Not surprisingly, the answer to the "what did the GOP/TP learn from the recent election?" question is ... nothing ~ ~ Sooz

GOP Not Budging On Violence Against Women Act
Sahil Kapur-November 15, 2012, 4:34 PM11407

If Republicans have been chastened by losing the women’s vote last week by the widest margin in modern history, they have a funny way of showing it.

House GOP leaders aren’t yielding to a bipartisan coalition of Senate leaders demanding they extend the protections of the Violence Against Women Act — an anti-domestic abuse bill that was first passed with broad support in 1994 but hit a brick wall of Republican opposition earlier this year.

“Nothing has changed,” a senior GOP aide told TPM. “The House has passed a bill, we are ready to move to conference, and the Speaker has announced his conferees. We are waiting on Senate Democrats to follow suit and act.”

Six months ago, Senate Democrats passed re-authorization that expanded the law’s protections to LGBT women, illegal immigrants and Native Americans. House Republicans rejected that approach, and in response passed a scaled back version that would make it more difficult for domestic violence victims in the country illegally to achieve legal status.

Democrats have reiterated their insistence that the House take up their version, which passed 68-31 with plenty of GOP support back in April, while the Republicans’ version passed the lower chamber on a more partisan basis in May. As a result, they have no interest in taking up the House GOP’s offer to go to conference.

“Domestic violence protections for all women shouldn’t be a Democratic or a Republican issue,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the party’s point person for the issue, said in a statement. “A six month delay is inexcusable. One day is inexcusable. As we enter the final days of this Congress, it is time for House Republicans to look beyond ideology and partisan politics. Their obstruction is taking a toll on women across this country.”

Failing to extend funding would reduce available resources for state and local governments to combat domestic violence. As things stand, the stalemate shows no signs of ending.

Asked if she believes House Republicans will come around, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), a leading advocate for VAWA, told TPM on Thursday, “I have no idea.”

Gender optics haven’t all been bad for the GOP since the election. House Republicans voted Wednesday to elevate Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA) to the No. 4 leadership position in the conference, electing her to the post over conservative favorite, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA).

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/11/gop-not-budging-on-violence-against-women-act.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

House Republicans rejected that approach, and in response passed a scaled back version that would make it more difficult for domestic violence victims in the country illegally to achieve legal status.

Reckon those who signed petitions to secede should be denied any protections whatsoever.

Obviously, the GOP/TPers still don't get that women remember ... and vote ~ ~ Sooz

Republicans Refuse To Cooperate With Senate Leaders On The Violence Against Women Act
2012/11/17
By Kimberley Johnson

Women showed up to the polls and sent a clear message to the GOP—but that message appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

Stubborn House Republicans refuse to cooperate with the bipartisan coalition of Senate leaders who are demanding the GOP extend the protection of the Violence Against Women Act. The bill was passed in 1994 with sweeping support but earlier this year, the GOP rejected it.

A senior GOP aide told TPM: “Nothing has changed. The House has passed a bill, we are ready to move to conference, and the Speaker has announced his conferees. We are waiting on Senate Democrats to follow suit and act.”

TPM reports:


Without the extension, resources would be reduced and it would be more difficult to fight domestic violence.

Republicans lost this election. They are not happy about it. Rather than acting like adults and reassessing their strategy, they are holding on to their failed ideology. If it weren’t so irresponsible and sickening, it would be funny. But it’s not funny. They simply do not care if a woman is violently abused. If they cared, we would be seeing progress.

As infuriating as it is, what they are doing is sealing the deal for a Democratic take-over in 2014. Stupid is as stupid does.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/17/gop-refuse-to-cooperate-with-senate-leaders-on-the-violence-against-women-act/

You rock, Kimberley! ~ ~ Sooz

Open Letter To Misogynist John Boehner From A Feminist
2012/11/18
By Kimberley Johnson

Dear John Boehner,

I must admit, in the past, I have referred to you as ‘John of Orange’ and I have also made fun of you for crying all the time. I mean, you ARE kind of orange and you DO cry a lot. But this isn’t why I am writing to you. I’m writing to you because I am an American woman and I voted for Obama. I voted for equality—equality for all, not just women. I think this idea of equality must be very frightening and disturbing to you. You see, you’re an old-timer, stuck in the stale belief that men are somehow superior to women, blacks, gays, Hispanics and anyone who is not a white male. There are many ways to illustrate this point, but the most recent, and frankly very disturbing, example of your fear, is your refusal to cooperate with a bipartisan coalition of Senate Leaders and extend the Violence Against Women Act.

