# I pit the Republicans who have opposed social progress by... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 25, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924 "2013-06-25T23:37:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/61 "2013-06-27T14:06:19Z")
You actually haven’t provided ANY “cites” to back up **your ridiculous assertion that social mobility in America doesn’t exist.** Show me where I did that?:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/62 "2013-06-27T14:34:40Z")
What I think is even funnier is that I started out agreeing with your first 2 posts. Our politics may be more similar than different. You are just demonstrably wrong about the ease of upward mobility in our society. If only you could have responded to facts with an ‘ignorance fought’ instead of mischaracterizing another poster’s postions so you could continue to defend your position, you’d be doing a lot better in this thread. You started with the wind at your back, here, in this thread. I find distorting another’s poster’s contributions much more offensive than the occaisional gratuitious insult. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/63 "2013-06-27T15:08:42Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > OK, in your case, intellectual paucity. > > LOL. And your usage of “lol” is indicative of exactly what oh omnipotent one? I’m thinking there’s a third possiblity you c-hose not to raise for the shock to the system such “truthiness” might have entrained for all of us who are udderly hanging on your every baited denouement. (More florid phrases, pointless points without verity etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/64 "2013-06-27T15:24:12Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > …for 80+ years, stating that every social program–Social Security, minimum wage, workplace safety laws, overtime pay, the 40-hour work week, Medicare, etc. would bring about the total destruction of American business and obliterate American Life as We Know It, despite the fact that that hasn’t happened, and that we’re still pretty well off, thank you, … $17 trillion in debt, massive unemployment, stagnant economy…yeah, we’re pretty well off. You betcha. Our economy can be compared to someone who woke up years ago with a slight cough. He did nothing about it, including stopping smoking. The cough got worse and worse, to the point where he began to cough up blood. He finally admits something is wrong, sees the doctor and is told he has advanced cancer and the only thing that will save him is massive surgery. So instead of getting the surgery, he buys another dozen cartons of cigarettes and ignores the doctor. Our cancer is massive debt. It was caused by out-of-control government spending. We’ve known what’s caused it, but what do we do? Spend, spend, borrow and spend, and then spend some more. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/65 "2013-06-27T15:24:39Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > OK, in your case, intellectual paucity. > > LOL. Anyone still wanna fight this ignoramus? ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/66 "2013-06-27T15:49:33Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Anyone still wanna fight this ignoramus? I was enjoying their slapstick/clueless bumbler routine … There’s a fight scheduled? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/67 "2013-06-27T16:15:47Z")
> [@sylmar](#): > > I was enjoying their slapstick/clueless bumbler routine … There’s a fight scheduled? :dubious: Hey, it’s all about fighting ignorance, right? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/68 "2013-06-27T16:20:59Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > $17 trillion in debt, massive unemployment, stagnant economy…yeah, we’re pretty well off. You betcha. > > Our economy can be compared to someone who woke up years ago with a slight cough. He did nothing about it, including stopping smoking. The cough got worse and worse, to the point where he began to cough up blood. He finally admits something is wrong, sees the doctor and is told he has advanced cancer and the only thing that will save him is massive surgery. So instead of getting the surgery, he buys another dozen cartons of cigarettes and ignores the doctor. > > Our cancer is massive debt. It was caused by out-of-control government spending. We’ve known what’s caused it, but what do we do? Spend, spend, borrow and spend, and then spend some more. Yawn. I’m not concerned. Things have a way of working out. ---
**Author:** ![tralfamidor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@tralfamidor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tralfamidor)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/69 "2013-06-27T16:31:12Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Anyone still wanna fight this ignoramus? No, no one wishes to fight you, not even me (not sufficiently challenging or interesting). Seriously, if I were you, I would resist the urge to indulge in childish, pointless personal attacks and name-calling, unless you are so unevolved that you can’t disagree with someone without doing so. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/70 "2013-06-27T16:33:42Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Our cancer is massive debt. It was caused by out-of-control government spending. We’ve known what’s caused it, but what do we do? Spend, spend, borrow and spend, and then spend some more. No, it was caused by tax cuts. