# 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:** 4
**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, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/61 "2012-08-28T20:55:48Z")
You are incorrectly conflating a refusal to spend money on the issue with a failure to have raised the issue for consideration. By your logic, every problem that exists in America that the federal government could conceivably solve is the fault of the Democratic Congress, since they didn’t solve it. Note that _reductio ad absurdum_ does not follow from the OP’s position. Do you see why? ---
**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, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/62 "2012-08-28T20:58:57Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > 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. Was it known at the time? Does this come up for consideration in every Congressional session? Was Ayers’ estimation in 2001 or 2007 that the condition of the dome was a safety hazard? How often is an assessment of the building’s condition even made? ---
**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, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/63 "2012-08-28T21:12:20Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > 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? While it may have needed repair, I do not know a) if they knew the extent of the damage; b) if there indeed were no outlays for Capitol maintenance; and c) if there had been any requests to repair the Dome. I look forward to your evidence. ---
**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, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/64 "2012-08-28T21:15:45Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Why wasn’t the contract awarded in February 2009? So you’re doubling down on your stupidity? It’s not the responsibility of Congress to do that – it’s the Office of the Architect of the Capitol. And just to forestall your tripling down, the current architect was nominated by Obama in 2010 and seems to have buckled right down and set to work. ---
**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:** [August 28, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/65 "2012-08-28T21:18:50Z")
If you guys remember there was an unusual earthquake in DC just last year that brought a lot of attention to the condition that certain buildings were in. I think that qualifies as a significant event putting any pre-2011 inaction in a different category than post-2011 action. 2011 changed everything. Hmmm… has a nice ring to it! ---
**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, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/66 "2012-08-28T21:21:00Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > You are incorrectly conflating a refusal to spend money on the issue with a failure to have raised the issue for consideration. > > By your logic, every problem that exists in America that the federal government could conceivably solve is the fault of the Democratic Congress, since they didn’t solve it. > > Note that _reductio ad absurdum_ does not follow from the OP’s position. Do you see why? Actually, Bricker’s font of infinite amazement, I gather, is not occasioned by the Democrats being at fault for something, it’s that some people on this board don’t blame them for it, preferring to blame Republicans instead. The _real_ fault, therefore, is inconsistent blaming and not congressional inaction. ---
**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:** [August 28, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/67 "2012-08-28T21:31:19Z")
Having gone back and read the article, I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding here. The Senate and House passed separate funding bills. The Senate’s contained the funding, but the House’s didn’t. And it was the Senate leadership who decided to put off the reconciliation process until after the election: > [@](#): > > The appropriators in the Republican-controlled House are starting with a smaller overall budget for the 2013 fiscal year than the Democratic-controlled Senate, and they want to finance much of the government’s operations at lower levels. > > Senate leaders have decided that it would be too difficult to reconcile the two appropriations bills, as is normally done, until after the election. So it’s not even clear if the Democrats in the House made an issue about it during this budgeting process either. And it only ended up in the Senate bill because of one of the Republican Senator’s objections: > [@](#): > > “I support funding the Capitol dome,” said Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota, who voted against an appropriations bill because it did not include money for the dome. (The money was included moments later in an amendment, which passed with Mr. Hoeven’s vote.) Looks like it was thrown in at the last minute by the Senate, at the behest of a Republican. My outrage meter, which was originally reading about 3, is now flickering between 0 and 1. ---
**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, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/68 "2012-08-28T21:33:08Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Actually, Bricker’s font of infinite amazement, I gather, is not occasioned by the Democrats being at fault for something, it’s that some people on this board don’t blame them for it, preferring to blame Republicans instead. > > The _real_ fault, therefore, is inconsistent blaming and not congressional inaction. I understand. I’m saying that it is perfectly consistent to blame Republicans but not Democrats. ---
**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, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/69 "2012-08-28T21:50:42Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Actually, Bricker’s font of infinite amazement, I gather, is not occasioned by the Democrats being at fault for something, it’s that some people on this board don’t blame them for it, preferring to blame Republicans instead. > > The _real_ fault, therefore, is inconsistent blaming and not congressional inaction. Bingo. ---
**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, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/70 "2012-08-28T21:58:48Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > While it may have needed repair, I do not know a) if they knew the extent of the damage; b) if there indeed were no outlays for Capitol maintenance; and c) if there had been any requests to repair the Dome. > > I look forward to your evidence. There was a complete evaluation done in 2001 by Hantman, a Clinton appointee. [Freedom Check - Metropolis](http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20081015/freedom-check) ---
**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, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/71 "2012-08-28T22:17:40Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > 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? The Architect of the Capitol did not propose funding for this phase of the Dome project in any of those years listed. The AoC did propose funds for rehab of the Dome’s skirt, also known as Phase 1 of the total project, in 2010. Phase 1 was funded by the Democratic Congress. Phase 2 funding was proposed this year in the AoC’s budget. The House Republicans stripped the money out of the requested budget. Are you saying that there is no qualitative difference between a Congress that fails to add funds to a project before the AoC is prepared to propose it, a compared to a Congress that looks at a budget proposal and rejects it? Is someone who fails to recognize a problem before it becomes a hazard actually no different than someone who actively prevents the resolution of a known hazard? Perhaps there are some legal precepts on these points that you can share with the rest of us. ---
