Senate GOPers: It's Al Franken's Fault We're Being Attacked For Votes Against Anti-Rape Amendment

I can certainly understand why they'd be upset. IOKIYAR, but not INOKIYAD.

What a bunch of whiny jackasses.

And I'm glad to know that John Thune doesn't think rape is "serious".

GOP loves rapists. Just ask Hucklebee.

I don't know why the GOP wants to engage Franken on this, rather than just hoping the story (and their votes) would die. They don't think that if they keep it alive and give Al the chance to go on TV to respond that they won't continue to look like Rape Supporters?

This is a loser for them on not only the issue, but also on the bigger picture of given Al something he can get over with the MSM as a Reasonable Senator. I mean... even the GOP Loving MSM would have a tough time defending the GOP for Rape Love, and not generating massive sympathy for the woman who is the subject of Al getting the law passed.

If the GOP is smart, they don't want Al to get over on an easy one simply because they don't want him to get over. At some point, RR stopped being "the actor" and the MSM started treating him like a two-term Gov of the most populace state in the country. And then when he started make jokes, they enjoyed it.

I don't think the MSM will ever fully love Al as the enjoyed Swinging On John McCain's Tire. But they do like to report politics as competition, story and entertainment. Al is competative, can tell a story and is entertaining. So once he gets over with them, he's going to become a go-to-guy for quotes.

When it comes to Al, the GOP should just STFU and hope that he continues laying low.

John

Do you think maybe he wasn't doing it to embarrass his colleagues, but to do something that was the right thing to do?

Um, what? The only thing that could confuse me more than Republicans not voting for Franken's amendment would be their anger for having their vote on an amendment used against them politically. Can these guys handle the job? They don't show up to work anyways. Bizarre thought process.

Don't even start to read the comments on that Politico article. Now i'm 'fuming'.

"I don't know what his motivation was for taking us on..." - South Dakota Sen. John Thune

Lulzy quote of the day. I bet Al Franken is shaking in his boots now that he's taken on John Thune. I wonder what his motivation possibly could have been! He must be so crazy!

Franken has been conspicuously quiet on the health care reform debate. Anyone notice?

Let's see. Male Republican senators come out four square in favor of protecting governmnent contractors who are accessories after the fact in rape cases involving their employees. Nearly every woman in America and a lot of men are outraged and it is Al Franken's fault. I guess he was just asking for it.

No one should vote for a single one of those macho rapist lovers. They deserve all the scorn that can be heaped upon them.

I just called Cornyn's Austin office. They claim that the Franken's amendment had nothing to do with the rape case and that the rape case is being heard in Federal Court now. Can anyone confirm this?

Favorite bit from the article:

“I think it would be helpful for Sen. Franken to come forward and say, ‘I’m not suggesting that anybody who votes for my amendment is indifferent to crimes against women or anybody else,’” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who voted against the amendment.

Why should Franken do that? He sponsored an amendment to give rape victims better access to the legal system, and the Rethugs opposed it because it might hurt their mercenary buddies. The public can draw whatever conclusions they'd like to from that.

Do you realize that the Repub congress folks have now reached the point where nothing they do surprises us. If half the Repub Senators dropped their pants and fondled themselves before the CSPAN cameras, no one would be shocked, and their colleagues would be totally supportive of them.

Maybe I overstated this - if half the Repub senators banded together to murder a 3 year old child, it would be possible to find someone who would be surprised. Is that better?

Thanks Franken for showing us these guys are against individual rights.

"Trying to tap into the natural sympathy that we have for this victim of this rape --and use that as a justification to frankly misrepresent and embarrass his colleagues, I don't think it's a very constructive thing," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said in an interview.

Senator, you and I are just going to have to disagree on this one, I think that it's an extremely constructive thing to do.

Jesus, it's like claiming that showing pictures of abused prisoners puts our troops at risk, but not quite making the connection to reason why it puts them at risk. So, as ashamed as I am to admit it, it's not just a GOP quirk.

Of course, everyone knows Repugs are sniveling louts, but it's always fabulous when they snivel publicly. And at the hands of a guy they like to portray as nothing more than a comic! Oh, joy! Oh, rapture.

Go Al!

Ain't that a shame.

Sucks that a freshman comedian with a higher quality education than the majority of the members of the Senate is capable of tarring the entire male republican senate in one fell swoop.

Baller.

Who are the brave, or smart, ten GOP senators who simply voted to support the amendment?

We can count on Snowe and Collins, for obvious reasons (they are women, for the benefit of the totally clueless).

I can wistfully imagine the headlines: Only Eight Male GOP Senators Support Legal Rights for Rape Victims.

Here's the response from Cornyn's office regarding my love note to him...Totally forgot his audience. AND, the "now Dear, you just don't understand" tone makes me want to pop him one...

