Right Wing Anti-Contraception Amendment Defeated in Senate

A loss for the culture warriors
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Some good news from Washington DC; the Senate has voted to defeat the religious right’s latest attack on women’s rights: Blunt Amendment Defeated in Senate.

The Senate defeated Sen. Roy Blunt’s amendment to allow employers to refuse to cover health services Thursday, dealing Republicans a high-profile setback in the fight over the Obama administration’s contraception coverage mandate.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, the Maine Republican who this week said she would not run for reelection, joined nearly all Democrats in a 51-48 vote to dispense of the amendment, which would have allowed employers to decline to cover certain health benefits that conflict with their religious beliefs.

That’s a disgracefully small margin, though, and the culture warriors aren’t going to stop trying to roll back America’s social progress and control women’s reproductive health. This isn’t really a political fight — it’s a deeply reactionary struggle for control.

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103 comments
1 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:38:56am

I still can't decide if it's good news that this didn't pass or terrible news in that it was so damn close. Maybe a bit from column A and a bit from column B.

2 Iwouldprefernotto  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:39:14am

What a waste of time.

3 erik_t  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:39:49am

Ben Nelson is with us on everything but the war womens' right to decide solely with their doctors how to best stay healthy.

4 Flounder  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:39:55am

I need an aspirin

5 erik_t  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:41:26am

To repost from the last thread, polling shows this ass-backwards idiocy fails in the public eye by a 67-25-8 margin.

Again, not sure to be more baffled by the 25% or the 8%.

6 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:41:47am

Doesn't mean that they'll stop, just means they'll regroup and start rewriting the amendment to please those Democrats who they think they can turn into supporting it.

7 jamesfirecat  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:42:08am

Wait, were there 51 votes for or against?

8 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:42:13am

re: #4 Tommy

I need an aspirin

Do you need me to show you the right way to hold it between your knees?

9 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:42:56am

re: #6 Targetpractice

Doesn't mean that they'll stop, just means they'll regroup and start rewriting the amendment to please those Democrats who they think they can turn into supporting it.

Yep. They'll pretty it up a little bit and be back shortly. It'll still be terrible and it will still be opening up a can of worms the size of Texas, but it won't stop them.

10 erik_t  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:42:56am

re: #7 jamesfirecat

Wait, were there 51 votes for or against?

51 votes in favor of tabling the bill (that is, against its passage).

11 HappyWarrior  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:43:04am

I don't get Americans who favor this yet get all tense at the slightest expansion of government.

12 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:44:13am

re: #11 HappyWarrior

I don't get Americans who favor this yet get all tense at the slightest expansion of government.

They're not against expansion, so long as it's towards something they agree upon. See also: "Hands off my Medicare!"

13 allegro  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:44:19am

re: #11 HappyWarrior

I don't get Americans who favor this yet get all tense at the slightest expansion of government.

That's because you are trying to apply logic and believing what they say and not what they do.

14 Four More Tears  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:45:04am

re: #8 To hold my temper, most of the time.

Do you need me to show you the right way to hold it between your knees?

There's a wrong way?

15 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:45:05am

I mean, I think if the public actually understood what the proposed change would have meant, they'd be strongly opposed to it. But that's what distraction and generating confusion is all about.

16 jamesfirecat  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:45:49am

re: #10 erik_t

51 votes in favor of tabling the bill (that is, against its passage).

Darn so we wouldn't have even needed to filibuster it, and here I thought for a blissful moment there was actually a good reason for that process....

17 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:45:56am

re: #9 Simply Sarah

Yep. They'll pretty it up a little bit and be back shortly. It'll still be terrible and it will still be opening up a can of worms the size of Texas, but it won't stop them.

It will be back, in time for the next "must-pass" bill. And it will likely be written with some fig leaf that says "Well, they get a say, except in those narrow instances when they don't," so as to appease one or two Democrats to vote "yea."

