# House Republicans are just so...so...ugh... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 27, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840 "2012-08-27T17:22:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/21 "2012-08-27T19:55:19Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > “Which senator’s in _your_ wallet?” I thought it was a bad idea until I read this. Now I’m torn. > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > No, I didn’t do that either, sorry. Budgets are limited, priorities need to be made. Demonstrate that this needs to be fixed immediately and then I’ll agree the money needs to be spent and it’s a dick move to block it as purely partisan politics. The problem with deferred maintenance is that it can **always** be deferred. But if you let yourself defer maintenance, you’re painting yourself into a corner, and it’s a corner with a floor that’s giving way, oh, and the ceiling doesn’t look too sturdy, either. Good luck now. Now you’re in the Fram Zone. (Fram Oil Filters. Motto: “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.”)\* Every building or other capital project has a maintenance schedule and a yearly average maintenance cost. If you calculate the amount properly, and set it aside each year, you can pay for the renovations when it’s time to make them. But maintenance isn’t sexy. It doesn’t impress people because it doesn’t look like anything is being done. It garners no votes. So that never happens. Most organizations do have a yearly maintenance budget, but they’re usually not allowed to accumulate unspent funds, so they can’t possibly be used for renovations, and they’re always the first thing raided when things get a little tight or when someone wants to fund a bigger project than they have a budget for. Neglecting maintenance is habit forming. It’s a bad habit. Not only am I in favor of performing needed renovations, if I ever became rich I think I’d start the Maintenance Party. If you can’t afford to maintain it, shut it down. Don’t try to play chicken with entropy. Entropy always wins. - The poster shows an oil filter vs an engine rebuild. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/22 "2012-08-27T20:42:17Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > No, I didn’t do that either, sorry. Budgets are limited, priorities need to be made. Demonstrate that this needs to be fixed immediately and then I’ll agree the money needs to be spent and it’s a dick move to block it as purely partisan politics. - Regular maintenance = a little bit of money - Waiting and putting off maintenance until something needs to be fixed immediately = a whole bunch of money, especially if you wait a bit too long and it gets damaged. I hope you don’t own a house or a car buddy. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/23 "2012-08-27T20:54:08Z")
Yeah, it’s just another example of the GOP being the party of No. Their answer is always no, but they never seem to propose their alternative. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/24 "2012-08-27T22:23:58Z")
> [@President\_T\_Toilet](#): > > This doesn’t surprise me at all. Most Republican congressmen will do anything to shy away from something that even remotely resembles a breast. Now if it were the Washington Monument… they’d be all over it. Oooh, have you been welcomed to the Straight Dope Message Board yet? Because I think we’re going to like you. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/25 "2012-08-27T22:36:56Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > - Regular maintenance = a little bit of money > - Waiting and putting off maintenance until something needs to be fixed immediately = a whole bunch of money, especially if you wait a bit too long and it gets damaged. > > I hope you don’t own a house or a car buddy. it comes down to: will congress be grown ups about setting priorities? or will they be angry toddlers? the US is NOT broke; we have enough money for what we really want to do - everything else is hogwash. please excuse my harsh language! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/26 "2012-08-27T23:02:38Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > But maintenance isn’t sexy. It doesn’t impress people because it doesn’t look like anything is being done. It garners no votes. So that never happens. Look at it this way: the passengers on Flight 93 gave their lives to save the dome from destruction, and the GOP won’t spend _our_ money to do so. Courage comes in many forms, you see. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/27 "2012-08-27T23:07:42Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Yep, our country is far better off if we neglect the routine maintenance of historic buildings. If I have learned anything from Third World countries, is that once you build something, never spend anything to keep it in shape. When you get right down to it, what _really_ is the difference between the Capitol dome and a Mexican highway? When half the bridges in my town are in a sub-standard state of repair, then I have no problem with them walking under a dome that could fall in on their heads. ---
