Why Franken had to go

[Brainstormy]

This one hurts. But I think it nailed it.


http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2017/12/07/al_franken_s_resignation_saved_the_democratic_party_s_reputation_among_the.html

[SHRED]

1. Read this please

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029946066

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. Fark that.

[uponit7771]

3. Its reeks of privilege to indicate due process doesn't matter

[XRubicon]

4. Nailed nothing.

[Brainstormy]

6. I understand, but

the crux is this:

"Democrats could either put themselves at a potential political disadvantage by observing rules of decency Republicans have entirely abandoned, or they could lower themselves into the GOP latrine, keep Franken on the roster, and spend the next several election cycles smelling a little like shit."

we took the moral high ground. It may seem a dry and lifeless plateau, but that's where we planted the flag.

[XRubicon]

7. .

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029945970

[fallout87]

10. Bravo to that writer

He is spot on.

[hurple]

5. Nope

Not at all.

Not even close.

Guilty until proven... oh... wait... no, no chance to defend himself. Not even gonna allow *others* to look into this and check the veracity. Nope. Guilty at the initial utterance of a complaint and that's that. Thanks for playing!

[fallout87]

8. I bet the author believes

in unicorns and fairy tales too. Her opinion is backed up by ZERO facts.

[USALiberal]

9. Nice try! nt

[McCamy Taylor]

11. The author nails herself and she is going onto my "suspect" list.

I will keep my eye on her. She could easily have a hidden agenda.

Surprised anyone would offer this as an excuse for anything.

[BannonsLiver]

12. ...

[OhioBlue]

13. No

Just no.

[kcr]

14. She's not one of Slate's better writers to begin with, but this is downright sloppy.

She disregards the ethics investigation entirely. Maybe it isn't a factor for her, but for most people who have been arguing against resignation, this was the sticking point. They weren't merely arguing for him to stay with no repercussions. This is totally disingenuous on her part.

[LenaBaby61]

15. Why Franken had to go

Dems vs Republicans.

With Charlie Brown as the Democrats.

And Lucy as the Republicans.

[DeminPennswoods]

16. Won't help Dems at all

Booting Franken only made Dems look weak and wimpy. That won't be perceived by many as the "moral high ground". To the contrary, Dems look like they have no morals, just political expediency. Nicolle Wallace played a clip from Laura Ingram on Fox News who was making that exact point. Who are these suburban Fox News watching women Dems are trying to win over going to believe?

[Denzil_DC]

17. I've read several dozen more incisive takes on the whole debacle today on DU alone. n/t

[cwydro]

18. No.

[Awsi Dooger]

19. He didn't have to go but it seemed inevitable

From day one. I didn't pay attention to any particulars. I still don't know them. As always I believe in big picture and in this case that aligned with Franken being pressured to depart.

That's the era we're in. I don't overreact as much as others because Trump won with 46%. I'm not scared of 46% or any subsequent actions that fall in line with that 46%. Fear doesn't win long term. Young voters are aligning with our side and their voices and votes will be heard.

Sickening about Franken because he was our most effective senator during so many hearings, pegging the correct areas to inquire about, and in straight forward language.

[VOX]

20. Problem: *observing rules of decency* does NOT apply when engaged in a street fight.

The “rules of decency” took wing when Trump started chiming in with his birtherism shit; from there, it just kept getting worse. He (and ALL Republicans) have allowed this monster in the house, and he’s destroying everything in sight.

Republicans now control 32 states top-to-bottom. They possess all three branches of the federal government. Bannon’s cabinet picks are straight from Hell. For all we know, Putin may have made the U.S. into a Russian satellite country. Trump is considering raising a private espionage bureau. This is true FASCISM.

“Rules of decency”? Let’s be REALLY decent, and just roll over. Give them everything. The world. The future. But goddamnit, we’ll be motherfucking DECENT as we sink down into irrelevancy.

[GitRDun]

21. I'm sure I will get piled on for this but I think he had to go as well....

There is no system within Congress to deal with these claims in an open and expedient manner.

In the absence of such a system, I don't see anything wrong with erring on the side of pushing the accused out, no matter how much I like them...and Franken was one of my favs.

We are sending our brightest and best young women there to work on staff's, as pages, etc.

If Congress doesn't have the courage to put a real system in place to deal with these issues in a meaningful way (e.g. sort out the claims, real, versus not), I would rather the women were protected.

If we don't like losing guys like Franken, then let's get control of Congress, put a robust system in place TO SORT THESE THINGS OUT, AND IF GUILTY, YOU ARE GONE, THAT'S IT.

[LBM20]

25. B U L L S H I T ! ! !

[GitRDun]

29. Lol

[doodsaq]

22. Why do people think it won't matter?

Of course it won't matter to right wing voters who are hypnotized by the orange baboon.

But what about independents or moderates who bought the Trump snake oil and now regret it? Or the disillusioned people who didn't bother to vote? Why give them more reason to say, "oh both sides are just the same"?

[wellst0nev0ter]

23. Martin Luther King was a confirmed womanizer

do any of us think that diminishes him?

[radical noodle]

28. There's a difference between a womanizer

and a person who does unwanted groping. So no. I would assume that the women were consensual partners.

[LBM20]

24. B U L L S H I T ! ! !

[blueinredohio]

26. Nope

[110liberal]

27. brainstormy

we took the high ground please give me a break