# Attention: Any EARNEST use in political discussion of the following terms brands the user an idiot **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 20, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381 "2011-01-20T21:34:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/81 "2011-01-21T18:28:04Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I remember a George Carlin routine, from the start of Bush I’s term, about how amused the earthy Russians (still the elephant in the room, then) were going to be when they found out our new president had a name meaning “crotch hair.” > > (Wonder if they ever **did** find out.) I’m pretty sure there have been Russians in American strip clubs. They would be likely to see the bumper stickers. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/82 "2011-01-21T18:54:02Z")
> [@saoirse](#): > > I’m pretty sure there have been Russians in American strip clubs. They would be likely to see the bumper stickers. But they might not get the pun unless it were explained. ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/83 "2011-01-21T18:59:24Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I wasn’t commenting on the “point of the thread”. I was commenting on what the OP chose for his list. Well, OK, fine. The OP is left-leaning, so his list will have more insults from the right, since these were the ones he personally remembers rolling his eyes at. Because of this, I congratulate the OP on starting this thread, which can be viewed as an attempt to even up the list, and so that he can understand precisely how “his side” does it too. Jeez! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/84 "2011-01-21T19:17:52Z")
> [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](#): > > Well, OK, fine. The OP is left-leaning, so his list will have more insults from the right, since these were the ones he personally remembers rolling his eyes at. Because of this, I congratulate the OP on starting this thread, which can be viewed as an attempt to even up the list, and so that he can understand precisely how “his side” does it too. > > Jeez! All perfectly true. But, see post #65. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/85 "2011-01-21T19:24:17Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > It doesn’t come up much anymore now, but a couple of years ago, any use of the name “Shrub” got me all rolly-eyed. I confess, I don’t really get this. It does flow logically from the fact that he’s the scion of another President Bush. Or the scion of a famous man named Bush, generally. I bet if Prescott Bush had been more of a household name during the 80s, then GHWB might have been known as “the Shrub” even when he was VP. “Shrubya” I’ll give you. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/86 "2011-01-21T19:47:27Z")
In any case, if we have to have one (and why would we, any more?), a better disparaging nickname for W would be the CIA’s old codename for him: “Charlie.” (As in Charlie McCarthy. Cheney’s was “Edgar,” as in “Edgar Bergen.”) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/87 "2011-01-21T19:56:19Z")
“Drink(ing) the Kool-Aid” ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/88 "2011-01-21T20:04:14Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Sorry, **BLD** , but I’m adding “Chimpy” to the list, right next to “Shrub” (unless we’re listing them alphabetically of course). I had no love for the man but there was enough to criticize without resorting to cheap namecalling. I kind of agree with **kaylasdad** - I never really thought of “Shrub” as derogatory, but merely as a sort of shorthand, a quick way to distinguish him from the former President who was also named “George Bush”. Sure, there was always “Dubya”, but I always found that to be even more disrespectful. But hey, I’m willing to stop using either- I got no horse here. > [@Gyrate](#): > > Likewise there are also loads of “creative” versions of Barack Obama’s name currently in circulation including “NObama”, “Zero” and “Barry” (which, yes I know, he used to call himself but I’ve never seen anyone use it in earnest who was not intending to be derogatory). My favorite is “Hussein”. I think it’s pretty clear that anyone who uses that name for the President is merely trying to stoke up racism. But when you call them on it, they always say, “But that’s his middle name! Why would he be ashamed of his middle name?” To which I say: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/89 "2011-01-21T20:05:55Z")
> [@Dr.Rieux](#): > > “Drink(ing) the Kool-Aid” Especially since we know it’s really “[Flavor-Aid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavor_Aid)”. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/90 "2011-01-21T20:28:02Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > My favorite is “Hussein”. I think it’s pretty clear that anyone who uses that name for the President is merely trying to stoke up racism. But when you call them on it, they always say, “But that’s his middle name! Why would he be ashamed of his middle name?” > > To which I say: :rolleyes: If the person in question is one you will ever have to talk to again, find out his/her middle name and, henceforth, use it exclusively. (Or, whatever works; some people go by their middle name because their first name is too embarrassing; sometimes, vice-versa.) ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/91 "2011-01-21T20:35:06Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > If the person in question is one you will ever have to talk to again, find out his/her middle name and, henceforth, use it exclusively. (Or, whatever works; some people go by their middle name because their first name is too embarrassing; sometimes, vice-versa.) I hear that’s how Lee Harvey Oswald got started. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/92 "2011-01-21T21:40:12Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > If we’re expanding to list idiocies _as applied to particular situations_, we could be here a while. I’ve got a full pack of cigarettes, half a bottle of tequila, I’m inside, and I’m wearing sunglasses. Hit it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/93 "2011-01-21T21:55:10Z")
