Saturday, March 09, 2013

Republicans pretending to support women. How cowardly is that? *UPDATED*

FINALLY. The Violence Against Women Act was allowed to be renewed and updated to further protect women in the United States. It took long enough!

Republicans and conservative interest groups worked hard to stymie renewal. After years of renewals, suddenly, the conservatives decided it was time to stop these protections. As with many topics, they decided this was a brilliant area to attack and disrupt government.

And, as they attempted to kill the act, they also tried to prevent further protections from being enacted, if the act survived. The House Republicans worked hard to prevent protections for LGBT from going forward, they fought against improved protection of women on tribal lands, and they didn't want immigrants to feel secure receiving help following assaults. They were clear on opposing these things.

But, the act finally did pass through Congress, and has now been signed by the president. ...FINALLY!

Yet, it doesn't stop there. Now many Republicans are heading home and pretending that they actually did support the VAWA. That takes so gall. And they don't deserve to be allowed to get away with it.

  • Tim Griffin (AR)
  • Vicky Hatzler (MO)
  • Bill Johnson (OH)
  • Steve King (IA)
  • Tim Murphy (PA)
  • Robert Pittenger (NC)
  • Keith Rothfys (PA)
  • Tim Walberg (MI)

Apparently the trick these Republicans are pulling is that they supported a conservative version of VAWA. The one that would not have helped many women, leaving them vulnerable. Then some are bragging about voting yes on the procedural vote to allow a vote on the final version of VAWA. But they are relying on journalist asking them any awkward questions, or noting the difference.

Don't let them off the hook.

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ADDENDUM:

Maddow Show points to another Republican that tries to pretend he's supportive, while voting against the act. John Cornyn. He supported a different bill, that ended up being incorporated into VAWA, which he opposed.


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