# "Let the Democrats help and reach out to the minorities." **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 9, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113 "2009-02-09T19:04:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/1 "2009-02-09T19:04:37Z")
Today’s USAToday op-ed page includes a [letter](http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/02/gop-chairman-pi.html#more)from an unusually blunt and outstandingly clueless person: An excerpt: [QUOTE=Joseph Trainor - Attleboro, Mass] Appointing a moderate such as [Michael Steele](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_S._Steele) chairman of the GOP is a mistake for the Republicans. Yet it is born-again Christians such as myself who have brought the GOP to victory in election after election. … Let the Democrats help and reach out to the minorities. And let the Republicans stand for what they have always stood for since 1940: low taxes, no affirmative action, a non-interventionist foreign policy and a fervent desire to restore the original constitutional government of our country’s Founding Fathers. [/QUOTE] As I do not believe all conservatives are moronic, evil, bigoted, or obtuse, I find it hard to believe this letter is genuine. It’s the kind of thing a bored and mischievous Democratic operative might write just for giggles. On the other hand, while many Republicans are fine and upstanding, the continued popularity of Rush Limbaugh leads one to conclude that more than a few are–oh, let’s say _special_–enough to pen the letter in the link. Thoughts? Oh, and to all of you who think Steele must be a self-hating black man to be a Republican: give it a rest, okay? Men of good will can disagree and all that. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/2 "2009-02-09T19:07:55Z")
Yes, there are still a lot of Republicans who believe they are not right wing enough, especially in the moral right wing christian nuttery camp. They are making themselves into a fringe group, but unfortunately for Republicans they also have a lot of sway. I sometimes think that a third part of moderate republicans who don’t proscribe to the inanities of the fundamentalist wing would be very successful. But could they pull it off, I dunno? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/3 "2009-02-09T19:09:35Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Yes, there are still a lot of Republicans who believe they are not right wing enough, especially in the moral right wing christian nuttery camp. > > They are making themselves into a fringe group, but unfortunately for Republicans they also have a lot of sway. I sometimes think that a third part of moderate republicans who don’t proscribe to the inanities of the fundamentalist wing would be very successful. But could they pull it off, I dunno? As you might have deduced, I got dubious about the letter as I wrote the OP. Does anyoen else suspect Joseph Trainor of trolling USAToday? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/4 "2009-02-09T19:12:11Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Thoughts? The author of that note neglects to mention Steele’s membership in the [culture of corruption](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/08/AR2009020801948.html). That group is even more central to the GOP’s electoral success than the born-again Christians. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/5 "2009-02-09T19:16:46Z")
> [@](#): > > And let the Republicans stand for what they have always stood for since 1940: low taxes, no affirmative action, **a non-interventionist foreign policy** and a fervent desire to restore the original constitutional government of our country’s Founding Fathers. Bwahahahahaha. Yeah, those Republicans and their non-interventionist foreign policy. Just a short list, off the top of my head, with the relevant president in brackets: Guatemala (Eisenhower) Iran (Eisenhower) Vietnam (Nixon, continuing from Democratic Party-led intervention) Cambodia (Nixon) Chile (Nixon) Grenada (Reagan) Nicaragua (Reagan) Panama (Bush I) Iraq 1 (Bush I) Afghanistan (Bush II) Iraq 2 (Bush II) ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/6 "2009-02-09T19:30:58Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Bwahahahahaha. > > Yeah, those Republicans and their non-interventionist foreign policy. Just a short list, off the top of my head, with the relevant president in brackets: > > Guatemala (Eisenhower) > Iran (Eisenhower) > Vietnam (Nixon, continuing from Democratic Party-led intervention) > Cambodia (Nixon) > Chile (Nixon) > Grenada (Reagan) > Nicaragua (Reagan) > Panama (Bush I) > Iraq 1 (Bush I) > Afghanistan (Bush II) > Iraq 2 (Bush II) Well if you’re going to be a nitpicker… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/7 "2009-02-09T19:44:25Z")
Apparently the writer is part of the rather large Boolean intersection between religious conservatives and [paleocons.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleoconservative) He’d feel more at home in the [Constitution Party](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Party_(United_States)) and/or the [America First Party.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_First_Party_(2002)) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/8 "2009-02-09T19:52:16Z")
