The Secret (Is Out)

What was an inconvenient snow flurry is suddenly becoming a dangerous avalanche. US House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom (D) are calling for the San Francisco 49ers to bench Ray McDonald while he's under investigation for abusing his pregnant now-wife. The Minnesota Vikings have suspended Adrian Peterson while he's under investigation for child abuse. The Carolina Panthers have just deactivated Greg Hardy following the public revelation of his May domestic violence conviction (he assaulted his girlfriend and threatened to kill her). And 12 other NFL players arrested on domestic violence charges are still active in the league.

It's not just Ray Rice any more. In fact, it never really was. Yet apparently, it took this avalanche of controversy to fall for NFL executives to finally realize they have a serious problem on their hands.



Corporate sponsors, such as Nike, Radisson, Castrol, Cover Girl, and Anheuser-Busch, are either pulling ad deals or issuing "concerned" statements. A growing number of fans are now making #BoycottNFL viral. And even the most hardcore NFL fanatics must now come to terms with the harsh reality of domestic violence...



Or maybe not? Already, rumors are buzzing about another NFL team potentially picking up Ray Rice. And that may be due to the NFL Players Association appealing the NFL's indefinite suspension of Rice. Even as some top NFL officials are signaling their willingness to make changes, others (hint: the owners) have just gone into hiding.

After surviving the firestorm that erupted when the Ray Rice story first broke, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh made some interesting comments about the meta here. Whether NFL bosses like it or not, this isn't something they can hide from. And whether we like it or not, this isn't something we can hide from.



In a fascinating twist, the NFL just hired Cynthia Hogan as its new Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs. In a past career life, she worked with then Senator (now Vice President) Joe Biden (D-Delaware) on drafting and passing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It remains to be seen how the NFL's newest top lobbyist will "resolve" this issue going forward.

But right now, we must ask this: How will we resolve this issue going forward? When War Machine/Jonathan Koppenhaver was making national headlines over his assault on then girlfriend Christy Mack and Corey Thomas, we noted that domestic violence is an issue that goes far beyond the confines of UFC, Bellator, and even MMA (mixed martial arts) in general. The same rings true for the 49ers, the Ravens, the Vikings, and the NFL in general. This is still a problem for American society in general.

In debuting her new daytime talk show, former NBC "Today" co-host Meredith Vieira revealed a very dark and painful secret on national TV. It's a secret that only people like Vieira, Christy Mack, and Janay Rice can fully comprehend. And it's a secret that we shouldn't force any person to keep to oneself.

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The secret is out. There's no hiding it back in some dark corner. And really, we never should have done that in the first place. So what will we all do to end the seemingly endless cycle of violent misogyny that threatens way too many American women?

Turn the Page

Yesterday, a body of a slain young adult was laid to rest. A family mourned this painful loss. And a reeling community began to pick up the pieces and hoped for eventual healing.

Michael Brown's funeral wasn't just for his family. It wasn't even just for Ferguson. It was for the nation.

Yesterday, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) said this after the funeral: “This tragic event of Michael Brown — while as horrible as it is, and he should have never lost his life as an unarmed boy who had just graduated high school — it is providing the opportunity for us now to have a national discussion on what policies, laws and practice we need to change so we can improve going forward.” He's not alone in demanding change after this horrific tragedy.

This week, we've gained more insight into how and why St. Louis County, Missouri, has sparked this nationwide conversation on the state of American police. And none other than St. Louis County Police Officer Dan Page has helped explain everything.



Ah, where do we start? How about "warning the ladies" about "domestic violence stuff"? "Just shoot each other and get it done"? Did Las Vegas Metro Police actually take his advice earlier this month? Christy Mack's neighbors have been wondering why it took so damned long for Metro to respond to their 911 call. While they took their time, War Machine escaped to Simi Valley, California, while leaving Mack and Corey Thomas near death at her Las Vegas home.



Hold on, there's more. Dan Page also went into a tirade against "homosexual sodomites". According to Page, ICE should keep Marichuy Gamino in solitary confinement in a men's prison for daring to report her rape. According to him, Monica Jones deserved to be arrested for "walking while trans*". And perhaps he also doesn't mind Mia Henderson being taken from this earth way before her time.

He didn't even stop there. No, Dan Page also claimed President Obama wasn't born in America. He actually called himself "a killer". He repeated even more bizarre conspiracy theories.

Oh, and he gave this speech to the Oath Keepers earlier this year. Remember the Oath Keepers?



They're the Patriot Movement friendly militia who occupied Bunkerville and Mesquite during the height of Cliven Bundy's "Range War". They only left when sh-t became too real and they suddenly were under attack by fellow pro-Bundy militia groups.

Dan Page was one of the St. Louis County officers patrolling Ferguson during the height of the protests. He was the one who roughed up CNN reporter Don Lemon in front of a global audience. And even now, St. Louis County Police still won't fire him!

W. T. F?! And they're still wondering why so many in the St. Louis region have a hard time trusting the police? Perhaps they need to start looking in the mirror more often.

It's also important to keep in mind that this problem isn't limited to Missouri. We've seen shades of this here in Nevada as well. After all, Metro Police have often used excessive force on valley civilians (especially those living in inner city communities) while giving the Bundy Gang kid glove treatment and giving War Machine just enough time to escape the crime scene.



In so many ways, the Dan Page saga in St. Louis County illustrates why so many minority communities have trouble trusting the police. If police forces there, here in Southern Nevada, and elsewhere want to turn the page, they need to clean house. If they want to regain our trust, they must prove themselves trustworthy. We can't truly turn the page on this sorrowful chapter in American history until we see no more Michael Browns being shot, Monica Jones' being arrested, and Christy Macks left for dead.