18 Charles Johnson  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:46:21am

re: #15 Simply Sarah

I mean, I think if the public actually understood what the proposed change would have meant, they'd be strongly opposed to it. But that's what distraction and generating confusion is all about.

The Republican Party has had some success casting this as an issue of "religious freedom," as absurd and stupid as that seems. The persecution angle always seems to work with the right.

19 Cannadian Club Akbar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:46:42am

re: #6 Targetpractice

Doesn't mean that they'll stop, just means they'll regroup and start rewriting the amendment to please those Democrats who they think they can turn into supporting it.

Democrats said the amendment was too broad and would have been an attack on women’s health. But Blunt (R-Mo.) vowed that the vote won’t be the end of the debate over the contraception coverage rule — and predicted that the Supreme Court might have the final say by striking it down.

Bingo.

20 Cannadian Club Akbar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:48:41am

re: #19 Cannadian Club Akbar

I meant to say Targetpractice was correct in his assessment. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

21 OhNoZombies!  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:49:03am

The ones who support this stuff miss women being barefoot, pregnant, and without options. Some guys still don't like having a woman as a boss.
Power and control...of everything.

22 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:49:26am

re: #18 Charles Johnson

The Republican Party has had some success casting this as an issue of "religious freedom," as absurd and stupid as that seems. The persecution angle always seems to work with the right.

As I've said before, if religious freedom means what some of these radicals seem to want it to mean then stop the religious freedom bus, I want to get off.

23 Coracle  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:50:42am

Morning newscast on NPR quoted a poll saying 25% of folks thought it was an assault on women's health choices, 25% thought it was an issue of religious freedom, and 50% said it was election year politics.

It was pretty much a combination of 1 and 3 in my book.

24 Jack Burton  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:50:43am

re: #18 Charles Johnson

The Republican Party has had some success casting this as an issue of "religious freedom," as absurd and stupid as that seems. The persecution angle always seems to work with the right.

To the GOP:
"You keep using that term. I do not think it means what you think it means."

25 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:51:41am

re: #21 OhNoZombies!

The ones who support this stuff miss women being barefoot, pregnant, and without options. Some guys still don't like having a woman as a boss.
Power and control...of everything.

That's a portion of them. Others supported this bill because it threw the door open wide to get at other minorities as well. Such as the ability for "religious" employers to argue that their beliefs mean they can deny gay employees access to anti-retroviral treatments for HIV/AIDs and other such items.

26 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:52:15am

re: #21 OhNoZombies!

The ones who support this stuff miss women being barefoot, pregnant, and without options. Some guys still don't like having a woman as a boss.
Power and control...of everything.

Well, power and control over women, at least. These guys will never give that up willingly. Which is too bad for them, since I'm here to tell them where to shove it.

27 Cannadian Club Akbar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:52:21am

Gotta run, lizards. Will try to stop by more often.(miss you guys) :)

28 Kragar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:52:32am

Heard about this in the car on the way in. Rush was livid and spent 15-20 minutes attacking Fluke again, doubling down on his hate filled sex obsessed rant from yesterday. Really disgustingly vile stuff.

29 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:52:41am

I love the new style posts with big pictures.

Here's another image for perusal:

Image: 000wd9b7.png

30 erik_t  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:52:46am

re: #6 Targetpractice

Doesn't mean that they'll stop, just means they'll regroup and start rewriting the amendment to please those Democrats who they think they can turn into supporting it.

It's hard to be certain. If they pay any attention whatsoever to polling, they might use this failure as an excuse not to bring it up again.

I mean, I doubt that very many of the GOP senators actually think this is good policy. It's a fig-leaf effort to the crazy socons.

31 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:53:43am

re: #25 Targetpractice

That's a portion of them. Others supported this bill because it threw the door open wide to get at other minorities as well. Such as the ability for "religious" employers to argue that their beliefs mean they can deny gay employees access to anti-retroviral treatments for HIV/AIDs and other such items.

Yep. It was basically saying "You can decide not to cover anything at all because you say you disagree with it."

