Drone Strikes in Africa, Voter ID Law Suspended, Money to Support Marijuana Legalization: P.M. Links

• America may start drone strikes in North Africa. If you're in the area, stay calm and try not to look like a male of age to serve in the military.

• Footage of a captured American journalist in Syria has been uploaded to YouTube. It's still not clear which side in the nation's civil war has taken him, though it's assumed to be pro-government loyalists.
• A judge has postponed implementation of Pennsylvania's voter ID law until after the November election.
• Millions are pouring into the campaign in Washington State to legalize marijuana.
• France is set to fully subsidize abortion procedures. Currently women are reimbursed 70 to 80 percent.
• Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn will not be charged with rape by French officials over incident in Washington, D.C., hotel after the alleged victim recanted her story. Good thing that case didn't get hyped up by the media or anything.
• Greece's need for bailouts from its European buddies hasn't stopped it from spending nearly 100 million Euros (about $130 million) on a Formula One Grand Prix racing track.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

A judge has postponed implementation of Pennsylvania's voter ID law until after the November election.

But Romney was counting on that!

[Palin's Buttplug]

GOP voter suppression is all balanced out by a single NBP holding a police baton.

Oh, the outrage!

[LTC(ret) John]

That can join beverage sale suppression, check cashing suppression, R rated and above movie attendance suppression, bar entry suppression, airport gate entry suppression, courthouse entry suppression, driver suppression, and tobacco purchase suppression.

[Fluffy]

Well...those are actually kind of suppressions.

[LTC(ret) John]

Indeed - but only alleged "voter suppression" draws even a whisper from TEAM BLUE - they need the fraud. See also Cook County, IL, Milwaukee County, WI, etc.

[T o n y]

Going into a bar is not the most basic right of a free society.

[Fluffy]

Neither is voting.

[T o n y]

Yes it is.

Let me be shocked at libertarians favoring restricting even the most basic right of a free society. You go after most of the other ones, favoring freedom as you do.

[Trespassers W]

Remember, Tony actually believes that voting is a more basic right than talking about voting, convincing other people that voting is a good or bad idea, assembling with other people to talk about voting, producing and trading for food so that you have enough energy to get to the polls, and so forth. Without the right to vote, there are no other rights.

Since there are no natural rights, which is to say there are no facts of reality that gives rise to the concept of "right", the right to vote is, helpfully, based on turtles all the way down.

[T o n y]

It's pretty rich to bitch about all government being tyrannical then being so nonchalant about the one right that makes government not tyrannical.

[nicole]

It's pretty rich to bitch about all government being tyrannical then being so nonchalant about the one right that makes government not tyrannical.

Does it help if we don't think voting makes government not tyrannical?

[Restoras]

No other rights make the government less tyrannical? Just voting? Can you possibly be that fucking stupid?

[T o n y]

Sure, but it's the first one. Forgive my Founder nostalgia but it wasn't taxation they rebelled against, but a lack of representation in government.

[Enough About Palin]

"It's pretty rich to bitch about all government being tyrannical then being so nonchalant about the one right that makes government not tyrannical."

Hugo Chavez and 31 others like this

[Mickey Rat]

I presume you vote, Tony. If that's the case, tyranny is only avoided if 50%+1 votes the opposite from you.

Voting is only one layer of safeguard against tyranny, and not necessarily the most vital one,as you require voting majoritry who are not submissives to avoid it.

[R C Dean]

IF voting is the most basic right in a free society, why do we have others that are available to any person, not just citizens, and are not stripped upon conviction of a crime?

[T o n y]

I don't think voting rights should be stripped from prisoners. They have as much, if not more, of a stake in government as anyone.

[oncogenesis]

libertarians favoring restricting even the most basic right of a free society

Casual conflation of government with society? Check.

[nicole]

Yeah, I have no doubt that freedom to trade and contract with other individuals and organizations is of much greater daily importance to my life than voting.

[LTC(ret) John]

Voting free of fraud is one of them, however.

[T o n y]

There was scarcely any such thing as voter fraud until the Republicans tried to do it in Florida.

[LTC(ret) John]

You are late to the story - that was covered days ago - TEAM RED fired its fraud attempter - TEAM BLUE ... ?

Or are you admitting that there should be fraud protections in place - good to see you wopuld come around as long as TEAM BLUE was perceivably threatened!

[T o n y]

Evidently there were protections already in place without the need to consciously disenfranchise millions of people.

There is no real big secret about the motivation behind voter ID rules.

[Isaac Bartram]

Actually, it appears that the fraud in that story was a contractor trying to defraud the Republican Party not the Republicans doing anything.

[Restoras]

It's not fraud when they approve of it. Typical statist.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Neither is traveling.

