US politics, policies & presidential election (news, events & articles)

[homaie]

Many good points were already raised, I would add that abortion cannot possibly be a “right” of a woman, since it involves another human being that cannot defend itself, one would hope that it need not defence against its own parent, and regardless of the circumstances of the conception, still half of it is from the mother and the argument that it could grow to be the next genius, etc. All of that said, the bottom line is that abortion should not be politicized as a popularity contest to gain more votes. It should be an ethical, spiritual and medical decision, and a very weighty one that must be taken very seriously. Until humanity reaches a level of maturity, it will struggle with this decision.

In general, identity politics are not useful and are very similar to what the Islamic republic does and assumes every Iranian to be a Muslim of the same variety they are. It is actually quite ironic that for instance in the U.S the democrats who were pro-slavery, somehow have ended up assigning to themselves, by the help of identity-politics-loving media, defenders of minorities. People’s memory is very short it seems and no one asks the real tough questions about human rights, foreign policies, economics and taxes, government size and spending, etc. Of course these are the problems of partisan politics that are very divisive, and until there is more unifying way and form of governance, it’s best just to vote based on one’s conscience.

As for Iranians and the Democratic Party, one must not discount the Carter effect who most freedom-loving Iranians find at least partially responsible for the formation of Islamic republic, and then later Obama for prolonging its existence.

I agree that abortion should not be a political issue. But it became political by US Supreme Court decision to restrict it based on pressure of Conservative Christian Religious groups in US. Even if required medically and if not done will effects the body of women.

For the record abortion in other countries:
1. Abortion in Canada is legal at all stages of pregnancy and is publicly funded as a medical procedure under the combined effects of the federal Canada Health Act and provincial health-care systems.
2. Despite a wide variation in the restrictions under which it is permitted, abortion is legal in most European countries. 95% of European women of reproductive age live in countries which allow elective abortions or for broad socioeconomic reasons.
3. Abortion in China is legal and generally accessible. Regulations vary depending on the rules of the province, in Jiangxi non-medically necessary abortions after 14 weeks of pregnancy are not allowed while throughout most of China elective abortions are legal.
4. In Saudi Arabia, which is rated not free and where women are subject to a guardianship system, abortion is permitted if a woman's mental or physical health or life is at risk.
5. The ban on abortion in Iran has made women go to underground and often unsanitary centers to terminate their pregnancies. Unsanitary abortion has caused the death of many women and sometimes it has caused lifetime complications.

 

[footy]

Terrorist protection by the US. US offers protection for Bin Salman .Granting immunity in case of civil suits.

https://www.ft.com/content/c787ac0c-5da5-4437-8881-ee8ef18ac22c

The US administration has granted immunity to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, possibly derailing a civil lawsuit filed against the kingdom’s day-to-day ruler over the 2018 murder of commentator Jamal Khashoggi.


the decision, which stems from a civil lawsuit brought against Prince Mohammed by Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz and Democracy for the Arab World Now, a non-profit Khashoggi had helped found, drew criticism from Cengiz. She assailed Biden in a tweet and wrote “Jamal died again today”. Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of the Dawn advocacy group, wrote in a post on Twitter: “breaking promise for accountability, Biden guarantees MBS impunity”.

 

[footy]

This fucker does have a point, look forward getting his twitter banned on grounds of terrorism support

https://twitter.com/statuses/1475489147729203208

 

[Meehandoost]

I agree that abortion should not be a political issue. But it became political by US Supreme Court decision to restrict it based on pressure of Conservative Christian Religious groups in US. Even if required medically and if not done will effects the body of women....

Not very important or relevant to the struggles of Iranians, and I don’t know how old you are or how long you have lived in the states, but that simply is not the case. Abortion has been a very hot (political) topic in most western countries for a very long time and even entire political parties are dedicated to it. Just because a (medical) procedure not being legal would make its illegal replacement more dangerous is not reason enough to legalize it, for instance assisted suicide. Liberal parties such as the Democratic party once even backed slavery because swaying to passing fancies is better for their longevity!

 

[HalaMadrid]

Just because a (medical) procedure not being legal would make its illegal replacement more dangerous is not reason enough to legalize it, for instance assisted suicide.

