Everyone is outraged by Todd Akin’s statements about rape and female fertility. Indeed, everyone is so outraged that the most outraged people seem to be the ones who agree with Akin on pretty much everything about abortion, rape exceptions and the rest, which is really saying something. So, to back up for a moment, what did Todd Akin really say that was that outrageous? Read More
TPM Reader TF plumbs some more of them …
What strikes me about this whole flap is that Akin’s response, and Republicans’ response to him, is that use of the phrase “legitimate rape” was what was offensive. Akin’s “apology,” as well as many statements from people decrying the original flap, imply that it’s terrible to say that rape is sometimes “legitimate.” But as Brian pointed out, this is not what Akin said at all. Rather, he was distinguishing genuine rape from rape that the woman may actually have wanted, or falsely claimed, or something like that.
Tampa Mayor: We’re “prepared” to call off Republican convention if Hurricane Isaac hits.
House Republican helped finance and run a phony primary campaign against his Democratic opponent.
Judge/County Commissioner down in Texas says a small tax increase is needed to handle civil war and/or imposition of UN rule after Obama reelection.
This afternoon we received a press release from the site that bills itself as the “world’s largest sugar daddy dating website” announcing a poll of its membership’s presidential preferences. And the results came back with a smashing win for Mitt Romney.
The former Massachusetts Governor tops President Obama by an 8 point margin and the “millionaires” who make up the site’s male clientele. Read More
The main exponent of Todd Akin’s theory that rape victims don’t get pregnant is a pro-life activist and doctor named Jack Willke. And he claims that he got a private meeting with Mitt Romney as recently as late last year. Read More
For a little project we’re putting together, when did you first start reading TPM and why?
As the guy who’s been on the receiving end of your emails for more than eleven years, folks come in different cohorts: people who were there from day one, ones who came in with the Trent Lott story, an appearance on Bill Moyers or Al Franken’s show. Or relatively more recently, the Social Security battle in 2005 or the USA Attorney firing scandal in 2007.
If TPM is important to you and/or you’ve been reading for a long time, we’d love it if you’d share your story about how you joined the fold.
Over the last few days I’ve been describing some of the major problems with our elections which I cover in The Voting Wars.
Too many U.S. jurisdictions allow our elections to be run by political partisans. Local officials have too much control, and often lack adequate training and resources. Political rhetoric has been ratcheted up and mistrust has been building thanks to spurious and exaggerated claims of voter fraud (and in some cases voter suppression) by political provocateurs. Social media inflames partisan passions and could push the next election meltdown into the streets.
What can be done to end the voting wars? Read More