[Restoras]

Yes, I can see you implementing restrictions on the number of people that can be gathered in one place at one time.

[Anonymous Coward]

Going into a bar is not the most basic right of a free society.

Nice to know Iran is a totally free country. Everybody gets to vote.

[Restoras]

Nice to know Iran is a totally free country. Everybody gets to vote.

Russia too. And China, Venezuela, Cuba, and...well, you know the rest.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Going into a bar is not the most basic right of a free society.

Yes, you mongoloid cretin, it is. The right to freely associate and engage in economic activity with a party/parties of your choosing is the cornerstone of a free society.

But, you'd never know anything about non-coercion because you're nothing but a violent thug. Your entire ideology is based on violence.

[Palin's Buttplug]

There are still hundreds of dry counties.

[LTC(ret) John]

To them - "fuck off, slavers".

[MP]

They're dry because they voted that way.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Those voters hate the "most basic freedom" then.

[Whahappan?]

Glad we agree.

[VG Zaytsev]

T o n y| 10.2.12 @ 4:42PM |#

Going into a bar is not the most basic right of a free society.

Anal sex is.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Philadelphia County can breathe a sigh of relief, for one more election at least.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Here are black students at Prairie View protesting for the right to vote in 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gfT8RoAy2k

They were forced to walk seven miles to vote by the white officials who would sometimes move the precincts to suppress their votes. The GOP are the kings of contemporary voter suppression.

[T]

Really? Students at Prarie View don't have cars? Funny, I see parking lots there.

Also, guess what? Precinct moves happen in lily-white suburban districts, too. I know, because I worked the election where half the precincts in the city were moved so everybody showed up at the one place they knew was always a voting location. We politely and helpfully told them where their precinct was. And amazingly, nobody felt a need to demonstrate or sue about voter suppression. Why do you think that is, Shreek?

[Coeus]

Wait, I had to drive to my precinct to vote as well. VOTER SUPPRESSION!!!!

[Apatheist ?_??]

I also had to drive to my precinct and it changed between the May Primary and July Primary Runoff. I looked up the new location because I'm not a fucking retard.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Prairie View has 9000 students and faculty and the average precinct is 1,100.

[Coeus]

What does that have to do with it being voter suppression?

[ant1sthenes]

Expecting voters not to be retards is a deliberate attack against Democratic turnout.

[DJF]

But can I get into the judges courthouse without showing a photo ID?

[db]

When I vote in PA, I have made it a point to have my ID out when I sign in and offer it to the election folks. They tell me it's not necessary. I usually respond with something like: "well, how do you know I'm not voting under some random person's name?" They have no answer.

[Rich]

The same in MD, db.

[Stormy Dragon]

well, how do you know I'm not voting under some random person's name

Because your signature matches the preprinted one in the voter roll book?

[db]

You mean the one I can see before I sign it? With my left hand because my right hand's bandaged?

[Paleo-ConAvenger]

I'll do the same.

But I must say, the Republicans should have gotten all this done when they were sworn in, after the 2010 midterms.

[Auric Demonocles]

I don't have time to RTFA, so I'm confused. The judge is postponing the bill until after this election, but not canceling it entirely? So it's apparently not racist (hence it's OK to do next election), but for some reason (perhaps because Obama is on the ballet) you still can't do it this election?

[Rich]

The judge is postponing the bill until after this election, but not canceling it entirely?

He's a veritable Solomon.

[Stormy Dragon]

The ID requirement itself is okay, but the five weeks remaining until the election did not provide sufficient oppurtunity for voters (the state require 6-8 weeks to process a license application) without ID to obtain one, so the law can't be enforced for the current election.

[Auric Demonocles]

the state require 6-8 weeks to process a license application

What the hell?

[Stormy Dragon]

ID cards are managed by the DMV. You expected quick service?

[db]

I can see concerns with correlating identity with your actual vote, but it seems completely reasonable to require a mechanism to ensure 1) eligibility to vote and 2) one person, one vote.

[Auric Demonocles]

Hey! The right to vote is not subject to reasonable restrictions. You wouldn't put free speech or keeping and baring arms to reasonable restrictions, now would you?

[db]

The 2nd amendment says nothing about the RKBA being reserved for citizens. Same re: 1A and free speech.

[ant1sthenes]

Wow, the sarcasm just zoomed right by you.

[T]

Fist?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Good call.

[T]

So it was.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Millions are pouring into the campaign in Washington State to legalize marijuana.

Unfortunately for Pacific Northwest tokers it takes billions to get results.

[Episiarch]

I don't know. I think this actually has a seriously decent chance of passing.

[LTC(ret) John]

I'd give it even money at passing, which is pretty darn good compared to even a few years ago.

