# Cain: Stupidity/Ignorance OK; Propositioning is Death **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 3, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699 "2011-11-03T01:43:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/1 "2011-11-03T01:43:11Z")
I understand that nobody can know everything about everything, but come on. The guy wants to be President, but he didn’t know what the “right of return” was when discussing Israel, he didn’t know that China had nuclear weapons, and his “999” plan is ridiculous. Why don’t Republicans care about those things, but they do care if he hit on some woman years ago? By the way, my sources tell me the names of the three people he hit on: Becky, Becky, and Stan. ---
**Author:** ![RearEchelon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RearEchelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RearEchelon)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/2 "2011-11-03T02:02:20Z")
Since when have qualifications ever mattered in this country when talking about a politician? Did you know 80% of Congress lacks any real education in buisness or economics? [(Cite)](http://www.defeatthedebt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Congress_Brief_Econ101.pdf) How can these people be expected to balance the budget when they don’t even know how an economy works? Your average voter either blindly votes for the party they believe they subscribe to, or failing that then they vote for the candidate with the most tv time or the candidate who kisses more babies or the candidate who managed to hide his/her secret transgressions the best. You and I know inappropriate sexual transgressions have no bearing on how well someone can do their job, but your average idiot only sees what he/she wants to. And it’s not only the Republicans who are guilty. I think if anything is going to kill this country, it’s going to be the bipartisan back-biting and infighting. Why can these people not see that what really matters is our country, not their freaking political party? Most rational people couldn’t give a shit about Democrat or Republican, as long as whoever’s in office is getting things done. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/3 "2011-11-03T02:17:53Z")
Reported for move to Elections forum. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/4 "2011-11-03T02:37:45Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Reported for move to Elections forum. Oh jeez, I thought that was where I was. Not my day. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/5 "2011-11-03T02:41:18Z")
On the whole, I would assume/guess there is a good deal of overlap between Cains supporters and Palins supporters as well as Bush’s core supporters. On the whole they are people who really don’t view policy as anything other than a metaphor for conservative/liberal dynamics (big vs small government, etc), and not policy as an appeal in and of itself. Sucks because one of the big complaints about liberal politicians is they are too ‘policy wonky’ without enough ‘mass appeal’ (think Dukakis or Obama after getting elected) whereas the tea party supports people who are the opposite. Who have ‘mass appeal’ but no real policy aptitude. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/6 "2011-11-03T02:43:23Z")
> [@RearEchelon](#): > > Did you know 80% of Congress lacks any real education in buisness or economics? They can’t be experts in everything, and it’s probably unrealistic for them to even have 101-level knowledge on everything they vote on. But for crying out loud, they should be able to pass a junior high social studies test. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/7 "2011-11-03T03:04:31Z")
Wait, when did he become a real candidate? I thought he was a character on the Daily Show. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/8 "2011-11-03T03:13:54Z")
> [@RearEchelon](#): > > Since when have qualifications ever mattered in this country when talking about a politician? Did you know 80% of Congress lacks any real education in buisness or economics? That cite is weighted in looking for evidence of Congressional ignorance. The only qualifications it accepts is people who majored in economics or business in college (the most common major in Congress was law - a not irrelevant skill for members of a legislative body). By that narrow standard, Bill Gates lacks any real education in business or economics. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/9 "2011-11-03T03:41:19Z")
Moved to _Elections_. **samclem** , Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/10 "2011-11-03T03:48:41Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Wait, when did he become a real candidate? He didn’t, and this is part of the reason why. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/11 "2011-11-03T04:34:31Z")
> [@brocks](#): > > Why don’t Republicans care about those things, but they do care if he hit on some woman years ago? Because women voters care about this, and Republicans will have to get a lot more votes from women to defeat Obama. > [@RearEchelon](#): > > Did you know 80% of Congress lacks any real education in buisness or economics? [(Cite)](http://www.defeatthedebt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Congress_Brief_Econ101.pdf) Good. Wall Street bankers, brokerage houses, mortgage companies, and auto company execs DO have “real education in business or economics”, and they nearly destroyed our economy. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/12 "2011-11-03T05:05:43Z")
