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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBy being the party of high morality Dems are self-neutering in face of unprecedented threats (Slate)
The Uneven Playing Field
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Al Franken, many argue, should now resign. He should resign immediately because there are credible accusers (another emerged Wednesday), and because the behavior alleged is sufficiently abhorrent that there is simply no basis to defend him. In this parade of unilateral disarmament, Trump stays, Conyers goes, Moore stays, Franken goes.
Is this the principled solution? By every metric I can think of, its correct. But its also wrong. Its wrong because we no longer inhabit a closed ethical system, in which morality and norm preservation are their own rewards. We live in a broken and corroded system in which unilateral disarmament is going to destroy the very things we want to preserve.
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Sexual predation is bad and grotesque and disqualifying for national office and positions of power. Stipulated. Victim-shaming and claiming that the people should decide is contemptible avoidance of responsibility. But the question that remains is whether the analysis stops right there. I, too, would like to live in a world where the debate begins and ends with that proposition. But I dont think any of us live in that world anymore. And this may not be the moment in which to try to resurrect it.
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My own larger concern is that becoming the party of high morality will allow Democrats to live with themselves but that the party is also self-neutering in the face of unprecedented threats, in part to do the right thing and in part to take ammunition away from the righta maneuver that never seems to work out these days.
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Who knows why the GOP has lost its last ethical moorings? But this is a perfectly transactional moment in governance, and what we get in exchange for being good and moral right now is nothing. Im not saying we should hit pause on #MeToo, or direct any less fury at sexual predators in their every manifestation. But we should understand that while we know that our good faith and reasonableness are virtues, we currently live in a world where its also a handicap.
Unilateral disarmament is tantamount to arming the other side. That may be a trade worth making in some cases. But its worth at least acknowledging that this is the current calculus. Its no longer that when they go low, we get to go high. They are permanently living underground. How long can we afford to keep living in the clouds?
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/12/the_access_hollywood_formula_for_republican_redemption.html
onecaliberal
(32,902 posts)accused of sexual assault by 14 women. We don't need their situational ethics and morals.
EarlG
(21,969 posts)Give the voters a choice between the party that lionizes its gropers and the other party that also does that.
Sounds like a plan. After all if Donald Trump can lose by three million votes and Alabama ends up electing a Republican, that must be proof that voters across America really like politicians who are accused of sexual harassment.
Republicans have lost their way ethically, so let's also do that.
Amaryllis
(9,525 posts)EarlG
(21,969 posts)The author makes the argument that Republicans are monsters, cites some victories that they had, and implies that Democrats need to become less ethical in order to emulate those victories.
Some quotes from the article:
"Sexual predation is bad and grotesque and disqualifying for national office and positions of power. Stipulated. Victim-shaming and claiming that 'the people should decide' is contemptible avoidance of responsibility. But..."
"Im not saying we should hit pause on #MeToo, or direct any less fury at sexual predators in their every manifestation. But..."
And it ends with this: "They are permanently living underground. How long can we afford to keep living in the clouds?"
DonViejo
(60,536 posts)so they can turn to the charges against Trump and Roy Moore, if elected. The fact Schumer asked Franken to resign suggests, to me, there's big stuff going on... and we don't know the half of it.
Paladin
(28,276 posts)Wish I could share it.
XRubicon
(2,212 posts)A guy who locks a coworker in his office and forces sex until she passes out or a guy that has sex with 14 year old should be treated the same as the guy that pulled some shit in public on camera admitted it and apologized, got it. Thanks.
diva77
(7,659 posts)Wait for an investigation to be completed.
Kirk Lover
(3,608 posts)two payouts of taxpayer $$$..one was a D the other a R...both high profile. I'm thinking Conyers was the D.....why is the R's name still safe and under wraps. THIS IS BULLSHIT AND I SEE WTF IS GOING ON HERE.