BIDEN UNVEILS IDEA TO CURB DOMESTIC ABUSE

[gateley]

A national volunteer program to help curb violence against women would solicit at least 100,000 volunteer lawyers under a plan proposed today in Des Moines by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

Biden, a U.S. senator from Delaware, spoke to about 50 people this morning at Creative Visions, a community action agency in Des Moines.

He said violence against women is one of the most damaging crimes in the nation. The problems can be alleviated without costing taxpayers mammoth amounts of cash through a strong network of volunteers, he said.

“I think we have a moral obligation, a legal necessity . . . and an absolute urgent need to do this,” Biden said.

The plan creates the National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Referral Project, which would be managed by the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence. The project would cost roughly $2 million a year in new spending, according to estimates from Biden's campaign staff. That money would be used largely to create and maintain an electronic network that could rapidly respond when needed.

Biden, in the 1990s, was one of the main advocates for federal legislation known as the Violence Against Women Act, which helped states establish help for domestic violence victims and to strengthen laws to protect survivors. Today’s proposal would fill a gap of legal protection needed for victims, he said.

Volunteer lawyers would be trained to deal and better understand some of the challenges of violence against women, he said.

The crowd responded enthusiastically. Des Moines resident Mary Kennedy was among Iowans who publicly thanked Biden for his plan.

“I want to thank you for this program. This is the most exciting thing I’ve seen since the Peace Corps and I’m thrilled,” said Kennedy, who volunteers with a non-profit program to assist victims.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071017/NEWS/71017019/1001/galleries&template=printart

[T Wolf]

1. Domestice and child abuse could be eliminated by not allowing repukes

near any family members.

Problem solved.

[gateley]

4. Oh so true. nt

[noamnety]

12. For the record:

Liberal men also abuse women and children. Republicans don't have a patent on that.

[lumberjack_jeff]

21. Also for the record:

Liberal and conservative women participate in the cycle of domestic violence.

[sniffa]

2. he shouLd start by making it iLLegaL

[gateley]

3. It's not illegal? nt

[jillan]

5. Domestic violence has been a key issue for Biden.

He authored the Violence Against Women's Act in the 90's.
The most in-depth resolution to curb domestic violence.

[PatSeg]

6. He is very strong on women's issues

Maybe it has something to do with the way his mother raised him.

[ThomCat]

7. This is an awesome idea.

It won't make domestic violence disappear, but it would certainly help.

And having that many lawyers trained in the complexities of domestic violence cases can't hurt our long term chances of getting better laws.

[jgraz]

8. "Biden, a U.S. senator from Delaware"

Joe's gotta love that.

[Triana]

9. EXCELLENT idea. I have newfound respect for Biden (n/t)

[ginchinchili]

10. It makes a lot more practical sense than Hillary's $5000 giveaway.

Biden's plans are detailed and practical. They're not cheap (or should I say expensive) attempts to buy our votes.

[lumberjack_jeff]

11. Cool. 100,000 new lawyers on welfare.

I can't for the life of me imagine that this might have a downside.

[freeplessinseattle]

14. what the eff is wrong with you? n/t

[lumberjack_jeff]

18. Sore back. Thanks for asking. You?

Perhaps we should fix health care the same way. We should encourage 100,000 students to spend 8 years in college for the purpose of becoming volunteer doctors.

Here's the fundamental problem: there is very little reason to believe that domestic violence exists because there are too few lawyers.

[PatSeg]

19. Lawyers are neither the cause or the solution

but volunteer services is not a new idea in the legal or medical field.

Sorry about your "sore back".

[freeplessinseattle]

13. K&R n/t

[kickysnana]

15. Oh yes, lets round up everyone and put them in jail...

thats the ticket. How about jobs, health care, schools that are not run like prisons and not treating everyone with pills?

In my case my ex had a mother who got psychotic when she drank. After the third time she tried to kill her husband, got him with the boiling water but missed him with the boiling oil his Dad left. Tried to get custody couldn't. Kids had to hide from her when was was drunk. His first memory was his older brother taking him out of the crib and into a closet and telling him he had to be quiet cause Mom was "mad".

My ex did not drink but worked in the trucking industry during the deregulation of the 1970s and kept getting laid off. He would get wound up tighter and tighter and then explode. Went for counseling and at that time they gave him a book on child psychology to read they weren't into pills yet but it was just as inane. First time he lost it in fro mt of the kids I got a restraining order to try to figure out what to do. That triggered social services who of course were no help only told me if I let him back in I would lose the kids.

First lawyer I got was bound and determined to do everything she could to make him angry. He was really unstable because we were apart. Tried to find some other help for him and he finally got into a treatment program. He disappeared for about 18 months and then went back to school and got a different job. The divorce was amicable. He paid child support, was around for the kids for birthdays and Christmas. He remarried and my kids started seeing him when they were able to drive themselves there.

I think that if he had had to go to prison he would have either died or gone over to that dark side of his and my grandchildren would not have a wonderful, extremely witty grandfather.

My point is if the court had listened to the Dad my ex might have been able to work through his PTSD before we got married. If the counselor had listened to me ditto. Didn't need a lawyer to get the restraining order so why is this "the one size fits all solution"?

Don't get me wrong. I know there are people who enjoy being violent or don't want to change but there are just as many who just need some help getting right with themselves and the world. Especially with all those traumatized GIs on their way back.

[kickysnana]

16. Oh, I would like a govt lawyer when I go to the airport and

And a lobbyist to get through to my "representatives".

[PatSeg]

17. We live in a society that likes to sweep all the dirt under the rug

instead of trying to fix the problems. People often like simple answers in black and white, and as a result our prisons are overflowing.

Not every abusive spouse should be locked away, just as drug addicts don't belong in prison. In an enlightened society, people would get the treatment they need to work through their problems and live a relatively normal life. We have a long, long way to go.

[murbley40]

20. kick

[youthere]

22. Good for Joe.

I'm liking this guy more and more.