[Rich]

However, what are the odds of the Feds leaving WA alone?

[Episiarch]

A better question is "what are the odds of the governor standing up to the Feds?"

[LTC(ret) John]

Um, less than 50% (?)

[Fist of Etiquette]

France is set to fully subsidize abortion procedures.

Socialists understand that babies are the absolute worst burdens on the state.

[LTC(ret) John]

Curse your speedy Fist of Typing!

[Fist of Etiquette]

You didn't make the same comment so it's all good.

[Trespassers W]

Au contraire: how on earth are they going to keep the Ponzi scheme alive if their population isn't growing?

[Restoras]

Ummm...import more North Africans?

[Trespassers W]

They're going to need more North Africans...

[LTC(ret) John]

Dear Tunisia,

I have an apartment in a wonderful banlieu and a job at the local kebab place waiting for you. Please come ASAP.

Love,
France

[Pro Libertate]

You know, maybe Europe gave up on colonialism too soon.

[LTC(ret) John]

They just changed the direction of flow - instead of Frenchmen going to Algeria to farm and lord it over the natives, they now import Algerians to work lowly jobs and burn cars!

[Isaac Bartram]

Actually, France has one of the highest birthrates in Europe. That table shows them at #117 in the world. I can't see any other Euro country ahead of them there. they're even ahead of the USA, #122 and way ahead of Canada, #178 (which doesn't come anywhere near "replacement" level).

They also pay women to have babies as well as to abort them.

Just as the US is the only western country without a national health plan it's also pretty much the only one that doesn't pay a "baby bonus" either.

[nicole]

Does the child tax credit not count because it's more of a baby salary than a baby bonus?

[Isaac Bartram]

How much of the high French birthrate is due to Muslim immigrants, I don't know and I'm too lazy to research.

[Virginian]

I think about 10% of their population is Muslim immigrants. They tend to have as many kids as possible.

It would not surprise me at all if the only thing keeping their birthrate up was the Muslim immigrants.

[Enough About Palin]

"Just as the US is the only western country without a national health plan"

You just crawl out of a cave or something?

[R C Dean]

This is America, dammit. We don't have just one piddly national health plan, we have three (Medicare, Medicaid, and ObamaCare)! Maybe four, if you count the VA.

[LTC(ret) John]

"VA"

*barf*

I'll pay my own way, unto to bankruptcy before I ever darken the door of a VA.

[The Craig]

Time to pay 75% wealthy French guy, we have some abortions to perform.

[Anonymous Coward]

Worse than old people?

[Restoras]

Hell yeah! Old people will die sooner than those wretched brats the prols pop out like ice cubes from a tray.

[Anonymous Coward]

But old people delay traffic on the roads and streets, therefore they impede interstate commerce and can be regulated under the Commerce Clause.

Fuck yeah! Death panels!

[LTC(ret) John]

"France is set to fully subsidize abortion procedures. Currently women are reimbursed 70 to 80 percent."

Will the last living French person please hang out a "free to a good home" on the Louvre?

[T]

Muslims will be burning the artwork for cooking fires. It's all representational, you know.

[Killazontherun]

Jim Morrison's grave is as good as sacked.

[LTC(ret) John]

It hasn't been already?

[Killazontherun]

Those pot smoking hippies and overturned headstones are part of the decor. When the Islamist come in they'll clean it up and make it look all respectful like. A total debasement.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Good thing that case didn't get hyped up by the media or anything.

Or reason. That would have been very embarrassing.

[R C Dean]

I'm not gonna go look, but I'm pretty sure I was insufficiently skeptical.

[hangs head, kicks puppy]

[Eduard van Haalen]

Latest gaffe by Obama campaign that won't be hyped by legacy media:

http://twitchy.com/2012/10/02/.....end-on-it/

[The Craig]

Well to be fair, I had a lot of stupid FB friends share the e-card because I guess they thought it was oh so clever.

[Palin's Buttplug]

That is about as outrageous as guys referring to their balls.

Really, can't you guys find a a real controversy?

[LTC(ret) John]

It is a little window into the mind of the O! campaign - you are Julia, you are ladyparts, you are anything except someone who can think or act for yourself.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Individualism means you get to set your own priorities. There was a time I thought only about getting laid and making money and that is how I tried to vote.

[LTC(ret) John]

Indeed - and the O! campaign does not treat people as individuals - you are part of a racial bloc or a collection of non-thinking ovaries, etc.

R's campaign tends toward the whafty hot air and vaguery, but I have yet to see "you are Hispanic, vote for me or you'll be deported by la migra!" or "A vote for O! = forced sterilzations!!!!" type crud.

[Palin's Buttplug]

That is just basic sound marketing. The GOP does it too with the gun lobby, the fundies, the bigots, and their other interest groups.

