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Matt Gaetz Under Investigation for Sex Trafficking (1 Viewer)

Partially arguing that. I'm also arguing biology will trump moral constructs eventually. It won't even be close. It'll happen in some way -- it might come at the hands of a a foreign power -- but the cost of our depressed fertility rates will come to bear on us eventually, at least domestically.
This is a conversation I’d very much like to have (as I understand your arguments but just disagree) but would be better served to be done over a beer (or soda).  I really don’t want to type all night on my phone.  Lol. 

 
This is a conversation I’d very much like to have (as I understand your arguments but just disagree) but would be better served to be done over a beer (or soda).  I really don’t want to type all night on my phone.  Lol. 
Lol. Sure thing.

I don't feel passionate about the laws one way or the other, really. Just something to think about from an edict I've found rarely to fail. Biology will always trump any social construct or man-made law. It's relentless and often cruel. It'll find a way to get reconstituted into law somehow, I think. Whether that, as BB intoned about the past, will make women chattel is another thing. Hopefully we're just enlightened enough to have skirted the line and it won't be a big deal, this raising of the age of consent to unnatural yet perhaps moral levels.

 
Lol. Sure thing.

I don't feel passionate about the laws one way or the other, really. Just something to think about from an edict I've found rarely to fail. Biology will always trump any social construct or man-made law. It's relentless and often cruel. It'll find a way to get reconstituted into law somehow, I think. Whether that, as BB intoned about the past, will make women chattel is another thing. Hopefully we're just enlightened enough to have skirted the line and it won't be a big deal, this raising of the age of consent to unnatural yet perhaps moral levels.
As someone who collects each new update on this story like Honus Wagner baseball cards, I can tell you we are well beyond discussing an adult having a relationship with a woman who is just barely not legal.  

I don't clutch my pearls when people get worked up about age, unless we are in obvious criminal territory.  

This is drugs, and fake IDs, and money for sex, a buddy of his in jail facing 30 different charges, and flying her around, which violates federal law.  

JUST the age thing? Meh. 

 
Just my opinion:  This younger women, older guy thing isn't going anywhere, and is probably getting 'worse' based on your perspective.  

I don't know how many on here are single, but I am, and am surrounded by single people of different ages.  If you are 20 years old, or 30 years old, and you want to date a guy that wants to spend time with you over playing video games, you need to go outside your age group.  Young women (17 to 30-ish maybe?) are NOT happy with men their age.  

It's gonna get worse, and will never be accepted, partly because women-of a certain age-hate these younger women grabbing all the eligible guys.  

Anyway, just thought I'd mention.  Please enjoy the 600 page comic book movie thread.  😉

 
 It's gonna get worse, and will never be accepted, partly because women-of a certain age-hate these younger women
An ancient Greek (Aristophanes?) once wrote a play about giving women the right to serve in Congress and said this is essentially what would happen.

He wrote it as a comedy.

Just saying.

 
Just my opinion:  This younger women, older guy thing isn't going anywhere, and is probably getting 'worse' based on your perspective.  

I don't know how many on here are single, but I am, and am surrounded by single people of different ages.  If you are 20 years old, or 30 years old, and you want to date a guy that wants to spend time with you over playing video games, you need to go outside your age group.  Young women (17 to 30-ish maybe?) are NOT happy with men their age.  

It's gonna get worse, and will never be accepted, partly because women-of a certain age-hate these younger women grabbing all the eligible guys.  

Anyway, just thought I'd mention.  Please enjoy the 600 page comic book movie thread.  😉
17 is a ####### child (especially now and days).  38 and 17 is just not OK.  A persons development form 17 to 25 is massive.  It’s not about the age gap, 25 to 46, fine, grown developed adults making choices.  17/18. Nope.  If I’m that father I’m on that dude’s doorstep.  
 

And for the record I argued the same about Rittenhouse and his role at the riots so this isn’t because I’m a father to a daughter.  