32 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:54:26am

re: #30 erik_t

It's hard to be certain. If they pay any attention whatsoever to polling, they might use this failure as an excuse not to bring it up again.

I mean, I doubt that very many of the GOP senators actually think this is good policy. It's a fig-leaf effort to the crazy socons.

I start to wonder sometimes...

33 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:55:23am

What if the head/owner of your company is a Christian Scientist? Would you even be offered insurance?

Besides psychiatry, what other range of medical services would a Scientologist be allowed to deny their employees?

They wanna talk about those dreaded "slippery slopes"? Well this here is a giant one.

34 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:55:35am

re: #30 erik_t

It's hard to be certain. If they pay any attention whatsoever to polling, they might use this failure as an excuse not to bring it up again.

I mean, I doubt that very many of the GOP senators actually think this is good policy. It's a fig-leaf effort to the crazy socons.

It's hard to say, especially when have dipshits like Limbaugh out there, driving the base into a lather over the "culture war" and how it can win the election for them. You can be sure that, right about now, there's a great deal of anger and disgust, not to mention death threats, being send to Snowe's email, phone, and mail box.

35 jaunte  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:57:39am

As long as religious people believe that their freedom of religion includes the right to control others, 'religious freedom' is always going to be in conflict with 'freedom freedom'.

36 OhNoZombies!  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:58:02am

re: #26 Simply Sarah

Women are just the start. If they could roll back the hands of time they would. Women, gays, and the rest of those pesky minorities, need to be...controlled. Religion=opportunity.
IMHO.

37 Coracle  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:58:52am

re: #34 Targetpractice

It's hard to say, especially when have dipshits like Limbaugh out there, driving the base into a lather over the "culture war" and how it can win the election for them. You can be sure that, right about now, there's a great deal of anger and disgust, not to mention death threats, being send to Snowe's email, phone, and mail box.

I'm sure she's used to it. I have no doubt she gets it from both sides. I hated how she marched so lockstep most of the time, but she must have one seriously thick skin.

38 Kronocide  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 9:59:55am
Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer,

without a trace of doubt in my mind,

I'm in love, I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her if I tried.

39 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:00:20am

re: #28 Kragar

Heard about this in the car on the way in. Rush was livid and spent 15-20 minutes attacking Fluke again, doubling down on his hate filled sex obsessed rant from yesterday. Really disgustingly vile stuff.

I unsubscribed from his daily email yesterday. It is no longer worth 'keeping track of what the true leader of the Republican Party is saying'.

Besides, you provide the juicy bits.

40 Kragar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:00:29am

Bush-Appointed Federal Judge Sends Racist, Anti-Obama Email Comparing Interracial Sex To Bestiality

Chief Judge Richard Cebull, a George W. Bush appointee to the federal district court in Montana, admitted yesterday to sending a racist email forward comparing President Obama’s conception to sex with a dog:

“A little boy said to his mother; ‘Mommy, how come I’m black and you’re white?’” the email joke reads. “His mother replied, ‘Don’t even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you’re lucky you don’t bark!’” [...]

Cebull said his brother initially sent him the email, which he forwarded to six of his “old buddies” and acquaintances.

He admitted that he read the email and intended to send it to his friends.

“The only reason I can explain it to you is I am not a fan of our president, but this goes beyond not being a fan,” Cebull said. “I didn’t send it as racist, although that’s what it is. I sent it out because it’s anti-Obama.“

What a sack of shit.

41 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:00:58am

re: #36 OhNoZombies!

Women are just the start. If they could roll back the hands of time they would. Women, gays, and the rest of those pesky minorities, need to be...controlled. Religion=opportunity.
IMHO.

Oh, you're right. People of colour don't exactly have it any better (And if you're a woman of colour, well, sucks for you), for example. I'm just more sensitive to attacks on women due to being one, but I'm all too well aware people don't stop their bigotry there.

42 Kragar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:01:27am

re: #39 wrenchwench

I unsubscribed from his daily email yesterday. It is no longer worth 'keeping track of what the true leader of the Republican Party is saying'.

