After the thrashing the Republican Party took from women in the 2012 election, you'd think those guys would have learned a lesson or two. But that would make you the bigger fool because this is the Republican Party we're talking about, and if there's one thing they hate—well, in addition to people who aren't straight, rich, white Christian men—it's learning.

For example, here's a lesson Republicans didn't learn:



[T]he House allowed the 18-year-old Violence Against Women Act to expire because, as Steve Benen writes at Maddowblog, "House Republicans insist the bill is too supportive of immigrants, the LGBT community, and Native Americans -- and they'd rather let the law expire than approve a slightly expanded proposal."

So after spending a good deal of 2012 insisting they aren't waging a War on Women—a war for which it was severely punished by women at the polls—Republicans decided that screwing over women is still a totally viable strategy for the party. Because the party did not heed calls, even from some of its own members, to just pass the damned bill already. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is still insisting that of course they want to protect women. Just, you know, not all of them:



“Majority Leader Cantor has worked hard seeking to move the bill forward so we can protect all victims and prosecute offenders,” Cantor’s office told Melissa Harris-Perry Thursday in a written statement. “The majority leader has been working with our members and directly with Vice President Biden to seek common ground across party lines and put an end to violence against women.”

Shorter Cantor: Blah blah blah bullshit blah blah. Because there's really nothing to work out. The Senate easily passed the bill renewing VAWA, with bipartisan support, almost a year ago. Even Senate Republicans were able to recognize the no-brainer that this is. And it's not as if Senate Republicans are known for being, you know, reasonable. Except maybe compared to House Republicans, who are even worse.

So here we are, another year, another Congress, another chance to do the right thing. And House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi wasted no time calling on Republicans to do exactly that:



The end of the 112th Congress makes it official: the Republican majority has refused to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Their failure to move forward on a bipartisan approach to the VAWA Reauthorization leaves millions of American women without vital defense against domestic violence. For nearly two decades, this landmark measure has brought violence against women out of the shadows, affording women protection against abuse and providing law enforcement with the tools to combat domestic violence. Over the past year, Democrats and Republicans worked to expand these protections to LGBT Americans, immigrants, and Native Americans, yet House Republican leaders failed to bring this bipartisan legislation to the Floor. As the 113th Congress begins, let us honor our oath to protect and defend all Americans by ensuring a secure future for American women. Let us hope that Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle can very quickly work together to restore, enhance, and extend the provisions of the Violence Against Women Act.

There really isn't a moment to lose. VAWA must be renewed immediately. So, ladies and friends of ladies, you know what to do.

Sign the petition urging the 113th Congress to reauthorize the expanded, bipartisan version of the Violence Against Women Act.

This week's good, bad and ugly below the fold.