I’m not going to hate on Bass for speaking at the Scientology building opening. Religious tolerance is a virtue (within reason), and politicians who don’t pay lip service to it open themselves up for attack. If she had spoken at a Catholic building opening or a Muslim building opening, would she deserve a side-eye as well? Of course not. It’s not like Scientology is the only religion out there that has a long list of dirty deeds. It’s just socially acceptable to talk about its dirty deeds and label it a cult.
There is something icky about slamming a candidate for their religious ties. I have a lot of beef with religion, but I try to keep that beef equal opportunity. Scientologists are full of creeps who believe creepy things and do creepy things. So do plenty of other -ists. Either it’s OK to discriminate against people for their religious views or it’s not OK.
I’m a bit skeptical of Bass’s statement that “since then [2010], published first-hand accounts in books, interviews and documentaries have exposed this group. Everyone is now aware of the allegations against Scientology.” Scientology’s sins, including aggression against critics, mistreatment of members and financial misconduct, were well-known to anyone who followed the news long before 2010.
Scientology is a cancer. It is AS BAD AS white supremacist groups IMO. It’s an organization that brutally abuses people, and it is not a religion, it is a scam whose goal is to suck money out of everyone it ensnares into its orbit. But even most organized scams don’t incorporate psychological abuse and mental torture tactics into its conduct. Even Amway doesn’t have a “Sea Org”. The whole Scientologist machine is pure evil and doesn’t deserve a single word of affirmation from anyone involved in politics. It’s a sick, disgusting cancer.
If Biden winds up picking Bass, am I still going to vote for him. Yeah. But I will be deeply outraged that he gave her a pass for the Scientology thing. Nobody deserves ANY kind of pass for any association with that pile of shit.
Yeah, I’m not impressed with Bass’s “explanation” either.
Unlike many of you, I’d be happy with Harris as the choice. Though I agree she might be better as Attorney General. I’d also be happy with Demings or Duckworth. I’m lukewarm about Bass and was before the Scientology comments–I’m not sure I see any particular strengths there. I still like Stacey Abrams, although losing the governor’s race is not perhaps the strongest qualification out there. I worry that Susan Rice is too closely associated with the Clintons, allowing Trump to run against Hillary yet again.
The only one of the top contenders I really don’t want is Warren. Too old, too white, and too willing to allow Trump to get under her skin.
Regarding John Edwards, while he represented and lived in North Carolina, he was actually born in South Carolina. Interestingly, he won precisely two states in the 2004 primary season. One was NC. The other was SC.
To clarify, what I WISH would happen is that Biden were a transitional president, serving 4 yrs to shift us away from the debacle of the past 4 yrs, and pave the way for a succeeding 8+ under someone younger. He is too old and too unexceptional now - in 4 yrs he’ll be WAY too old.
Old white men have had power long enough. Let some others have a chance to fuck things up!
Bah. Mahathir took power in Malaysia again in his 90s, and he’d been looking like a mummy for 50 years. Strom Thurmond kept on ticking. I expect Biden to run the course.
I don’t expect him to die necessarily. I just don’t expect him to run at 81, get re-elected at 82, then serve until he is 86. If he wins Biden will be the oldest U.S. president by a country mile. The next closest is Reagan who was younger when he left office than Biden will be when he takes office.