**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, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/72 "2012-08-28T22:28:40Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Bingo. Nevertheless, the current crop of House Republicans are indeed rather ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/73 "2012-08-28T22:38:49Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Actually, Bricker’s font of infinite amazement, I gather, is not occasioned by the Democrats being at fault for something, it’s that some people on this board don’t blame them for it, preferring to blame Republicans instead. > > The _real_ fault, therefore, is inconsistent blaming and not congressional inaction. I’m an equal opportunity hater when it comes to this sort of thing. Programmed maintenance and capital projects are the backbone of facilities planning and maintenance. When this sort of project gets kicked down the road by a bunch of short-sighted politicians, the taxpayer takes it in the ass. If they want to appear noble by endangering their own lives, find some other way to do it, like driving into oncoming traffic. It appears that this repair work was programmed for this year, and it’s the Republicans who are obstructing it by denying funding. Well, FUCK THEM. I hope the goddamned roof caves in on them. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/74 "2012-08-29T00:26:22Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > 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? Well, they could have at least campaigned more effectively. > [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > While it may have needed repair, I do not know a) if they knew the extent of the damage; b) if there indeed were no outlays for Capitol maintenance; and c) if there had been any requests to repair the Dome. > > I look forward to your evidence. The evidence could probably found in the Federal Register, which is searchable on-line. > [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m an equal opportunity hater when it comes to this sort of thing. Programmed maintenance and capital projects are the backbone of facilities planning and maintenance. When this sort of project gets kicked down the road by a bunch of short-sighted politicians, the taxpayer takes it in the ass. If they want to appear noble by endangering their own lives, find some other way to do it, like driving into oncoming traffic. It appears that this repair work was programmed for this year, and it’s the Republicans who are obstructing it by denying funding. Well, FUCK THEM. I hope the goddamned roof caves in on them. ---
**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 29, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/75 "2012-08-29T02:21:32Z")
No! Bricker’s right, people! The real shame isn’t in what Congress isn’t or is doing, but in us denouncing the GOP without assuming that the Democrats have been just as guilty of something equivalent in the past! It’s naughty to criticize someone for doing something bad without qualifying it to allow that other people may have also done something bad in the past! Though we don’t know if they did! That’s the real scandal! We should be ashamed! But just in case Bricker has engaged in this sort of thing in the past he should be ashamed too! Naughty naughty us! Naughty naughty Bricker! Naughty naughty Dio, and Lib, and Sampiro, and Otto, for anything they might have done in this vein in the past! It’s important we make a point of that now they’re not here! Seriously, Sampiro, come back. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/76 "2012-08-29T12:24:31Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > No! Bricker’s right, people! The real shame isn’t in what Congress isn’t or is doing, but in us denouncing the GOP without assuming that the Democrats have been just as guilty of something equivalent in the past! It’s naughty to criticize someone for doing something bad without qualifying it to allow that other people may have also done something bad in the past! Though we don’t know if they did! > > That’s the real scandal! We should be ashamed! But just in case Bricker has engaged in this sort of thing in the past he should be ashamed too! Naughty naughty us! Naughty naughty Bricker! > > Naughty naughty Dio, and Lib, and Sampiro, and Otto, for anything they might have done in this vein in the past! It’s important we make a point of that now they’re not here! > > Seriously, Sampiro, come back. A valiant effort. But each person here posts as an individual. (I assume so, anyway – are you really saying you wish to be held responsible for Dio’s actions and words?) So the situation is inapposite. The Democrats can certainly be held to at least some scrutiny for the actions of the last Congress’ Democrats, and slightly less so for the previous Congress, and so forth on on back, each preceding Congress’ connection to the current one attenuating slightly. Now, this OP focuses on the Republicans. It does not say, in fair summary, “I hate this bad decision the Republicans made.” It says instead, “I hate the Republicans, and here’s a good example of why: this bad decision.” If that’s the argument, then asking if Democrats also made similar decisions is very relevant. Many posters here are very comfortable with, and indeed have come to rely upon, the SDMB Echo Chamber. “Yes, yes, Republicans bad!” Comforted by the near-unanimous agreement with anything they say, as long as it’s sufficiently anti-GOP, many posters are truly upset when someone dares to upset the system by pointing out that on a particular issue, the Democrats are not polar opposites. ---
**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 29, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/77 "2012-08-29T13:20:33Z")
Can I get a rough estimate of how many bad decisions a group must make before we adopt, as a heuristic, the idea that this particular group is kind of, not to put too fine a point on it, ugh? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/78 "2012-08-29T13:23:39Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > 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. Your amazement meter needs tuning. It’s like a smoke detector that goes off every time someone makes toast. ---
**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 29, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/79 "2012-08-29T13:33:27Z")
I think the overall point being made here is that Republican Party and it’s followers as a whole have gone completely nuts. So yes by their own doing they have put themselves under the microscope. Also by signing off on this project,plus the jobs bill that has been collecting dust and coffee stains since last December would create some f’ng jobs. Something they seem to pretend to care about according to the rhetoric but ultimately do nothing about. My personal theory on this is they want to keep the economy bad so they can try to win elections and then push through their insanely absurd political philosophies. And don’t give me this the country is broke garbage either. The country us awash with capital…it’s just being hoarded away into offshore accounts and tax havens. _flush_ ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840/80 "2012-08-29T13:40:12Z")
> [@President\_T\_Toilet](#): > > I think the overall point being made here is that Republican Party and it’s followers as a whole have gone completely nuts. So yes by their own doing they have put themselves under the microscope. The thing is, Bricker can always find equivalence between the “completely nuts” and the Democrat’s simple normal incompetence. So no matter how evil, or stupid, or just plain lacking in redeeming value a Republican action is, he can now defend it without thinking, just by typing “A Democrat does it too.” It’s a great time saver. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-republicans-are-just-so-so-ugh/632840.md?page=5)