Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska is a guy who talks a lot but never does anything. He loves to issue vague statements saying that he might be unhappy with something that the criminal President of the United States has done. But his words never go anywhere.
Yesterday, he was outspoken once again on a variety of topics that had to do with the nomination hearings for Brett Kavanaugh. But he may have just opened his mouth one too many times when he said something that probably offended 51% of the electorate. In fact, Sasse may have made himself a target of women who are political activists, and he is up for reelection in just two years.
Here’s what Sasse said in response to the number of women protesting against Kavanaugh:
“So the fact that the hysteria has nothing to do with you means that we should ask, what’s the hysteria coming from? The hysteria around Supreme Court confirmation hearings is coming from the fact that we have a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of the Supreme Court in American life now.”
Many people immediately jumped on social media to criticize Sasse’s comments about female “hysteria.”
The Senate Democrats posted on Twitter:
“Republicans say “there’s nothing really new” when it comes to women’s Constitutional rights – and any concerns are “hysteria.”
What’s new? President Trump promised to appoint a Supreme Court Justice to OVERTURN women’s Constitutional rights. Then he nominated Judge Kavanaugh.”
Republicans say “there’s nothing really new” when it comes to women’s Constitutional rights – and any concerns are “hysteria.”
What’s new? President Trump promised to appoint a Supreme Court Justice to OVERTURN women’s Constitutional rights. Then he nominated Judge Kavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/Gint7bG7Ne
— Senate Democrats (@SenateDems) September 4, 2018
Political writer Perry Bacon said:
“The Sasse statement was a long attack on the idea that people should talk about the policy views of justices who have a huge impact on U.S. policy. And it described people who care about what the court does as unhinged and hysterical. His level of sanctimony is something.”
The Sasse statement was a long attack on the idea that people should talk about the policy views of justices who have a huge impact on U.S. policy. And it described people who care about what the court does as unhinged and hysterical. His level of sanctimony is something. https://t.co/rw2jKi72tk
— Perry Bacon Jr. (@perrybaconjr) September 4, 2018
Senator Kamala Harris of California responded to Sasse calling the protests around Kavanaugh’s “hysteria.”
“I think it’s a mistake to refer to women who are using their voice to protest a flawed process, to refer to them as hysterical.”
"I think it's a mistake to refer to women who are using their voice to protest a flawed process, to refer to them as hysterical."
— Sen. Kamala Harris responds to Sen. Bem Sasse calling the protests around Kavanaugh's "hysteria." https://t.co/f1K2BSeyXx
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 5, 2018
“Hysteria” is usually one of those dog whistle terms that sexist men use to demean and devalue women and their contributions. According to a Daily Kos article:
“We all know who gets hysterical, huh? Those ridiculous, screaming women. Like Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, maybe? The “pro-choice” women of the Republican conference who say they want to hear Kavanaugh tell them Roe is “settled law”? “
Clearly Ben Sasse is a man who doesn’t “get it.” He is a white man who doesn’t understand the point of view of women or minorities, and so he puts them down. However Ben Sasse may also be a man who will have to face reality in the not-too-distant future. That reality will be when he is rejected by voters in his next reelection bid for being a man who is out of touch with their needs and also just doesn’t care about them.
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