I agree with you , however do you think this should apply to abortion? Why is abortion even a topic? why what another woman decide to do with her body is any of my business? why should I even be given the chance to vote in this matter?
Personally, I am very much supportive of assisted suicide as well, if someone is in pain with no chance of recovery to a point they want their life ended to stop the suffering, why should "I" be the one to have a say in it?

I personally find it super annoying that in 2022 you watch a debate between world leaders and Abortion, Gay Marriage etc is still a thing to DEBATE on ... fuck if you want to love another man or woman or whatever , go nuts! how does it impact society? how does it improve my life? (ban on abortion) if anything, abortion could perhaps improve my life?
https://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levitt/Papers/DonohueLevittTheImpactOfLegalized2001.pdf

 

[Behrooz_C]

why what another woman decide to do with her body is any of my business?

This is a gross simplification of what is a very complex issue. The woman is also making a choice for another life that can not speak for itself.

It's like saying the suicide bomber should be allowed to kill herself regardless of what happens to others around her. Her body, her choice, right?!

This is an extreme example, but you catch my drift.

 

[HalaMadrid]

This is a gross simplification of what is a very complex issue. The woman is also making a choice for another life that can not speak for itself.

You consider the fetus alive. I don't.
even if you do, that "life" is going to be dependent on the woman the second he/she is born. Should they be dependent on a person who might not be able to support them? (or not want to or not be capable of).

Question: If they do a test and determine the fetus is going to be without limbs and eyes, then I guess we have to make it illegal to abort right? cuz how can we make decision for that "life" ? that baby should be born and should suffer! Yeah, no , not in my book However, you are free to decide for yourself. If you want to keep that baby, sure. but if someone does not, they should have the CHOICE.

 

[Behrooz_C]

You consider the fetus alive. I don't.
even if you do, that "life" is going to be dependent on the woman the second he/she is born. Should they be dependent on a person who might not be able to support them? (or not want to or not be capable of).

Question: If they do a test and determine the fetus is going to be without limbs and eyes, then I guess we have to make it illegal to abort right? cuz how can we make decision for that "life" ? that baby should be born and should suffer! Yeah, no , not in my book However, you are free to decide for yourself. If you want to keep that baby, sure. but if someone does not, they should have the CHOICE.

The question is whether a foetus is a human being. The science on this question is equivocal: yes it is. As early as a few weeks, the foetus is a living organism and yes it can survive outside the womb given the right conditions.

 

[footy]

If people concerned w alive fetus just feed one needy person we would be ahead plenty. Maybe they are and we don't know it.

 

[Meehandoost]

The simple fact is that a fetus IS a human being that can become the next Cyrus the Great, and we don’t have the right to make a decision about its very existence simply based on the fact that there are many poor children or oppressed people, or on the fact that child is ours. In a way this is what the Islamic republic advocates for: that a man is in charge of his wife and children and can do as he please. While true that parents are responsible for the well being and education of their children, they don’t have the right to do with them as they please or terminate their lives!

At the same time, abortion should not be a politicized and partisan issue aimed at appeasing people and winning their votes, one way or another. It should not be minimized to a family planning issue, or summarily dismissed as a women‘s rights issue. It is a complex, as much spiritual as medical decision which should be made after solemn reflection. One which requires a level of spiritual maturity; and until we reach that level of maturity, individually and more importantly collectively as a society, we will likely continue to be challenged and divided by it.

 

[Behrooz_C]

If people concerned w alive fetus just feed one needy person we would be ahead plenty. Maybe they are and we don't know it.

How are the two related? How does one exclude the other? I don't understand the logic you propose.

 

[footy]

How are the two related? How does one exclude the other? I don't understand the logic you propose.

they arent' and they are for betterment of mother earth, human beings and needed resources it lack.

 

[khodam]

It is mind-boggling that we have a discussion about abortion at this time!

What political faction that is against abortion has supported giving the fetus legal rights beyond the abortion issue? Do republicans support giving fetus social security number? Can the mom claim the fetus on her tax return? Is that why republicans are so high on maternity leave and universal child care?

The argument that the fetus can be the next great genius is laughable. Yes it is possible, but far more likely that it becomes a miserable being for being unwanted, unloved, and unsupported. Far more likely that it is the next Hitler.

