The Many Faces of US Politics...

[five points]

and the general, bitter division of the US along partisan lines mean that accountability just doesn't enter the equation when it comes to Trump.

Yeah, there was no partisan division until 2016 

[Syferus]

I'm struggling with this case TBH.

I struggle with the fact that a man's reputation can be destroyed without due process. Diane Feinstein should be ashamed of how she handled this, as she, in my opinion has let down Ford, the US hearing process, and the reputation of the Democratic Party.  She has left this issue open for counter challenge, on one hand, serious allegations have be levied that put into question this mans suitability to be on the Supreme Court.....on the other hand the timing for the release of the letter indicates that she was more interested in the political game and timed the release to impact upmost damage to the candidate. Especially when during the process the FBI would be running background checks

I also struggle with the fact that one of the senators has admitted to sexually assaulting a girl in his teenage years.....but that's OK, I said sorry.......and he now takes the high ground to admonish the candidate.

I also struggle with the Republicans, who without an investigation, may be pushing a candidate for the Supreme Court who has a serious criminal allegation hanging over his head.

In summary, as an American citizen, this situation is a really depressing indictment of the American political system / society at the moment.

If you're seriously struggling when multiple women have made sworn statements attesting to his sexual assaults I'm genuinely sorry for you. He's getting more due process than he deserves for a job that you should need to be whiter than white to get. Cry me a river if you're trying to reduce it to gender politics.

This is not a complex case or one where anyone removed from ideology should have any problems saying Brett Kavanaugh is a terrible pick for the Supreme Court. In fact if the political climate was less Trumpian there is no doubt he would already have been withdrawn.

[J70]

and the general, bitter division of the US along partisan lines mean that accountability just doesn't enter the equation when it comes to Trump.

Yeah, there was no partisan division until 2016 

Did anyone say otherwise?

[seafoid]

and the general, bitter division of the US along partisan lines mean that accountability just doesn't enter the equation when it comes to Trump.

Yeah, there was no partisan division until 2016 

Read Sam Rosenfeld's The Polarizers

[Kickham csc]

I'm struggling with this case TBH.

I struggle with the fact that a man's reputation can be destroyed without due process. Diane Feinstein should be ashamed of how she handled this, as she, in my opinion has let down Ford, the US hearing process, and the reputation of the Democratic Party.  She has left this issue open for counter challenge, on one hand, serious allegations have be levied that put into question this mans suitability to be on the Supreme Court.....on the other hand the timing for the release of the letter indicates that she was more interested in the political game and timed the release to impact upmost damage to the candidate. Especially when during the process the FBI would be running background checks

I also struggle with the fact that one of the senators has admitted to sexually assaulting a girl in his teenage years.....but that's OK, I said sorry.......and he now takes the high ground to admonish the candidate.

I also struggle with the Republicans, who without an investigation, may be pushing a candidate for the Supreme Court who has a serious criminal allegation hanging over his head.

In summary, as an American citizen, this situation is a really depressing indictment of the American political system / society at the moment.

If you're seriously struggling when multiple women have made sworn statements attesting to his sexual assaults I'm genuinely sorry for you. He's getting more due process than he deserves for a job that you should need to be whiter than white to get. Cry me a river if you're trying to reduce it to gender politics.

This is not a complex case or one where anyone removed from ideology should have any problems saying Brett Kavanaugh is a terrible pick for the Supreme Court. In fact if the political climate was less Trumpian there is no doubt he would dlready have been withdrawn.

First things first, I am a registered member of the Democratic Party. I voted for Hilary and I am not coming at this from a pro Trump GOP position.

If this case was a criminal case, he would be found not guilty with the current lack of collaborating evidence. The fact that women have sworn statements without collaborating evidence, is countered with the sworn statements from Kavanuagh. You are now left with Innocent until proven guilt, he said 'v' she said.

The due process that is missing is which should have been driven by the DNC....
1- Criminal investigation by a law enforcement agency. This should have been done anyway via the FBI background check
2 - If there was sufficient collaborating evidence to support a trial, then bring it to a trial
3 - If brought to a trial, Kavanuagh is toast

Giving a statement and being asked about HS yearbooks is a joke and no where near due process. Look at Graham at the end. Pure theatrics, how in hell would that process in any way bring justice for Hall. Come on lets get real here.

What MY party has done, is hand Trump and the GOP an alternative narrative on what happened, which they will now use to fuel the fake news industry, "Nasty Democrats" have no sham etc etc

If you can't see the bigger picture here then your focusing on the wrong issue.