[LTC(ret) John]

"the fundies, the bigots"

Cites please?

Yes, they do tend to support the Second Amendment (you see that as a bad thing?) and cozy up to the Chamber of Commerce (they cannot match O! for the Big Crony capitalism re: GE, et al).

[T o n y]

Absolutely ludicrous statement.

"Crony capitalism prior to 2009 doesn't count!"

[LTC(ret) John]

Of course it does, but nobody can match O! in that realm. Cigar smoking, "Biscuit Trust" Thomas Nast cartoon characters and defense industry mendicants hold no candle to O!'s billions o' swag handed out to every GE, UAW shop and Solyndra out there - with so damned little to show for it too.

[The Craig]

I like it when you vote bitch
Shake them titties when you vote bitch
I slap my jimmie through your mouth roof
Now get your big ass in the polling booth

[Enough About Palin]

Shorter Obama

I see you have a cunt, sweety.

[Restoras]

You are right, there are plenty of real controversies but unfortunately the media doesn't cover them.

[Anonymous Coward]

Really, can't you guys find a a real controversy?

I keep talking about how Barry killed an American citizen without due process, but TEAM Blue seems to think posting derka-derka-jihad videos merits killing, especially when their guy is in charge of the drones.

[mad libertarian guy]

Put Journalists Back to Work: Vote for Romney!

[Killazontherun]

Probably from the same genius in their campaign who came up with the card asking mom for 18,000 dollars for birth control if Obama is defeated.

[Rich]

"What a cunt."

/Captain Obvious

[ant1sthenes]

I'm pretty sure that's the been the Democrat's strategy since at least the Sandra Fluke bullshit. TALKING UTERUS WANTS FREE STUFF. If you aren't basing every political decision you make around the needs of your womb, you're insane and a traitor to other uteruses and their meat shells.

[LTC(ret) John]

Greece's need for bailouts from its European buddies hasn't stopped it from spending nearly 100 million Euros (about $130 million) on a Formula One Grand Prix racing track.

Priorities my dear fellow, priorities!

[Fluffy]

But we have to build now in order to waste even more taxpayer money holding events in the future!

[LTC(ret) John]

"Hey, Stavros, what we gonna do with this track now? Race donkeys?"

[JW]

Why does Reason hate Bernie Ecclestone's bank account?

[Pudgeboy]

Think of all the abortions that could have paid for in France... another War on Women, the bastards

[Anonymous Coward]

As hairy as some the Gallic women are, they need to be subjugated with the tools of civilization: soap and the razor.

[Enough About Palin]

Don't forget the lash.

[Fist of Etiquette]

If you're in the area, stay calm and try not to look like a male of age to serve in the military.

In some parts of the continent that's been good advice longer than there have been drones in the air.

[LTC(ret) John]

And "of age to serve in the military" is a wee bit lower in parts of Africa than the rest of the world...say 10 yoa?

[Restoras]

If you can carry an AK, you're in.

[LTC(ret) John]

Ah, so you do have a copy of the Sub-Saharan Africa Manual of Military Regulations then?

[db]

I think if you can heft an FAL, they make you an officer.

[Heroic Mulatto]

IDI AMIN IS THE ORIGINAL GANGSTA!

[T]

They like you to be taller than the gun you're toting, but they're flexible.

[Doctor Whom]

I've never heard any Obot of my acquaintance mention drone strikes, so they must not be happening.

[Christina]

I've only had Obots on FB tell me to stop talking politics with them when I bring up drones. They don't actually respond to my comments, they just tell me to shut up.

[LTC(ret) John]

Switch to warrantless eavesdropping and see if you get a response, heh heh.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Boy, I hear you there. Too busy circlejerking over how Mitt Romney is THE MOST DANGEROUS EXTREME CONSERVATIVE WOMANHATER MORMON EVER EVER (disclaimer: Romney is a shitheel socialist that I'm not voting for) because God forbid the conversation drift over to what President Due-Processfree Drone Murderer's record is like. Why, that might cause the Republicans to win, and that would be worse than the Holocaust, apparently.

Ever since '09 or so my circle of friends has slimmed a fair bit because I realized that a good number of people I knew didn't have any actual principles at all; they just liked to moan nonstop about Bush and the Republicans rather than the policies of such, and I was much less sensitive to it at the time because I hated Bush too and he was actually in office.

[ant1sthenes]

Just say, "I'm sorry, did I break your adulation?"

[Coeus]

The VAWA expired a year ago and Republicans are still blocking reauthorization

The law was reauthorized without incident in 2000 and 2005 but this year helping victims of rape and domestic violence has become a partisan issue. Essentially, House Republicans have held up the renewal of the law because they don't think all rape victims deserve help.