The Machine Behind the War

Justice may finally be near in this case. After an escape from police and out of state, War Machine (aka Jonathan Koppenhaver) will soon be on trial here in Clark County. On Tuesday, he appeared at court in Ventura, California, and agreed to extradition to Nevada.



Koppenhaver faces seven criminal charges related to the attack on Christy Mack (aka Christine Mackinday) and Corey Thomas.

As we've noted before, this isn't War Machine's first violent outbreak. Retired porn star Brooke Haven has recently come forward to describe War Machine's belligerent behavior at her birthday party. He was actually convicted of two misdemeanor assault charges in 2007 and 2008 here in Nevada. And he was convicted of two felony assault charges related to a 2010 San Diego (California) bar fight.

While he was incarcerated in San Diego County Jail, War Machine kept an online diary blog. He shared his experiences in jail... And he shared his "philosophy on the American male".

“There is one guy in here for slapping his wife, one here for yelling at his wife, and one here for beating some guy’s *ss that disrespected his wife. WTF!? If your wife is being a b*tch you can’t slap her, if your wife is yelling at you, God forbid you yell back, and if some *sshole hurts your wife, you cannot protect her!” [...]

“The oppression of MEN is worse than oppression of Jews in Nazi Germany, worse than the slavery of blacks in early America … I’m not exaggerating either.”

Sounds crazy, right? Who else could say something like this? Believe it or not, he's not alone.



The Men's Rights Movement has been pushing this philosophy for some time. The Men's Rights Movement (MRM) was once relegated to "fringe of the fringe" status due to its harboring of individuals espousing shocking views on physical and sexual violence (see War Machine's comments above). But now, men's rights activists (MRAs) are increasingly pushing into what's supposed to be "mainstream".

Last year, Heritage Action actually used MRM language to make its case against renewing the Violence Against Women Act. And Heritage came shockingly close to killing the bipartisan and formerly uncontroversial bill in (the lower House of) Congress. All of a sudden, a critical mass of ("TEA" flavored) Members of Congress were repeating outrageous statements that had previously been confined to the deepest and darkest corners of the manosphere.

It's easy to look at War Machine and conclude he's some troubled individual with serious anger issues. And this may actually be close to the truth. However, this didn't occur in a vacuum. This isn't just one individual. It's time for us to take a closer look at the machine behind the war.

"Everything She Got"

Expect some major legal fireworks in Simi Valley, California, later today. After fleeing there to evade arrest for the near fatal assault of Christy Mack, War Machine (aka Jonathan Koppenhaver) is due to appear in the Ventura County Courthouse for an extradition hearing. The Clark County District Attorney's office wants him back here in Nevada to stand trial for the Christy Mack attack.



The newly released Las Vegas Metro Police report mostly confirms Christy Mack's account of what happened. It then goes on to claim War Machine attempted to rape Mack (aka Christine Mackinday) before beating former "Megan Wants a Millionaire" contestant Corey Thomas and Mack. Needless to say, the Metro Police report shines more light on why War Machine decided to run away when he had his initial chance to tell police his side of the story.

However, that isn't stopping some celebrities some speaking up on War Machine's behalf. Earlier today, "Sons of Anarchy" star Chuck Zito actually said Mack "deserved everything she got" if she indeed "cheated" on War Machine.



So she "deserved everything she got" if she "cheated"? And because the police report has her describing the relationship with War Machine as "on again, off again", that means she's a "liar" and a "slut" who "deserved everything she got"?

There's a term for this. It's called "slut shaming".



"Everything she got"? Everything Christy Mack got was attempted rape and quite possibly attempted murder. And she's not alone. 600 people are raped every day in this nation. That's two people every minute. Yet all too often, victims are told they "deserve everything they get" because they did something "slutty".

"Everything she got" was a horrific attack on her life. And yes, it's not her fault. No matter what War Machine thought of his relationship status with her, no matter how Christy Mack described her relationship with him, and no matter what Corey Thomas was doing on her bed, there is no justification for the kind of violence that occurred at Mack's house. "Everything she got" was a crime committed against her. That's why War Machine is now in court.

All Our Problem

We were careful in describing his career path on Thursday... Because we sensed this was coming. Accuracy is always important. But really, is this necessary?

(Go to 9:00 on the video below for the fireworks.)



Look, we get it. Dana White wants to talk about Ronda Rousey. He wants to talk about the all female cast of competitors on the new season of "The Ultimate Fighter". He wants to show us all the progress UFC has made in integrating women MMA fighters and valuing the contribution women are making to MMA.

Dana White and other UFC executives don't want to talk about War Machine, especially since he hasn't fought for UFC since 2008. They don't want to talk aboht Josh Grispi either, even though his last MMA fight was for UFC last year. (Basically, they're now receiving the Jason Miller treatment.) They don't want to talk about male MMA fighters running into domestic violence related trouble, especially when they feel they've done so much in recent years to promote equal rights in MMA.

Yes, UFC has made some progress in leaving behind its sexist past. Yes, War Machine had been under contract with Bellator this year (until he was released from that contract when this story first broke). But really, what's the point of arguing over who he was under contract with when?



Look, we get it. No one wants to take responsibility for the transformation of Jonathan Koppenhaver into War Machine. And no one wants to acknowledge the severity of rape culture in America. Even many (mostly "TEA" flavored) politicians scoff at the reality of violence against women.