The biggest danger is not Kavanuagh becoming a supreme court judge (as bad as that would be)...It's Trump winning in 2020 and having even more influence on more judges. My fear is that the Democrats believe that they have 2020 in the back and are getting sloppy in local battles(which I believe happened here) and Trump slips in again and wins the war

[sid waddell]

You are a contemptible ass, who in the face of fact, science and evidence clings to an irrational baseless view of the world, colored by any thing or anyone who confirms your own bias.

You could probably find 65 people to say otherwise though, wouldn't make one of them right or you any less odious. In fact it is just an accident of the location of your birth that you weren't Trump's nominee this time around.

And no, that is not a compliment.

People deal with sexual assault in many many different ways, most of which are a struggle to help themselves come to terms with an experience that is outside of their comprehension.

You should relate to the lack of comprehension part quite well

WTF are you talking about. If Diane Feinstein thought this was real shed have jumped all over it back in July.  Heres what Sy said

"I see some of the usual suspects embarassing themselves as usual on sexual assault.

Have the fûcking balls to believe the woman when she is quite clearly very believable. Fin."

Shes believable all right, but doesnt have a single solitary shred of evidence. Her best fvckin friend said it didnt happen

Kavanaugh's rant would seem to imply it did.
He doesn't have the temperament or the moral authority for the job.

Kavanaugh has perjured himself multiple times.

He did during his original hearing and again last night.

That he's willing to perjure himself over the small stuff like his drinking habits means his testimony in any area has no credibility.

His general demeanour, tone and language used should also rule him out.

Basically, he's the sort of man that has no business being any sort of a judge, never mind a Supreme Court judge.

He's an ultra-partisan political operative, a liar and a charlatan - the perfect personification of the Trump regime in judge form.

[seafoid]

You are a contemptible ass, who in the face of fact, science and evidence clings to an irrational baseless view of the world, colored by any thing or anyone who confirms your own bias.

You could probably find 65 people to say otherwise though, wouldn't make one of them right or you any less odious. In fact it is just an accident of the location of your birth that you weren't Trump's nominee this time around.

And no, that is not a compliment.

People deal with sexual assault in many many different ways, most of which are a struggle to help themselves come to terms with an experience that is outside of their comprehension.

You should relate to the lack of comprehension part quite well

WTF are you talking about. If Diane Feinstein thought this was real shed have jumped all over it back in July.  Heres what Sy said

"I see some of the usual suspects embarassing themselves as usual on sexual assault.

Have the fûcking balls to believe the woman when she is quite clearly very believable. Fin."

Shes believable all right, but doesnt have a single solitary shred of evidence. Her best fvckin friend said it didnt happen

Kavanaugh's rant would seem to imply it did.
He doesn't have the temperament or the moral authority for the job.

Kavanaugh has perjured himself multiple times.

He did during his original hearing and again last night.

That he's willing to perjure himself over the small stuff like his drinking habits means his testimony in any area has no credibility.

His general demeanour, tone and language used should also rule him out.

Basically, he's the sort of man that has no business being any sort of a judge, never mind a Supreme Court judge.

He's an ultra-partisan political operative, a liar and a charlatan - the perfect personification of the Trump regime in judge form.

That is why he reminds me of Freisler. A partisan thug judge is useless

[Jell 0 Biafra]

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/27/candidates-for-appointment-to-government-posts-or-judgeships-dont-have-a-presumption-of-innocence/

Good piece.  Kavanaugh isn't on trial, he's applying for a job.  Presumption of innocence applies to trials, not job applications.

[Kickham csc]

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/27/candidates-for-appointment-to-government-posts-or-judgeships-dont-have-a-presumption-of-innocence/

Good piece.  Kavanaugh isn't on trial, he's applying for a job.  Presumption of innocence applies to trials, not job applications.

My worry about that is God help the next Democratic nominee.

It is now open season if no due process is applied to claims of a serious nature.

Wait to the last minute, and bring out dramatic claims

[Jell 0 Biafra]

Open season would be progress. Last guy didn't even get a hearing.  But yeah, I take your point.

[J70]

It's not like the GOP has been bending over for the Dems when it comes to the Supreme (or any) Court. How many judges did McConnell refuse a hearing, ultimately ending up in the Garland outrage and loads of vacancies for Trump to pack with right wingers? Sotomayor was a racist according to the right for having the temerity to suggest that a perspective other than that of a white male might be valuable on the court. 

[sid waddell]

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/27/candidates-for-appointment-to-government-posts-or-judgeships-dont-have-a-presumption-of-innocence/

Good piece.  Kavanaugh isn't on trial, he's applying for a job.  Presumption of innocence applies to trials, not job applications.