 
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Link

“Matt Gaetz's arrest is imminent as sources say Joel Greenberg has been 'singing to the feds'

Rep is expected to be indicted within the next few weeks as former official and friend Joel Greenberg is believed to have turned on the congressman in the sex trafficking investigation against him, a source close to the probe tells DailyMail.com.“

 
Gaetz is perhaps the weirdest member of congress I can think of, and that's saying something.  There was a rumor here for awhile when Jeff Sessions left to be AG he was going to move across the line to AL to run for Senate.  Then we could have had the winning choice of him or Roy Moore.  Can you imagine the green room conversation between Roy Moore and Matt Gaetz?

 
17 is a ####### child (especially now and days).  38 and 17 is just not OK.  A persons development form 17 to 25 is massive.  It’s not about the age gap, 25 to 46, fine, grown developed adults making choices.  17/18. Nope.  If I’m that father I’m on that dude’s doorstep.  
 

And for the record I argued the same about Rittenhouse and his role at the riots so this isn’t because I’m a father to a daughter.  
I'm with you but It's the age gap too...19 and 17 is fine.  17 and 20 is fine.  17 and 21...thats where I start drawing the line.  All though, I agree the 1/2+7 rule breaks down around 25.

Also agree about Rittenhoise, I argued that point several times previously.

 
As a person who used to run nightclubs, I had been waiting for the "Fake ID" story to emerge. Of course everyone involved was under the impression....#### every last one of these SOBs, if you are over legal age and you are anywhere near someone in a sexual way that looks even close to 18 and under, you deserve every last thing coming to you. I hope they rot in ####### hell for eternity. 

And that Roger Stone sure looks like he poses for pictures and then you start drawing lines to some of the folks still on trial like this Maxwell attached to Epstein and maybe I am way off here but I bet there are some connections somehow someway and I warn everyone of you on here not to paint one party over the other. They are both LOADED with crumbums and jerkoffs that should be in a jail cell rotting for all of eternity so it would be better to paint in broader strokes for all politicians to be held accountable and frankly all civilians as well but certainly those who swore an oath to protect and serve their community.  

Gaetz should be removed from office immediately if that wasn't already clear, the wire on the Dad schtick is already wearing thin. Just resign or step down so you can start mounting your legal defense because it's gonna cost him a fortune to stay out of jail. 

If I'm wrong, I'll be happy to correct this post but it sure looks pretty damning right now and keeps getting worse and worse.

 
Meh. To most of it. We're painting with condemnatory brushes and broad strokes.

We have a birth dearth and fertility crisis on our hands because of our new social norms and virtue signaling. A lot of it is economics. You used to be able to be eighteen and pregnant and self-sufficient. It was par for the course. My mother was married and twenty-one with her first child and her twenty-four or five year old husband was my father. That's the way it was. They had a whopping two kids. So many of my friends are one-and-done. We're not at replacement level kids for seniors at all, and that's a big problem in society. We're graying. We might not have the luxury of such morals when it comes to our domestic and foreign policy. The Middle East, India, and China are having kids at such rates that the Middle East might recolonize Europe. India and China (China already is, and may be the major power) will be massive players on the international scene by the mid-to-late 21st Century. Our clinging to old Western modes of highly educated females having babies at late ages cannot really hold too much longer with the societal safety net we're looking to have. Or we'll be bankrupt.

I'm sorry to be the messenger, but things are going to have to change or we'll be not only not a major power on the international scene but unable to handle our own domestic promises.

 
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I agree with the basic premise that 18 is an arbitrary cutoff. But that's just a minor part of this story (pun intended).

I mean, if Matt Gaetz was accused of drugging 18-year-olds and trying to manipulate them into luring their friends into a sex-for-drugs lifestyle, would we all be acting like it was no big deal because the girls were of legal age?

 
I agree with the basic premise that 18 is an arbitrary cutoff. But that's just a minor part of this story (pun intended).