Wait, I’ve got it-- You’re not allowed to be elected to Congress without at least a master’s degree each in business, economics, and law. No, wait, Congress also has to deal with scientific matters-- Let’s add a science or two to the list of requirements. Oh, and yeah, they’ll probably need a civil engineering degree, too, to know which infrastructure projects to approve funding for. And of course, they need to be able to write inspiring speeches-- Let’s require a master’s in English, too. Then there’s the old adage that those who cannot remember history are doomed to repeat it. Clearly, a degree in history is needed. Dang it, we forgot their primary job description! Obviously they also all need a degree in political science, too. And I’ll bet there’s not a single member of Congress who has even three of those degrees! Yeah, you’re right, **RearEchelon** they _are_ woefully uneducated. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/13 "2011-11-03T05:21:31Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Moved to _Elections_. > > **samclem** , Moderator Maybe we should start a new “Erections” forum just for Cain? ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/14 "2011-11-03T05:48:24Z")
The thing that worries me about this is he seems almost proud of his ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/15 "2011-11-03T05:50:09Z")
“Almost”? I would say “belligerently proud.” ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/16 "2011-11-03T06:58:52Z")
Why do you think Republican voters would object to his idiotic policy proposals? They are even stupider than he is. However sex is a no-no in the Bible, so you’re not supposed to get caught. Anyhow, considering the victims were neither male escorts, pages, or innocent visitors to the airport restroom, he is ahead of the crowd. Any evidence his poll numbers are dropping by the way? I think the whole thing is a plot by the Ubecki-becki-becki-stan-stan intelligence service, who got upset that their country was insulted. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/17 "2011-11-03T07:16:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, I’ve got it-- You’re not allowed to be elected to Congress without at least a master’s degree each in business, economics, and law. > > No, wait, Congress also has to deal with scientific matters-- Let’s add a science or two to the list of requirements. > > Oh, and yeah, they’ll probably need a civil engineering degree, too, to know which infrastructure projects to approve funding for. > > And of course, they need to be able to write inspiring speeches-- Let’s require a master’s in English, too. > > Then there’s the old adage that those who cannot remember history are doomed to repeat it. Clearly, a degree in history is needed. > > Dang it, we forgot their primary job description! Obviously they also all need a degree in political science, too. > > And I’ll bet there’s not a single member of Congress who has even three of those degrees! Yeah, you’re right, **RearEchelon** they _are_ woefully uneducated. And then we can require them all to get a degree in education. That way we won’t have to pay them very much. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/18 "2011-11-03T07:40:16Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, I’ve got it-- You’re not allowed to be elected to Congress without at least a master’s degree each in business, economics, and law. > > No, wait, Congress also has to deal with scientific matters-- Let’s add a science or two to the list of requirements. … Incidentally here’s the cite: > [@](#): > > Publicly available data (see “Research Methods”) show that over three-quarters of members of Congress—nearly 8 out of 10—lack an academic background in business or economics. Only 8.4 percent majored in an economics-related field, and 13.8 percent majored in a business or accounting-related field. Ok so 22.2% have a business or economics degree. Not bad, I say. I might hope that most of them have taken at least 2 semesters of economics – but the study gives no indication of this one way or another. The linked .pdf is lame. > [@RearEchelon](#): > > ``` > Since when have qualifications ever mattered in this country when talking about a politician? > > ``` They mattered on the Presidential level before 1976. And congressional staff members are generally bright, talented, hard working and underpaid. ETA: According to sourcewatch, the organization behind the .pdf has this description: “The Employment Policies Institute (EPI) is one of several front groups created by Berman & Co., a Washington, DC public affairs firm owned by Rick Berman, who lobbies for the restaurant, hotel, alcoholic beverage and tobacco industries.” Oh, and they vociferously attacked Professors David Card and Alan Krueger after their investigation came up with conclusions they found inconvenient. I somehow doubt this operation’s dedication to academic pursuits. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/19 "2011-11-03T13:26:39Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > The thing that worries me about this is he seems almost proud of his ignorance. > [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > “Almost”? I would say “belligerently proud.” Yup. The “Ubeki-beki-beki-stan-stan” thing was Cain announcing that knowing things like names of countries and world leaders aren’t an important part of a president’s knowledge because they don’t create jobs. Not surprisingly, a couple of days later he announced that he didn’t know that China developed nuclear weapons almost 50 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699/20 "2011-11-03T13:36:01Z")
> [@RearEchelon](#): > > … Most rational people couldn’t give a shit about Democrat or Republican, as long as whoever’s in office is getting things done. There are two problems right there. 1. Most people who vote do _not_ vote rationally, they vote by emotion. Usually, focusing on 1 or 2 issues that are important to them and the rest be damned. (ie. abortion, gay rights/gay marriage) This also means that it is beneficial to all sides to NOT get things done. If you get things done, they won’t turn out to vote next time. The goal is to fail, but have that failure blamed on the other guy. 2. There is a\* huge\* amount of money involved in campaigning and the benefits of having a person who owes you in power. Therefore, there is a multi-billion dollar industry on keeping the two parties out there pretending to be different, but both serving the same overall goals. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cain-stupidity-ignorance-ok-propositioning-is-death/601699.md?page=2)