# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/41 "2012-08-28T02:10:07Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I’d start the Maintenance Party. I’ll take over as Project Manager for this one. $61 million? Too high. New Maintenance Party procurement rule: Amnesty to the first crew of 150 illegal immigrants who can do this job for $15 million. Result: They start tomorrow and project will be complete in 2 weeks. ---
**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, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/42 "2012-08-28T02:28:02Z")
Then we arrest them, deport them, and keep the money! Genius! ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/43 "2012-08-28T02:37:01Z")
> [@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? Why didn’t Dennis Hastert make sure the dome got fixed? Where is YOUR criticism for that former Speaker? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/44 "2012-08-28T03:10:54Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > When you get right down to it, what _really_ is the difference between the Capitol dome and a Mexican highway? The Mexican highway sees _movement_. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/45 "2012-08-28T12:05:13Z")
> [@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. Ding, ding ding. We have a winner. Remember the earthquake? > **[WATCH: Quake Video Inside The Washington Monument](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/monument-earthquake-video_n_1823211)** > > WATCH: Quake Video Inside The Washington Monument > [@](#): > > The 90,000-ton obelisk will be closed until 2014 as it undergoes an estimated $15 million in repairs. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/46 "2012-08-28T12:07:12Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > The man [isn’t kidding](http://www.theonion.com/articles/congress-threatens-to-leave-dc-unless-new-capitol,98/). All time highlight for the Onion. That article was taken seriously in China. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/47 "2012-08-28T12:11:30Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Why didn’t the Democrats do this when they controlled the House? You’re right, the Dems should have fixed every fucking thing that’s wrong with this country in the 2 years they had control of the House. They should have gotten us out of all the wars Republicans started, reversed the economic crisis the Republicans left us with, fixed the health care system Republicans refuse to do anything positive about. Are there any other problems that Republicans are happy to let fester that the Democrats should have fixed while the Republicans weren’t in control? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/48 "2012-08-28T17:06:39Z")
> [@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? Well, this might be your stupidest attempt yet to boomerang shit back on the Democrats. But [a bit of research](http://www.hoffmanarchitects.com/pages/articles/detail.aspx?NewsID=11&newsitemid=66)might have indicated that the plan for the restoration hadn’t been completed back in those halcyon days when the Dems controlled the House. The contract to devise the plan wasn’t awarded to Hoffman architects until January 2011. But I guess the failure of the Democrats to actually breach the laws of physics and fully fund a plan that hadn’t been written is yet another thing that Bricker can blame them for. A more careful reading of the articles implies that the failure to appropriate the money for the repair is due to the 6 month stopgap spending bill currently being worked on by Congress – a bill necessary because of the dysfunction of that body. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/49 "2012-08-28T17:19:06Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Well, this might be your stupidest attempt yet to boomerang shit back on the Democrats. But [a bit of research](http://www.hoffmanarchitects.com/pages/articles/detail.aspx?NewsID=11&newsitemid=66)might have indicated that the plan for the restoration hadn’t been completed back in those halcyon days when the Dems controlled the House. The contract to devise the plan wasn’t awarded to Hoffman architects until January 2011. But I guess the failure of the Democrats to actually breach the laws of physics and fully fund a plan that hadn’t been written is yet another thing that Bricker can blame them for. Well, damn you, I was hoping for the good counselor to respond to my weak attempt to pin the blame on Dennis Hastert. But as you state, this is in fact a multi-stage process, with the House Democrats providing the funding in 2010 to rehab the “skirt” of the dome. [Link.](http://static.usnews.com/documents/whispers/fact-sheet-dome-skirt-project-june-2011.pdf) The work began in 2011, but the funding for Phase 1 of the project was approved earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/50 "2012-08-28T20:04:32Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > 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. If they’re so concerned about government expenditures, I’m sure they’d be more than willing to take cuts to their salaries and benefits. Someone oughta suggest that to them, since it seems to have escaped their minds. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/51 "2012-08-28T20:16:35Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > You eloquently summed up your position on efforts to stop the renovation of one of the most famous public buildings in the world, thereby risking permanent damage to historic artwork, as “a huge meh to me.” > > So, in a technical sense, you are not actively advocating the destruction of an important national treasure… you just don’t really care if it happens. You aren’t trying to be an asshole, you’re just being a passive dick. I’m glad we could clear that up. With that rationale, where do you stop? It ALL NEEDS fixing. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/52 "2012-08-28T20:17:44Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > It ALL NEEDS fixing. Yep, it does. ---