No, essentially, you're a lying bitch.

As a rape survivor, it infuriates me beyond belief that elected officials feel superior enough to determine which victims deserve help

If that were true, you wouldn't be supporting the Bailout King.

And one more lie to finish the piece:

Note: Rape impacts 1 in 4 American women.

[Warty]

I'd love to hear the details of her rape. I bet it didn't involve any duct tape and guns.

[Episiarch]

Possibly a Hand Banana?

[Coeus]

Well, if no one else is gonna do it...

Tonight...You!

[Episiarch]

"Oh, he's not a boy anymore. He's a man. CAUSE HE JUST RAPED ME!"

[Coeus]

"See, I think that's what hell is like, you know. Constantly raped by dogs"

[Enough About Palin]

But I like dogs. I like dogs a lot.

[Killazontherun]

When he tied her to the chair with rose twine and blindfolded her, he fed her chocolates from his hand, but they were not Toblerone, or even Dove. He fed her Hershey milk chocolate fun sized bricks. Like a woman would not know the difference. The animal!

[Pudgeboy]

I remember learning in college that 40% of women are raped at some point in their lives... does '1 in 4' mean that there is less rape or are they just lying about it less?

[Restoras]

I think it means they have no actual idea what they are talking about.

[Auric Demonocles]

In my college they said "Look to your left and your right." One of those women will be sexually assaulted by the end of college.

[LTC(ret) John]

Did anyone ask wtf the campus police were doing about it, or possibly demand a tutition refund and leave such a violent and lawless place?

[Auric Demonocles]

Nah, they just thought how evil men were, or like me, realized that stat was a load of crap.

[mad libertarian guy]

Did anyone ask wtf the campus police were doing about it, or possibly demand a tutition refund and leave such a violent and lawless place?

When I taught at UK, I once asked a class chock full of greek pledges what WOMEN were doing about it. All I got was crickets. They were far more concerned with being able to party on Thursday-Saturday nights than they were with protecting themselves. They knew that reporting rape would shut down the party scene. Being able to go to epic frat parties was a higher priority.

So until WOMEN are actually interested in doing something meaningful to protect themselves, they can eat shit.

[Coeus]

The survey used to determine this bogus stat was actually closer to 1 in 5, and it's attempted as well as completed rapes. However, the questions were worded in a way so to include "regretful" sex as well counting someone rounding 2nd too fast when making out. The actual stats are closer to 1 in 10, which is horrible enough in it's own right, but doesn't favorably (in their minds) compare to the whole set of violent crime and it's stats in relation to men. So they felt it wouldn't be enough (and they were right, it wouldn't) to eliminate further constitutional protections in rape trials as well as other legal changes.

[Anonymous Coward]

However, the questions were worded in a way so to include "regretful" sex as well counting someone rounding 2nd too fast when making out.

So buyer's remorse = rape, now?

[Coeus]

The wording of the question was thus:

"Have you ever been pressured into sex that you did not want?"

[Auric Demonocles]

This sounds like convincing a girl to have sex counts. I did know a girl in college who said that was rape. But not in the biblical sense.

[Anonymous Coward]

That question doesn't make sense in the context of rape. The elements of rape are sexual contact, force or the threat of force, and lack of consent. "Pressure" (by "pressure", I assume the questioner means persistent begging) is not force. And consent cannot be withdrawn after the fact in sexual intercourse any more than you could invite someone into your house, withdraw consent and then shoot them as a trespasser.

[Coeus]

That's the thing, you have to assume many things there, and many of them would not be rape. It could have been easily reworded to "have you ever had sex that you didn't consent to having?". I wonder why it wasn't?

[mad libertarian guy]

I wonder why it wasn't?

You do?

[Coeus]

You do?

I wonder if mlg knows what "rhetorical question" means?

[R C Dean]

consent cannot be withdrawn after the fact in sexual intercourse any more than you could except that you can invite someone into your house womb, withdraw consent and then shoot abort them as a trespasser.

[Redland Jack]

At least the word used is 'impacts'. Maybe the writer is trying to distinguish between being raped and being impacted by rape?

[Coeus]

It's the same bogus survey they always quote, which counts "take your hand out of my pants, slow down, relax, you're going too fast" as an attempted rape.

[Killazontherun]

As a rape survivor, it infuriates me beyond belief that elected officials feel superior enough to determine which victims deserve help

From rape comes . . . a political science degree worth of wisdom on what properly constitutes the grounds of legislation? That is some seriously fucked up reasoning.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

As a rape survivor, it infuriates me beyond belief that elected officials feel superior enough to determine which victims deserve help

Democracy isn't so cool when it fucks you, is it?