Besides, you provide the juicy bits.

Please do not invoke my name, Rush, and juicy bits together in the same post.

43 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:02:21am

re: #40 Kragar

One of my best friends used the N word the other day.

I will never have the same level of esteem for him. And? I told him exactly that.

When was the last time these guys looked at a fucking calendar to see the year?

44 erik_t  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:02:53am

re: #34 Targetpractice

It's hard to say, especially when have dipshits like Limbaugh out there, driving the base into a lather over the "culture war" and how it can win the election for them. You can be sure that, right about now, there's a great deal of anger and disgust, not to mention death threats, being send to Snowe's email, phone, and mail box.

I think that at least a sizable minority of the GOP senate uses any and all social issues to play their constituencies like fiddles, and in fact don't give a personal damn about this stuff.

I'm not sure if that makes me too cynical, or not cynical enough.

#GOPworldproblems

45 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:03:26am

re: #35 jaunte

As long as religious people believe that their freedom of religion includes the right to control others, 'religious freedom' is always going to be in conflict with 'freedom freedom'.

The thing that has boggled my mind in recent weeks has been libertarians spouting the "religious freedom" horseshit when trying to defend an employer's "right" to push his religion on those not of the faith. Apparently all those voices telling me that "your rights stop when they trample on the rights of others" were talking out their asses.

46 OhNoZombies!  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:04:23am

re: #41 Simply Sarah
:-)

47 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:04:27am

re: #41 Simply Sarah

Oh, you're right. People of colour don't exactly have it any better (And if you're a woman of colour, well, sucks for you), for example. I'm just more sensitive to attacks on women due to being one, but I'm all too well aware people don't stop their bigotry there.

On a vaguely related note, I think that's both a good and bad thing about Internet text communication. In many ways it gets rid of preconceptions and barriers people might put up based on race or age or looks or whatever, but, on the other hand, it also can make it harder to recognize and appreciate that same diversity, which might go some ways to changing some peoples' views.

48 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:04:42am

re: #43 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

One of my best friends used the N word the other day.

I will never have the same level of esteem for him. And? I told him exactly that.

When was the last time these guys looked at a fucking calendar to see the year?

Plenty possible to be racist without even using the n-word.

Also possible to use it without automatically being racist.

It is all a matter of context.

Some of my best freinds, etc...

49 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:04:58am

re: #42 Kragar

Please do not invoke my name, Rush, and juicy bits together in the same post.

A soul-kicking offense, that is.

50 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:07:24am

re: #43 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

One of my best friends used the N word the other day.

I will never have the same level of esteem for him. And? I told him exactly that.

When was the last time these guys looked at a fucking calendar to see the year?

Those kinds of things always tear me. This is especially true for online communities where you can't so easily avoid certain people. If I like the place and most people, what do I do about the person spouting racist/misogynistic/ableist/homophobic/etc. crap that other people seem to be willing to tolerate? Do I just leave? Do I push back? Do I try to ignore it?

51 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:07:42am

re: #7 jamesfirecat

Wait, were there 51 votes for or against?

So why was Obama unable to get his bills through with 60 votes in the Senate?

52 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:08:31am

re: #51 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

So why was Obama unable to get his bills through with 60 votes in the Senate?

"Obama controlled Congress for 2 years, and he couldn't get anything done?!"

53 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:08:55am

re: #50 Simply Sarah

Those kinds of things always tear me. This is especially true for online communities where you can't so easily avoid certain people. If I like the place and most people, what do I do about the person spouting racist/misogynistic/ableist/homophobic/etc. crap that other people seem to be willing to tolerate? Do I just leave? Do I push back? Do I try to ignore it?

I've seen you do it!

54 kirkspencer  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:09:37am

re: #45 Targetpractice

The thing that has boggled my mind in recent weeks has been libertarians spouting the "religious freedom" horseshit when trying to defend an employer's "right" to push his religion on those not of the faith. Apparently all those voices telling me that "your rights stop when they trample on the rights of others" were talking out their asses.