**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, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/53 "2012-08-28T20:30:12Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Is it just one perpetual “liberal hypocrisy” argument for you, or is it a new one each time you try it? It newly amazes me every time one of the liberal herd here inveighs loudly against the Republicans for an issue that wouldn’t move their outrage meters half as much if the Democrats were the ones at fault. ---
**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, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/54 "2012-08-28T20:31:46Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Why didn’t Dennis Hastert make sure the dome got fixed? Where is YOUR criticism for that former Speaker? I don’t criticize either party, or any past or former Speakers, for this failing. Why should I criticize Hastert? ---
**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, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/55 "2012-08-28T20:33:11Z")
> [@AlienVessels](#): > > 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. Your entropy comment works to let Tip O’Neil off the hook. But not Nancy Pelosi, unless entropy has a very bizarre curve over time. ---
**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, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/56 "2012-08-28T20:35:34Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Well, this might be your stupidest attempt yet to boomerang shit back on the Democrats. But [a bit of research](http://www.hoffmanarchitects.com/pages/articles/detail.aspx?NewsID=11&newsitemid=66)might have indicated that the plan for the restoration hadn’t been completed back in those halcyon days when the Dems controlled the House. The contract to devise the plan wasn’t awarded to Hoffman architects until January 2011. But I guess the failure of the Democrats to actually breach the laws of physics and fully fund a plan that hadn’t been written is yet another thing that Bricker can blame them for. Why wasn’t the contract awarded in February 2009? ---
**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, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/57 "2012-08-28T20:38:57Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Your entropy comment works to let Tip O’Neil off the hook. But not Nancy Pelosi, unless entropy has a very bizarre curve over time. You’re referring to the House Minority leader? I don’t understand the relevance. And entropy doesn’t have all that strange a curve, but the consequences of negligence over time do. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/58 "2012-08-28T20:42:21Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Why wasn’t the contract awarded in February 2009? Maybe they were doing an engineering study to see what kind of work needed to be done, who knows. Do you have anything that says there were efforts to stop known needed repairs at the time, or are you just “asking questions”? Here is what we know, the Dome needs repair and the pissant Republicans don’t want to spend a dime on it. ---
**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, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/59 "2012-08-28T20:48:52Z")
> [@AlienVessels](#): > > You’re referring to the House Minority leader? I don’t understand the relevance. > > And entropy doesn’t have all that strange a curve, but the consequences of negligence over time do. In 2009, Nancy Pelosi was the Speaker. ---
**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, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/60 "2012-08-28T20:52:10Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Maybe they were doing an engineering study to see what kind of work needed to be done, who knows. Do you have anything that says there were efforts to stop known needed repairs at the time, or are you just “asking questions”? > > Here is what we know, the Dome needs repair and the pissant Republicans don’t want to spend a dime on it. Yes, that’s true. But is the decision unreasonable and unprecedented? Are the House Republicans of the present the first to fail in this duty? In 2009, the Dome also needed repair. And the pissant Democrats didn’t want to spend a dime on it. In 2007, the Dome also needed repair. And the pissant Democrats didn’t want to spend a dime on it. In 2005, the Dome also needed repair. And the pissant Republicans didn’t want to spend a dime on it. In 2003, the Dome also needed repair. And the pissant Republicans didn’t want to spend a dime on it. In 2001, the Dome also needed repair. And the pissant Republicans didn’t want to spend a dime on it. Now, it’s obvious to me that the need is slightly more pressing now than it was in 2007. And in 2007, it was more pressing than it was in 2001. True? Or not? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840.md?page=4)