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Republicans have found themselves in hot water lately after opposing the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) -- something that's usually routine for Congress. The GOP has objected that the bill would include women in same-sex relationships and could let more undocumented immigrants secure temporary visas, and has offered its own version of the bill that drops these sections.
On Hardball Monday, Chris Matthews hosted Rep. Gwen Moore, a Wisconsin Democrat, and Rep. Kathy McMorris Rodgers, a Washington Republican, to debate the VAWA reauthorization and how the issue might play this November.
Matthews asked McMorris Rodgers why Republicans objected to including protections for women in same-sex couples.
"Those are side issues that have been attached to this bill," McMorris Rodgers said.
Matthews seemed genuinely taken aback. "They're not side issues if you're getting beat up by your partner," he responded. "That's not a side issue, that's your life!"
"I can't imagine going back to a district, rural, urban, or suburban and saying to people, 'I can't protect wives against their husbands because I don't want to do anything that suggests equality and gay relationships,'' continued Matthews.
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How anyone in the 21st century can willingly be a Republican is beyond me.
You're shocked that Republican leaders aren't willing to protect violence against minority women, Native American women, people in same sex couples, immigrant women and of course the girls in all of these groups? And all of these despite the strong recommendations of all of our law enforcement groups and judiciary societies? If it makes sense and comes at the recommendations of experts you can bet the Republicans won't do it.
Of course they don't support full implementation of the act because the Republican Party leaders are driven by extreme racist, bigoted, chauvinistic, hateful groups who are against all equal rights and civil rights. Not only do they resist progressive civil policies but they have shown they are regressive and have pursued a policy of repealing any and all civil rights we have enacted in this country.
It is embarrassing to travel to foreign countries and has been for three decades with the right wing regressive boneheaded agenda we have been on. We used to be the "beacon" that all western nations emulated but they have bypassed us. Unfortunately, the Reagan/Thatcher policies have spread to the other western nations and they too are regressing to a state of the "bad old times." Thanks Reagan.
First amendment of US constitution states Congress shall make no law resoecting an establishment of religion,.............., and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
GOP party in congress is grossly working against every citizen constitutional right and the constitution itself. where are their moral compass?
If the Congress takes rights away from any one person, it puts them in a position to take away the rights of the rest of us. When the Constitution was read in abrogated fashion when the Tea Party took so many seats, it was clearly a failure. They should have read the entire thing, it's very short. Or did they think that was too much trouble. I am so sick of these people.