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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#255726: Sep 26th 2018 at 5:16:50 PM

[up][up] It’s paywalled so I’m gonna go with no.

Edited by Silasw on Sep 26th 2018 at 12:16:48 PM

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#255727: Sep 26th 2018 at 5:27:59 PM

Georgia 2018: Where the candidates for governor stand on the issues

To note, these are but an inch deep. There are separate articles for analyzing each, but I'd have to post that kind of detail another time.


     GA Candidate Positions - Cliff Notes 
Georgia voters are set to elect a new governor in 2018.

Stacey Abrams — the former House minority leader — won the Democratic nomination. Secretary of State Brian Kemp win the Republican nomination.

Learn about how the candidates plan to take on the major issues facing the state.

Taxes

Republican

Brian Kemp: Plans to put a cap on state spending, adjusted for growth and inflation and eliminate “wasteful” tax incentives.

Democrat

Stacey Abrams: Wants to reverse the state tax rate cut enacted in this year’s legislative session in order to expand Medicaid. Backs tax credit for lower-income families.

Medicaid

Republican

Kemp: Opposes expanding Medicaid.

Democrat

Abrams: supports expanding Medicaid

In Depth: Medicaid expansion question fuels Georgia governor’s race

In Depth: Abrams’ health care plan centers on Medicaid expansion for poor

Education/HOPE

Republican

Kemp: Would support “school choice” effort by doubling the state tax credit for student scholarship organizations and boost funding for charter schools.

In Depth: Kemp proposes a $600 million annual plan to boost teacher pay

In Depth: Kemp unveils school-safety plan

Democrat

Abrams: Supports “historic investment” in early childcare and learning and public schools and a needs-based higher education scholarship. Says she staved off deeper cuts to lottery-funded HOPE scholarship by working with Republicans to keep the program solvent.

Gun laws

Republican

Brian Kemp: Opposes new gun restrictions and backs “constitutional carry.” Ran provocative ad showing him brandishing shotgun next to young man courting his daughter. Won support from Georgia Carry.Org, a pro-gun group.

Democrat

Stacey Abrams: Supports stricter gun laws, including universal background checks for private sales of firearms and a repeal of the “campus carry” legislation that allows permitholders to carry weapons on college campuses.

In Depth: In Georgia, Democrats chart new course on gun control

Criminal Justice/drug policy

Republican

Kemp: Supports bolstering state’s anti-gang initiative, opposes in-state cultivation of medical marijuana

Democrat

Abrams: Pledges to eliminate the use of cash bail for some poor defendants, backs taking steps to decriminalize marijuana, expanding accountability courts and ending capital punishment.

In Depth: Criminal justice reveals wide split in Georgia governor’s race

Immigration

Republican

Kemp: Has proposed creating a database for tracking unauthorized immigrants with criminal convictions and for speeding up their deportations.

Democrat

Abrams: Opposed Georgia House Bill 87, a crackdown on illegal immigration that lawmakers approved in 2011, saying it has “harmed our immigrant and refugee communities.”

Religious Liberty

Republican

Kemp: Pledged to sign “religious liberty” measure

In Depth: Kemp: I will veto any legislation that veers from federal ‘religious liberty’ law

Democrat

Abrams: opposed bills that threatened to legalize discrimination or allow some Georgians to be treated differently under the law.

Abortion

Republican

Kemp: Has pledged to enact nation’s toughest abortion restrictions.

Democrat

Abrams: Opposes further abortion restrictions

Medical Marijuana

Republican

Brian Kemp: He supports a limited expansion of the medical marijuana program but opposes legislation allowing marijuana to be grown in the state, saying it should be up to Congress to tackle the debate. He also opposes decriminalizing marijuana.

Democrat

Stacey Abrams: She supports in-state cultivation of marijuana for medicinal purposes. She would seek to decriminalize some marijuana offenses, and invoked a new Atlanta policy that calls for a maximum fine of $75 and no mandatory jail time for small amounts.

Transportation

Republican

Brian Kemp: He’s been skeptical of a state-funded transit expansion, saying he first wants to know “what it’s going to cost and who’s going to pay for it.” As part of his plan to cap state spending, he said he wants to prioritize road projects such as the widening of truck routes to accommodate more freight.

Democrat

Stacey Abrams: She’s supportive of efforts to expand transit and says it should be seen as a regional and economic issue. She’s called for more investments in trucking lanes and increased mobility for residents in rural counties.

Water wars

Republican

Brian Kemp: Says he won’t strike a compromise for the sake of ending the waters wars that will leave “hardworking Georgians high and dry” and is ready to step up the legal fight. “I won’t back down, blink or sacrifice our state’s future on the altar of expediency.”

