Friday, March 7, 2014

Robin Vos Should Step Down Or Be Kicked Out As Speaker

Even though they knew that Representative Bill Kramer had personal problems and a long history of inappropriate behaviors, the state Teapublicans still chose to install him as their Assembly Majority Leader.  But when Kramer groped the wrong woman, WISGOP, led by Robin Vos, felt they had to spring into action.

Within a few scant days, the Assembly Republicans unceremoniously dumped Kramer on the side of the road and couldn't get away from him fast enough.

Apparently Kramer's behavior was so scandalous that even Scott walker had to chime in and give him a good swift kick:
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker stopped short of calling for state Rep. Bill Kramer, R-Waukesha, to resign amid allegations of sexual misconduct Wednesday, but reiterated if the allegations prove true there is no place for that sort of behavior from someone in a "position of public trust."

“Again, as I said the other day, I thought it was appropriate for the speaker (Rep. Robin Vos) and others in leadership to move to have him out of office in the leadership position,” Walker told reporters following a speech at the Monona Terrace Convention Center Wednesday. “Assuming that what’s been alleged against him is accurate, I don’t think that he or anybody else like that should be in a position of public trust.”
What's remarkable about this story is not that Kramer has been accused of sexually assaulting and harassing women - misogyny is a plank in the GOP platform - but that WISGOP actually took action against him for it.

After all, Roger Rivard barely got a slap on the wrist and a 30-second time out for saying "some girls, they rape so easy."  Scott Suder, who has a history of roughing up and threatening women, had his transgressions overlooked and was richly rewarded for being a good foot soldier for the Koch Empire.

And Scott "Governor Ultrasound" Walker is an idol of the GOP even though he has passed or tried to pass every misogynistic bill imaginable from repealing pay equality laws to the ultrasound law.

The real mind-boggling aspect of all this is that Vos was leading this charge.  It is mind-boggling in the fact that Vos is as guilty as anyone of sexual harassment.

Cindy Kilkenny at Fairly Conservative has written that she feels that Vos should be removed from office.  However, her complaint is based on the well-known fact that Vos was and is having an affair with former Representative Michelle Litjens.

However, Vos' crime is more serious than having an affair.

One must remember that Vos was elected to be the Speaker of the House, a very powerful position.  And Litjens was a freshman representative.  To be blunt about it, he had power over her and he abused that power by having an affair with her.  It is not really any different than if a boss starts having an office romance with his secretary.  It is an abuse of his power and his office.

But the odd thing is that one doesn't hear Walker, Charlie Sykes or any of the Teapublicans calling for Vos to step down as speaker.  You don't see them rushing to vote him out of any position of authority.

But the gentle reader has probably already figured out yet that the Republicans are the masters of double standards as well as double speak,

And that is a shame.  For as Kilkenny said, "What's good for the gander is good for the other gander."

The Republicans were correct in finally holding Kramer responsible for his actions - something they should have done a long, long time ago.  But the fact that they won't hold Vos responsible for his actions - despite the similarity in the two - shows why all of them really needs to step down and why the voters should force them out if they don't.

10 comments:

  1. Capper, why are you blaming Vos? When it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace, Republicans know it is always the woman who was asking for it. Just because Litjens did not run for reelection to "spend more time with her family," even if they don't live in Vos' bachelor pad in Sun Prairie, does not mean that Vos is guilty. Litjens is clearly the perpetrator who led the upstanding Vos into the clutches of Sin. You should have confidence that Litjens is the one who starts the twerking and grinding, not the poor victim, Vos.

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    1. Perhaps Vos needed Litjens to do all the secretarial work for his rental properties and businesses. In exchange, perhaps he feeds her some lobbyist *work*.
      And do these two have their Catholic Church marriage annulments yet? Or, is that conditional upon Vos rolling out vouchers statewide so that Catholic schools can steal millions from public schools to survive?
      And why are taxpayers still paying for healthcare benefits for Vos's soon?-to-be (it's been two years now?) wife in Idaho.

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  2. Not only that, but I've heard that Vos is a bully and made one of his staffers cry.

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  3. Vos has been in the clutches of sin how many times?? He might be worse than serial adulterer Sykes! Why is it always the family values Republicans who can't control their libido? The only exception is Walker, who I believe was neutered.

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    1. Errrr, I think the problem w/Wanker is someone forgot to attach a marionette string to "it".

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    2. Actually, I think Scott Walker married someone who looks just like him (without the bald spot). Talk about narcissism!

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  4. The repugs believe all women were put on earth
    "To serve and service man"
    Any woman that votes repug has other issues apparently

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  5. The Teapublicans are in campaign mode, taking "brave" and "bold" actions to distance themselves from any unsavory behaviors they have been involved with. They count on the people either having no knowledge of or not remembering their misdeeds, especially on voting day.
    This is why all the rest of those sealed documents, as was done with Kelly Rindfleisch, should be released, as all these people are public officials whose behavior needs to be held accountable to the public.
    Kramer acted this way for a long time. Schulze did, too. Look at the way Dennis Smith behaved. The same should apply to Robin Vos.
    Private vice does not make for public virtue.

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    1. Correct, THIS IS WHO THEY ARE. Amoral and willing to throw one of their buddies under their bus without regard for what they've done in their own lives.

      And being nice and expecting people to figure it out on their own isn't going to get these guys out of power. GOP politicians aren't wired like you and me, so don't expect them to have a modicum of shame or decency.

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  6. Should we expect that Koch whores would behave any other way?

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