> [@Lightnin'](#): > > I kind of agree with kaylasdad- I never really thought of “Shrub” as derogatory, but merely as a sort of shorthand, a quick way to distinguish him from the former President who was also named “George Bush”. Sure, there was always “Dubya”, but I always found that to be even more disrespectful. No, as I understand it, the nickname “Dubya” was [originally used by Bush’s own family members](http://books.google.com/books?id=vURJ8CNdiXQC&pg=PA114) (along with the names “Junior”, “Georgie”, and “Gee-o”) to differentiate him from his father. The nickname “Shrub”, on the other hand, seems to have been coined by Bush’s political opponent Ann Richards, and popularized by columnist Molly Ivins. So I think “Shrub” would reasonably be perceived by the Bushes and Bush supporters as more derogatory. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/94 "2011-01-21T22:18:57Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’ve got a full pack of cigarettes, half a bottle of tequila, I’m inside, and I’m wearing sunglasses. Hit it. Got any Warren Zevon? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/95 "2011-01-21T22:31:14Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > See post #62. It is an objectively true fact, to the extent such thing can exist in political discourse, that the RW has largely (never entirely) cornered the market on terminological/rhetorical idiocy/dishonesty over the past 20 years. That is not my fault, and not the LW’s fault – and very definitely not an accident, either. I don’t have any objective way of measuring what goes on in the wide world, but on this MB that statement is absolutely false. The vast majority of snarky, idiotic terminology in political discourse on this MB comes from the left. And since any discussion on this MB of eliminating snarky idiocy in political disucssions is only going to affect the tone of this MB, I think that’s all that really matters. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/96 "2011-01-21T22:35:41Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I kind of agree with **kaylasdad** - I never really thought of “Shrub” as derogatory, but merely as a sort of shorthand, a quick way to distinguish him from the former President who was also named “George Bush”. You’ve got to be kidding. Context alone can tell you it’s derogatory. See if you can find a post here using “Shrub” that wasn’t aimed at slamming him in some way. > [@](#): > > Sure, there was always “Dubya”, but I always found that to be even more disrespectful. It’s disrespectful to use the nickname his family routinely uses? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/97 "2011-01-21T22:58:30Z")
Bush’s own family called him “Shrub”? I am surprised. I did know they called him “Dubya”. And the disdainful nicknames (of which I never considered “Dubya” to be one) bother me for the same reason it bothers me when folks here refer to others with stupidified versions of their usernames - it’s a cheap shot that makes the namecaller look like they’re in second grade. (I am also reminded that we have a board member here named **Chimpy** although I think he’s off studying to become a doctor or something similarly constructive. Nice lad.) ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/98 "2011-01-21T22:59:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You’ve got to be kidding. Context alone can tell you it’s derogatory. See if you can find a post here using “Shrub” that wasn’t aimed at slamming him in some way. > > It’s disrespectful to use the nickname his family routinely uses? :dubious: Nope, and you can keep your :dubious: to yourself, please. I meant what I said- I always thought that “Shrub” was less disrespectful than “Dubya”. Of course, when I first heard either term, I didn’t know that Dubya was a family nickname- to me, it just seemed like shorthand for his middle initial. As I said, I’m perfectly willing to forego the use of either, so why are we discussing this further? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/99 "2011-01-22T00:10:39Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > a Max-Headroomlike avatar of Ronald Reagan, who presents the quotidian propaganda points in a folksy Speak & Spell voice? Dear God, I would PAY to see that. Complete with the stop-start stuttering and everything. ---
**Author:** ![Amber\_in\_Treasury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Amber\_in\_Treasury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amber_in_Treasury)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381/100 "2011-01-22T00:24:32Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Could be worse. > > Could be Sarah Jessica Parker. Whinnnney! Back on topic: people calling Obama a “socialist” or a “communist” are obviously not playing with a full deck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-any-earnest-use-in-political-discussion-of-the-following-terms-brands-the-user-an-idiot/568381.md?page=6)