Nope, it's easier to cry about some mythical "war on men". It's easier to dismiss the "disposable". And of course, it's so much easier to simply blame the victim.

Christy Mack is a porn star, so she must be a "slut" who "deserved it". Marichuy Gamino is an "illegal" and a "t----y", so she "deserves it". Jada went to the party, so she "deserves it".

No. Just no. No one "deserves it". No one deserves to be assaulted to near-death. No one deserves to be thrown into solitary confinement after reporting one's sexual assault. And no one deserves to be drugged and raped at a teen party.

As we said Thursday, this isn't just a MMA problem. This is an American problem. And it's long past time for us to blithely dismiss violence against cis and trans* women.

Dana White may be callous in trying to dump the entire War Machine fiasco onto the lap of a rival MMA league simply because that was the last league he worked for. However, we're no better when we ignore or marginalize violence against women that doesn't involve MMA fighters. This is all our problem. So what will we do to solve this?

This Is Why Elections Matter.

This morning, the US Supreme Court decided to tinker with workers' right to unionize... And the very survival of the American labor movement... And women's rights at work... And employers' ability to dictate their workers' health care decisions.

Both decisions were allegedly narrow, but they have the potential to set very dangerous precedents. Oh, and both decisions were 5-4. Who could have guessed the Roberts Court is so extremely ideologically divided?

In Harris v. Quinn, the 5 conservative Justices ruled in favor of a handful of home health care workers who did not want to pay union dues to enjoy the benefits of union negotiations. In order to curb "free riders", non - union workers were required to pay some sort of reimbursement fees to the unions for negotiating higher pay and better benefits for them. But now, 5 Justices (guess who!) just punctured a hole in this arrangement.

Now, they claim there's a separate class of workers who are "public employees" but are not really "public employees". Confused yet? Try Andy Kroll's Mother Jones primer for Harris. Suffice to say, today's ruling doesn't completely eviscerate the American labor movement... But it does bruise workers and threatens more pain ahead.

And then, there's Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby. Once again, we have a 5-4 ruling. Once again, we have a troubling precedent that threatens workers' rights. And once again, we have theoretical "religious freedom" valued over real women's health.

In Hobby Lobby, 5 Justices (guess who!) ruled that "closely held corporations" (essentially family run enterprises) can claim "religious objections" when denying workers contraception and other forms of reproductive health care. Strangely enough, some progressives are breathing sighs of relief today because this rather jumbled ruling actually gave plenty of room for the federal government to step in and provide reproductive health care to affected workers. The ruling was also designed to be narrow enough to avoid threatening other health care benefits (like blood transfusions and vaccinations) and/or legalizing workplace discrimination.

Still, this sets a frightening precedent. What if the hardest of hard-line conservative Justices just had one or two more votes on the Supreme Court? The message from Justice Samuel Alito (who authored both majority opinions) seems to be that he's waiting for just this to go even further in the direction of undoing the entire past century of progress on workers' rights and women's rights.

Here's a helpful hint: This is why elections matter. Presidents appoint and Senators confirm Supreme Court Justices. And there's a good chance we'll see at least one more vacancy this decade. Imagine the difference one vote could have made today.

This is why elections matter.

Sticks & Stones

Remember the rhyme we'd occasionally yell out on the elementary school playground? "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?" We've been thinking about this lately.

Long time readers of this blog know what our favorite TV show is. (Sorry, Jon Ralston.) So when this show fell into a pile of verbal sticks & stones, we were troubled. Why embrace the language of hate, especially when the message is supposed to be love?



Sticks & stones can break our bones... And can words cause a world of hurt as well? Can "blurred lines" lead us into serious danger?

Try asking those who lost loved ones due to Elliot Rodger translating his words into action. Try asking the residents of Isla Vista. Try asking someone who knows anyone who works and/or studies at UC Santa Barbara.

There's a reason for #YesAllWomen. There's a reason for "When Women Refuse". Violence against women, cisgender and transgender, is all too real. And it still happens all too often.



Sticks & stones may break bones, but can dysphoria do so as well? What happens when we mock real violence? Might we be encouraging more violence?



Think about it. Even now, even after this latest tragedy, we're still seeing all these sticks & stones oh so causally tossed around. How many more bones must be broken before we notice? How many more real people must be hurt before we take seriously the threats we make with certain words?

Here in America, we tend to cherish our freedom of speech. As we should. But with great freedom comes great responsibility. And with harsh rhetoric comes harsh consequences.

Cliven Bundy and Donald Sterling have had to learn this the hard way. Isla Vista residents have had to learn this at the hands of a very troubled person. How many more sticks & stones must be tossed before we get it?

Yes, All Women...

Throughout 2012 and into 2013, House Republicans led the fight against a comprehensive Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). They continually made excuses as to why they refused to take up the VAWA that passed the Senate in a big bipartisan vote in 2012. But finally in February 2013, House Republican "leaders" relented and VAWA became law (again).

However, that final vote wasn't without controversy. Earlier that month, Heritage Action (yes, that Heritage) announced it would lobby against VAWA renewal. And not only that, but it would negatively score House members who voted for VAWA. That's why most House Republicans ultimately voted against VAWA renewal last year.

What was truly disturbing about Heritage Action's campaign against VAWA was that it was couched in the language of the "Men's Rights Movement". The "Men's Rights Movement" has resorted to false claims and extreme rhetoric to decry laws aimed at protecting vulnerable women from abuse, rape, stalking, and "deadbeat dads".



