Thread by @DirkSchwenk

This is war. We must win on our superior values. We respect women, we love factual news, BUT WE CAN'T LET OUR VALUES BE WEAPONIZED TO DESTROY ALL WE HOLD DEAR. A thread. Please share.

Here's the thing. You can't make it as a Republican WITHOUT a sex scandal, because that party must OWN you. Boebert's husband exposed himself to a teen girl. Greene did whatever this is.... vanityfair.com/news/2021/02/m…

Trump - Putin and the mob own Trump and deliver him "wives"; Pence ... I mean he's a walking skeleton in the closet; Marco Rubio and "foam parties"; Gaetz and his "son"; Gym Jordan and his horrors ... you can't be a trusted R henchmen unless they own you by your scandals.

Even if scandalous WTF isn't your kink, Rs take brides/lovers assigned in ways that a Dem would/could never. Mitch McConnel (Chinese handler); Papadopoulos (Italy/RU); all of Maria Butina's "friends", Epstein etc., Caputo ... bro

https://twitter.com/DirkSchwenk/status/1251010389745246209?s=20

Literally every Trumpist has a sex scandal known or unknown that binds them to the throne. It's mob classic. The initiation rite. Like the bloods requiring a murder to be made. You can't advance unless you can also be destroyed.

So put that backdrop against what happened to Senator Franken. A photo was leaked that showed no real bad act; coupled with an accusation ... and we lost one of our most powerful voices.

And this backdrop: a talented young Congresswoman resigns because she (allegedly) had consensual sex with adult staffers. Consensual. Adults. politico.com/news/2019/10/2…

And of course this: the Dem party STILL hasn't fully recovered from this. And I readily concede that that was a terrible idea from every human and NATSEC perspective. BUT STILL it's architect, Newt Gingrich was much, much cynically worse. washingtonpost.com/politics/clint…

Mitch, he of the high horse, trust washing aside, was actually cheating on his wife while his wife was in the hospital with cancer; actually thrice married and actually an RU licking piece of shxt. washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/styl…

And of course, there's the current "scandal" about Governor Cuomo. And it might be a TRUE SCANDAL, I'm not sure. BUT I AM CERTAIN THAT IT IS BEING BOOSTED BY EVILS, AND PLAYED AGAINST OUR INSTINCTS AS DEMOCRATS.

So what are we supposed to do? We believe women. We don't like men that use their offices for booty calls. But we also don't like filthy Rs crushing talented liberals and destroying democracy. AAaaaahhh conundrum.

This issue was brought to a head for me lately in an excellent thread by ... ? ... please credit in the comments because I did not write it down. But that thread (@davetroy maybe?) birddogged me to this article by Eric Huebeck web.archive.org/web/2001071315…

The article was a commissioned piece analyzying how to attack Democrats in favor of "conservatism." Supported by Paul Wyrich (active in Eastern European politics) and associated with Joseph Coors and the Heritage Foundation en.wikipedia-on-ipfs.org/wiki/The_Integ…

There's a lot relevant in the piece, but THIS ONE STICKS OUT. They will attack no matter what "We will maintain a constant barrage of criticism against the Left. We will attack the very legitimacy of the Left. We will not give them a moment's rest."

They it abandon's political means in favor of a mere culture war "any offensives using political means are doomed to failure. They are therefore a waste of our people's time, money, and energy, and for that reason should not even be attempted." That's what we've seen.

Compare this to Biden's "accuser" now openly attacking on Russia state media

https://twitter.com/IsaacDovere/status/1374366591119458310?s=20

And let me add, these attacks aren't confined to attacks against Dem men. I won't amplify any of the terrible stuff that they say about the VP, or AOC, or any prominent Dem woman ... but its constant and its worse.

So here's the point: what are we, Dems of good spirit and loving souls, supposed to do when Dem politicians are accused of sexual misconduct? What is responsible 1A press supposed to do? THIS IS HARD, so let's give it a go.

If you dig this kind of thing, please follow this account. If you have suggestions, absolutely please comment.

Here's what I - one dude in twitter - think, but I absolutely invite the hive mind to put in their ideas. FIRST, it's possible to credit accusers, but still ask: 1) how bad is this conduct?; 2) has she/he said it under oath? 3) if true, is this disqualifying?

Here's conduct I find - if proven - immediately disqualifying: 1) sleeping with Russian spies; 2) adults raping underage children; 3) ____ that is so bad and so secret that it's a NATSEC issue; 4) mail-order RU brides. Even with those, I want facts, not insinuations.

Conduct I find NOT an issue: anything between consenting adults that is not a crime, as long as there is not a serious organized crime or NATSEC tie in.

There's lots of stuff that falls in the in-between ... a married person like Bill Clinton is extremely vulnerable to extortion if engaged in an act with an adult intern. That should be treated - privately - as a NATSEC issue. If it's an assault, let civil courts handle.

Similarly, there have been longstanding suspicions about conservative-but-gay members of Congress engaged with male prostitutes. This is a potential NATSEC/extortion issue and should be investigated as such. (Prostitution should be legal, and Congress should address that).

It would be great if politicians were perfect moral angels, but since this is reality ... what should WE do? First, I recommend we ignore, do not boost, do not watch media on non-criminal, non NATSEC "scandals" like what we've heard of Cuomo to date.

If there are meritorious concerns, the women involved should sue or file charges and we - as Dems of good cheer - should support legal institutions that will give them their day in court.

We should NOT call for or boost other politicians that call for resignations based on press accusations. Support the process, let it play out. Awkward or inconvenient or kinda nasty personal interactions aren't the be all end all of politicians.

This is HARD for Dems and people of good cheer. We want everyone to strive to do good. But we must resist being the unwitting tools of those that want to do bad. STOP BOOSTING BULLSHIT

Closing for now: a very, very few people are brave enough, good enough, smart enough, caring enough to be high-profile Dem politicians. A very, very many well financed people have a reason to destroy them if possible. Dirk out.

More on those filthy Rs

https://twitter.com/DirkSchwenk/status/1366961959225196550?s=20

And why being terrible is good

https://twitter.com/Troy_IRL/status/1354662583752511489?s=20