A subtext I'm not sure many people consiously recognize is that it's connected to union-bashing.

Look, the big reason many businesses started putting health care packages for all workers in place is because that is what Unions got in return for not demanding as big a paycheck. It was a matter of numbers. Individuals have to pay more than groups. The employer could pay enough for the full load, or could get a group and pay part of the load.

In a perfect world (for the company) it pays you enough to get by, and runs the company store so most of what you spend goes right back to your pockets. You can be easily replaced, so who cares if you or your family is sick - suck it up, or try to find something else (sucker).

yeah, a bit bitter. But the context is there.

55 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:09:43am

re: #48 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

Plenty possible to be racist without even using the n-word.

Also possible to use it without automatically being racist.

It is all a matter of context.

Some of my best freinds, etc...

Granted. Although casual and unthinking usage of that kind of term often does reflect internalization of racism to some degree. Can't just go by that one thing, but it's something that you need to factor in.

56 kirkspencer  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:11:55am

re: #51 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

So why was Obama unable to get his bills through with 60 votes in the Senate?

When did he have 60 votes in the Senate?

57 Kragar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:11:56am

Tennessee Principal Tells Gay Students They're 'Going to Hell'

Dorothy Bond is the principal at Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tennessee. She's accused of making insensitive remarks during a meeting with students.

Parents are hot under the collar and the comments could drive a wedge between people living there.

“At first she was talking about PDA and she turned around and she directly pointed to the gay people and said if you're gay you're going to hell and if you're pregnant, you're life is over,” Amber Whittiemore said.

Whittiemore wasn't there to hear those words but her friend, who is gay, was. She called Amber in tears.

“When I heard about it, I was outraged,” said Haywood High School parent Tony Snipes.

Snipes says Principal Dorothy Bond has a habit of pushing the envelope.

“A couple of years ago when she was principal over at Sunny Hill one of my children had his hair in braids. At an assembly she told the young men if they're sitting between the legs of a girl getting their hair braided for a few hours, that they must be gay,” Snipes said.

Snipes was ticked then and is even more so now with the newest claims about controversial statements from the Haywood High principal, which he says boil down to “If you're pregnant or homosexual, you're not welcome to Haywood County High School.”

58 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:12:05am

re: #53 wrenchwench

I've seen you do it!

Oh, I'm a fighter! :)

Just...fighting back eventually starts to feel a bit empty if people don't seem to be interested in changing or at least seriously considering your thoughts.

59 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:12:08am

I'm torn about the Arpaio-birther thing.

On the one hand I want him to make a crazy announcement and go down in flames.

On the other hand I want him to firmly refudiate birferism and make Orly's head asplode.

60 Kragar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:12:45am

re: #56 kirkspencer

When did he have 60 votes in the Senate?

During those magical days when the GOP says he had total control over the Congress.

61 Kragar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:13:37am

re: #59 sator arepo tenet opera rotas

I'm torn about the Arpaio-birther thing.

On the one hand I want him to make a crazy announcement and go down in flames.

On the other hand I want him to firmly refudiate birferism and make Orly's head asplode.

I'd like him to announce that he and Rush plan to have lunch with Breitbart this weekend.

62 kirkspencer  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:13:50am

re: #60 Kragar

During those magical days when the GOP says he had total control over the Congress.

Ah, so you he forgot the sarc tag.

59 votes, including the "independents" like Lieberman.

(forgot to check to whom I was speaking. Changed pronoun in edit.)

63 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:14:19am

re: #61 Kragar

Ouch.

64 jamesfirecat  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:14:28am

re: #56 kirkspencer

When did he have 60 votes in the Senate?

For the six month or so gap between Al Franken getting seated, and Tedd Kennedy dieing.

65 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:14:42am

re: #57 Kragar

Tennessee Principal Tells Gay Students They're 'Going to Hell'

So, which "defense" you think she'll stick to, the "It's all lies!" bit or the "I was under stress!" one?