[Rich]

Well said.

[Episiarch]

"See, you don't know what rape is like. For years, I thought it was funny. Oh, yeah, rape. It's so funny. Until you been raped!"

[nicole]

Yes, I always like to compare the kind of consent left-statists would require for sex to the kind they think should be required for being governed. They still never seem to get it, though.

[Coeus]

They still never seem to get it, though.

That's the same reason my "Libertarianism: It's like abortion for everything." bumper sticker business failed.

[nicole]

Didn't the LP used to sell ones that said "I'm pro-choice on everything"? Haha, yes, and apparently they are now "collectibles". I always liked that line.

[Coeus]

Nice. I want that on a T-shirt.

[nicole]

CafePress is (at least sort of) your friend.

[Coeus]

Nice, but how did you know I needed a shirt cut for my man-boobs?

[nicole]

It actually took me a bizarrely long time to find one that wasn't a women's tshirt.

[Coeus]

Not that bizarre. Which do you think would be more likely to sell out first? They've probably had the women's in stock for half a decade. After all, the bumper sticker is already a "collectible".

[Doctor Whom]

My body, my right to choose. Your body, still my right to choose.

[Ice Nine]

As a rape survivor

She actually survived a rape? Downright heroic! Louis Zamperini, eat your heart out.

[LTC(ret) John]

Tell me about it!

/Abner Louima

[Heroic Mulatto]

The fuck.

Are all NYPD Cops frustrated, closeted homosexuals?

[LTC(ret) John]

Apparently none too closeted, they seem to come out quite violently. New Professinalism?

[Heroic Mulatto]

House Republicans are still blocking the reauthorization, which passed the Senate this spring, because of added protections and services for LGBT, Native American, and immigrant abuse victims.

Because rape is, somehow, worse when it happens to them.

[Coeus]

A large part of the issue is why I won't date Mexicans anymore (ok, I do, but I have to be really careful). These "immigrant protections" they're talking about are this:

If an immigrant alleges abuse, the immigrant gets a green card, welfare and the accused gets a criminal investigation, as well as curtailed gun rights, depending on the state.

This is all done on the basis of the allegation, not conviction.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Yep.

I know what you mean, I'm married to a current green card holder.

Fortunately our arguments are the silent treatment type and not the throwing pans and pots at each other type.

[nicole]

Well, HM, as long as she's the only one doing the throwing, VAWA suggests to me that the introduction of pots and pans to your routine would probably be okay. Some genders are more equal than others, you know.

[Coeus]

Dominant Aggressor!!!!

[Heroic Mulatto]

Actually, no. Assault in a domestic violence situation is one crime that can effect your immigration status. If she were charged with simple assault, it might effect her chances of becoming a citizen. Part of the VAWA was to protect immigrant women from being exploited by their American husbands in just that way.

[Coeus]

You mean "cannot effect your immigration status", right?

[Heroic Mulatto]

No, it can. I just learnt that today from an immigration lawyer who came to speak on our campus.

If an immigrant, regardless of gender, is charged with simple assault in a domestic violence situation, INS could declare that immigrant "removable" (i.e. deportable) or inadmissible (meaning that if they leave the country they cannot re-enter, nor can they change their immigration status; like from non-immigrant visa to immigrant visa, or immigrant visa to permanent resident and so on.)

[Coeus]

Your wording is confusing. Surely there are more crimes than that that can effect your immigration status.

Part of the VAWA was to protect immigrant women from being exploited by their American husbands in just that way.

Also, much like bleeding with leaches for a fever, the cure was worse than the problem it was trying to fix.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Yes, one crime of many, I mean.

[LTC(ret) John]

New national motto "Out of many crimes, one!"

[Loki]

Note: Rape impacts 1 in 4 American women.

I would have though the number would be a lot higher than that. Since, as we all know, all heterosexual intercourse is rape.

[Auric Demonocles]

Since, as we all know, all heterosexual intercourse is rape.

Yeah, did did you know homosexuals are totally normal, in that they make up the majority of the population?

[Auric Demonocles]

but didn't*

Damn you Reason and you lack of an edit feature!

[Mickey Rat]

I notice that the "added services and protections" that the GOP balked over are only alluded to and not discussed by her. Maybe her audience might object if they understood. Either way, she has not made a reasoned case for the Democrat's version of the bill, just a temper tantrum.

Digging through the fluff to find a hard fact in her article, I believe she's saying, is that the so-called "watered-down" version is pretty much the recently expired law. If you are going to be greedy, you may get nothing, especially since, lady, we as a nation are BROKE!

[Xenocles]

The MJ referendum was an unexpected bonus on my ballot. I was happy enough to vote for same sex marriage.

