Screw Civility

[Arkady]

I don't particularly blame centrist and liberal Senators for tossing gay people under the bus to get immigration reform. If holding out for something better would have meant many years of avoidable suffering for many millions of people, I don't think giving gays more company in their misery would have been worth it. But what bothers me is the priority Senators put on civility over truth telling. I'd have loved to hear a Senator get up there and say something like this:

"I'm voting against including gay couples in this bill because, sadly, we need the votes of some of the bigots in this chamber to pass the legislation, and they won't vote for it if it affords equal protection under the law to gay people. I hope History will not judge me too harshly for shaking the hand of the Devil to get this deal done."

Instead, senators refused to call out their colleagues who forced this choice between immigration reform and equal protection.

 

[GordonGecko]

Senate tries to maintain the "aura of amicability and decorum". You're not supposed to "act up" "like those yahoos in the House."

The issue is on the side of history. But it is rather gutless for no one, not even a Bernie Sanders, to speak the truth about why they have to pander to homophobes.

 

[Mytzlplk]

I've long been an adherent to and promoter of exactly that when called for.

It is far more often than not imo, counterproductive and the enabling of what should be rightly opposed in no uncertain terms.

 

[connieb]

Perhaps they agree with those Senators but they don't want to say that to piss of their constituency?

 

[NightSwimmer]

Perhaps they agree with those Senators but they don't want to say that to piss of their constituency?

I doubt it. It's far more likely that they assumed that calling out the bigotry of the GOP Senators would prompt them to vote against the immigration reform bill in spite of their having acquiesced to their bigoted amendment. Everyone is not a secret bigot, in spite of what you might personally believe.

 

[connieb]

What I believe is that most people really are far more apathetic to "gay rights" that they would lead their constituents to believe.

 

[NightSwimmer]

What I believe is that most people really are far more apathetic to "gay rights" that they would lead their constituents to believe.

What you believe is fairly obvious based upon what you write. Then again, who cares?

 

[Dino]

Wow, the problems of the modern liberal!

Could cause you to weep just a little.

 

[Corruptbuddha]

Not an issue...this pig will die on the floor of the House. Hell, it may even die on the Senate floor.

 

[connieb]

If you don't care - then by all means, don't reply to my posts.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Not an issue...this pig will die on the floor of the House. Hell, it may even die on the Senate floor.

If the Republican Party wasn't hell-bent on passing immigration reform, then they wouldn't be wasting so much energy distracting you useful idiots with OmniGate hearings.

 

[NightSwimmer]

If you don't care - then by all means, don't reply to my posts.

Ridicule requires no emotional investment.

 

[connieb]

You call rather lame and inane responses ridicule? Okey dokey. I really don't know what has gotten your panties in a twist but whatever works for you.

 

[connieb]

Its a tear jerker, really.

 

[GordonGecko]

Not an issue...this pig will die on the floor of the House. Hell, it may even die on the Senate floor.

Marco Rubio needs a bill to run in 2016 for President....and the RNC needs Rubio in their belief he will save them from demographic extinction.....

there WILL be a bill passed.

 

[Corruptbuddha]

In the paraphrased words of Gandolf...

This shall not pass.

 

[Corruptbuddha]

Not this one.

 

[GordonGecko]

If the Republican Party wasn't hell-bent on passing immigration reform, then they wouldn't be wasting so much energy distracting you useful idiots with OmniGate hearings.

Just last week, when ALL the rightwing posts were on Benghazi?.......buried VERY DEEP in the news....

was a story about Marco Rubio "wooing" House Repubs to the immigration bill. And nobody on the Right noticed.

 

[NightSwimmer]

In the paraphrased words of Gandolf...

This shall not pass.

Gandalf is a fantasy character. Makes sense... You've never been wrong -- in your fantasies.

 

[Corruptbuddha]

And this bill is fantasy also.

It won't pass.

And I thought I was wrong once....but I was mistaken.