Elliot Rodger had grown attached to the "Men's Rights Movement". He even posted on "men's rights" online message boards about the "revolution" he wanted to start. Last Friday, he acted on his wishes when he killed 6 other people and himself in Isla Vista.

We've said it before, and we must say it again. Words have consequences. Words have meaning. Rape culture, slut shaming, "man-o-sphere", and other forms of misogyny threaten more than just "blurred lines".



Another shooting occurred in Stockton last Saturday when 3 women turned down 3 men asking them for sex. One of them allegedly opened fire, and the women took shelter at a nearby restaurant to call police.

Meanwhile, a prominent "pick up artist" site predicted more Isla Vista massacres and Stockton incidents if women don't have sex with men like Elliot Rodger. This and other misogynistic responses to these recent violent acts of misogyny have prompted feminist activists to respond with #YesAllWomen. It's easy for so many of us to dismiss what we see as "boys being boys"... Until we see real girls hurt.

Yes, all women deserve respect. Yes, all women should have a chance to live lives free of violence. Yes, all women are still at risk when we fail to acknowledge the consequences of trying to shame and/or force them into submission. And yes, we need to take these risks and acts of misogyny seriously, especially in light of recent events.

Shame on You

It's 2014. And this is still happening? We're still witnessing epic "slut shaming" in the public square. And to make this even worse, Metro Police are now engaging in it!

Is this why Metro has been "too busy" to clean up the Cliven Bundy armed fiasco it's let fester in the Virgin Valley? Has Metro just been "too busy" slut shaming young women instead?

Girls who are not sexually abstinent, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Officer Regina Coward reportedly said, typically wind up victims of sexual assault. Or they become members of a gang. Or they take drugs. Or they become prostitutes. [...]

The event’s program mingled its pro-abstinence message with video about women in dire circumstances. One video included interviews with a pimp and prostitutes and emphasized that women who sell sex for money are often forced into a kind of modern-day slavery. Another showed gruesome images of people who used hard drugs, including a woman who lost limbs in a meth lab explosion.

A survey published in 2006 found that 95 percent of Americans have had premarital sex. Most of these people are not prostitutes. Most of them also have never been injured in a drug-related accident.

What. The. F**k?! So Metro is actually wasting our tax dollars on "educating" our youth on unscientific propaganda. And keep in mind that this isn't just any propaganda. It's the same propaganda being pushed by the likes of Focus on the Family and other G-O-TEA/religious right outfits that are out to criminalize anything & everything other than marital, hetero-normative, "missionary position" sex.

This propaganda has no basis in science. It degrades women. And it does absolutely nothing to secure our communities. So why on earth is Metro now engaging in slut shaming?

[... I]t's not as if "slut-shaming" works in reducing teen pregancies and/or preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections. If anything, the opposite may actually be true. Threatening young women won't stop the above from happening. Knowledge, on the other hand, will. After all, knowledge is power.

So we should know better. And the powers that be at the "newspaper" should have known better. What a shame.

And Metro should have known better. Are Metro chiefs still wondering why the Clark County Commission turned down the "More Cops Tax"? Here's a helpful hint: This is why!

We've seen armed madness take hold in the Virgin Valley. We've yet to hear straight answers from Metro on the many "officer involved shootings" of unarmed civilians. Public trust in our allegedly trustworthy law enforcement keeps dropping to new lows. And now, Metro wants to worsen its "image problem" by slut shaming our young women?

Shame on you, Metro.

Can't Rebrand "Culture War"

Every so often, we hear about it. Party "leaders" boast about it. Candidates hint at it. And a number of "mainstream" media pundits hype it to death.

Ever since the polls closed in November 2012, we've been hearing about "Republican rebranding". It was supposed to bring the Republican Party into the 21st century. And it was supposed to retool & revitalize the Republican Party in time for the 2014 & 2016 elections.

We can't help but wonder if this is what Republican National Committee (RNC) operatives had in mind when they announced "Republican rebranding". G-O-TEA politicians in Nevada & nationwide rallied in support of Cliven Bundy. G-O-TEA politicians are now rallying behind Donald Sterling. Maryland Republicans are now trying to strip transgender people of basic civil rights. Mississippi Republicans are now jumping on board the "License to Discriminate movement". And regardless of what they say is in their party platform, Nevada Republicans are mostly still lining up against marriage equality.

We can't help but wonder what RNC operatives wanted in terms of "Republican rebranding". They drove Sue Wagner away in favor of embracing "Uncle Sugar". They've let Cresent Hardy trumpet his "philosophy" on "segregation laws". And they follow Rush Limbaugh's lead in slut shaming, race baiting, and homophobic/transphobic fear-mongering.

Shortly after the 2012 Election, the RNC ordered an autopsy. That autopsy report ultimately called for an end to the G-O-TEA Culture War. But instead of doing that, the party has been doubling down on that Culture War to the point of celebrating "outlaw cowboys", "cantaloupe calves", speculation of voting for slavery, and even "freedom to discriminate". Oh, what a "rebranding" Republicans have accomplished!

And they're wondering why the 2016 polls are not looking good for them (and even the 2014 polls are not looking as great for them as they claim)? They've been doubling down on "Culture War" for so long that they've succeeded in locking in the 21st Century Know Nothings... While alienating nearly everyone else. And no amount of cosmetic "rebranding" can change this reality.

The War They Can't Spin

Here we are again. It's on its way back to the floor. It should receive a vote soon... But why can't it pass?

