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The Senate has already passed a bipartisan reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, and as we discussed yesterday, the House is set to move on the issue as well. The only question is whether the GOP-led chamber would consider the Senate version or vote instead on its own, watered-down bill.
As Sahil Kapur reports, we now know the answer: it's the latter.
The House GOP's legislation ... reflects some movement in the Senate's direction but falls short of a breakthrough on the central disputes that scuttled reauthorization of VAWA last year, namely, coverage for gay, Native American and illegal immigrant women. Democrats quickly rejected the bill. [...]
Unlike the Senate-passed version, the House GOP's proposed legislation would not guarantee equal coverage for LGBT victims of domestic violence, and it would create a hurdle for tribal courts to prosecute non-Native Americans charged with assaulting women on tribal lands.
In other words, we've made very little progress from where we were in the last Congress -- with far-right House members unwilling to act on a bipartisan Senate bill because of culture-war hang-ups, preferring a weaker proposal that stakeholders believe would leave some domestic-violence victims behind.
"The bill does not protect LGBT victims from discrimination by a service provider nor does it specifically include services to LGBT victims as an underserved population," said David Stacy, deputy legislative director for Human Rights Campaign, told TPM after reviewing the language. "The Senate bill provisions are urgently needed so that actual resources are available to address domestic violence and sexual assault among LGBT families."
Still, House Republicans are reportedly eager to move on this, and we can expect a floor vote as early as next Tuesday, just four days away. If it passes, watch for a contentious conference-committee process.
There was a time in the very-recent past when reauthorizing VAWA was one of the easiest, most one-sided votes in Congress. Now, those days are over.
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Wow, they lost the Presidency lost seats in both houses and yet maintain the same policies,, wow,, just wow,,??
Yes, we Republicans want women hurt, children to starve, old people to die...we want to give all our money to the rich, make cuts so that we hurt education, shut down police forces, put America security more at risk...
There, now we've admitted it.
How much sense does it make that this is our objective? Could it be, like most Democrats as well, that most Republicans want our country, our community, our neighbors, and our families to be strong and productive, safe and secure, and have opportunity to make things even better. Huh? What a novel idea!
Most Republicans may want all those "good" things, but their elected officials don't. Chaos and conflict are good for business, the more they create, the more they can lie about who's responsible , the more money they can squeeze out of their rabid right wing base. They don't think it's their job to make things better for Americans, they think it's their job to do nothing and let the people sort it out for themselves. They openly preach this philosophy all the time. One day the "most" Republicans will realize this, of course there will be those who will remain clueless.
the phenomenological problem with dems is that they dont always want more - that they are willing to sell what they have in order not to lose more of what they have to lose. That is a losing attitude and a losing game. It's like a sports team that does not come out to win a game but to instead give up runs or goals or baskets just so they can have some. THAT'S HOW "LOSERS" THINK.
President Obama is a leader - a builder - a team winner. The dems need to throw out the weak loser minded negotiators and build a real team. Real direction. Real goals. And... they need to make that which is modest and reasonably comfortable SACRED.
Look at it this way... winners sell something to gain more. When you sell something to keep from losing something else, you lose. real simple. Repubers keep taking and taking and taking because they know they need @!$%# to sell and negotaiate away for greater gains. But that's business. Dems need to embrace the business of life. Dems don't need to keep taking to win some, they need to TAKE GROUND AND KEEP IT. This method to take and keep does not require greed - it requires GOAL SETTING! again... real simple.
robtroll,
The republicans want to do THIS:
Their replacement plan was called the Spending Reduction Act of 2012 and of course it eliminated the cuts to Defense spending. They replaced them with the following:
So yes, robtroll your first paragraph is correct "Yes, we Republicans want women hurt, children to starve, old people to die...we want to give all our money to the rich, make cuts so that we hurt education, shut down police forces, put America security more at risk..."
There, now you've admitted it.
But the repubs love women:
With all that being against women being paid the same wages that men make, and that banning women's access to abortions and birth control, and all those vaginal probe bills they are passing all over America!!!
