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[wierd]

I find the trump administration transparently capricious, and would not want to accept any candidate endorsed by it.

That said, I find the methods used to challenge the appointment to be disgraceful as well.  This has quickly turned into a pissing contest into who can most obsequiously (in relation to appearing legitimate in face of circumstances) discredit the other, without actually admitting that this is a battle of ideology and not merit.

If it were not for the extremely high stakes, I would want nothing to do with the sordid affair at all. 

[Trekkin]

This whole farrago has made me appreciate one thing about Trump: he's not yet hit on a scheme to pack the Court with more justices, and it's unlikely that McConnell or Ryan could come to an agreement with him to do so without him immediately reneging. Norms are so eroded now that Pence probably would.

[smjjames]

They already want to pack the court, full of conservatives that is. There is already a 4/4 split between conservative and liberal Justices, and they'll have a 5/4 split with Kavanaugh (or anybody that Trump appoints for that matter), so, theres really no point to increasing the number of Justices for conservatives.

Democrats have already murmured about packing the court, so, it's just going to end up in a tit for tat.

[Trekkin]

There's no point from a policy perspective, but liberal tears are the currency of Trumpism and conservative judges are "wins" as he defines them and play well with Republican evangelicals. The Court could get bigger just like the wall gets higher.

[Descan]

I could make the thread. I'd call it "Dr. Descan's How-To Guide to Constructing Fascism: Ft. George_Chickens and Wierd!"

[Folly]

Trump administration halts visas for same-sex partners of diplomats, UN employees

Making America great, one destroyed life at a time.

[hector13]

On the one hand, it’s been like that for heterosexual couples since ‘09 (I think)

On the other hand, same sex marriage is legal in, what, 10% of UN nations?

[Dunamisdeos]

The heterosexual partners of foreign diplomats and U.N. employees are also not eligible for U.S. visas.

[hector13]

Unless they’re married, for both types of relationships.

Again, though, same sex marriage is not a particularly popular notion in the world, and even if they marry somewhere it is, there’s no guarantee their home country will react well to it.

There are also countries in the world you can be put to death for engaging in homosexual acts.

[Dunamisdeos]

I feel like sleeping with a diplomat should not grant you visas for foreign nations they visit. Maybe I'm just a silly willy.

[Gentlefish]

Really I don't think it should bother anyone if any two people want government acknowledgement of their devotion to each other. Oh no, gay people want tax benefits and visiting rights and proper divorces!

[Dunamisdeos]

Yeah see if you are married, you still get that. They are saying that married folks get treated like married folks, while unmarried folks get treated the same way as if you ask for security clearance for your girlfriend/boyfriend anywhere else, and that seems logical to me.

Now if they start saying "homosexual married couples don't get visas" then I have a problem.

[Lord Shonus]

To clarify, the Trump Administration is ending a policy of treating unmarried gay couples the same way that married straight couples are treated for the purpose of extending visas. Married gay couples still get the same visa access that married straight couples do. The policy was put in place because gay marriage is still only recognized by a minority of nations.

[MrRoboto75]

Awkwardly raises hand

Can they still get Mastercard?

[Folly]

To further clarify, couples who cannot get married because they would be persecuted and/or murdered in their home countries will now have their family units forcibly separated by the Trump Administration. I feel like we've heard this one before...
And of course this policy change serves absolutely no purpose beyond appeasing Trump's homophobic base.