Of course, we're talking about the Paycheck Fairness Act. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) has scheduled a vote this week, perhaps as early as tomorrow. But once again, Senate Republicans look set to filibuster this bill to death.

Why? Republicans claim it's some "job killing regulation". Never mind that it actually ensures women are fairly paid for the work they do. And never mind that our entire economy benefits when women are ensured their fair share. They have their talking points down, and they're out to take them for a spin on national media.

What they fail to recognize is that no talking points can spin away the truth. They can make as many desperate excuses as they want, but they can't change HERstory.

Women are still earning less than men (as in 18-23% less on average) for doing the same work. And since mothers are the sole or primary breadwinners in at least 40% of American households, this is hurting a whole lot of American families. And yet, the "family values party" won't value at least 40% of American families?

Oh, and we're still supposed to believe there's no G-O-TEA War on Women? Even though this is how they're "celebrating" Equal Pay Day? And this is what they think of their Democratic women colleagues on Capitol Hill?

Try as they might, G-O-TEA politicians can't spin us away from their War on Women. If they want us to believe they're not opposed to equal pay for equal work, then they should drop their opposition to legislation to guarantee just that.

Simple

Just this morning, we had to point out the ugly reality of G-O-TEA politicians continuing to beat that poor dead horse. We just didn't expect them to celebrate it... And lie about it so brazenly.

Yet it happened. No really, it happened last week at the "Campaign for Life Summit" as anti-choice activists and G-O-TEA strategists discussed proper "messaging". And yes, they actually advocated using "compassionate" sounding lies to mask the War on Women they so eagerly want to continue.

So they actually took Pat Hickey's advice. What on earth are they thinking? Apparently, it's the same thing Texas Republicans are thinking when they claim women are "too busy" to care about equal pay for equal work.





So they want us to believe that women are "too busy" to care about paycheck fairness? And they want us to think that this would not be a problem if women were to just "negotiate more like men"? And they still wonder why Sue Wagner left the Republican Party?

Here's why: "Republican rebranding" won't make it go away. "Softer" rhetoric won't make it go away. And no, lying about it definitely won't make it go away.

If Republican "leaders" truly don't want their party to be bogged down any more by their War on Women, then they need to stop fighting it! It's just that simple.

G-O-TEA politicians can't just lie about their own record and expect their political problems to disappear. They decided to start the War on Women. It just sucks for them that most Americans don't care for it.

And no, slick new ads won't do the trick. Neither will sleeker technology. And neither will "soft" lies. It's not that simple.

The solution to their problem, however, is quite simple. It's their choice not to take it.

They're Still Digging

They just don't know how to stop digging when they're already in such a deep hole. Even as "Republican rebranding" has become nothing but a sorry joke, G-O-TEA politicians just can't help themselves. They keep reminding us why their Republican Party has so much trouble with "minority outreach".

Throughout this month, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) has resorted to race baiting and praising child starvation to promote his "anti-poverty agenda". This compelled a Nobel Prize winning economist to publicly rebuke Rep. Ryan. And of course, this sordid affair reminded everyone how Ryan's agenda promotes rather than negates poverty.

And it's not just Paul Ryan making insensitive comments. In South Dakota, a State Senator is standing by his bill to allow businesses open to the public to engage in racial discrimination. Meanwhile in New York & Boston, the 21st Century Know Nothings are expressing "OUTRAGE!!!" over the respective cities' Mayors and major beer brands pulling out of the St. Patrick's Day Parades over the two parades' ban on open LGBTQ participation.

Oh, yes. That's right. They're still digging.

Even after Cresent Hardy made his now infamous "segregation laws" comments. Even after Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) vetoed SB 1062. Even after Paul Ryan faced massive backlash for his "poverty" comments. And even after "Uncle Sugar" went overboard again. They're still digging.

Even though many Republican political consultants realize their party's looming demographic crisis, so many of their party's politicians just can't give up that toxic "TEA". And their creative "quick fix" can only suppress the future for so long.

Eventually, they will have to wake up and smell the 21st century. And eventually, they will have to emerge from the hole of their own creation if they want a viable future for their party. But even now, they still refuse to do either. Instead, they're still digging.

"Soft" Rhetoric, Hard Reali-TEA

On Monday, we discussed the "helpful advice" Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey (R-Reno) was offering his Republican Party in "how to talk to women". He said his party needs to "show empathy" and "know why they feel the way they do". Apparently, it's also important to show some condescension along with that "empathy".

Yet as Hickey and a crew of national Republicans are trying hard to spin their "kinder, gentler, woman friendly Republican Party" into a "softer light", the usual G-O-TEA suspects refuse to give up their hard "TEA". Case in point: Greg Brannon. He's running for US Senate in North Carolina. And he recently said this.



Once again, G-O-TEA politicians are spreading misinformation about Planned Parenthood. And once again, G-O-TEA politicians are resorting to slut shaming. And it's not just Greg Brannon stooping to the bottom of the barrel for more ammunition to use on the ongoing G-O-TEA War on Women.

In recent weeks, "Uncle Sugar" Mike Huckabee has become a top general in the G-O-TEA's War on Women. And he doesn't seem to want to relinquish this role any time soon. Even as he's called women "a special treasure", he's nonetheless endorsed looting that treasure (by stripping women of their civil rights) as "how we win elections".

And it doesn't even stop there. Even as some G-O-TEA leaders call for "softer" rhetoric, none of them are backing away from their extreme ideology. Rather, they keep doubling down on it!

