Virginia megathread

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

The only resolution at this point.

- Fairfax resigns and Northam replaces him with a female POC.

- Northam resigns a month later and the new Lt Gov assumes power.

- New Lt. Gov is picked who should be another female POC and there would be a special election in '19.

- Herring should stay put since if he resigned the GOP would pick his replacement, but his political
  career is over.

I guarantee this will set the Democartic Party back 20 years in VA.

This is akin to when MN Gov Wendell Anderson appointed himself to Mondale's Senate seat in MN.  It ended up in a GOP sweep in Democratic MN; two (2) Senators and a Governor lost.

[Matty]

Does this crap show cost dems some elections in this state?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Does this crap show cost dems some elections in this state?

With how today’s media is probably not as these scandals may be long forgotten by then

[Thatkat04]

The only resolution at this point.

- Fairfax resigns and Northam replaces him with a female POC.

- Northam resigns a month later and the new Lt Gov assumes power.

- New Lt. Gov is picked who should be another female POC and there would be a special election in '19.

- Herring should stay put since if he resigned the GOP would pick his replacement, but his political
  career is over.

I guarantee this will set the Democartic Party back 20 years in VA.

This is akin to when MN Gov Wendell Anderson appointed himself to Mondale's Senate seat in MN.  It ended up in a GOP sweep in Democratic MN; two (2) Senators and a Governor lost.

I dont think it'll be that bad. The elections coming up this year might be better for republicans than had this scandal not happened, but Virginia is still trending strongly towards the democrats and Trump is still president. Warner is up again in 2020 and with Trump at the top of the ticket, he should be pretty safe. The governors race in 2021 will be interesting though, but a fresh democrat will certainly help.

[Virginiá]

Virginia gonna have to change her username out of embarrassment soon.

Looks like it's back to my fancy name, Virginiá

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

Lee Carter is the best Virginia politician.

buh vuvuzela

[henster]

Bob Menendez and Scott DesJarlais are still in office. And I think what Menendez did was more egregious considering there's court documents of his transgressions.

[Virginiá]

I guarantee this will set the Democartic Party back 20 years in VA.

This is akin to when MN Gov Wendell Anderson appointed himself to Mondale's Senate seat in MN.  It ended up in a GOP sweep in Democratic MN; two (2) Senators and a Governor lost.

20 years is saying that all the recent pro-Democratic trends are wiped out, or that Democrats basically remain static, power-wise, because that is what it was like in 1998. They had almost the same split in the legislature as what currently exists (link).

As I posted in another thread, this seems like something that should matter, but it won't. That's not really how politics works. Big scandals involving top Republicans in other states didn't bring down their parties either (eg Missouri), and that is because voters don't just robotically turn on the entire party for something that involves individuals. The fact is, Virginia has many more Democrats and Democrat supporters than Republicans now, and those people aren't just going to magically become semi-reliable Republicans. This is so much more true these days rather than some election back in the late 70s. The time periods are not even remotely comparable anymore. Polarization is too strong. Given how this is such a prominent theme of political debates these days, I feel like this should go without saying too.

Northam, Fairfax and Herring would be hard-pressed to win statewide elections now, but Democratic voters are not going to turn on lower level Democratic politicians who had nothing to do with this.

[Suburbia]

Bob Menendez and Scott DesJarlais are still in office. And I think what Menendez did was more egregious considering there's court documents of his transgressions.

[Suburbia]

Virginia politics is crazy. Period.

[KaiserDave]

I guarantee this will set the Democartic Party back 20 years in VA.

This is akin to when MN Gov Wendell Anderson appointed himself to Mondale's Senate seat in MN.  It ended up in a GOP sweep in Democratic MN; two (2) Senators and a Governor lost.

20 years is saying that all the recent pro-Democratic trends are wiped out, or that Democrats basically remain static, power-wise, because that is what it was like in 1998. They had almost the same split in the legislature as what currently exists (link).