[Christina]

How CAFE Killed Compact Trucks and Station Wagons

"Ironically, CAFE has much in common with the chicken tax, which is erroneously cited as being the sole impediment to the success of compact pickups in America. Both are horribly protectionist, anti-market laws that restrict consumer choice and give an unfair advantage to homegrown manufacturers. But at least the chicken tax compelled the OEMs to build compact pickups Stateside. Under CAFE, there isn't just no reason to do so ? there is every reason not to do so."

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.c.....on-wagons/

[Restoras]

grumblegrumblegrumble unintended consequneces grumblegrumblegrumble not my fault grumblegrumblegrumble

[Loki]

A judge has postponed implementation of Pennsylvania's voter ID law until after the November election.

Well we wouldn't want the "MOAST IMPORTENT ELEKSHUN EVAR" to not have any possibility of vote fraud, would we? /sarc

[Palin's Buttplug]

Romney is talking about a $17,000 limit on tax deductions.

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-th.....-specifics

Finally, he is being shamed into providing some detail on his tax and deficit policy.

This won't sit well, imo.

[JEP]

Why is Team Blue so wrapped around the axle with Romney's tax returns?

Did he do anything illegal? No. Is filing your taxes in a such a way that you pay as little as possible a crime? No.

Where's Obama's tax return? He's a millionaire too, you know.

I hate Romney, but the tax return thing is complete bullshit.

[Palin's Buttplug]

This $17,000 limit is for all Americans as part of his tax plan.

It has nothing to do with his past returns.

[Anonymous Coward]

Why is Team Blue so wrapped around the axle with Romney's tax returns?

Because Romney is so white bread that he has no seedy dark side to attack him (like the actual accused rapist/known philanderer President Bubba).

Two, they're counting on the American public to be as ignorant and irrational about taxation as TEAM Blue is (unfortunately, the public is obliging them).

Three, attacking Romney for his policies and actions as governor would call into question Obama's own policies and actions because they are damn near the same.

Four, Barack Obama, as President, is completely indefensible, which is why he's running like the challenger instead of the incumbent.

[T o n y]

Yet Obama is winning, seemingly justifying anything you're bitching about.

[Anonymous Coward]

Yet Obama is winning

More of an indictment of the American people than a justification of Barack Obama's presidency.

[ant1sthenes]

More an indictment of the media, really.

[Anonymous Coward]

I have to disagree. When someone puts a turd on my plate (the economy's doing fine, for example), I recognize it as a turd and refuse to eat it. "Joe Random Middle of the road undecided moderate voter" gets a turd on his plate and says "oh look! My filet mignon! After all, that is what I ordered! The waiters, cooks and managers would never lie to me!"

P.S. Damn you squirrels and your anti-ampersand, anti-50-character tyranny!

[Big Chief]

"Taxers" - Birthers for the left.

[Fluffy]

If I had charitable deductions that would push me over $17000 I'd just make them through an S Corp.

Voila! Limit eluded.

[LTC(ret) John]

Say, is that an IRS drone over your home?

[OldMexican]

Re: Palin's Buttplug,

Romney is talking about a $17,000 limit on tax deductions.

Jives well enough with the narrative that he wants to give tax breaks to the rich, right?

Right?

[generic Brand]

Meant to post this sooner, but here's a look into the mind of a crazy man:

If you're in a battle against Nazis, and there's one unarmed guy on the enemy lines holding a sign full of horrible bigoted comments, and another guy who probably doesn't believe any of it but was just drafted, but he's manning a machine gun, which one do you shoot first?

And in case you were stumped by that brainteaser, he generously laid out the answer for us:

Nobody is anybody. It's an analogy.

Shooting the machine gun guy is voting for Romney, shooting the propaganda guy is voting for Johnson. Shooting yourself is voting for Obama.

"Analogy. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

[generic Brand]

Also, my apologies if it's in bad form to post into AM or PM links from previous Hit-to-run threads.

I learned it from you, reason!

[sobs violently while reaching for bottle of whiskey]

[nicole]

It's not bad form, but I'm still resisting the impulse to respond again in the original thread and complain about how little sense it made.

[T]

Honestly, I think our dear Tulpa has stared into the abyss of HampersandR too long and it's driven him around the bend.

[Episiarch]

It's Tulpa. As we all know, the probability of Tulpa being retarded is somewhere between one and one.

[Killazontherun]

Oh shit, looks like Tulpa did finally snap.

SNAP: Professor Strips Naked In Class, Shouts 'There Is No F--king God'...

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/n.....z289SI2v8h

[Coeus]

Well, he was obviously on PCP and/or bath salts.

[nicole]

That's not what Tulpa would shout.

He would shout, "PROBABILITY IS NOT MATH."