Democrat

Stacey Abrams: She’s framed herself as a sharp-edged negotiator who will work to preserve the state’s water interests

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#255728: Sep 26th 2018 at 5:37:04 PM

I wonder if anyone can get records of medical treatment Kavanaugh received in 1985 or indications of injury?

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#255729: Sep 26th 2018 at 5:39:29 PM

I half-seriously worry that there could possibly end up being too many accusations against Kavanaugh. Enough that someone on the Right can just say "he can't have been this bad!" and turn it until a Boy Who Cried Wolf scenario.

It's only half seriously because I don't see it actually happening, but it's still a scenario I can imagine, if not perhaps adequately describe.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#255730: Sep 26th 2018 at 5:44:25 PM

I can imagine them saying it, though it's not like it would be any more credible than the refutations that already exist.

PolarPhantom Since: Jun, 2012
#255731: Sep 26th 2018 at 6:23:22 PM

When I wrote that Kavanaugh should be treated fairly because Ford might have been wrong, I was doing that because that is something that is possible. A very notable case occurred years back which provided a very interesting - and tragic - example of the flawed nature of memory. A woman was raped, and she was of sound mind. She made every effort to memorise exactly what the man looked like. She was convinced it was him. He was convicted. He always protested his innocence.

Years later, DNA evidence proved him innocent. The two made amends. The real rapist was never found, as far as I'm aware.

Maybe noteworthy, but the woman was white and the man was black. So that might have been a factor in the memory distortion and conviction etc.

One thing I wanted people to remember when I wrote before is that all accusations must be taken seriously, but we have to be careful about it. We need to look at all the evidence before we make a call. Just this summer I was working with young people and there was an incident. It was an innocent mistake - a older lady touched a young woman's behind as a gag. I witnessed it, and i got called in to give my testimony because the young woman made a complaint. I gave my honest recollection and my personal opinion - the older woman did not mean anything by it.

And an elderly woman touched my butt when I was working once. I asked her not to, she responded that's what she does to her grandchildren than became very ashamed. She never came back to the library after that, even though I tried to explain it was fine and I forgave her.

Now, these are different from Kavanaugh. And I think I was mistaken in being so "fair" to Kavanaugh because being raped by a stranger is different from being raped by someone you know. On reflection, I apologise. But I don't like the idea that by my saying we need to not make snap judgements, to lynch whomever is accused of rape in these troubled times means I'm contributing to rape culture.

With all these other allegations, I think it very likely Kavanaugh is guilty. It's like how I believe Weinstein and Spacey very likely are predators. If it were one accusation, I would be more... not skeptical, but cautious.

And I want to help disarm rape culture. I want to see the powerful men of the world brought to justice. I want women to feel safe making these accusations of things that these awful people have done. I...

I don't know what else to write right now.

Except Kavanaugh is a monster and I wish I could do more than just write about how much I hate him and his ilk.

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#255732: Sep 26th 2018 at 6:27:37 PM

[up][up][up]About that. Apparently, the boat one was planted by the GOP to try and make the accusations seem 'frivolous'. Basically, don't believe everything you hear.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#255733: Sep 26th 2018 at 7:56:56 PM

If your planted accusations seem perfectly credible, that doesn't undermine anyone, it makes you and your candidate look like utter lunatics.

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#255734: Sep 26th 2018 at 8:12:50 PM

I’m just going to gently point out that the word “lynch” has a very specific context. It’s not really appropriate in this discussion.

Edited by wisewillow on Sep 26th 2018 at 11:48:53 AM

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#255735: Sep 26th 2018 at 9:07:18 PM

Say, I noticed something odd about the US political scene: All the sex scandals involving politicians that I've ever come across (at least as far as I remember right now) always had the politician being a man. When I mentioned this to my mom, she pointed out that perhaps it's because 1) the US "population" of politicians is overwhelmingly male, thus magnifying the statistical possibility of such scandals among them coming to light, and 2) that same overwhelmingly male environment essentially "weeds" out most women who aren't up to the task of proving themselves as competent politicians and/or who worry that their skeletons in the closet are too much of a risk factor to simply hope that they'd either avoid having exposed or survive having them exposed.

What are your thoughts on this?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#255736: Sep 26th 2018 at 9:11:44 PM

She’s got a valid point.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#255737: Sep 26th 2018 at 9:12:33 PM

There's also the whole rape culture thing that was mentioned earlier that tends to make excuses and justifications for men. Especially rich white men. That kind of culture makes it more likely for guys to grow up with an entitled mindset that makes them more likely to commit sexual misconduct.