I mean, if Matt Gaetz was accused of drugging 18-year-olds and trying to manipulate them into luring their friends into a sex-for-drugs lifestyle, would we all be acting like it was no big deal because the girls were of legal age?
No, we probably wouldn't, but I was speaking to the problem solely of him having sexual congress with a seventeen year-old. We laugh when it happens like in a movie like Old School, because it's not the worst thing ever and generally seventeen year-olds, fathers notwithstanding, know exactly what they're doing, even if they're not fully mentally developed yet. We tend to grant them at least agency in that respect, a decent amount of states making sixteen the age of consent.

Drugging people and manipulating them into sex-for-drugs lifestyles is pretty evil at any age.

 
We're not at replacement level kids for seniors at all, and that's a big problem in society. We're graying. We might not have the luxury of such morals when it comes to our domestic and foreign policy.
Time to open up a lot more legal immigration. Economically it's a huge net positive.  Don't have to educate them when they are young, then get them at hard working and child bearing age. 

 
Well, you know the Dems took over the VA House of Delegates shortly thereafter.  They could have done something about Northam as well.  Let's just be totally honest here.
Of course.  And I said such in the thread...no problem with that :shrug:  

I was simply pointing out the GOP consistency on this topic...that's rare these days for either side.  Problem is, it's not a good position to be consistent on.  

 
Why?  It's just easier for him to spout partisan DNC talking points all day long.  "Honest" just really gets in the way of that. 
You should probably go read my thoughts on this topic in that thread.  You look like a fool here given my position and comments.  Or don't and continue with the shtick :shrug:  

 
And do you notice those here who called out Cuomo non-stop and complained that Democrats wouldn't get rid of their own...are eerily silent...or playing the "well, we need to see how this plays out before we react"?
Yeah, but whatever.  There's like 5 guys that are constantly obtuse, and a discussion with them goes nowhere. I don't know why you engage with them.  The Trump thread is funny for me to look at, it's just post after post that I can't see.  

The conservative posters here I feel are pretty reasonable, and I'm pretty wacky left (*packs bowl*)

 
There hasn't been a single Republican to call him out.  

I don't get it.  They don't even like him.  
Its the Trump effect, imo.

Gaetz, Taylor Greene and Boebert - all tap into the mindset of a large portion of the Trump fan-base.  GOPers are afraid to rock that boat.

 
As someone who collects each new update on this story like Honus Wagner baseball cards, I can tell you we are well beyond discussing an adult having a relationship with a woman who is just barely not legal. 
Yeah. I get Tim's perspective but there are not really many news/policy stories even being discussed on this forum. Almost every other top thread is some variation of the media being the real racists. Seems like a real, active investigation here into someone who still oversees the DOJ....

 
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If there is one thing I have learned from this episode - its that I missed out on being at William and Mary at the same time as Gaetz by one year - I finished my MBA in May 2004, he started Law School in August 2004.

The shame of it all. :kicksrock:

 
Yeah. I get Tim's perspective but there are not really many news/policy stories even being discussed on this forum. Almost every other top thread is some variation of the media being the real racists.
Which is sad isn’t it? 
 

There is plenty to discuss these days: the infrastructure proposal, the border, the economy. But so much of our time, and the media’s time, is devoted to crap. 
 

Don’t get me wrong Gaetz should be investigated. If he broke the law he needs to be punished and resign from office. But the attention over this is disgusting. 

And frankly I don’t know which side sickens me more: those who defend such behavior (not here so much, but some of the Trump supporting types on Fox News and Talk Radio) or the liberal hosts on MSNBC who are taking positive glee in this story. Honestly it’s probably the latter at this point. 

 
And frankly I don’t know which side sickens me more: those who defend such behavior (not here so much, but some of the Trump supporting types on Fox News and Talk Radio) or the liberal hosts on MSNBC who are taking positive glee in this story. Honestly it’s probably the latter at this point. 
I don't think there's been a ton of support for Gaetz anywhere.  Maybe I just don't wade deep enough in the swamp, but I haven't heard much.

And if you can't take glee in that destructive, phony #### taking a fall you might as well just pass into the next world.  Your ability to feel joy has left you.

 
I don't think there's been a ton of support for Gaetz anywhere.  Maybe I just don't wade deep enough in the swamp, but I haven't heard much.