Contrary to what Pat Hickey and national Republican "leaders" want us to think, there's no such thing as a "kinder, gentler" war. There's still violence. There's still bloodshed. And in this case, America's women realize their health care and civil rights are still under attack. No amount of "softer" rhetoric can change this hard reality.

Some Helpful Advice

Here he goes again. And this time, he has "helpful advice". Lordy help us all.

In November 2012, Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey (R-Reno) suggested Democratic legislators should be more "bipartisan" by simply accepting his G-O-TEA agenda. Less than a month later, Hickey attempted to drive wedges in Carson City, between Secretary of State Ross Miller (D) & Democratic Legislature leaders and between himself & Governor Brian Sandoval (R), by trying to tie SB 303 driver authorization cards to SB 63 election reform. Before the 77th session of the Nevada Legislature began, Pat Hickey was already setting himself up to be the #1 Nevada G-O-TEA partisan bomb thrower in Carson City.

But now, Pat Hickey wants everyone to know he's ready & able to help his Republican Party fix its little War on Women problem. No really, Pat Hickey took to Twitter to offer his fellow Republicans "helpful advice" on reaching out to women voters.

"GOP needs to learn how to talk to women. Need to know "what" they feel--but also, "why" they feel the way they do." [...]

"Tips for Republicans messaging to women: Validate. Show empathy. Use stories (example: about the failure of Obamacare). Find common ground."

Ah yes, Pat Hickey thinks Republicans should "show empathy". He should know. He did for fellow Assembly Republican Jim Wheeler (R-Minden) after he made his (now infamous) statement on slavery. But when it came to immigrant families trying to survive and students wanting a better education, Hickey showed anything but empathy.

And "validate"? What does Pat Hickey seek to validate? His true thoughts on "minority outreach"? G-O-TEA politicians' deep misunderstanding (and/or misleading) of Obamacare? Or G-O-TEA politicians' resolve to attack women's reproductive health care while neglecting pretty much everything that actually matters (and can actually help people)?

What else can we say about Pat Hickey's "helpful advice"? Perhaps this: It's not really helpful. If Republicans ever want to get serious about solving their "little issues" with non straight white Christian male voters, they know what they must do. If they want truly helpful advice, they know where to find it.

No Means No

It isn't new, far from it. We've seen it happen time and time again. And we're seeing even more of it now.

We saw it happen to Assembly Member Lucy Flores (D-North Las Vegas) last year. We saw it happen to Sandra Fluke two years ago. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R) went there last month. And Wall Street Journal columnist James Toranto is going there today.

Working off a piece in the New York Times, Taranto highlighted an incident last year at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where a young man named Matt Martel prevented his intoxicated male friend from sleeping with a drunk female student. The young woman thanked Martel the next day, which apparently left Taranto baffled.

Taranto just doesn't think men and women — physical disparities, be damned — should be treated differently in such cases if both parties are drunk.

Taranto is a reliable soldier in what he's called the "war on men." He wrote last June that Democrats such as Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) were trying to "criminalize male sexuality" in their efforts to eliminate sexual assault from the military. McCaskill promptly shot back at Taranto's "bizarre and deeply out of touch understanding of sexual assault."

Except that James Toranto does believe men should be treated differently. He obviously doesn't support efforts to "criminalize male sexuality". And as long as a woman is also drunk, a drunk man has free reign to "do what he wants" with those "blurred lines".

Once again, we're seeing how slut shaming is used to silence those who criticize Rape Culture and its pernicious infiltration into mainstream culture. "Oh, but she wanted it! She was drunk. And she was probably scantily clad as well. And she likely has sex with lots of men all the time. She wanted it, so how dare she complain!"

Here's an easy rule of thumb when it comes to determining rape: No means no. If someone has not provided consent, then forcing oneself onto that person is rape. It's really that simple.

This is why it's incredibly difficult to take seriously those G-O-TEA politicians when they claim there's no War on Women. Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has even gone as far as claim Democrats have a "woman problem". And why's that? Oh, he's rehashing then President Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. No, we're not even kidding.

Never mind the G-O-TEA's obsession with "legitimate rape". Never mind their campaign to kill the Violence Against Women Act. And never mind the ongoing G-O-TEA attacks on women's reproductive health care. No, the real threat to American women is Hillary Clinton, her husband, and the affair she drove him into committing nearly two decades ago. (Obviously, we're kidding here. #snark)

Today, James Toranto and Rand Paul reminded us that the War on Women still rages on. According to their army of G-O-TEA Culture Warriors, consensual extramarital sex threatens to destroy the world... But rape "isn't really rape" if both parties are drunk. They've yet to understand that at the end of the day, no means no.

Troubled State of Their Disunion

Once upon a time, the State of Nevada elected its very first female Lieutenant Governor. Her name was Sue Wagner. And she had previously made history HERstory by working across the aisle on a number of issues affecting women & children during her service in the Nevada Legislature.

Unfortunately, Sue Wagner's political career was cut short just as it was starting to take off. Why? She was a victim of a horrifying plane crash near Fallon on Labor Day in 1990. Though she survived that crash and was elected Lt. Governor later that fall, her subsequent health problems prevented her from running for elected office again.

But now, Sue Wagner is making headlines and rocking Nevada's political scene yet again. How so? This time, it's for different reasons. And this time, it's due to the (failing) health of the Republican Party.

Just as President Obama was giving his State of the Union speech last night, the Reno Gazette Journal's Ray Hagar dropped this bomb from Sue Wagner.

Wagner, 73, registered as a nonpartisan voter a few days ago and said she’ll miss is voting in the primary election.