We have a society that both makes it easier for men to gain power and encourages them to abuse power.

Edited by M84 on Sep 27th 2018 at 12:14:59 AM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#255738: Sep 26th 2018 at 9:16:12 PM

The problem with rape accusations specifically is that in many cases, there isn't much evidence that can be gathered to verify what happened. The reason why people learn towards believing accusations is because the vast majority of people are not going to come forward with one unless they have a very strong reason to do so; most of the time that reason is going to be because they actually experienced it. You make yourself extremely vulnerable when you do so, and risk a LOT. Of course, it is possible that people will either lie deliberately or misidentify someone, but it's not as common as some people might imagine. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't be prepared for those scenarios (just because something is once in a blue moon doesn't mean the lives of people who can get ruined by it don't matter), but we have to understand the context of the world we live in now when making these kinds of calls.

So my personal philosophy is to lean towards believing accusations unless I am given a very good reason to doubt that the event being described actually took place.

[up][up][up] It's a multifaceted thing. Yes, most politicians are male, which is a reflection of a patriarchal society; politics is hardly the only place where women being underrepresented is common. But also it's a problem with the way men are raised and educated; when you're fed toxic messages about yourself and the role of women in society, and also put in a position where you have a larger amount of societal power in aggregate in comparison to women, you are more likely to commit sexual assault and other crimes of that nature; many of them may not consciously be aware of the fact that they are likely to get away with it, or at all, but that's a factor. Women are people and capable of all the same horrible things men are, it's simply that the way they are raised by society is different, and also often they have less power to do those kinds of things and get away with it like men do.

Edited by Draghinazzo on Sep 26th 2018 at 12:19:36 PM

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#255739: Sep 26th 2018 at 9:25:42 PM

The problem with rape accusations specifically is that in many cases, there isn't much evidence that can be gathered to verify what happened. The reason why people learn towards believing accusations is because the vast majority of people are not going to come forward with one unless they have a very strong reason to do so; most of the time that reason is going to be because they actually experienced it. You make yourself extremely vulnerable when you do so, and risk a LOT. Of course, it is possible that people will either lie deliberately or misidentify someone, but it's not as common as some people might imagine. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't be prepared for those scenarios (just because something is once in a blue moon doesn't mean the lives of people who can get ruined by it don't matter), but we have to understand the context of the world we live in now when making these kinds of calls.

This. Exactly this. All of this. Hidden text for discussion of rape and sexual assault.

A friend of mine was repeatedly raped when she was 4 by a family friend who was an adult man. The investigation lasted a year. They interrogated her without her mother present repeatedly. In the end, he spent 2 years in prison. That’s a SUCCESS story. When she was raped a couple years ago by an ex-boyfriend, she didn’t report. He was upper middle class, came from a well-off family; she’s lower middle class and knew he’d make her life hell/hire a fancy lawyer, plus it would be her word against his and police would likely buy the nice-guy act he put on when she started dating him. And I was semi-assaulted 5 years ago; I never said no or fought, I froze and basically acted like a semi-mobile doll, but I never said yes. At one point I couldn’t breathe; he either didn’t notice or didn’t care. I texted a friend from his bathroom after; she did a fake emergency call. I sobbed the entire way home, but never told my parents, only a couple close friends. I didn’t even dream that it would be reportable; again, what evidence would I have? I agreed to go to his house for dinner; I didn’t say no or fight him. My word wouldn’t have been worth a damn. It took me several years to realize how messed up the situation was and to stop blaming myself for it happening.

Edited by wisewillow on Sep 26th 2018 at 12:27:46 PM

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#255740: Sep 26th 2018 at 9:28:54 PM

Well, it's partially that politics is more dominated by men, and also that male sex criminals are more common than female sex criminals. Female sex criminals do exist, certainly, but they're not nearly as common because society isn't actively encouraging them to.

The toxic masculinity in society has groomed and trained men to unhealthily suppress their feelings and reject emotional openness, has trained men to believe that women are inferior and undeserving of positions of power, and has supported men abusing positions of power by planting the idea that men deserve to get away with their crimes because they're more valuable.

On the flip-side, society has trained women not to desire positions of power, that they should submit to men in power without fighting back, and that women are somehow culpable for any crimes committed against them, that men won't just do evil things without conscious provocation.

This isn't an excuse for sexual crimes, far from it, but it is an explanation. We are all just simple humans, and we are shaped by the society we live in, and our society is one that is deeply and horrifyingly sexist when you take a close look at it.