66 SanFranciscoZionist  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:15:57am

re: #33 Slumbering Behemoth

What if the head/owner of your company is a Christian Scientist? Would you even be offered insurance?

Besides psychiatry, what other range of medical services would a Scientologist be allowed to deny their employees?

They wanna talk about those dreaded "slippery slopes"? Well this here is a giant one.

Technically, an employer doesn't have to offer health insurance at all, IIUC, and I'm seeing more and more employers who don't offer benefits, as a way to cut costs. (Thereby catastrophically raising them for the employees, of course.)

This sort of crap will fly better in this economy, since more people will take what they can get.

67 kirkspencer  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:16:55am

re: #64 jamesfirecat

For the six month or so gap between Al Franken getting seated, and Tedd Kennedy dieing.

As I said above: no. There were 41 Republican senators seated from the 2008 elections.

68 OhNoZombies!  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:17:39am

re: #64 jamesfirecat
...and the blue dawgs, we must not forget them...

69 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:17:40am

re: #66 SanFranciscoZionist

Technically, an employer doesn't have to offer health insurance at all, IIUC, and I'm seeing more and more employers who don't offer benefits, as a way to cut costs. (Thereby catastrophically raising them for the employees, of course.)

This sort of crap will fly better in this economy, since more people will take what they can get.

Yep, I was arguing with a wingnut the other day about "Obamacare," and he brought up that his company covers insurance even in retirement. But then muttered a short while later that that's only for him and the older folks, that most of the new hires no longer that as even an option.

70 allegro  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:17:45am

re: #57 Kragar

Snipes was ticked then and is even more so now with the newest claims about controversial statements from the Haywood High principal, which he says boil down to “If you're pregnant or homosexual, you're not welcome to Haywood County High School.”

I would hope that the principal will soon not be welcome there. There is no excuse for such venal treatment of the children who have been placed into her trust.

71 SanFranciscoZionist  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:18:11am

re: #40 Kragar

Bush-Appointed Federal Judge Sends Racist, Anti-Obama Email Comparing Interracial Sex To Bestiality

What a sack of shit.

Let me guess. This one is also just opposed to his policies?

72 Kragar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:18:35am

re: #70 allegro

I would hope that the principal will soon not be welcome there. There is no excuse for such venal treatment of the children who have been placed into her trust.

Its Tennessee, I'm not holding my breath.

73 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:19:18am

re: #67 kirkspencer

As I said above: no. There were 41 Republican senators seated from the 2008 elections.

Remember that Arlen Specter changed parties in 2009.

74 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:19:48am

re: #65 Targetpractice

So, which "defense" you think she'll stick to, the "It's all lies!" bit or the "I was under stress!" one?

You forgot, "I'm a stupid, bigoted, dumbass."

75 SanFranciscoZionist  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:20:29am

re: #57 Kragar

"“A couple of years ago when she was principal over at Sunny Hill one of my children had his hair in braids. At an assembly she told the young men if they're sitting between the legs of a girl getting their hair braided for a few hours, that they must be gay,” Snipes said."

My experience of teenage boys indicates that the ones who are interested in sitting between a girl's legs and having her touch their hair tend to not be the gay ones.

76 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:20:43am

re: #72 Kragar

Its Tennessee, I'm not holding my breath.

They'll likely "look into the matter" (i.e. ask her if she said so, which she'll deny), "investigate" the accusations, "determine" that it can't be verified (i.e. nobody has the statements on tape), and "discipline her" with a slap on the wrist.

77 jamesfirecat  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:21:09am

re: #67 kirkspencer

As I said above: no. There were 41 Republican senators seated from the 2008 elections.

Yeah but Arlen Specter became a democrat in April 2009 and Franken was seated in July. So at that point there were 60 people cacusing with the democrats. Said 60 people of course included people like Liberman and Specter who probably would have been Republicans if the GOP was more sane.