"Thank you for contacting me regarding Senate Amendment 2588 (S. Amdt. 2588) offered by Senator Al Franken to the Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (H.R. 3326). I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

I strongly support the right of women to pursue their careers in a workplace environment free from fear and harassment, and I share your outrage and concern regarding the tragic story of Ms. Jamie Leigh Jones. However, S. Amdt. 2588 was not about Ms. Jones or her case, and I am disappointed that some have chosen to use this issue for political gain.

The Obama Administration opposed this amendment, and I was joined by 29 of my Senate colleagues in voting against its adoption. S. Amdt. 2588 would effectively bar all defense contractors and subcontractors from entering pre-dispute arbitration agreements with their employees to resolve any employment discrimination claims, and could require the DoD to cancel all existing contracts with arbitration clauses, renegotiate new contracts, and significantly impact crucial defense support infrastructure at a time of war.

S. Amdt. 2588 is not a narrow response to one case, but a major across-the-board overhaul of American employment arbitration law. Although Senator Franken shared the heartbreaking story of Ms. Jones when he spoke in support of his amendment, both the District Court and the Fifth Circuit Court of appeals held that Ms. Jones's rape charges could not be submitted to arbitration under current law. Therefore, Ms. Jones still has the opportunity to pursue her claims in civil court—with or without the enactment of the provisions of S. Amdt. 2588. Quite simply, this amendment is not drafted to protect victims of sexual assault but instead aims to ban employment arbitration altogether—adversely affecting approximately 70,000 cases each year.

In the end, S. Amdt. 2588 would cost American businesses and workers significant time and money spent in drawn-out litigation. Arbitration was established as a means of reducing legal expenses and providing wronged parties quick and affordable justice. Repealing arbitration would benefit only trial lawyers. I believe that all Americans have the right to settle their disputes in fair, efficient arbitration rather than going through the costly and often lengthy litigation process

Finally, left-wing bloggers, personal injury lawyers, and demagogues have spread the charge that any senator who voted against S. Amdt. 2588 is “pro-rape.” This outrageous libel must not be tolerated. It is reprehensible that opponents of S. Amdt. 2588 are being characterized as supporters of rape. Such attacks only serve to harm civil political discourse and offend common decency."

Foul, disgusting excuse for a human being...

Hucklebee releases child-rapists, women-killers, and cop-murderers. Hucklebee should be jailed!

At some point, the Democrats have to realize the phony "my good friend" crap and Senate decorum has been used as a cover for Republican efforts to do some really nasty things. Good work, Franken.

Re: my post above requesting a tally of the ten GOP votes for the amendment:

Collins, Snowe, Murkowski and Hutchison

Bennet, Grassley, Hatch, LeMieux, Lugar and Voinovich

Give the six guys a pat on the head. We cannot even imagine the hurt of a rape victim. But we can do what we can to alter the circumstances that lead to rape. Women deserve the right to work anywhere men do, when they demonstrate the capability. Having any person fear rape as a risk of employment is not acceptable.

If you are a guy and still don't get it: what would you fear most about going to prison?

Gee. Who could have predicted?

Thirty Senators (strangely all Republican) are forced to choose between their allegiance to a corporation and their the natural sympathy a rape and corporate atrocity victim. They of course vote their true sympathies - for the long-suffering corporation. Then they blame Al Franken for not giving them cover? Even for Republicans that's chutzpa.

I guess Al is the new guy in the Senate so he can be blamed for all kinds of things. Especially by Republicans.

"Decorum" means: Have the decency to let us throw rape victims under the bus in the privacy of our public office.

The Obama Administration opposed this amendment, and I was joined by 29 of my Senate colleagues in voting against its adoption.

Wait, so Obama was against the bill. Isn't he a socialist AND a fascist. So wouldn't that make the 29 Republicans who voted against the amendment...

These guys ARE rapists. Not really. I am being hyperbolic, but they voted against stopping the prosecution of rape and are blaming people who want to help rape victims.

Unfortunately, it's another five years before that ignominious Kyl comes up for re-election. I wish we could use this next year. Oh wait! We can use it against McCain!

Come on and face it, rape is not the issue.
Women are on there way to Islamic law treatment.
Lots of men think this is a good thing.
Its the Democrat way. Watch for the new style in New York fashion houses next year.

Congressman said: "Obama has something to hide":
read this shock: http://www.dowjonessecret.com/obama-has-something-to-hide.html

politico must be the gop blog - what a waste of web space. i cannot listen to the people on politico anymore, because i do not believe their reporting

So an American woman can be raped by Americans, all of whom work for an American company, whose operations are funded 100% by American taxpayers, and she'll never see the inside of a courtroom.

And the GOP has a problem with that, and they're offended they have to show up at work and actually vote on items of interest to the American public, who they work for....

Oh, this is delicious. Thank you Minnesota!