Wagner said she has grown tired of the GOP’s shift to the far right.

“I did it as a symbol, I guess, that I do not like the Republican Party and what they stand for today,” Wagner said. “I’ve been a Republican all my life. My dad was active (in the GOP) in the state of Maine where I was born. It was more of a moderate, liberal Republican Party.”

“It’s grown so conservative and tea-party orientated and I just can’t buy into that,” Wagner said. “I’ve left the Republican Party and it’s left me, at the same time.”

And speaking of the State of the Union, Republicans tried to spin away their own War on Women with a response from Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington). And how did that go? Let's just say that in the future, we'll probably be talking more about last night's other Republican responses.

And then, there's this "pre-buttal response" to the Republican responses from Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman (R). She didn't even try mincing words when she described the troubled state of her party.

It's hard for me to phrase this politely. Sometimes Republicans think that just putting a woman up front means somehow that women are going to feel good about the party. It is not about the messenger. It's about the message. And until we figure that one out, while it's nice that we have a woman as a spokesperson, if the message itself doesn't get changed a bit, it's not going to work. But I think it is an attempt to say we've got prominent, articulate women, and she will certainly fill that role. And that's great. But that's not going to be enough to win over women at the polls. [...]

We should stop doing things like putting up another anti-abortion thing, and constantly trying to fight against the ability under the new healthcare law to provide birth control for women. If we really care about less government, let's get them out of the bedroom. Let's not say things like, “A woman's libido needs to have government there to help control it.” That kind of thing just reaffirms a sort of condescending attitude toward women.

Ouch.

Oh, and here's another big ouch. In 1990, Sue Wagner led the fight for Question 7, which sealed in place Nevada's abortion laws. And in 1995, national Republicans tapped then-Governor Christine Todd Whitman to deliver the Republican response to then-President Bill Clinton's State of the Union address. Would today's Republican Party allow such prominent roles for outspoken, pro-choice, non-"TEA" drinking women as Christine Todd Whitman, Sue Wagner, Dema Guinn, and Dawn Gibbons?

Both Wagner and Whitman remind us of the real problem facing today's Republican Party. And no, it can't be solved by simply tapping some woman to deliver one of the Republican #SOTU responses. (Nowadays, Republicans have several of them.) Rather, it's a severe policy problem in need of a serious policy answer.

Most Americans may very well soon forget what Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said last night. However, it will be much harder for Americans to forget what Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee said last week about "Uncle Sugar", "libido", and contraception.



And why is that? Just look at what Republicans in Congress continue wasting their time on. And no matter how often they take to the media to deny their War on Women, they continue waging war on women by advancing extreme anti-choice policies. And they only make their own matters worse by provoking fights over issues like the definition of rape and working mothers.

Once upon a time, women like Sue Wagner had a place to call home in the Republican Party. Now, they don't. And if Republicans continue to ignore the troubled state of their disunion, they're doomed to make it even worse.

Double Down?

Last week, it was thrust back into the spotlight. A state and a hospital were refusing to grant a woman her last wish. A former Governor declared that women must do better at "controlling their libidos". And a number of G-O-TEA pundits (including a couple former Members of Congress) have resorted to blaming women for everything from extramarital affairs to "bad parenting" (for daring to work outside the home).



Oh, yes. That's right. The G-O-TEA War on Women rages on, and it shows no signs of letting up any time soon.

Not only have they been sinking to new lows to attack progressives who dare to challenge their assertion that "family values" require devaluing women, but they're even resorting to attacking their own. Why? Even when they claim the War on Women is over, they keep fighting. Why is that? Why are they so determined to insult American women again and again and again and again?



Is this what we're to expect from the Republican Party going forward? Is this the inevitable conclusion of their "rebranding campaign"?

But on the self-pitying right, you can never lose by blaming the media for coddling awful Democrats. [Senator Rand] Paul’s [R-Kentucky] brilliant declaration about women winning the war on women was likewise fact-challenged and paranoid. “I don’t see so much that women are downtrodden. I see women rising up and doing great things,” he told David Gregory. “In fact, I worry about our young men sometimes because I think the women are out-competing the men in our world.”

Never mind that women still make less than men and are more likely to live in poverty. Even more cruelly, the man who opposes legal abortion and the contraception-coverage mandate also suggested last Thursday that women who have “too many” children should lose welfare support. “Maybe we have to say, ‘Enough’s enough, you shouldn’t be having kids after a certain amount,’” Paul said Thursday. He backed off a bit on CNN Sunday morning, telling Candy Crowley: “I mused about how you’d have a government policy, but I actually came down saying it would be very difficult to have a government policy,” Paul said.

Only last week reasonably smart people declared that Paul was the beneficiary of Chris Christie’s implosion. The Atlantic’s Peter Beinart called him the new “front-runner,” and Andrew Sullivan endorsed Beinart’s piece, tweeting, “Those who dismiss Rand Paul’s chances are missing something, I think — a revival of true small-gov’t conservatism.”

Believe it or not, Rand Paul now stands a real chance at becoming Republicans' 2016 Presidential Nominee. It remains to be seen whether his recent War on Women remarks will make more Republicans uncomfortable with his likely candidcacy... Or if this will only strengthen his appeal with the 21st Century Know Nothings who comprise the base of today's Republican Party.

And it remains to be seen how much longer these G-O-TEA politicians will continue their War on Women. Will they ever realize the folly of antagonizing over 50% of the nation? Or will they try doubling down (yet again) all the way to Las Vegas in 2016?