While everyone else is picking the low-hanging fruit of stupidity, I thought I’d take this point: > [@](#): > > Yet it is born-again Christians such as myself who have brought the GOP to victory in election after election. Is this really how he sees the American political landscape; that all else is equal and it’s the born-again Christians who are the kingmakers? Joseph Trainor, get your head out of your ass. Your vote, and those of the people who think like you, are worth no more than anyone else’s. You are an individual in a nation of individuals. Born-again Christians are an interest group in a nation of interest groups. Someone gets the votes to govern by appealing to a majority. You’re just not that special. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/9 "2009-02-09T19:52:23Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Bwahahahahaha. > > Yeah, those Republicans and their non-interventionist foreign policy. Just a short list, off the top of my head, with the relevant president in brackets: I was more struck by “anti-affirmative action”. With Sarah Palin, the Republicans lost any claim to that position. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/10 "2009-02-09T20:15:36Z")
Here’s a little more rope for your party, “Mr. Trainor.” I hope it _is_ authentic. Let’s see a little more honesty from the GOP about their priorities, on one hand, while showing gross hypocrisy about what they"stand for" on the other. The combination is nothing short of hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/11 "2009-02-09T20:16:52Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > On the other hand, while many Republicans are fine and upstanding, the continued popularity of Rush Limbaugh leads one to conclude that more than a few are–oh, let’s say _special_–enough to pen the letter in the link. I think you’re missing the point of Rush Limbaugh, **Skald**. He’s not a political commentator; he’s an _entertainer_. You don’t have to believe a word that comes out of his mouth to be amused and entertained by him, _and he knows it_. He is an actor–a comedian–playing a part, and he does it very well. Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of “dittoheads” that don’t understand that, either, and they actually believe all the inflated exaggerations that he spouts. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/12 "2009-02-09T20:19:50Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of “dittoheads” that don’t understand that, either, and they actually believe all the inflated exaggerations that he spouts. In that case … what’s the difference? It’s not like Rush doesn’t sell it to them that way. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/13 "2009-02-09T20:23:00Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > I was more struck by “anti-affirmative action”. Read the letter carefully. They’ve been against it since the 40s, back when “affirmative action” meant things like, you know, voting. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/14 "2009-02-09T21:11:11Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Read the letter carefully. They’ve been against it since the 40s, back when “affirmative action” meant things like, you know, voting. I am pleased someone else noticed that. That is part of the reason I think the letter is trollery. Or a prank. I mean, really, does it not remind you of Steven Colbert? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/15 "2009-02-09T21:27:06Z")
I don’t think it’s trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/16 "2009-02-09T22:37:30Z")
> **[Poe's Law](https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe's_Law)** > > Poe's Law states:\[1\] ---
**Author:** ![Paige\_Turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Paige\_Turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paige_Turner)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/17 "2009-02-09T22:45:11Z")
I can’t say if this is satire, or a troll, or a man with some really unfortunate opinions giving them a public airing, but there fact that there are a whole bunch of pretty smart people here reading the document, unable to call it one way or another makes me wonder: what is it about the ultra-conservatives that renders satire of their ideas indistinguishable from the real deal? And is this phenomenon restricted to the outer reaches of political views? I can’t think of any other areas where people read (or watch or hear) totally off the wall rantings and go “Is he for real?” Or worse, don’t even bother to ask the question. The hate mail that Jon Swift [http://jonswift.blogspot.com/](http://jonswift.blogspot.com/) gets indicates that people can’t tell the difference either and aren’t thinking too hard about it. Or, on preview, what the **Lemur** said. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/18 "2009-02-09T23:07:29Z")
Well, I don’t know if it’s a parody or not, but I do have reason to believe Joe is a nut case as he is the editor of UFO Roundup (or I should say that a Mr. Joe Trainor of Attleboro, Mass is the editor of UFO Roundup, it might be a different Joe Trainor). I don’t know if this leads me to believe one way or another, but it is a another data point… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/19 "2009-02-09T23:07:36Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > [http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Poe’s\_Law](http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Poe's_Law) Note that this applies equally well to fanatic _anythings_, whether you’re dealing with ultraconservatives, ultraliberals, ultratreehuggers, or ultraTrekkies. Although it works really, really well on creationists 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113/20 "2009-02-10T00:50:45Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > I think you’re missing the point of Rush Limbaugh, **Skald**. He’s not a political commentator; he’s an _entertainer_. You don’t have to believe a word that comes out of his mouth to be amused and entertained by him, _and he knows it_. He is an actor–a comedian–playing a part, and he does it very well. > > Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of “dittoheads” that don’t understand that, either, and they actually believe all the inflated exaggerations that he spouts. Someone might need to make that clear to at least one GOP Congresscritter, then. -Joe [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-democrats-help-and-reach-out-to-the-minorities/485113.md?page=2)