[Episiarch]

"THAT COIN HAS IMPERFECTIONS! IT AFFECTS FLIPPING IT!"

[nicole]

It was really epic that he had the first comment on that thread. You'd almost think he was an apologist for statists y politicians.

[Killazontherun]

Good thing Tulpa was there to tell us. If not for him I would not know that varied conditions in the physical universe effect probability. It's like he challenges our assumptions, or something.

[nicole]

Shit, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't even know what math was.

I would, however, still be able to tell you the chances of heads coming up twice in a row on a fair coin. (Yes, I hate myself for typing "fair coin," but I had to, because it's...sob...technically correct.)

[Episiarch]

Well, Tulpa is very proud of his extra chromosome and likes to show it off at every opportunity.

[Killazontherun]

'What kind of idiot shop does that guy hang out' was the first thought in my head before rolling over the link. So embarrassed for all of us.

[nicole]

I prefer to call it the jerk store.

[Killazontherun]

That's only a side effect of my policy to treat every one equally bad. Except for Tulpa who deserves a double dose, and shrike who I do not treat at all.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Well, it looks like they do hate us for our freedoms; one of them anyway.

[LTC(ret) John]

Dang, talk about conforming to stereotype....

Of course, as the commies learned in the 1960s - don't cross Indonesian Muslims and expect a non-violent reaction. Year of Living Dangerously anyone?

[A Serious Man]

Oregon farmer eaten by pigs.

Clearly this man ran afoul of Al Swearagen and Mr. Wu.

[Episiarch]

SAN FRANCISCO COCKSUCKA

[Coeus]

Fark thinks they found an example of libertarian hypocrisy. Needless to say, they haven't.

For as much belittling of libertarians as inconsequential crackpots they do, they're fucking obsessed with using bad logic to catch us in a contradiction. I mean, If we're that crazy, why bother?

[Cytotoxic]

So that's how retarded Fark is. Huh.

[wakeup]

Delicious hate crime

[Heroic Mulatto]

Food Stamps: You're doing it wrong!

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton lost four pounds and a lot of equilibrium when he spent a week trying to live on a poverty diet.

"I had to skip a few meals and I ate a lot of ramen soup," Stanton told the Star this week.

"You have to make choices: No desserts. You can't buy in bulk if you only have $29 a week to live on. It was very difficult but, look, I only had to live through it for a week."

Stanton had accepted a challenge from the Arizona Community Action Association (ACAA) and the Valley of the Sun United Way to see what life was like on the budget of someone receiving U.S. food stamps, which works out to $4.16 a day per person.

By Day 4, he wrote in a Facebook blog: "I'm surviving on an apple and handful of peanuts, and the coffee I took to the office until dinner. I'm tired, and it's hard to focus. I can't go buy a sandwich because that would be cheating ? even the dollar menu at Taco Bell is cheating.

No, no, no, Mayor. You're not suppose to try eat healthy foods like apples and peanuts. You're suppose to choose candy bars and potato chips from the 7-11. Also you're supposed to supplement by having tons and tons of children, which will bring in about 1,500 bucks a month in assistance and more food stamps and free medicine!

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Greg Stanton: a man so inspiring that the Phoenix New Times could only argue for his election by saying "Phoenix is mostly Democrat, therefore it should have a Democrat mayor".

[SFC B]

I don't know what the recent inflation in food prices has done to it, but last month when I restocked the pantry I was able to get a 5 pound bag of rice and a 5 pound back of dried black beans for like $5 total. Beans and rice are a cheap, easy, calorie and protien-filled meal. If I were to be reduced to $29 a month for food my first purchase would be as large a supply of rice and dried beans as I could store. Throw in some cumin, paprika, and salt for flavor and it will be cheaper and healthier than cup-o-ramen.

[benji]

It wasn't even $29 a month, it was $29 a week. I think discounting alcohol I easily ate well on that amount in college.

[OldMexican]

France is set to fully subsidize abortion procedures. Currently women are reimbursed 70 to 80 percent.

And it couldn't come earlier enough. We were already behind schedule in ridding the Earth of new French.

[OldMexican]

Greece's need for bailouts from its European buddies hasn't stopped it from spending nearly 100 million Euros (about $130 million) on a Formula One Grand Prix racing track.

Hey, living a more frugal life does not mean depriving yourself of a few decadent pleasures!

At least, that is how the wife justifies overcharging the credit card after the limit is raised.

[OldMexican]

Re: Tony,

It's pretty rich to bitch about all government being tyrannical then being so nonchalant about the one right [voting] that makes government not tyrannical.

The clearest indication that a government is not tyrannical is the promotion of the right to vote, according to you - am I right?

That would make Cuba the least tyrannical place on Earth.