As I posted in another thread, this seems like something that should matter, but it won't. That's not really how politics works. Big scandals involving top Republicans in other states didn't bring down their parties either (eg Missouri), and that is because voters don't just robotically turn on the entire party for something that involves individuals. The fact is, Virginia has many more Democrats and Democrat supporters than Republicans now, and those people aren't just going to magically become semi-reliable Republicans. This is so much more true these days rather than some election back in the late 70s. The time periods are not even remotely comparable anymore. Polarization is too strong. Given how this is such a prominent theme of political debates these days, I feel like this should go without saying too.

Northam, Fairfax and Herring would be hard-pressed to win statewide elections now, but Democratic voters are not going to turn on lower level Democratic politicians who had nothing to do with this.

This is mostly true, less so with Herring in my view.

[henster]

Hearing around from my non political circles, people who just watch local news... There's a lot of skepticism around the Fairfax stuff. 'Why did she wait so long', 'How can you force oral', 'Why didn't she bite?' Think a lot more people are more nuanced on the MeToo stuff than most people in the media think.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Bob Menendez and Scott DesJarlais are still in office. And I think what Menendez did was more egregious considering there's court documents of his transgressions.

How desensitized are you to forcible rape? Contact with a minor is bad too nearing such a level, and I won't pretend to know all the details of the Menendez case, but it's not nearly this bad. Carrying on a relationship with a patient causes some ethical concerns, but it's not RAPE. The Brett Kavanaugh allegations (with significantly more doubts) if true do not come remotely close to RAPE. Almost all of the 27 or whatever allegations of minutaie against Trump may have to do with nonconsensual kissing or clothed touching, but they are not LITERAL RAPE. Sexual assault is extremely bad and men need to be more considerate about these issues, but the allegations against Fairfax are monstrous, and there is not a similar precedent in this era for something like this.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Hearing around from my non political circles, people who just watch local news... There's a lot of skepticism around the Fairfax stuff. 'Why did she wait so long', 'How can you force oral', 'Why didn't she bite?' Think a lot more people are more nuanced on the MeToo stuff than most people in the media think.

This is what rape culture looks like. Congratulations.

[Beet]

The Reps and Dems should make a deal that both Fairfax and Kavanaugh will resign on the same day. That would be fair.

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

The Reps and Dems should make a deal that both Fairfax and Kavanaugh will resign on the same day. That would be fair.

I would be for that

[Technocracy Timmy]

Hearing around from my non political circles, people who just watch local news... There's a lot of skepticism around the Fairfax stuff. 'Why did she wait so long', 'How can you force oral', 'Why didn't she bite?' Think a lot more people are more nuanced on the MeToo stuff than most people in the media think.

This is what rape culture looks like. Congratulations.

[henster]

Bob Menendez and Scott DesJarlais are still in office. And I think what Menendez did was more egregious considering there's court documents of his transgressions.

How desensitized are you to forcible rape? Contact with a minor is bad too nearing such a level, and I won't pretend to know all the details of the Menendez case, but it's not nearly this bad. Carrying on a relationship with a patient causes some ethical concerns, but it's not RAPE. The Brett Kavanaugh allegations (with significantly more doubts) if true do not come remotely close to RAPE. Almost all of the 27 or whatever allegations of minutaie against Trump may have to do with nonconsensual kissing or clothed touching, but they are not LITERAL RAPE. Sexual assault is extremely bad and men need to be more considerate about these issues, but the allegations against Fairfax are monstrous, and there is not a similar precedent in this era for something like this.

Uh, I'm not excusing or trying to downplay rape. It is horrific and anyone who experiences it should immediately go to the police and make sure the perpetrator is held accountable.

[Zaybay]

Hearing around from my non political circles, people who just watch local news... There's a lot of skepticism around the Fairfax stuff. 'Why did she wait so long', 'How can you force oral', 'Why didn't she bite?' Think a lot more people are more nuanced on the MeToo stuff than most people in the media think.