Edited by PushoverMediaCritic on Sep 26th 2018 at 9:28:47 AM

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#255741: Sep 26th 2018 at 9:34:46 PM

that they should submit to men in power without fighting back, and that women are somehow culpable for any crimes committed against them, that men won't just do evil things without conscious provocation.

Holy shit. Yeah. See my above hidden post. I went on a second date at a man’s house I wasn’t interested in after date 1... because I didn’t want to be rude. I didn’t leave immediately after eating, even though I wanted to... because it would be mean. I didn’t fight him when he started touching me... because I had led him on, it would be rude to tell him to back off. Once he got my shirt off, I gave up, because how rude would it be to change my mind at that point? I basically beat myself into submission; he didn’t have to raise a finger, just ignore my complete lack of enthusiasm or active participation.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#255742: Sep 27th 2018 at 12:18:01 AM

@Marq: The first one is a valid point, and is far from unique to the US. Most countries have or have had a problem with politicians being overwhelmingly male. So yeah, by sheer numbers you're going to have more men abusing power because more men have power. Others before me have already pointed out the nuances of this particular situation. Plus, I do believe we've gone over this exact subject several times in this thread alone.

Number two is kind of BS, though; traditionally patriarchal systems make it hard for women to get into positions of power, and those kinds of cultural trends take a long ass time to change. Women in traditionally patriarchal jobs have a lot more social hoops to jump through in order to get there, even now. In fact, number two just makes it sound like your mother thinks women in general aren't capable of wielding political power. Is that really how she said that or is it just how you wrote it here?

Edited by AceofSpades on Sep 27th 2018 at 2:17:35 PM

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#255744: Sep 27th 2018 at 3:21:55 AM

Here is the thing: When it comes to the crime itself, rape is actually not much different from most other crimes. Let's assume that I invite a friend to my house and then notice that while I was busy in the kitchen, he stole something from me. So, I report the theft to the police. Even if they find whatever was stolen in his possession, he could claim that he didn't stole it at all but that I gifted it to him and that I am just trying to set him up. Or he could claim that I am actually not the owner of whatever he stole at all, and it was his all along. So, who do belief in that situation? Most likely you would believe me unless there are holes in my story or there is a good reason why I might want to set him up. At worst, I'll get my possession back and he will get away scot free.

Rape is really the only crime where automatically the victim is put on trial, when in reality most woman wouldn't even report sexual assault or misconduct, because they are ready to give the attacker the benefit of the doubt. And the very, very rare case in which the accuser really only wants revenge, well, they shouldn't be a reason to make it more difficult for the victims to speak up.

Btw, apparently there is now a fourth accuser? Do they still intend to push the hearing through as fast as possible?

Imca (Veteran)
#255745: Sep 27th 2018 at 3:25:28 AM

Its a republican controlled senate, the party responsible for "legitimate rape" and Roy Moore.

We both know the answer here, and it would be shocking if it was any different. :/

Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
Bur from Flyover Country (Living Relic) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#255747: Sep 27th 2018 at 4:59:56 AM

Our representatives, ladies and gentleman.

nightwyrm_zero Since: Apr, 2010
#255748: Sep 27th 2018 at 5:30:57 AM

[up][up]For a moment, when he mentioned "party" I thought he meant the Republican party....

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#255749: Sep 27th 2018 at 5:32:56 AM

That would be apt in context, though. "If you're a woman and you join the Republican Party, you're okay with being raped, either literally or metaphorically."

Seems a bit mean, even if it's not wrong in principle.

Edited by Fighteer on Sep 27th 2018 at 8:42:30 AM

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#255750: Sep 27th 2018 at 6:51:55 AM

Fucking disgusting.

... BTW, can someone remind me what are the odds of the US political scene becoming a one party-dominant system on the federal level under the Democrats (assuming the Republicans collapse and, for once, no sane second major party emergesnote ), and the drawbacks/risks of such a system? From what I've gathered, such a system is not mutually exclusive with maintaining a healthy democracy, though the two current examples of entire countries having such a system (Singapore and Montenegro) do have the common factor of being really small, so that perhaps is a major reason why it's viable there.

Number two is kind of BS, though; traditionally patriarchal systems make it hard for women to get into positions of power, and those kinds of cultural trends take a long ass time to change. Women in traditionally patriarchal jobs have a lot more social hoops to jump through in order to get there, even now. In fact, number two just makes it sound like your mother thinks women in general aren't capable of wielding political power. Is that really how she said that or is it just how you wrote it here?
Either I didn't write it right or you're misinterpreting what I wrote, because all she was saying is what she believes to be the reality that modern women politicians currently have to face even after a whole century of gradual gains in enfranchisement (starting from the successes of women's suffrage in the early 20th century).

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

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