And if you can't take glee in that destructive, phony #### taking a fall you might as well just pass into the next world.  Your ability to feel joy has left you.
I get what tim is saying and I'm among those that thought Gaetz was the worst of the worst of the new GOP. It's never any fun to watch a vital part of the American political system go down so badly or take on such a noxious character as the GOP has taken on. He's emblematic of that transformation, and it pains tim to watch. A second, reality-based and non-corrupt party is vital to the nation's interests. So tim's chagrin is really the nation's, in a way. 

 
I get what tim is saying and I'm among those that thought Gaetz was the worst of the worst of the new GOP. It's never any fun to watch a vital part of the American political system go down so badly or take on such a noxious character as the GOP has taken on. He's emblematic of that transformation, and it pains tim to watch. A second, reality-based and non-corrupt party is vital to the nation's interests. So tim's chagrin is really the nation's, in a way. 
It’s partly that. No I don’t like what’s happening to the GOP. 
 

But it’s also...I just don’t take any joy in watching people get taken down on issues like this. It really doesn’t matter to me if it’s a guy like this that I detest, or someone like Cuomo that I thought I admired. It’s just tawdry and unpleasant and I’ve never liked it. 

 
It’s partly that. No I don’t like what’s happening to the GOP. 
 

But it’s also...I just don’t take any joy in watching people get taken down on issues like this. It really doesn’t matter to me if it’s a guy like this that I detest, or someone like Cuomo that I thought I admired. It’s just tawdry and unpleasant and I’ve never liked it. 
Ah, so it's also a temperament thing. Got it. No, I don't care for it much, either, nor have I ever. Tawdry is a perfect word for it. The only time I even go "Oh ho!" about it is when someone has made a moral crusade against something and winds up being exposed for doing exactly that which he or she crusades against. Even then, it's bittersweet.  I take no joy in the media frenzy during the tear-it-down part of the give-it-attention/tear-it-down component that is par for the course in America and its mythological impulse in the media. Maybe precisely because the cycle is so predictable and boring.

 
28 minutes ago, rockaction said:
I get what tim is saying and I'm among those that thought Gaetz was the worst of the worst of the new GOP. It's never any fun to watch a vital part of the American political system go down so badly or take on such a noxious character as the GOP has taken on. He's emblematic of that transformation, and it pains tim to watch. A second, reality-based and non-corrupt party is vital to the nation's interests. So tim's chagrin is really the nation's, in a way. 
Expand  
It’s partly that. No I don’t like what’s happening to the GOP. 
 

But it’s also...I just don’t take any joy in watching people get taken down on issues like this. It really doesn’t matter to me if it’s a guy like this that I detest, or someone like Cuomo that I thought I admired. It’s just tawdry and unpleasant and I’ve never liked it. 
I don’t know I guess it’s my naïveté but I expect our leaders to lead and hold themselves to high standards.  Perfect is certainly not the bar nor obtainable but being a good person, treating others with respect and setting an example for behavior shouldn’t be hard.  I say this comfortably as I walk the talk.  Have been a leader for 20+ years in my profession with 100’s of employees at a time.  I fully understand that responsibility and take it seriously, and I intrinsically understood this at an early age (early 20’s). I just can’t understand those that don’t. I don’t know if the most salacious of accusations against him are true or not, but if they are he deserves every inch of his comeuppance and I will take joy in another failed leader taken to task.  

 
I totally buy into the schadenfreude around Cuomo and Gaetz. Two total jackasses that bought into their own superiority and invincibility. 

I didn't take any enjoyment out of seeing a guy like Cosby go down, but I bet there's a large percentage of the African-American community that did. 

Anyone that holds themselves out as a moral authority that is then hoisted on their own petard is going to bring a smile to my face.

 
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I totally buy into the schadenfreude around Cuomo and Gaetz. Two total jackasses that bought into their own superiority and invincibility. 

I didn't take any enjoyment out of seeing a guy like Cosby go down, but I bet there's a large percentage of the African-American community that did. 