78 Political Atheist  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:21:59am

re: #66 SanFranciscoZionist

Medical benefits have always been a rarity in the best of times in the jewelry biz. So many small businesses, few big companies. (The big retailers are a different story, I refer to goldsmiths and mfg)

In this industry you are on your own. Medical, retirement all on you.

79 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:22:32am

re: #69 Targetpractice

Yep, I was arguing with a wingnut the other day about "Obamacare," and he brought up that his company covers insurance even in retirement. But then muttered a short while later that that's only for him and the older folks, that most of the new hires no longer that as even an option.

I should bring up that the reason he mentioned even this much was because he was "outraged" that his company's announced recently that, in response to "Obamacare," it will even be cutting insurance to the old folks, throwing them to Medicare. In other words, they're using the Affordable Care Act as cover for an action they've no doubt been contemplating for awhile now as a "cost-saving" measure.

80 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:24:39am

re: #52 Targetpractice

"Obama controlled Congress for 2 years, and he couldn't get anything done?!"

Just askin'. I never really understood the modalities of how 40 Republican senators could effectivel block reform, but all it takes is 51 to put the Blunt Act through

81 Political Atheist  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:25:03am

BTW I just had an interesting photo shoot. Would anyone like this as a desktop? It would cost $114,000 to reproduce.
*wink*

Two Kilos of Gold Coins

82 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:25:29am

re: #75 SanFranciscoZionist

"“A couple of years ago when she was principal over at Sunny Hill one of my children had his hair in braids. At an assembly she told the young men if they're sitting between the legs of a girl getting their hair braided for a few hours, that they must be gay,” Snipes said."

My experience of teenage boys indicates that the ones who are interested in sitting between a girl's legs and having her touch their hair tend to not be the gay ones.

I don't remember if it was a joke or a "true story" about some very young boys saying that someone who likes girls is soooo gay.

83 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:26:51am

re: #82 sator arepo tenet opera rotas

I don't remember if it was a joke or a "true story" about some very young boys saying that someone who likes girls is sooo gay.

One of the normal arcs in our family is:

Like girls at 5
Not like girls at 10
Scared of girls at 13
Like girls at 15

84 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:26:54am

re: #76 Targetpractice

They'll likely "look into the matter" (i.e. ask her if she said so, which she'll deny), "investigate" the accusations, "determine" that it can't be verified (i.e. nobody has the statements on tape), and "discipline her" with a slap on the wrist.

and then complain about her freedom of expression and religion being impinged on...

85 erik_t  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:27:14am

re: #80 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

Just askin'. I never really understood the modalities of how 40 Republican senators could effectivel block reform, but all it takes is 51 to put the Blunt Act through

Who said that 51 senators in favor would be sufficient to pass the Blunt Act from the US Senate?

86 jamesfirecat  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:27:15am

re: #80 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

Just askin'. I never really understood the modalities of how 40 Republican senators could effectivel block reform, but all it takes is 51 to put the Blunt Act through

Because democrats don't have the spine/spite to filibuster everything they don't like. That or it was that this was an amendment and thus couldn't be filibustered, even I still have a fair bit to learn about the senate.

87 Kragar  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:27:41am
88 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:28:05am

re: #57 Kragar

Snipes says Principal Dorothy Bond has a habit of pushing the envelope.

That's not envelope pushing, that's child abuse.

89 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:28:22am

re: #85 erik_t

Who said that 51 senators in favor would be sufficient to pass the Blunt Act from the US Senate?

I don't begin to know. Would it take 60 votes?

90 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:28:24am

re: #83 To hold my temper, most of the time.

One of the normal arcs in our family is:

Like girls at 5
Not like girls at 10
Scared of girls at 13
Like girls at 15

I liked girls from 3. Never stopped.

Giggity.

91 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:29:00am

re: #80 Ministry of Fairness and Balance

Just askin'. I never really understood the modalities of how 40 Republican senators could effectivel block reform, but all it takes is 51 to put the Blunt Act through

My guess is that the Dems decided that, pass or fail, they could hang this amendment on the GOP come November. If they'd filibustered it, the GOP could have made hay about how the Dems are "standing against religious freedom."

