Brett Kavanaugh's Confirmation Hearing

[Audrey2]

@fraurosena, you don't know how much I appreciate you and your intelligent posts about our political fiasco. As upset as I am, I appreciate knowing that there is still support for common Americans, those who are offended and disgusted by the current political climate daily. Your message of I believe you and this is not okay really resonates. Thank you for your support, all that you add to our political discussions, and for just being you!

[Rachel333]

I'm having a really hard time with this. I expected him to be confirmed but the reality of watching this happen is devastating. It is so unfair that predatory men are still protected and rewarded, that they can use women how they please and not only get away from it but be appointed to elite positions while the women they hurt are left to deal with the consequences and denied any justice.

[SassyPants]

13 minutes ago, Rachel333 said:

I'm having a really hard time with this. I expected him to be confirmed but the reality of watching this happen is devastating. It is so unfair that predatory men are still protected and rewarded, that they can use women how they please and not only get away from it but be appointed to elite positions while the women they hurt are left to deal with the consequences and denied any justice.

It is disgusting, but we have not evolved as a society at all. Man rules all.

[mango_fandango]

To me it’s just crazy that your judicial system is so political. How on Earth is a trial supposed to be fair if most of the questioners are on the side of the accused??

[AmazonGrace]

 

[Rachel333]

I've thankfully never been seriously sexually assaulted, so if I'm feeling this devastated I can only imagine what this must be like for women who have been assaulted. What I, like most women, have experienced however are men who even in small ways feel entitled to my body, to touch and grope without a second thought and even to just make sexual comments about me for their own entertainment. It hurts a lot to be reminded how little women matter to the men in charge, how they will always think their reputation matters more than women's lives.

Even while I've been happy to see some famous men finally be held accountable for their actions over the past year, the #metoo movement has exposed a lot of misogyny and it has been painful to see so many men get more upset over famous men's reputations being "ruined" than about what happened to the women who were hurt, and to bring out every excuse in the book to try to explain why the accusations aren't that serious. And their excuses worked, too; men like Louis CK are already making comebacks and are being welcomed by many because, when it comes down to it, our culture values men more than women.

[SilverBeach]

30 minutes ago, mango_fandango said:

To me it’s just crazy that your judicial system is so political. How on Earth is a trial supposed to be fair if most of the questioners are on the side of the accused??

This wasn't a trial or court of law. It was part of the vetting process for the SC nominee. Legal standards don't apply. Dr. Ford was sure on trial though.

9 minutes ago, Rachel333 said:

our culture values men more than women.

Because men have the power and this culture worships at the altar of power and money.

[mango_fandango]

Ah ok, thanks for the explanation. It’s still crazytown.

[Rachel333]

It looks like something is going on. They haven't started the vote yet and apparently there are discussions about getting an FBI investigation after all and delaying the vote by a week. I'm not optimistic, but I'm curious to see what happens.

Flake is recommending an FBI investigation?!

But he voted yes anyway. I don't know what's happening.

Okay, it's a conditional yes from Flake?

[Rachel333]

Anyone know WTF is going on right now?

[Destiny]

What the HELL just happened?

[Rachel333]

They just stopped the session very abruptly. I'm so confused.

[Drala]

25 minutes ago, mango_fandango said:

To me it’s just crazy that your judicial system is so political. How on Earth is a trial supposed to be fair if most of the questioners are on the side of the accused??

The nomination of Kavenaugh to the Supreme Court brought the politicization of our judicial system out into the open in plain sight, for everyone to see.  It is the most blatant politicization of the judiciary to date.  Beyond being a sex offender, he revealed himself to be a full bore political hack at yesterday's hearing.  There are no more pretensions about whether he can be impartial in his rulings.  I see this as a major cultural moment in our evolution as a democracy.  

The hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday was not, strictly speaking, a judicial process, although it had features of one because it involved a legislative body.  If Kavenaugh is confirmed, the drama undoubtedly will be played out in the courts at various levels.  For one thing, the American Bar Association withdrew its endorsement of Kavenaugh, pending further investigation.  I can't imagine that there won't be legal challenges if he is confirmed; at a minimum, there will be civil suits a la Avenatti.   There certainly will be legislative challenges if the House flips Blue in November.  Kavenaugh's confirmation will fire up a lot of women to get to the polls.

I'm still hoping the Senate won't confirm, and Sens Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins save the nation from the continuing shit show over Kavenaugh's appointment.  I said I'm hoping.  I see hope as a rational coping strategy when events take a turn for the worse.  I'm enough of a realist to know this thing is likely to break along partisan lines and that we're looking at a street brawl for months/years to come.  

[SassyPants]

WTH???????

These senile a-holes need to be voted out-

 

[GreyhoundFan]

The vote is still going to the full senate, but Flake's proclamation basically tells McTurtle that he would vote no if the FBI investigation didn't happen.

[Rachel333]

 

[SassyPants]

Graham looks like someone stole his cookie

[GreyhoundFan]

Grasshole forced the vote because the committee is required to end by 2PM unless there was some sort of agreement ahead of time. And that 2PM thing is why he basically cut everyone off.

Lindsey just said to MSNBC that "someone has to explain this to Trump, I guess that's going to be me". What a tool.

[mango_fandango]

My mother has been watching this whole thing. She gets very angry when Graham is on screen! He’s such a Class A dickhead.

[Drala]

16 minutes ago, Rachel333 said:

 

I like Avenatti, even though I'm skeptical about his integrity as a political leader. I've got to hand it to him--he knows how to beat Trump at his own game.  When they go low, he kicks them in the balls--which makes my pacifistic soul a little uneasy.  He might be a self-promoting avenging angel, but he hasn't failed to deliver the goods thus far and he's on the right side of history.  I think a lot of the political players underestimate him.

[formergothardite]

Quote

this weekend when her story is told and is deemed credible.

What is this meaning?

Flake looked absolutely miserable when confronted by women in the elevator. And the video made him look awful. The next week needs to find all the senators in this position. They need to be videoed cornered by the women they are trying to ignore. I think that humiliating video is the only reason Flake said he wanted the FBI to investigate. 

 

[AmazonGrace]

Avenatti is a bit annoying on Twitter because he gets into childish fights he ought to be above of (imo) but if he delivers some evidence against any bastard I hate I'm willing to overlook that

3 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

What is this meaning?

Flake looked absolutely miserable when confronted by women in the elevator. And the video made him look awful. The next week needs to find all the senators in this position. They need to be videoed cornered by the women they are trying to ignore. I think that humiliating video is the only reason Flake said he wanted the FBI to investigate. 

 

That and Coons, maybe?

[Rachel333]

Murkowski has now said she agrees with Flake. It sounds like they will not have the votes to confirm Kavanaugh if they don't get an FBI investigation first.

[SilverBeach]

Thanks @Drala for your more detailed explanation regarding the nature of the senate judiciary committee proceedings. My laptop tends to eat longer posts s I try to write them sparingly. I know I could cut and past from Word or something, but I'm usually too lazy to do that.

[AmazonGrace]