Anyone that holds themselves out as a moral authority that is then hoisted on their own petard is going to bring a smile to my face.
Yeah, I can't disagree with any of these.  :thumbup:

 
Can you expand on this?  If these are all made up lies, then it’s hard to fault him for putting himself in a position to get canceled.


Part of Gaetz's media manager's job is to hire an outsider to test vulnerabilities. "Red Cell" any narrative that could weaponized against him.

Every vulnerability should either be neutralized ( short and long term) or have a prepared counter narrative.

Right now, Kamala Harris' team is either scrubbing or leveraging anything out regarding her husband, Doug Emhoff. Most of it will be through his work via DLA Piper. Four years from now, the attacks will be relentless and her staff will need to get ahead of them.

Ivanka Trump is thinking about running soon for a Congressional seat. I don't think there's enough bleach in the world to scrub out what Kushner did in the White House, but even still, she has to start preparing counter narratives.

It's your fault if you aren't prepared, whether you actually committed a crime or not. Truth matters little in this kind of career, it's perception that kills.

Tom Hagen, in effect, got Sonny Corleone killed. It's one of the quiet things about The Godfather that is often overlooked. The novel covers it a little better, where Hagen is shaking outside of Don Vito Corleone's bedroom, and he's assessing how he should approach him with the tragic news. Should he weep, or should he be stoic? The novel discusses that Hagen compromises, he will follow the indicator that the Don gives him. And give that in return. Hagen blames himself because there was a lull in the war with The Five Families of NY. It appeared that Sonny's strategy of killing everyone and all out violence was hammering the other Families into submission. But it was simply a way to get Sonny, Clemenza and Tessio off guard. The novel discusses that the two caporegimes, Clemenza and Tessio were too old, and lacked the youth and vigor to fight an all out war. But could not be replaced as it would trigger insurrection. Thus Hagen was alone to really protect Sonny from himself. The novel talks about how Hagen, as a German/Irish, was not fully trusted since he wasn't Sicilian. He would never inherit rank in the Corleone Family and would always be treated as an outsider. This sort of galvanizes when Sonny screams at Tom that he is not a "wartime consigliere". Then again when Don Vito consoles Tom when he tells him that he never thought Tom was a bad advisor but that Sonny was a bad Don. This all comes full circle when Michaell tells Tom that he's "out" when the big move to Nevada was planned.

Your media manager in politics is your Tom Hagen. Statistically speaking, a little over half of all incoming campaign dollars spent by any professional politician goes towards advertising.

It's not just standard media optics, it's mounting effective counter attacks.

Things that could have been done, that I've seen done or have done myself in the past

1) Give the media another story, a bigger fish to fry. Trade them something to leave my client alone.

2) Leverage the investigators and media. They have something on my client, what do I have on them? A date rape, drug use, lying under oath, illegitimate child, wayward relative that needed backdoor fixing, and on and on and on.

3) Use the "fatal funnel", this means pushing your target into two choices. The one you want and the one you know they will never take. The illusion of choice is powerful as it fools some people into thinking they have real agency. It takes the bitter sting when you bull doze them. The "fatal funnel" derives from a basic breaching concept.

Gaetz could be guilty or he could be innocent. It matters close to nothing in politics and media optics, as the only currency that has value is if the public at large (Ricky Roma) believes he is guilty (Dave Moss). Or innocent (Shelly Levene).

Dave's farewell speech. •Mar 20, 2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWIoppMYwck

 
timschochet said:
It’s partly that. No I don’t like what’s happening to the GOP. 
 

But it’s also...I just don’t take any joy in watching people get taken down on issues like this. It really doesn’t matter to me if it’s a guy like this that I detest, or someone like Cuomo that I thought I admired. It’s just tawdry and unpleasant and I’ve never liked it. 
Yeah. You defended Roman Polanski.  

 
sho nuff said:
And do you notice those here who called out Cuomo non-stop and complained that Democrats wouldn't get rid of their own...are eerily silent...or playing the "well, we need to see how this plays out before we react"?
Are you purposely ignoring the background here?