Parents make life changing decisions about their kids all the time, and the same people fight for why we should leave them alone doing that. They fight for the parent’s right to feed their kids junk food and make them obese or for keeping them out of school and teaching them how the earth is flat, but hey the fetus is a human being!!

And never mind the extreme cases. The fetus is a human being so a teenager who was raped by a family member should keep the lifetime reminder of the trauma that was forced on her. The parents of an an unborn child who know their child is genetically flawed and will be a lump and die shortly should go through the torture of living that life.

The absolute reality is that if men had womb and were the ones carrying the fetus, the issue of abortion would’ve been settled ages ago, or more likely would’ve never been an issue.

 

[footy]

It is mind-boggling that we have a discussion about abortion at this time!

What political faction that is against abortion has supported giving the fetus legal rights beyond the abortion issue? Do republicans support giving fetus social security number? Can the mom claim the fetus on her tax return? Is that why republicans are so high on maternity leave and universal child care?

The argument that the fetus can be the next great genius is laughable. Yes it is possible, but far more likely that it becomes a miserable being for being unwanted, unloved, and unsupported. Far more likely that it is the next Hitler.

Parents make life changing decisions about their kids all the time, and the same people fight for why we should leave them alone doing that. They fight for the parent’s right to feed their kids junk food and make them obese or for keeping them out of school and teaching them how the earth is flat, but hey the fetus is a human being!!

And never mind the extreme cases. The fetus is a human being so a teenager who was raped by a family member should keep the lifetime reminder of the trauma that was forced on her. The parents of an an unborn child who know their child is genetically flawed and will be a lump and die shortly should go through the torture of living that life.

The absolute reality is that if men had womb and were the ones carrying the fetus, the issue of abortion would’ve been settled ages ago, or more likely would’ve never been an issue.

You should contribute more often with your crisp thinking.

 

[footy]

They feared that Allende would push Chile into socialism, and therefore lose all of the US investments made in Chile. On 15 September 1970; before Allende took office, Richard Nixon gave the order to overthrow Allende.

Leftie lady was discussing US marks all over the place incl Iran and Chile, friend or foes. I briefly looked it up and she has a point.

Post war the two American companies were milking it w copper industry and Chilean workers demanding wage improvement and possibly Leaning for left alarmed American gov.
They later helped overthrow elected Allende.

Pinoche took over but stepped down 20 years later and had 300 criminal charges pending.

We all side w lesser of two evils by living there and paying taxes.

 

[IranFTW]

It is interestanig to know many Iranians in US that support women rights in Iran vote for extremists religious conservaties that are against women right in US.
A double standard.

When we say women's rights are violated in Iran, this is what we mean.

https://twitter.com/statuses/1573712589560991744

https://twitter.com/statuses/1581279903567073281

Nothing women in any Western country face is remotely comparable to what Iranian women go through. Plain and simple.

I don't care whether you support the right or left in the West, but once you start drawing parallels between the suffering of Iranian women and the political issues of Western women just to make some point, you undermine and trivialize the extent of abuse and violence faced by our sisters. That is entirely unacceptable.

 

[Meehandoost]

It is mind-boggling that we have a discussion about abortion at this time!

What political faction that is against abortion has supported giving the fetus legal rights beyond the abortion issue? Do republicans support giving fetus social security number? Can the mom claim the fetus on her tax return? Is that why republicans are so high on maternity leave and universal child care?

The argument that the fetus can be the next great genius is laughable. Yes it is possible, but far more likely that it becomes a miserable being for being unwanted, unloved, and unsupported. Far more likely that it is the next Hitler.

Parents make life changing decisions about their kids all the time, and the same people fight for why we should leave them alone doing that. They fight for the parent’s right to feed their kids junk food and make them obese or for keeping them out of school and teaching them how the earth is flat, but hey the fetus is a human being!!

And never mind the extreme cases. The fetus is a human being so a teenager who was raped by a family member should keep the lifetime reminder of the trauma that was forced on her. The parents of an an unborn child who know their child is genetically flawed and will be a lump and die shortly should go through the torture of living that life.

The absolute reality is that if men had womb and were the ones carrying the fetus, the issue of abortion would’ve been settled ages ago, or more likely would’ve never been an issue.

