Posted by figleaf
| Tags:
Thu, 2008-09-11 10:22
Via Scout Finch of Daily Kos, talking about certain Alaskan cities charging victims of sexual assault for their rape kits…
Michelle Andrews of U.S. News & World Report mulls the question:
In all too many instances, women are still being stuck with the bill for rape kits. This despite the fact that in order to qualify for federal grants under the Violence Against Women Act, states are supposed to pick up the entire tab.If on her watch Sarah Palin allowed women to be charged for rape kits, she has some serious explaining to do.
Finch adds that Governor Palin’s opponent, Senator Biden, wrote the Violence Against Women Act that her employees may have violated. Biden and Palin’s Vice-Presidential debate is scheduled for Oct. 2.
Submitted by 2387 (not verified) on Sat, 2008-09-13 08:42.
No she doesn't, you moron. Consider the source. The Daily Kos? Gimme a break. What a left wing propaganda machine piece of crap blog that is. Do you honestly think the governor of a state would make this decision? What are you, stupid? Use you're own brains to figure this out instead of being told what to say and what to think from the Daily Fucking Kos. Clearly this is the result of some low level governmental bureaucrat, which is what liberals like you and the Daily Kos want more of. By the way, what the FUCK does this have to do with your blog topic anyway? I am detaching your feed to my Google page and letting everyone know what a shitty blog you have.
[Well, except for the *signature* on the *city budget* when she was *mayor* and the police chief was her *direct report* then it really could be all made up. As for subject matter, as a sex blogger who'd like everybody to enjoy having quite a bit *more* sex, I'm *very* in the politics practiced by people who imagine all rape victims are liars. Because, y'know, that whole virgin/whore, "precious bodily fluids" attitude makes women and men trust each other *so* much more. Between that and a number of other positions advocated (but not necessarily actually *practiced*) by various candidates I don't see how anyone who cares about sex could *ignore* the race. Good luck finding a sex blog that supports your view of the world -- instead of telling your friends how bad this one is, why not tell them how great *those* are instead? Thanks for dropping by, Anonymous. --fl]
Submitted by 2387 (not verified) on Sat, 2008-09-13 16:10.
While it's probably an important issue, I don't think most people would agree that this is an "interesting VP debate topic". Even if I'm wrong, I seriously doubt it'd come up during the debates anyway.
[I suppose you're right. I should have said *I'd* be interested to hear what the author of the VAWA, which said obstacles to reporting violence should be *lowered* and a former mayor who's hand-picked police chief (one of only a handful of the mayor's direct reports) believed obstacles should be *raised.* And I say that not because I'm a policy nerd but because such debates suggest basic governing attitudes. *And* moral judgment. (And I'm not being *directly* partisan here -- Senator Biden may have had entirely patronizing reasons for championing the bill; then-Mayor Palin may have had entirely pragmatic, local, non-anti-feminist reasons for signing off on -- literally, if her city archives are to be believed -- on the budget implementing her subordinate's VAWA-related policy. If so then that would come out in the debate as well.) Thanks, Nightfall. --fl]
Submitted by 2387 (not verified) on Mon, 2008-09-15 13:28.
Palin spokesperson Maria Cornella told USA Today that Palin, “does not believe, nor has ever believed, that rape victims should have to pay for an evidence-gathering test.â€
“Governor Palin’s position could not be more clear,†Cornella continued. “To suggest otherwise is a deliberate misrepresentation of her commitment to supporting victims and bringing violent criminals to justice.â€
Also, as governor... Palin hasn't made any attempt to force rape victims to pay for their own kits. So, the issue here isn't that Palin believes victims should have to pay for their own rape kits. That is *clearly* not the case. Rather it has to do with an embarrassing city policy at the time she was mayor.
The facts show that Wasilla Police Chief Charlie Fannon enacted this rape kit policy. His motivation was to save tax payers money. When there was a rape conviction... the rapist was sued for restitution. Otherwise, it was insurance that picked up the bill.
You'll note not a single victim has stepped forward to say *she* had to pay for a kit. It never happened.
Not that the policy was a good one. It wasn't... it was awful. But it didn't actually cost any victims money... and it wasn't Palin's policy... and it isn't a policy she supports.
Also will point out that Palin and Chief Fannon didn't exactly get along. Fannon was running for mayor of Wasilla when Palin was running for governor... and Palin supported Fannon's opponent (Curt Menard). Though, Fannon did ~falsely~ create an ad claiming he had Palin's support.
If this is an issue in the VP debate... it will be a bogus one. The time would be better spent talking about what the candidates think about changes to bankruptcy laws. We know Joe Biden is beholden to the major credit card companies (one of his largest contributors)... but it might be nice to hear where Palin stands on this pivotal issue.
~Todd
[Hi Todd. I'm not buying it. Wasilla's a small town with *very* few departments, , she signed the budges (and 135 pages of mostly boilerplate just *isn't* that imposing for anyone who works even in small government), and her statements as Governor can be considered only as credible as, um, other recent assertions sponsored by the McCain campaign. And finally Fallon was allegedly pretty outspoken about his intentions about who should pay for rape kits both before and after he was hired, on Palin's watch, so it's hard to see letting her off the hook. Without also insisting she's unfit for office, anyway. I agree, by the way, that Biden is totally tainted by the Bankruptcy bill. Thanks. --fl]
Submitted by 2387 (not verified) on Mon, 2008-09-15 13:38.
As for the budget issue. Yes... she signed an approximately 150 page budget. Within that budget were many-many items, surely filled with much give and take... and yes, there was no provision to pay for rape kits. A mistake... sure, of course it was.
Joe Biden also has signed things he had reservations about, and later wished he hadn't signed... such as his vote on the Iraq war. Or, more on topic... his refusal to support federal funding of abortion.
~Todd
[Well, from my experience as a student member on an small college's activity budget committee a 150 page budget is pretty small stuff, especially if you filter out all the boilerplate. And especially if it's *your job* to supervise drafting it in the first place. And *especially* when it's your flipping job to *administer it!* Someone who can't do that isn't... what's the word?... oh yeah, *competent* to be President of the Senate (the Vice-president's ordinary job) let alone *President* President if something happens to the real one! As for Biden's vote? Sure, he's fairly conservative *for a Democrat.* But he's not so conservative he'd veto pro-choice legislation or nominate anti-choice judges. Or appoint anti-choice, anti-contraception hacks to agencies supervising agencies responsible for distributing and approving contraception. McCain's choice, on the other hand, affirmatively is. Good points! Thanks, Todd. --fl]