BREAKING: House Republicans Backing Down On Violence Against Women Act

[Tx4obama]

Source: TPM

After nearly a year of resistance that has damaged them politically with women voters, House Republicans have found a clever way to back down on the reauthorization of an expanded Violence Against Women Act, aides confirmed to TPM late Tuesday.

The original plan was for the Republican majority in the House to pass its version of the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and then go to conference conference committee with the Senate. The Senate has already overwhelmingly passed a more aggressive bill, with protections for LGBT, Native American and undocumented women that have been at the heart of the dispute with House Republicans.

But all that changed Tuesday night. The Rules Committee instead sent the House GOP’s version of the Violence Against Women Act to the floor with a key caveat: if that legislation fails, then the Senate-passed version will get an up-or-down vote.

The big admission implicit in this latest move is that House GOP leaders don’t believe they have the votes to pass their version of the bill but that the Senate version is likely to pass the chamber. So this way they’ll give House conservatives the first bite at the apple as a way of saving face and still resolve an issue that has hurt them politically.

Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/02/house-gop-backs-down-on-violence-against-women-act.php?ref=fpa

[AlbertCat]

1. So this way... House conservatives the first bite at the.... saving face and still resolve an issue

Huh.

Is that what they're up to?

Sounds more like yet another symbolic stalling waste of time and money rather than doing anything useful.

[Kalidurga]

2. I had to read that headline twice....

It actually says backing down instead of doubling down.

[DreamGypsy]

3. So, is this an act of sane chicanery...

...or chicane sanity, on the part of the House Repubs.

Perhaps we'll find out in the cool light of morning. With luck, they'll just surrender and go home.

[crim son]

4. Those who have been watching up until now

will not be fooled, I think, nor will they forget.

[merrily]

5. I don't get why violence against women is different from violence against men.

I can see why violence against children below a certain age would be punished more harshly, but, child or adult, I don't get the distinction between males and females.

[SunSeeker]

7. Here on Earth, women are significantly more vulnerable.

They are generally smaller and weaker than men and have less financial resources. And many men have a nasty habit of raping, beating and/or killing women. I hope you enjoy visiting our planet.

[SpartanDem]

9. Here is on earth we also believe in equal protection under the law

which actually the bill does provide. There was nothing wrong with the question.

[SunSeeker]

10. Then why is there was no ERA?

To me the poster's question implied women did not need this protection, that all violence was the same. Hence my response. Women are by far the more frequent victim of domestic violence, and men are much more frequently the perpetrator rather than the victim in these situations. Yes, men suffer from domestic violence too, albeit in much smaller numbers. Thank you for pointing out that VAWA also protects men, equally.

[SpartanDem]

8. Men are very explicitly covered under the act

The bill's name is a bit of a misnomer.

Nothing in this title shall be construed to prohibit male victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking from receiving benefits and services under this title."

[a2liberal]

14. In fact what I heard was

and I may be wrong on this, I haven't researched, but I thought I read somewhere that only the better Senate version has that clause... another reason to push for it.

[DainBramaged]

12. Have you ever met a man who was molested by a woman? Anywhere?

You have got to be kidding us.

[nomorenomore08]

16. It's not really about punishing anyone more harshly - to my knowledge, this isn't like a hate-crime

bill. It's simply recognizing that male-on-female violence - which is more common and, on average, more deadly than the reverse - is a distinct social problem worthy of attention.

[DallasNE]

6. Breaking The Hassert Rule

Has become the order of the day. Can't complain about that.

[Xipe Totec]

11. Thank you for awakening my curiosity; I had to go read up on The Hassert Rule

Very interesting story. Particularly surprising that only Republicans have applied it, and that it is considered a polarizing influence that leads to a breakdown of the legislative process.

[rgbecker]

13. Thanks for that...should change the name to "GOP Fucks America" rule.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majority_of_the_majority

[patrice]

15. SHAME on the House Republicans for playing games with the lives of people like Maggie, Memphis,

Kayden, and, yes, even Shane.