Really Boehner??? I wonder why this is? Is it just because you hate that our black president was re-elected and wish to punish victims of domestic abuse? Do you just hate all women? Are you afraid that if men who beat women are punished—somehow your penis shrinks and you are less of a man? Boehner, how is it that you can believe misogyny will prevail? Were you not PAYING ATTENTION on November 6? Women kicked your collective Teapublican asses. Just ask Elizabeth Warren and Claire McCaskill.

If you haven’t noticed Boehner, women are really pissed off. Men like you have wanted to shove trans-vaginal ultrasound probes up our vaginas. You want to rob us of equal pay. You are FINE with the fact that a rapist can sue for the custody of his rape child in thirty-one states—even though he was not punished for RAPING the woman. (Of course, it WAS probably her fault. She has breasts and we all know she’s asking for it.) You want to take away Planned Parenthood clinics that provide preventive care and cancer screenings and you scream lies that they are abortion mills. Women have made it clear to you Neanderthals that we are over your idiotic bullsh*t.

The fact that you and other GOP leaders take cues from Limbaugh, O’Reilly and Hannity proves that down deep, you are all sincere cowards. Sad, little, tiny men who believe that because you are elected male officials, somehow you are above everyone else. I believe that 2014 will be your wake-up call and you’ll be scratching your head wondering what the hell happened—just like Romney and Ryan are doing.

Your party and its refusal to let go of all of the things that made you guys LOSE this election—misogyny, racism, inequality and the belief that the Koch Brothers and Karl Rove would be your successful Sugar Daddies—will prove to be your ultimate demise.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein

If you guys would only learn and work with the president for the benefit of all, you might keep your seats while doing a good thing. You still have time to be a positive leader, one who initiates positive and progressive growth for all Americans. But you won’t and actually, that’s what I am hoping for and counting on. Because the more you guys obstruct and refuse to acknowledge that your views and strategy are outdated, the more chance we have of a Democratic majority in the House in 2014.

So, Boehner, have another scotch and soda after your spray tan and pretend that women aren’t paying attention.

Sincerely,

Kimberley A. Johnson – Feminist, Activist & Liberal Woman for Equality

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/18/open-letter-to-misogynist-john-boehner-from-a-feminist/

Nothing serious.
A good shot of Ex Lax should do it.

i think the odds of Democrats taking the House in 2014 are quite low. but if the economy continues to improve, that may make quite a different dynamic in 2 years.

A problem I have with this law is that it is sexist -- it discriminates against men. Why should only women be protected by the law? Men are also victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual harassment and abuse.

The law should not be named "Violence Against Women Act" but rather "Violence Against People Act".

Democrats criticize the GOP House version of the bill for excluding the protection of lesbians and Native American Women, but they do not criticize it for not protecting men. The bill should protect all people, and not exclude any class of people who are victims of domestic violence, including men.

Good point, SciFi ~ everyone should be protected ~

Sooz

Indeed, hence my objections to "hate" legislation.

I don't understand how we can be "too supportive" in working to eliminate violence ~ ~ Sooz

GOP eyes Violence Against Women Act changes
By Steve Benen - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:00 AM EST

Among Congress' many other looming deadlines, the Violence Against Women Act is still waiting for reauthorization. It easily passed the Senate with bipartisan support in April, but House Republicans insist the current version is too supportive of immigrants, the LGBT community, and Native Americans.

Is there any chance policymakers can work something out? One of the original VAWA authors from 1994 is now the nation's vice president, and he's working behind the scenes to work out a deal.


For nearly two decades, VAWA reauthorization was effortless -- even the most far-right members didn't want to be seen opposing resources for state and local governments to combat domestic violence. But as Republicans move further and further to the right, congressional support for the law has grown difficult in ways few could have imagined.

In this case, Cantor is willing to bend on LGBT and immigrant provisions, but he wants Democrats to scrap protections for Native American women. According to the Huffington Post, the Democratic provision gives tribal courts limited jurisdiction to oversee domestic violence offenses committed against Native American women by non-Native American men on tribal lands, and the House Republican leader wants this expansion curtailed.

We'll know soon enough whether an agreement is possible in the limited time remaining, but in the meantime, GOP officials should probably hope Dana Perino isn't the leading conservative voice when it comes to domestic violence.

Indeed, it's astonishing that a Republican media figure would say this out loud on national television.


Media Matters has the video.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/12/07/15751333-gop-eyes-violence-against-women-act-changes