Naw, repubs don't want to hurt women! They only want them to stay barefoot and pregnant and in the kitchen.
If those aren't your objectives, your policy positions make no sense. What am I to believe, your professed objectives, or the objectives revealed by your actual policy positions?
I'm not a liberal, I am an empiricist!
You are absolutely right, RobDon. Your objective makes no sense whatsoever. The rest of us keep wondering why so many Republicans keep pursuing it.
I believe you want all those things...for yourselves and people just like you. People who do not share your beliefs, your skin color, or your gender can go to hell (and I have been told that in so many words by a Republican). And many Republicans would rather lose all those things than share them with someone different. Hence the refusal to pass an act that protects heterosexual white women, because of the possibility that it will also protect lesbian and Native American women as well.
Democrats appreciate the efforts and support from republicans who act in ways that support policy that does strenthen community, country, improve safety. Sadly, republican actions speak louder than words, when policy after policy that do these things is voted down, or fillibustered.
Only some are worthy of the protection of the law?
That's the argument the Repubs want to go on record as making?
Well yes, it is.
Please point out any part of the law proposed by the GOP that specifically denies protection to any particular person based on age, race, sex, sexual preference, or any other criteria.
just saying...
According to the original bill, yes...only some are worthy of protection! Why women only?? Violence against anyone is violence! More identity politics from the Socialist Thugs, opps I mean ignorant Democrats! That is why they always fight for Affirmative Action- Identity politics and that they recognize that half of their party's voters are too stupid to attain something based on their own merits and abilities! Rename the Democrats the Welfare Loser party! Much more fitting!
Republicans objected to the first bill because it protected Native Americans, lesbians, and transgender people:
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/02/12/16939781-senate-approves-violence-against-women-act-despite-gop-opposition?lite
There, did I point it out to you?
you did not point any portion of the law...you simply pointed out a left wing blog that says the law does that. Additionally, the article does not say that the 22 Republican Senators voted against it because of protected the groups you listed.
If you can find any evidence in the GOP amendments or the GOP bill that specifically remove protection from those people, or a direct quote from someone that verifies that is the reason they voted against the bill, then I will listen to your argument.
Instead of using talking points from a blog, do some research for yourself.
just saying...
Here we go again with the "He-man woman haters club" routine....
they just do NOT know how to do themselves any favors
Why don't those four sluts get jobs and leave us al...oops that might tick off the evangelists...why don't those women go home and clean the floors! Why aren't the Capitol police arresting them for indecent exposure? Cover up those signs you filthy...
Psst get my aide to hand them the key to my love shack.
what a FARCE. elected cons and frauds that never stand their ground for what is good and right will always lose and continue to lose more because that is what they do, they NEGOTIATE things away. they don't lead, they negotiate.
Leadership takes you in a direction. Negotiating when you need leadership buries you. But they are too stupid and too weak and too wasted and to lazy and too unskilled and too "saleable" to do otherwise.
it is disgusting.
Once again the Repuglikkklans prove they are the party of RACISM.
They want to allow white men to come onto reservations, rape Indian women, and get away with it.
And they call us savages???!!!
Did you actually read the proposed GOP Bill or are you just repeating what others are saying.....
According to the Daily Beast...
Under the proposed legislation, tribal courts would have to first receive certification from the U.S. attorney general that it would protect the defendant’s constitutional rights in any domestic violence proceedings, according to a GOP summary.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/02/house-republicans-vawa.php
How horrible of the Republicans to actually want to protect a citizen's constitutional rights...
just saying...
Every report on those raping women on reservations is that they were black and hispanic! Just like all the other rapes in this country!
You are savages! The Demo Thug party looks like Kenya and Mexico! Animals attacking law abiding citizens!
When is the violence against men act coming?
That's simply ignorant. VAWA protects men as well.
Do some research before shooting your mouth off.
