Do these numbskulls really believe that WE are not paying attention? Do they believe that being the party of NO, that redistricting, that Voter ID laws - all done not just against women but to disenfranchise Americans from voting will keep their seats safe, really?
It's amazing - the mean, small spiritedness, the pettiness, the flat-out disdain against the very people that voted you into office - do you not believe that WE won't remember come 2014, really? Well maybe it's because you Congress-critters choose to be so g--dayum thick that WE will remember in 2014 and challenge you during your primary to get someone into office that is willing to work for all Americans instead of just and ideological idiot!
I think all that murmuring by "reasonable Republicans" is lip service and there is no intention on follow through. so far, Jindal, the poster boy for cracking moderate, has not proposed a single policy position change or idea. It's all some self-serving superficial blah blah blah targeting how the message was delivered poorly by Romney, not the fact that the message itself was wrong. What I am getting out the discussion is "we have to be better liars". The rubber will never meet the road with this bunch.
They didn't learn one.damn.thing. Here's hoping all the new WOMEN in the House will take them on.
I thought that the over 900 bills offered to restrict womens rights gave a pretty clear indication that members of the Republican Party are in favor of violence against women.
There are republicans who think the whole women's issue was just based on contraception. This is just one of many nonreproductive issues that show how much the republican war on women is just that, war on women across the board. Reproduction is but a side issue.
Not only are the republicans ok with violence against women, but they are also ok with women getting less pay for the same or more work than a man. They really don't want to get it, and will twist themselves into verbal pretzels in order to avoid getting it.
Maybe we need to lower the terms of our Congress persons? Maybe we should have the chance to vote them out every year?
seriously? this should be a slam dunk. i don't know how i continue to be surprised.
Don't you just love Patty Murray! The media needs to jump on this issue to pound the fools into sumission. This act is long overdue...the Senate version, that is. Get it in front of the people and see who rattles the cages of the knuckledraggers.
The current version of the law provides that a non-immigrant woman can gain permanent U.S. residency just by claiming to be a victim of DV. There is no provisions for proof or evidence. This has given thousands of women who would otherwise be ineligible for permanent residency a great incentive to fabricate false claims of D.V. against their U.S. citizen husbands. One of the major differences in the Republican version is safegaurds to protect innocent U.S. citizens against getting falsely accused of domestic violence without reducing any of the protections it provides for truly battered and abused women. No rational person with honorable intentions can possibly argue against this. This is not a right vs left or Democrat vs Republican issue; the ultra-faminist agenda that is against this simple protection for the innocent is full of hatred directed at all men in general. The vast majority of men do not commit domestic violence and denounce other men who do. These vengful and militant faminists are using the popular sentiment against domestic violence as a means to enact their hatred towards men. They are a treat to the integrity of family and the society as a whole. Their next male victim could be your brother, son, or father. Why can't we have a law that protects everyone? By making this a men vs women issue, the ultra-faminist forces are playing the system and the society's good intentions to bolster thier own agenda of hatred and revenge against all men.