Let It Go.

How would you feel if your last wishes were not granted... Or even considered? How would you feel if your family members had to go to court and beg a judge to let them grant your last wishes? How would you feel if you were left to become a national laughingstock, and you couldn't even utter a single word in your own defense?

Believe it or not, this garish nightmare has become reality for the family of Marlise Munoz.

Erick and Marlise Munoz were both paramedics, and had discussed her wishes that she not be on "life-sustaining" measures if she were to become brain dead.

John Peter Smith Hospital says that they are just trying to follow Texas law that states Texas law that says "you cannot withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment for a pregnant patient."

Mr. Munoz has filed an emergency motion with the court, and a complaint against John Peter Smith Hospital that he hopes will allow him to have the hospital disconnect the machines "so that her family can take her body and give her a proper burial."

"Marlise Munoz is legally dead, and to further conduct surgical procedures on a deceased body is nothing short of outrageous," her husband says in the motion.

Marlise Munoz has been legally dead since November 26, yet a hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, is keeping her corpse "alive" against the wishes of Munoz and her family. Why? The hospital claims it's obeying Texas law.

Never mind that the fetus has been described as "severely abnormal" and has no guarantee of surviving childhood. And never mind that this fetus is inside a legally dead body. Apparently, this Fort Worth hospital and the State of Texas are more interested in playing Frankenstein games than respecting the family's wishes (as well as those of Marlise Munoz herself).

When did this ever become acceptable behavior? When did it become acceptable to deny a dying woman her final wish to rest in peace? And when did a party supposedly espousing values of "freedom, personal responsibility, and individual liberty" become the party of forced birth under any & all circumstances... Even dead ones?

Perhaps Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R) can clue us in?

"If the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each month for birth control because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of government then so be it! Let us take that discussion all across America because women are far more than the Democrats have played them to be," Huckabee said.

Huckabee argued that Democrats "think that women are nothing more than helpless and hopeless creatures whose only goal in life is to have the government provide for them birth control medication."

No, Huckster. You got it completely wrong. You and your fellow G-O-TEA politicians continue insulting the women of America by declaring that you have complete control over all American women's bodies and health care decisions. Seriously, who decided to make you the judge, jury, executioner, doctor, pharmacist, and deity (all rolled into one sleazy politician) ruling over all American women?

Sadly, Mike Huckabee, some Texas G-O-TEA yahoos, and the Washoe County Republican Party are not alone in their desire to escalate the G-O-TEA's War on Women. This weekend, the Republican National Committee (RNC) looks set to double down (again) on its extreme anti-choice agenda. And that's coming on the heels of Rep. Steve Pearce (R-New Mexico) "enlightening America" with his thoughts on marriage. And of course, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Yep, Texas) sharing his thoughts on women and "servitude". And then, we can't forget their House G-O-TEA colleagues' proposed bill to force the IRS to audit rape victims.

And they wonder why their party has trouble connecting with American women? Have they tried refraining from constant threats to take away their civil rights?

This brings us back to Fort Worth, Texas, and the horrifying case of Marlise Munoz. It's saddening enough for her family that they had to find her unconscious on the kitchen floor. It's even worse to see her declared legally dead. And it's downright cruel and unusual punishment to force this family through such a disgusting legal clusterfuck, just so some G-O-TEA politicians can strut their stuff in front of their extreme(ly deranged) base.

And to think, some G-O-TEA players want to put their party's latest & greatest Culture Warriors on full display here in Nevada in 2016? Can Las Vegas truly handle that? Perhaps we should just let that one go.

Maybe a Vegas Vacation Can't Cure Everything?

This should be fun. Pundits all over are chirping over the selection of Former Rep. Enid Greene Mickelsen (R-Utah) to head the convention site selection committee for the Republican National Committee (RNC). Does this mean the 2016 Republican National Convention might just come here after all?

Not so fast. Keep in mind that there are still 22 other cities vying for #RNC2016. And one of them just happens to be the capital of Utah's other next door neighbor. Kansas City, Chicago, and all 3 major Ohio cities (!!!) are also among the contenders, so @LV2016 boosters should expect a fierce competition ahead.

Already, national Republican "leaders" are honing in on better "optics" for future election cycles. That's why local @LV2016 fans are calling on the RNC to "embrace the diversity of Las Vegas". But will they?

We've been down this road before. Sure, this may be the first time that Republicans have seriously considered bringing their national showcase event to Southern Nevada. However, this isn't the first time they've tried to woo us by whispering sweet nothings into our ears.

And then, there's that whole matter of "embracing diversity". How's that working out? Oh yes, that's right. The RNC looks set to double down (again) on the G-O-TEA War on Women. Meanwhile, top Republicans in Oklahoma, Indiana, Arizona, New Jersey (we'll get back to him shortly), and elsewhere continue their crusade against LGBTQ civil rights. And then, there are Republicans' "great ideas" for Latin@ outreach. And of course, we can't forget the G-O-TEA Florida Legislature candidate who wants President Obama executed.

This is how today's G-O-TEA has been embarking on "embracing diversity". No wonder why "Republican insiders" are so worried about their party's electoral future. And with "Great White Hope" Chris Christie's 2016 poll numbers turning south (in the wake of Bridge-gate), they have even more to worry about now.

Perhaps some Republicans are hoping a fun field trip to Las Vegas will cure their party of all these woes. Perhaps they'll even get their way this time. They just can't realistically expect a lavish Vegas Vacation to wash away their party's severe disconnect from reality.