They lied about data. They admitted they lied and they admitted they withheld further data because they were afraid of getting in trouble for being lying sacks. So thats the precursor to Cuomo. No further proof is needed for that part. Hell Cuomo even basically said big deal who cares how they died, they are dead. 

Then you have when democrats pretended to care about a ridiculous accusation from 35 years ago. Believe all women, etc etc. 

So when republicans call out instances of democrats doing naughty things or being accused of naughty things yet keeping their positions they arent being hypocritical if they dont also expect a GOP rep accused of things to have to resign. 

There is zero hypocrisy in thinking Cuomo should be gone but then thinking we should wait and see with Gaetz. 

But then again the New York Post is who broke the Cuomo story and you wont read them because they dont meet your super strict sourcing policies, so maybe it makes sense why you are poorly informed here. 

 
Are you purposely ignoring the background here?

They lied about data. They admitted they lied and they admitted they withheld further data because they were afraid of getting in trouble for being lying sacks. So thats the precursor to Cuomo. No further proof is needed for that part. Hell Cuomo even basically said big deal who cares how they died, they are dead. 

Then you have when democrats pretended to care about a ridiculous accusation from 35 years ago. Believe all women, etc etc. 

So when republicans call out instances of democrats doing naughty things or being accused of naughty things yet keeping their positions they arent being hypocritical if they dont also expect a GOP rep accused of things to have to resign. 

There is zero hypocrisy in thinking Cuomo should be gone but then thinking we should wait and see with Gaetz. 

But then again the New York Post is who broke the Cuomo story and you wont read them because they dont meet your super strict sourcing policies, so maybe it makes sense why you are poorly informed here. 
Your post here is spot on.  Couldn't have said it better myself.  :thumbup:

Besides, just tell Sho that it came from "anonymous sources" and he'll believe it with no questions asked.  

 
Are you purposely ignoring the background here?

They lied about data. They admitted they lied and they admitted they withheld further data because they were afraid of getting in trouble for being lying sacks. So thats the precursor to Cuomo. No further proof is needed for that part. Hell Cuomo even basically said big deal who cares how they died, they are dead. 

Then you have when democrats pretended to care about a ridiculous accusation from 35 years ago. Believe all women, etc etc. 

So when republicans call out instances of democrats doing naughty things or being accused of naughty things yet keeping their positions they arent being hypocritical if they dont also expect a GOP rep accused of things to have to resign. 

There is zero hypocrisy in thinking Cuomo should be gone but then thinking we should wait and see with Gaetz. 

But then again the New York Post is who broke the Cuomo story and you wont read them because they dont meet your super strict sourcing policies, so maybe it makes sense why you are poorly informed here. 
Nope...Im talking about those who keep posting about Cuomo and his women...but ignore Gaetz.  Just as they ignored Trump's accusations and others.  All while claiming Democrats don't really try to remove their own.

Read the thread about Cuomo.  Are there any posters defending him (either the nursing home story or his issues with women) ?  I don't see any.  I don't even see the "lets see how it plays out".  Seems most are calling for him to step down...are good with the investigation happening and him being removed.

Now read this thread...where are the conservatives other than saying "wait and see"?  Where are the conservative leaders out there calling for investigations and resignations?

To claim there is zero hypocrisy is laughable.

I won't read the stories on Cuomo?  I have read them...I have stated he should step down...said it long ago.  But yes...call me poorly informed as you called me ignorant the other day.  it continues to only prove how little you know about me....and odd that you continue to try and make it personal.

 
Your post here is spot on.  Couldn't have said it better myself.  :thumbup:

Besides, just tell Sho that it came from "anonymous sources" and he'll believe it with no questions asked.  
This is yet again a false assertion about me to make it personal.  Kindly stop that.

 
Aren't statements made in these forums allowed to be retracted? Thought he apologized more than once for defending Polanski.  
When you try to justify drugging and raping a 13 year old by saying she looked older, I don’t care how many times you try to retract it.  He literally just said that it is “tawdry and unpleasant” to expose Gaetz, who is being accused of the same thing with a 17 year old. His views seem pretty consistent.

 

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