92 erik_t  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:30:07am

re: #86 jamesfirecat

Because democrats don't have the spine/spite to filibuster everything they don't like. That or it was that this was an amendment and thus couldn't be filibustered, even I still have a fair bit to learn about the senate.

The motion was to table the amendment (basically to throw it away), and this motion succeeded 51-49. As a proactive measure, it would require a majority to pass. I do not know if motions to table are subject to the filibuster.

This does not imply that a motion to include the amendment in whatever bill would fail by 49-51, or that a final bill including this amendment would be able to be rammed through by a hypothetically flipped 51-49 vote.

93 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:30:07am

re: #81 Daniel Ballard

BTW I just had an interesting photo shoot. Would anyone like this as a desktop? It would cost $114,000 to reproduce. *wink*

Two Kilos of Gold Coins

Don't dive into it.

94 SanFranciscoZionist  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:30:21am

re: #83 To hold my temper, most of the time.

One of the normal arcs in our family is:

Like girls at 5
Not like girls at 10
Scared of girls at 13
Like girls at 15

And when they like, oh how they like.

This is the thing that always puzzles me about people who think that talking openly to kids about homosexuality will ruin their straightness. A straight teenage boy is fascinated by girls to an almost comical extent. They can't be distracted nor detoured, nor, often, convinced to concentrate on anything else.

95 Simply Sarah  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:30:38am

re: #90 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I liked girls from 3. Never stopped.

Giggidy.

I apparently never got the memo I wasn't supposed to like girls.

96 iossarian  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:30:48am

re: #85 erik_t

Who said that 51 senators in favor would be sufficient to pass the Blunt Act from the US Senate?

It's very simple - the rule is:

Anything that would benefit the vast majority of people, and would improve the long-term security of the USA requires 60 votes.

Anything that would screw 99% of the population in favor of Mitt Romney being able to build a 7th mansion requires 50 votes.

Anything that involves dropping bombs on brown people and posing in a codpiece on an aircraft carrier gets passed without vote.

(Actually, I'm joking. The last one only applies to Republican presidents.)

97 Achilles Tang  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:31:18am

The one thing I used to respect about the Catholic church was their more or less rational acceptance of science (Santorums excepted). This issue being largely pushed by those celibates in funny hats has voided that respect.

They are just another bunch of fundamentalists wanting to impose their will on everyone, while they advocate breeding humanity into extinction.

98 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:31:20am

re: #95 Simply Sarah

I apparently never got the memo I wasn't supposed to like girls.

That's hot.
-Paris Hilton

99 SanFranciscoZionist  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:31:56am

re: #93 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Don't dive into it.

A friend of mine used to say that the best thing about being Jewish was that if you go to the Masonic Temple, and show them your Jew card, they'll let you in to swim in the swimming pool full of gold in the basement.

(You have to imagine this with a Russian accent, coming from a U.C. Berkeley engineering student. It was a riot.)

100 OhNoZombies!  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:32:44am

I live 30 minutes away from Chardon, OH...
That principal needs to be fired.

101 leftynyc  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:53:27am

re: #43 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

One of my best friends used the N word the other day.

I will never have the same level of esteem for him. And? I told him exactly that.

When was the last time these guys looked at a fucking calendar to see the year?

Was he referring to President Obama?

102 Feline Fearless Leader  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 10:56:56am

re: #86 jamesfirecat

Because democrats don't have the spine/spite to filibuster everything they don't like. That or it was that this was an amendment and thus couldn't be filibustered, even I still have a fair bit to learn about the senate.

Wasn't this an amendment that was being added onto a highway bill?

If so, it just needed a majority to pass it and it wasn't subject to a filibuster.

103 lawhawk  Thu, Mar 1, 2012 11:06:54am

re: #93 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Money bath!!!!


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