# Conservatives hold GOP feet to the fire
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [August 7, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233 "2015-08-07T12:39:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/41 "2015-08-07T17:56:48Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Or they accidentally check the wrong box. Or they just answer at random. And there’s the Jay-Walking conundrum- Jay Leno used to walk around and ask simple questions. Only people who answered wrong- and as wrong as possible got to be on TV. In fact if you were really fucking stupid sounding you even got to be a guest!
>
> Now, let us say you’d like to be on TV- \*would you give the right answer or a dumb answer? \* People are smarter than you think- and dumber than you can imagine.
>
> Like that idiot offering people silver bars vs chocolate bars.
Problem with that (& the “mess with pollsters” theory) is that there were some questions that got lower positive responses than that, especially among certain groups (e.g. 0% of “somewhat liberal” people believed in Lizard People (versus 10% of very liberal people), 0% of moderates believed that the government spreads chemicals in plane exhausts, 0% of African Americans believed that Paul McCarteny died and was replaced by the Beatles - or in Lizard people). If there were 5% of people deliberately giving bogus answers for reasons you suggest, then it would be true across the various categories.
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/42 "2015-08-07T18:07:49Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#):
>
> Problem with that (& the “mess with pollsters” theory) is that there were some questions that got lower positive responses than that, especially among certain groups (e.g. 0% of “somewhat liberal” people believed in Lizard People (versus 10% of very liberal people), 0% of moderates believed that the government spreads chemicals in plane exhausts, 0% of African Americans believed that Paul McCarteny died and was replaced by the Beatles - or in Lizard people). If there were 5% of people deliberately giving bogus answers for reasons you suggest, then it would be true across the various categories.
As long as the number is within the margin or error, I can ignore it.
---
### Author:  [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/43 "2015-08-07T18:19:57Z")
> [@Renee](#):
>
> You are aware that a significant portion of Republicans believe Obama is the litteral antichrist, right?
He’s just been coasting recently.
---
### Author:  [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/44 "2015-08-07T18:24:49Z")
At the risk of painting myself as crazy liberal conspiracy theorist, AFAIK the CIA really _was_ involved in cocaine coming to the US.
“\*nstrumental in creating the crack cocaine epidemic,” as the poll put it, is certainly overstating it. But even the CIA admits that we gave a lot of money and other support to people bringing cocaine into the US. We did it because they were Contras or were closely-connected enough to the Contras that we thought it would help them.
The CIA says that the facilitation of the cocaine trafficking was an unintentional byproduct, and that the major sin was not ending the support after we learned about how the money was used. I’m willing to believe that. But I think reasonable people could also believe that the CIA’s investigation into itself is not especially trustworthy, and would not have put it past them to see the cocaine revenue for the Contras as benefiting their goals.
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/45 "2015-08-07T18:31:38Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#):
>
> [22%](http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/04/conspiracy-theory-poll-results-.html), apparently.
I must admit that if I was asked whether “lizard people are controling our society”, I would probably answer “yes”.
---
### Author:  [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/46 "2015-08-07T18:34:57Z")
> [@Renee](#):
>
> You are aware that a significant portion of Republicans believe Obama is the litteral antichrist, right?
or an active member of the Muslim Brotherhood, or a communist focused on destroying America, etc, etc.
Cornopean, I think you’re repeating something you heard (conservatives think people who disagree with them are wrong, liberals… blah… blah bad people) which isn’t actually accurate.
---
### Author:  [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/47 "2015-08-07T18:38:07Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> As long as the number is within the margin or error, I can ignore it.
Again, that “margin of error” should be randomly distributed.
> [@Richard\_Parker](#):
>
> At the risk of painting myself as crazy liberal conspiracy theorist, AFAIK the CIA really _was_ involved in cocaine coming to the US.
>
> “\*nstrumental in creating the crack cocaine epidemic,” as the poll put it, is certainly overstating it. But even the CIA admits that we gave a lot of money and other support to people bringing cocaine into the US. We did it because they were Contras or were closely-connected enough to the Contras that we thought it would help them.
>
> The CIA says that the facilitation of the cocaine trafficking was an unintentional byproduct, and that the major sin was not ending the support after we learned about how the money was used. I’m willing to believe that. But I think reasonable people could also believe that the CIA’s investigation into itself is not especially trustworthy, and would not have put it past them to see the cocaine revenue for the Contras as benefiting their goals.
If you look at the actual question, it was not whether they were “\*\*nstrumental in creating the crack cocaine epidemic”\*. It was (Q11) _“Do you believe the CIA was instrumental in distributing crack cocaine into America’s inner cities in the 1980s, or not?”_
Your theory about some possible indirect involvement upstream doesn’t cover that.
---
### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/48 "2015-08-07T18:39:41Z")
Hell, if I thought anybody was the antichrist, I’d vote for him too. You know he’d get things **done**.