My worry about that is God help the next Democratic nominee.

It is now open season if no due process is applied to claims of a serious nature.

Wait to the last minute, and bring out dramatic claims

The only issue is whether allegations are credible.

The allegations against Kavanaugh are.

Not content with coming across like somebody off their head on crystal meth pretending to be Jack Nicholson in The Shining, Lindsey Graham has threatened that any future nomineees by Democrats will be hit with made up allegations as revenge.

In any normal country, this would be the end of Graham's political career and deservedly so. In the US, he's being celebrated for it. The US is a country that has lost its mind.

There is no possible defence of the Republicans. This is a party that has well and truly nosedived into the realms of fascism.

As a thought experiment it's tragically fascinating and proves that what happened in 1930s Germany can happen anywhere.

[Kickham csc]

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/27/candidates-for-appointment-to-government-posts-or-judgeships-dont-have-a-presumption-of-innocence/

Good piece.  Kavanaugh isn't on trial, he's applying for a job.  Presumption of innocence applies to trials, not job applications.

My worry about that is God help the next Democratic nominee.

It is now open season if no due process is applied to claims of a serious nature.

Wait to the last minute, and bring out dramatic claims

The only issue is whether allegations are credible.

The allegations against Kavanaugh are.

Not content with coming across like somebody off their head on crystal meth pretending to be Jack Nicholson in The Shining, Lindsey Graham has threatened that any future nomineees by Democrats will be hit with made up allegations as revenge.

In any normal country, this would be the end of Graham's political career and deservedly so. In the US, he's being celebrated for it. The US is a country that has lost its mind.

There is no possible defence of the Republicans. This is a party that has well and truly nosedived into the realms of fascism.

As a thought experiment it's tragically fascinating and proves that what happened in 1930s Germany can happen anywhere.

It's fascinating. The party that led the fight for the union and eliminated slavery, which was the main party for African Amercians, has lost it's sole, drip by drip, starting in the 60's when it picked up the anti civil rights southern democrats, unit now where it looks like it's about to drop off a cliff.

[seafoid]

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/27/candidates-for-appointment-to-government-posts-or-judgeships-dont-have-a-presumption-of-innocence/

Good piece.  Kavanaugh isn't on trial, he's applying

Fascism was p for a job.  Presumption of innocence applies to trials, not job applications.

My worry about that is God help the next Democratic nominee.

It is now open season if no due process is applied to claims of a serious nature.

Wait to the last minute, and bring out dramatic claims

The only issue is whether allegations are credible.

The allegations against Kavanaugh are.

Not content with coming across like somebody off their head on crystal meth pretending to be Jack Nicholson in The Shining, Lindsey Graham has threatened that any future nomineees by Democrats will be hit with made up allegations as revenge.

In any normal country, this would be the end of Graham's political career and deservedly so. In the US, he's being celebrated for it. The US is a country that has lost its mind.

There is no possible defence of the Republicans. This is a party that has well and truly nosedived into the realms of fascism.

As a thought experiment it's tragically fascinating and proves that what happened in 1930s Germany can happen anywhere.

Fascism was a marriage of plutocracy, authoritarianism and militarism in an economic system based on debt expansion.

Beyond a certain level of debt to GDP it becomes possible. Destroy the parties of the centre , harness popular anger and away you go.
" Never again" was always bullshit.
Thatcher and Reagan knew what they were doing.

[whitey]

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/27/candidates-for-appointment-to-government-posts-or-judgeships-dont-have-a-presumption-of-innocence/

Good piece.  Kavanaugh isn't on trial, he's applying for a job.  Presumption of innocence applies to trials, not job applications.

My worry about that is God help the next Democratic nominee.

It is now open season if no due process is applied to claims of a serious nature.

Wait to the last minute, and bring out dramatic claims

The only issue is whether allegations are credible.

The allegations against Kavanaugh are.

Not content with coming across like somebody off their head on crystal meth pretending to be Jack Nicholson in The Shining, Lindsey Graham has threatened that any future nomineees by Democrats will be hit with made up allegations as revenge.

In any normal country, this would be the end of Graham's political career and deservedly so. In the US, he's being celebrated for it. The US is a country that has lost its mind.

There is no possible defence of the Republicans. This is a party that has well and truly nosedived into the realms of fascism.

As a thought experiment it's tragically fascinating and proves that what happened in 1930s Germany can happen anywhere.

Credible according to who?

Her best friend who supposedly was there said it never happened and she didn't even know Kavanaugh