Then why is is called the "Violence Against Women Act"? Everyone knows Democrat men are nothing but weak limped pansies, so maybe that's why you think it covers them by naming it as they did!
jedi, you are missing the point. If it protects everyone, then why call it violence agains women act? This is political wording. MN Gurl, MN has the biggest girlie man politician. The "I'm good enough, smart enough, and dawg gone it, people like me" politician. lol.
Exactly what does the Violence against women act have to do with Gays?? Lesbians, yes but Gays refer to men! And TransGender?? Which...men who are now women or women who are now men?? Why do liberals always have to kill a good idea by playing identity politics?? How about a Violence Against Everyone Act??
The House Republicans know there version is going nowhere why do they keep doing this. What happen to the the "we need to get our message out better" after losing the November elections can't they get it through there heads it's not how they get ut there message it is there message
If you thug Democrats want it to go anywhere, you can bet it will not if the House GOP refuses your idiot identity politics about Tranies and Gays! You Demo Thugs sure know how to make sure it goes no where!
White men are going into the reservations and raping the women. Republicans don't seem to care that we put the Indians on reservations in the forst place and now repubs won't even attempt to protect them & allow the accused men to be taken to court. What a sad day in America. What unethical men we have representing the USA. THere is a place called HELL for these people.
Your comment is prejudicial, bigoted and racist. Are you not concerned that there may be black, hispanic, asian or any other ethnic group who are attacking Native Americans? Why do you assume that it is white men?
Additionally, your comment is devoid of facts related to what the GOP bill says in regards to this. The bill calls for the Native American Court to guarantee that the constitutional rights of the accused are protected. Do you have a problem with that?
just saying...
Every report I've seen on those who are raping women on reservations is that they were black and hispanic! Just like 90% of all the other rapes in this country!
The Party of NO has done it again, Is this their recruiting mode? If they continue their homophobic, chauvinistic, right winged views, they will appeal to a smaller, narrower populace. Who wants to tell them that the world has moved on when they awaken from this obvious dream state they are in?
What a bunch of GD bigots.
how many of these women are being raped on reservations ? ( By white men coming in.. ) Not that it's not wrong. I'm just wondering if that's the basic problem with the bill. Unfortunately.. " Bills" cover a lot of territory..
Where is there any evidence that it is only white men coming in to do this?
just asking,,,
Every report I've read or seen on those raping women on reservations is that they were black and hispanic! Just like 90% of all the other rapes in this country!
This just another LUNATIC DOMESTIC TERRORIST republican bill that is likely UNCONSTITUTIONAL and reinforces their HATEFUL, RACIST , BIGOTED policies!!! They, especially BOEHNER & CANTOR, are still PROTECTING RAPISTS & OTHER COWARDLY MALES!!!! The VAWA MUST INCLUDE & PROTECT EVERY WOMAN, EVERYWHERE!!!
Can you please show me where in the bill it specifically excludes any woman from the protection?
Please dont reference some other source, but provide a direct source in the bill itself.
just asking...
More black men will be in our prisons a lot longer than they are now when this passes! They are the ones commiting 90% of the rapes! They even rape very elderly women while they are robbing their houses! Thier animalism knows no bounds!
I dont agree with a lot of the comments that liberal bloggers put out here, but yours is completely out of line with its generalization related to black men. Inflammatory comments like that are not needed.
just saying...
Are you disputing this is the truth?? Check the Govt statistics! It is a fact! Same as what's going on in NYC with the Stop and Frisk! The identity politics groups complain, but the fact is that 88% of the crimes are committed by Blacks and Hispanics! That is why so many are in jail! I am sick of the so called "Black" leaders like the racist Sharpton, NAACP and so many more complaining about how their people are in prisons and it's not right! They do commit most of the crime, just sayin!
Please provide a direct link to back up your claims.
I won't argue with you about Sharpton and others like him, but I dont condone comments from anyone that are inflammatory or racist. Your generalization of "their animalism" is not needed. If you want to refer to rapists in that manner...fine, but not an ethnic group.
just saying..