**Author:** ![President\_T\_Toilet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@President\_T\_Toilet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/President_T_Toilet)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/28 "2012-08-27T23:26:22Z")
@foolsguinea I was welcomed on another thread but nowhere near as polite as you. For that I thank you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/29 "2012-08-28T00:12:45Z")
Silver lining: _The Apotheosis of Washington_ is fucking weird and creepy, and if it’s destroyed by water that will be okay. ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/30 "2012-08-28T00:41:31Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > “Which senator’s in _your_ wallet?” The IRS says all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/31 "2012-08-28T00:49:57Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Here’s a shocker and also highly symbolic, House Republican s do not wish to shell out [$61 million to repair the Capitol Dome](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/us/politics/capitol-dome-is-imperiled-by-cracks-and-a-partisan-divide.html?smid=fb-share). The dome is in very bad shape, deteriorating and has not been renovated or repaired for 50 year. it is a public safety issue as much as an aesthetic one. But according to the Republicans, we don’t have the money, a government budget of $3 trillion cannot afford an outlay of 0.002% for absolutely needed capital (Capitol) improvements. Its an embarrassment. > > Seriously, I hate them so much. Why didn’t the Democrats do this when they controlled the House? And why didn’t you seize on that disgust and inveigh against them for failing to do so? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/32 "2012-08-28T01:02:35Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > it comes down to: will congress be grown ups about setting priorities? or will they be angry toddlers? > > the US is NOT broke; we have enough money for what we really want to do - everything else is hogwash. > > please excuse my harsh language! 🙂 Not actually that harsh, particularly in the Pit. Welcome to you, too. > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Look at it this way: the passengers on Flight 93 gave their lives to save the dome from destruction, and the GOP won’t spend _our_ money to do so. Courage comes in many forms, you see. And you! You’re still here? 😉 Seriously, well put. ---
**Author:** ![AlienVessels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@AlienVessels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlienVessels)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/33 "2012-08-28T01:07:53Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Why didn’t the Democrats do this when they controlled the House? > > And why didn’t you seize on that disgust and inveigh against them for failing to do so? There’s a difference between wondering why a record setting do nothing Congress that’s spent 20% of the little it has done passing post office name changes isn’t doing it and why Democrats with an extremely tiny _real_ window of control didn’t make it a higher priority. And you might introduce yourself to the laws of physics and entropy as to why it should be a higher priority with the passage of time. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/34 "2012-08-28T01:12:24Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Why didn’t the Democrats do this when they controlled the House? > > And why didn’t you seize on that disgust and inveigh against them for failing to do so? What is more outrageous, actively opposing something good or failing to accomplish it? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/35 "2012-08-28T01:20:23Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Why didn’t the Democrats do this when they controlled the House? > > And why didn’t you seize on that disgust and inveigh against them for failing to do so? Is it just one perpetual “liberal hypocrisy” argument for you, or is it a new one each time you try it? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/36 "2012-08-28T01:34:54Z")
“Capitol Dome Collapses on Obama’s Watch” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/37 "2012-08-28T01:55:51Z")
Clearly, a sign from God. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/38 "2012-08-28T01:56:22Z")
It’s obvious to me what’s going on. This is all just a power play. They are dragging their heels on fixing the old facility because they want a completely new, state of the art dome. One with a retractable roof, luxury skyboxes, and a Jumbotron that will scream “FILIBUSTER!” in twenty foot tall letters. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/39 "2012-08-28T01:58:59Z")
And the owner’s boxes. Think CitiGroup would be willing to share theirs with Goldman Sachs? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/40 "2012-08-28T02:07:55Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > It’s obvious to me what’s going on. This is all just a power play. They are dragging their heels on fixing the old facility because they want a completely new, state of the art dome. One with a retractable roof, luxury skyboxes, and a Jumbotron that will scream “FILIBUSTER!” in twenty foot tall letters. The man [isn’t kidding](http://www.theonion.com/articles/congress-threatens-to-leave-dc-unless-new-capitol,98/). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840.md?page=3)