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/71 "2013-06-27T16:36:16Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > $17 trillion in debt, massive unemployment, stagnant economy…yeah, we’re pretty well off. You betcha. > > Our economy can be compared to someone who woke up years ago with a slight cough. He did nothing about it, including stopping smoking. The cough got worse and worse, to the point where he began to cough up blood. He finally admits something is wrong, sees the doctor and is told he has advanced cancer and the only thing that will save him is massive surgery. So instead of getting the surgery, he buys another dozen cartons of cigarettes and ignores the doctor. > > Our cancer is massive debt. It was caused by out-of-control government spending. We’ve known what’s caused it, but what do we do? Spend, spend, borrow and spend, and then spend some more. Oh look, it’s Clothahump, doing what he does best: being offensively wrong about _fucking everything_. ---
**Author:** ![tralfamidor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@tralfamidor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tralfamidor)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/72 "2013-06-27T16:36:42Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > $17 trillion in debt, massive unemployment, stagnant economy…yeah, we’re pretty well off. You betcha. Yes, in fact, we are still pretty well off. The recession hurt us, but we’ve come out of it in much better shape than most of the industrialized Western nations. As far as debt goes, I know it’s the boogeyman in the closet, but it isn’t as crippling as you make it out to be. We’ve had several periods in our recent history where debt as a percentage of GDP was considerably higher, and we, of course, survived those intact. We’ve taken some pretty heavy hits, but I for one am encouraged by the fact that we’ve absorbed them without any destabilization. Several European nations descended to the brink of anarchy, and a few governments collapsed, because of the recession. We got the Tea Party and the Occupy City Parks and Public Bathrooms Movement. Trivial by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![tralfamidor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@tralfamidor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tralfamidor)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/73 "2013-06-27T16:39:14Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Oh look, it’s Clothahump, doing what he does best: being offensively wrong about _fucking everything_. And you are offensively insulting about, and to, _fucking everybody_. I disagree with him as well, but I had the common courtesy to answer him civilly and state the reason why I disagreed with him. You, on the other hand, simply honked “he’s wrong.” Lighten up. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/74 "2013-06-27T16:56:01Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > And you are offensively insulting about, and to, _fucking everybody_. I disagree with him as well, but I had the common courtesy to answer him civilly and state the reason why I disagreed with him. You, on the other hand, simply honked “he’s wrong.” > > Lighten up. lol. look guys. he’s mad someone made fun of _Clothy_. You know what? You two talk this out all respectful like. I think Clothahump is the perfect debate partner for you. lol. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/75 "2013-06-27T17:01:08Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > OK, in your case, intellectual paucity. > > LOL. Quote: Originally Posted by Truman Burbank You challenged me babble babble > [@tralfamidor](#): > > And you are offensively insulting about, and to, _fucking everybody_. I disagree with him as well, but I had the common courtesy to answer him civilly and state the reason why I disagreed with him. You, on the other hand, simply honked “he’s wrong.” > > Lighten up. Oh looky ! Tralfamidor SEIZES the moral high ground. Well played sir! The coolest thing about pseudo intellectuals is their obliviousness to mockery… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/76 "2013-06-27T18:02:17Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > And don’t embarrass yourself by calling me an idiot. [Moderating] **trafalmidor** , inserting editorial content into another poster’s post in an attributed quote box is against the board rules. Please avoid doing this in the future. No warning issued. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/77 "2013-06-27T19:27:09Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > And you are offensively insulting about, and to, _fucking everybody_. I disagree with him as well, but I had the common courtesy to answer him civilly and state the reason why I disagreed with him. You, on the other hand, simply honked “he’s wrong.” > > Lighten up. Haven’t you **ever** been in the Pit before?! Or read more than three **Clothahump** posts?! BTW: If you usernamed yourself after [that planet in the Vonnegut novels](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tralfamadore), you spelled it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/78 "2013-06-27T21:01:32Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > Uhhhhh…if I thought that it doesn’t happen… LOL! I didn’t bother to read the rest of your drivel, trolfandor, its enough that you got riled up arguing against a point nobody made! Keep fucking that chicken, you’ll get there someday. Meanwhile, please keep posting, you’re definitely a whole other kind of stupid all by yourself! :D:D:D ---
**Author:** ![tralfamidor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@tralfamidor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tralfamidor)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/79 "2013-06-27T21:15:29Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [Moderating] > **trafalmidor** , inserting editorial content into another poster’s post in an attributed quote box is against the board rules. Please avoid doing this in the future. > > No warning issued. > [/Moderating] Any rules about one poster calling another an idiot? Or any of the other insults flung at me in this thread? Or do people get to act like utter assholes without sanction in the BBQ Pit? ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924/80 "2013-06-27T21:20:56Z")
> [@tralfamidor](#): > > Any rules about one poster calling another an idiot? Or any of the other insults flung at me in this thread? Or do people get to act like utter assholes without sanction in the BBQ Pit? [Nelson Muntz]HAW HAW[/Nelson Muntz] You are utterly clueless. This is the Pit. Abandon all Politeness Ye Who Enter Here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-republicans-who-have-opposed-social-progress-by/661924.md?page=5)