This is what rape culture looks like. Congratulations.

Im sorry, this has been bothering me. Werent you the poster who was standing by Kavanaugh and proclaiming his innocence? You also had him as your sig for a long time.
Seems a bit hypocritical that you would suddenly flip in a rather similar situation

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

I mean, yes, what henster is saying is disgusting and evident of his complete hackery but people really need to go to the police if they are a victim of sexual assault. I know it's shameful position to be in, but if they do a rape kit they'll get the perp.

[Sestak]

Some of the takes here are flaming.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Hearing around from my non political circles, people who just watch local news... There's a lot of skepticism around the Fairfax stuff. 'Why did she wait so long', 'How can you force oral', 'Why didn't she bite?' Think a lot more people are more nuanced on the MeToo stuff than most people in the media think.

This is what rape culture looks like. Congratulations.

Im sorry, this has been bothering me. Werent you the poster who was standing by Kavanaugh and proclaiming his innocence? You also had him as your sig for a long time.
Seems a bit hypocritical that you would suddenly flip in a rather similar situation

Of course I am. If Kavanaugh had allegations as heinous as this against him, especially ones that involved such scheming, I would have thrown him to the wolves.

[henster]

Still no photo of Herring and the days almost up, so I'm guessing it may not exist at all.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Hearing around from my non political circles, people who just watch local news... There's a lot of skepticism around the Fairfax stuff. 'Why did she wait so long', 'How can you force oral', 'Why didn't she bite?' Think a lot more people are more nuanced on the MeToo stuff than most people in the media think.

Bob Menendez and Scott DesJarlais are still in office. And I think what Menendez did was more egregious considering there's court documents of his transgressions.

How desensitized are you to forcible rape? Contact with a minor is bad too nearing such a level, and I won't pretend to know all the details of the Menendez case, but it's not nearly this bad. Carrying on a relationship with a patient causes some ethical concerns, but it's not RAPE. The Brett Kavanaugh allegations (with significantly more doubts) if true do not come remotely close to RAPE. Almost all of the 27 or whatever allegations of minutaie against Trump may have to do with nonconsensual kissing or clothed touching, but they are not LITERAL RAPE. Sexual assault is extremely bad and men need to be more considerate about these issues, but the allegations against Fairfax are monstrous, and there is not a similar precedent in this era for something like this.

IIRC Kavanaugh was accused of trying to rape Dr. Ford and she only escaped because Judge and Kavanaugh were so hammered at the time.  Like Fairfax, he's a complete monster if the accusations are true (as seems likely).  The Menendez allegations were pretty quickly discredited IIRC.  

Roy Moore is in the same general ballpark imo, but that's more due to the age of his victims.  Then we have former Seattle Mayor and repeated child molester Ed Murray (whose victims included at least one family member), former Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray who (IIRC) tried to rape a teenager in the 80s, and last but not least former House Speaker Dennis Hastert admitted to having molested at least four minors.  Also Ted Kennedy accidentally killing a woman and then being hero-worshipped by present-day Democrats was pretty bad.  Not that any of this takes away from how awful Fairfax is.

Still no photo of Herring and the days almost up, so I'm guessing it may not exist at all.

JFC even Herring says he wore blackface.  What does it matter whether there is a photo?

[Frodo]

I choose to believe that one diabolical mastermind is single-handedly taking down the entire Virginia government.

-----------------------

For the record, I don't seriously believe this though I made a similar post earlier, but when you're hearing all this news all in one week with hardly a break in between, watching your politicians from your state get outed one after another for misdeeds none of us had any idea of, you can't help but be put into a dark, despairing, and depressive mood.  And when you're in that state of mind, anything seems plausible.  Including the conspiratorial notion of your political enemies playing 4-D chess at your expense.  


I hope you Republicans are enjoying this.