Not everything in life is or should be about money and its financial benefit. Not every unplanned child should remain unwanted or be unloved. These are presumptions of a materialistic world. As already mentioned, women‘s rights and human rights in Iran is far more critical than a woman who wants to have the right to abort her child. Iran‘s future decisions will hopefully be not a carbon copy of western democracies as a matter of course, and will have more critical thinking and independent decision making. Although one thing you are right about is that this may not be the right time to debate this!

 

[IranFTW]

This one showing a woman being beaten by a gang of regime thugs tonight.

As we can clearly see this is exactly the same as having your access to abortion restricted!

No difference at all! Six of one, half a dozen of the other!

https://twitter.com/statuses/1597855200961626112

If we were to ask Iranian women I'm sure they'd rather get beaten like animals, raped and killed for no crime at all than have less access to abortion! It's perfectly logical.

https://twitter.com/statuses/1590310044142538752

 

[IranFTW]

Another footage from a woman beaten by batons tonight. As any sane person would agree, there is zero difference between this and having to travel for abortion! ZERO.

https://twitter.com/statuses/1597848132054048768

 

[homaie]

House Jan. 6 committee recommends criminal charges against Trump
The House panel investigating the violent Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol urged the Justice Department on Monday to seek criminal charges against former President Donald Trump for his extensive efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.

Lawmakers recommended charges on four counts stemming from Trump’s monthslong effort to stay in power after his election defeat — obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to make a false statement and efforts to incite, assist, or aid or comfort an insurrection.


The panel voted unanimously to send the criminal referrals to the Justice Department. The referrals, which mark the first time that the House has recommended criminal charges against a former president, do not guarantee that Trump will be indicted — but they do add to the evidence being weighed by the Justice Department and special counsel Jack Smith in its own investigation of Trump.

Members of the panel argued that Trump’s efforts to overthrow the election results — including pushing unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud and urging his supporters to send fake electors to Washington — form enough evidence for federal prosecutors to win a conviction against the former president.

“Even if it were true that President Trump genuinely believed the election was stolen, this is no defense. No president can ignore the courts and purposely violate the law no matter what supposed ‘justification’ he or she presents,” House investigators wrote in a section of their report released Monday.

The House committee made the same criminal referrals against John Eastman, a lawyer and Trump loyalist who aided the former president's efforts to overturn his election loss, and others.


The panel also recommended the House ethics committee investigate colleagues who brushed aside congressional subpoenas seeking testimony on their knowledge and efforts about the Jan. 6 attack — including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa.

In advance of Monday’s final hearing, Trump attacked the House lawmakers in posts to his social media platform, Truth Social.

“The Unselect Committee of political hacks are the same group that came up with the RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA HOAX, not to mention many others. They are Corrupt cowards who hate our Country!” he wrote.

Trump did not directly address the report’s findings, including the core tenet that he goaded his followers to action but didn’t join them himself, but he did repeat his unfounded claims that the 2020 election was “rigged and stolen.”

The criminal referrals mark a historic end to the 18-month-long investigation by the House select committee and are detailed in the portions of its report released Monday. The release comes just days before House Republicans, including many who worked with Trump in his effort to toss the 2020 election results, take power next month as a result of the November midterms.

Protesters clash with Capitol Police.
Protesters clash with Capitol Police on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
In a 154-page section of the panel’s larger report, which is expected to be released publicly later this week, lawmakers wrote that Trump obstructed an official proceeding of Congress with his repeated efforts to delay or deny the counting of the electoral votes on Jan. 6 that would finalize the transfer of power to then-President-elect Joe Biden.

The lawmakers wrote that Trump committed a “conspiracy to defraud the United States,” particularly when he offered to make DOJ official Jeffrey Clark acting attorney general if Clark agreed to help him push the fake electors scheme by falsely claiming the Justice Department had found evidence of widespread voter fraud.

They also wrote that Trump entered into a “conspiracy to make a false statement” when he “conspired with others to submit fake electors to Congress and the National Archives.”

And for the fourth criminal referral, they wrote that Trump sought to incite, assist or aid and comfort an insurrection. “President Trump was directly responsible for summoning what became a violent mob to Washington, D.C., urging them to march to the Capitol, and then further provoking that already violent and lawless crowd with his 2:24 p.m. tweet about the vice president,” the lawmakers wrote.