---
### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/49 "2015-08-07T18:39:44Z")
> [@clairobscur](#):
>
> I must admit that if I was asked whether “lizard people are controling our society”, I would probably answer “yes”.
Yeah, I would as well. 😛 And if I was asked if Bush were the anti-Christ I’d definitely have said ‘yes’…even though I don’t believe in the concept of an anti-Christ. I think those numbers are skewed upward by people who don’t really believe that Obama is the ‘anti-Christ’ in a religious way, but who don’t like him for some reason and just think that he’s a bad guy.
---
### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/50 "2015-08-07T18:40:16Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#):
>
> At the risk of painting myself as crazy liberal conspiracy theorist, AFAIK the CIA really _was_ involved in cocaine coming to the US.
>
> “\*nstrumental in creating the crack cocaine epidemic,” as the poll put it, is certainly overstating it. But even the CIA admits that we gave a lot of money and other support to people bringing cocaine into the US. We did it because they were Contras or were closely-connected enough to the Contras that we thought it would help them.
>
> The CIA says that the facilitation of the cocaine trafficking was an unintentional byproduct, and that the major sin was not ending the support after we learned about how the money was used. I’m willing to believe that. But I think reasonable people could also believe that the CIA’s investigation into itself is not especially trustworthy, and would not have put it past them to see the cocaine revenue for the Contras as benefiting their goals.
Yeah, but that was only the good kind of cocaine that white people use.
---
### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/51 "2015-08-07T18:45:54Z")
> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> Hell, if I thought anybody was the antichrist, I’d vote for him too. You know he’d get things **done**.
Good luck getting him out of office when his term is up.
---
### Author:  [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/52 "2015-08-07T18:46:52Z")
> [@XT](#):
>
> I’d have asked ‘structurally, HOW do you intend to bring about your estimated 4% economic growth in the US, especially considering the current world wide economic down turn in Europe and China?’ THAT is putting foot to fire…especially if you actually make the various candidates answer the question and interrupt them repeatedly if they start to wander off topic or are giving pat, boiler plated answers. Personally, this is why I don’t really find much meat in any of these debates, whoever is doing them.
I agree, and it’s funny you use that example because at the forum in NH earlier in the week I was screaming at the radio over that very example. “I’m going to give everyone a unicorn which farts laughing gas” is a goal, but utterly meaningless without saying how you will do it.
I really, really wish that interviewers and moderators would demand the details of all political candidates. Sadly, I think there are just too many people who hear “I’ll make America great again” and think it’s policy.
Also, think about how much fun the follow up would be: Tell me, exactly how is America not great today." “Exactly what decade was the great one?” “Ah, so you’re in accordance with IS policies, but don’t agree with the specific century?”
---
### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/53 "2015-08-07T18:53:48Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> Good luck getting him out of office when his term is up.
Well that’s what Armageddon’s for. It’s ancient Greek for “impeachment”, did you know that ?
---
### Author:  [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/54 "2015-08-07T20:09:18Z")
> [@cornopean](#):
>
> I think one of the reasons for this is that liberals usually see anyone who disagrees with them as evil. You hate blacks, or the poor, or gays, etc. etc.
>
> While conservatives view people with whom they disagree as just wrong and deluded, but not evil.
I don’t think you’re evil for believing such an easily disproved canard, I just think you’re _wrong_.
---
### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/55 "2015-08-07T20:28:12Z")
> [@UltraVires](#):
>
> Is this a whoosh? Of course it is true. My cite is every single Great Debate topic on the SDMB.
If your cite is a self-selected group of people on an obscure message board, you have maybe the worst cite in the history of citing things.
If we’re playing with anecdotes, listen to a Christian radio station sometime.
---
### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/56 "2015-08-07T20:34:12Z")
> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> Hell, if I thought anybody was the antichrist, I’d vote for him too. You know he’d get things **done**.
[Hell has all the good bands anyway](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsNmlq1osNs).
---
### Author:  [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/57 "2015-08-07T20:56:27Z")
Tough questions like “has God spoken to you about your candidacy.”
Wooo.
---
### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/58 "2015-08-07T21:50:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#):
>
> If your cite is a self-selected group of people on an obscure message board, you have maybe the worst cite in the history of citing things.
Also note that, to support a claim that one group is worse than another group, he links to just one of the groups in question.
---
### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/59 "2015-08-08T14:33:34Z")
> [@clairobscur](#):
>
> I must admit that if I was asked whether “lizard people are controling our society”, I would probably answer “yes”.
I might give a provisional “no” if the poll didn’t include the option that _mole_ people were controlling our society.
---
### Author:  [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2015, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/60 "2015-08-08T14:46:57Z")
Mole-lizards, surely.
Jewish mole-lizards, to be exact.
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233.md?page=2)
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233.md?page=4)