# NEW Stupid Republican Idea of the Day (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 22, 2020, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140 "2020-06-22T07:01:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 171
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3409 "2021-02-17T14:51:12Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > > [@Morgyn](#): > > > > If I’m paying taxes and paying utility bills, they damn well **DO** owe me something because I _paid_ for it. They owe me the power I paid for and the help I paid for. > > Although I may be wrong, based on context, I don’t think that he is referring to people paying their utility bills but instead people who have fallen on hard times due to the pandemic and have had their utilities cut off, and so need government relief. Still an asshole though. In Texas, though, some people are without power because of the weather. And what governments in places outside of Texas will often do is to open schools or community centers as temporary shelters for people to stay warm and perhaps even get some food, when the electricity is cut off and their homes have no water or heat. Apparently, in his Texas town, the people are on their own. And even the electrical utility is absolved of the need to restore power to its customers. The town fathers should put his words in the advertising encouraging people and companies to move there. ---
**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:** [February 17, 2021, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3410 "2021-02-17T14:56:55Z")
> [@disgraced ex-mayor Tom Boyd](#): > > No one owes you or your family anything I think he’s quoting Jesus here. At least, it sounds like the sort of thing Jesus would have said. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3411 "2021-02-17T15:00:19Z")
Well, Republican Jesus, anyway… ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3412 "2021-02-17T15:06:53Z")
I guess this was completely predictable. Only nobody predicted it: > [@](#): > > **Trump Fans Charged In Capitol Attack Didn’t Like Antifa Getting Credit For Their Work** > > Not long after he used a stick to swing and stab at police officers struggling to protect the [U.S. Capitol](https://www.huffpost.com/topic/capitol-riot) from a pro-Trump mob seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Jonathan Mellis took to [Facebook](https://www.huffpost.com/impact/topic/facebook). He apparently didn’t like what he saw. Many of his fellow Trump supporters, the ones who like him bought into former [President Donald Trump](https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/donald-trump)’s [lies about mass voter fraud](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-voter-fraud-conspiracy-theory-violence_n_5fa9b2f6c5b64c88d403e909), were starting to believe in another conspiracy theory: that “antifa” was responsible for the attack Mellis participated in. > > Mellis wasn’t having it. He hated antifa. And he wasn’t about to see them get credit for his work. > > “Don’t you dare try to tell me that people are blaming this on antifa and BLM,” Mellis wrote, referring to Black Lives Matter. “We proudly take responsibility for storming the Castle. Antifa and BLM or [sic] too pussy … We are fighting for election integrity. They heard us.” > **[Trump Lovers Charged In Capitol Attack Didn't Like Antifa Getting Credit For...](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-capitol-attack-antifa_n_602c1319c5b65259c4e52ee6)** > > Capitol attack defendants, lured to D.C. by a mass voter fraud conspiracy theory, didn't like seeing conspiracy theories steal their credit. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3413 "2021-02-17T15:12:15Z")
I was almost sort of waiting for this. Kind of like that Onion piece where a 9-11 truther was put on opposite an “Al Queda spokesperson”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Q_OIXfkXEj0/hqdefault.jpg "'9/11 Conspiracy Theories Ridiculous' - Al Qaeda") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_OIXfkXEj0) ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3414 "2021-02-17T17:02:16Z")
> [@disgraced ex-mayor Tom Boyd](#): > > No one owes you or your family anything; But it’s super unfair that my wife lost her job for defending me, because her employer did owe her a livelihood! ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3415 "2021-02-17T17:27:26Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > “Don’t you dare try to tell me that people are blaming this on antifa and BLM,” Mellis wrote, referring to Black Lives Matter. “We proudly take responsibility for storming the Castle. Antifa and BLM or [sic] too pussy … We are fighting for election integrity. They heard us.” That’s just what an antifa undercover mole would say… ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3416 "2021-02-17T18:06:13Z")
# [Rush Limbaugh, conservative talk radio pioneer, dead at 70](https://www.foxnews.com/media/rush-limbaugh-dead-talk-radio-conservative-icon) Maybe this deserves its own thread, but I figured he was invoked a lot here, so this thread would be appropriate to see the outpouring of sympathy on Limbaugh’s behalf. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3417 "2021-02-17T18:14:00Z")
> [@Rush Limbaugh has died](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-has-died/933140/): > > What a hateful little man he was. > [@Rush Limbaugh is dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-is-dead/933141/): > > A famous radio person has died. Discuss. > [@Rush Limbaugh, you are dead to us](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-you-are-dead-to-us/933143/): > > In the pit since I do make an exception of being glad when someone dies when the one dying caused others do die by misinformation and/or continued to mislead others even after the deadly January 6 insurrection. Stated by Rush on February 24, 2020 in an episode of his radio show: [“The coronavirus is the common cold, folks.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/feb/27/rush-limbaugh/fact-checking-rush-limbaughs-misleading-claim-new-/) Stated by Rush on January 20, 2021 in a radio show segment: [Says Joe Biden and Democrats “have not legitimately won” the presidency.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/jan/21/rush-limbaugh/inauguration-day-rush-limbaugh-falsely-claims-joe-/) Another reason why I’m glad is th… ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3418 "2021-02-17T18:16:38Z")
There was an episode of Quincy MD like that - a former concentration camp guard testified about his activities to refute a Holocaust denier (the guard was offended at the idea of his work being erased). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3419 "2021-02-17T22:05:57Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > There was an episode of Quincy MD like that - a former concentration camp guard testified about his activities to refute a Holocaust denier (the guard was offended at the idea of his work being erased).   I never watched Quincy except for that one episode that I caught somewhere somehow – If we’re talking about the same ep, isn’t that the one where the Holocaust denier was portrayed as a fat, bald pig-like character with a distinct resemblance to Rush? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3420 "2021-02-17T22:21:46Z")
This was in 1982, and I think the denier was played by Norman Lloyd - who might look a bit like Rush - but 1982 was before Rush was known widely (and before he started talking about politics, I think). ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3421 "2021-02-17T23:20:33Z")
Rick Perry says Texans should be willing to go without electricity in order to prevent the federal government from regulating it. > **[Rick Perry calls on Texans to endure frigid temps without heat to ‘keep the...](https://www.rawstory.com/rick-perry/)** > > Rick Perry, a former Texas governor who served as an energy secretary under former President Donald Trump, argued this week that Texans should be happy to go days without electricity if it meant thwarting the federal government.The Houston Chronicle... ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3422 "2021-02-17T23:52:22Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Rick Perry says Texans should be willing to go without electricity in order to prevent the federal government from regulating it. . > > [Rick Perry calls on Texans to endure frigid temps without heat to ‘keep the feds out of their business’](https://www.rawstory.com/rick-perry/) So Rick Perry is asking Texans to, quite literally, die for Republican anti-regulatory dogma. I’d like to see that bumper sticker. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3423 "2021-02-18T00:32:42Z")
And Lloyd lives on, six years past the centennial of his birth. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3424 "2021-02-18T00:59:33Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Rick Perry says Texans should be willing to go without electricity in order to prevent the federal government from regulating it. If Texas _really_ want independence from federal regulation, they could chose to go off on their own. I, for one, wouldn’t be very upset. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3425 "2021-02-18T01:04:41Z")
B-b-b-but some of us will need to be re-homed. 😟 We’re housebroken, somewhat literate, can talk good, cook a little. Some of us are funny and quite cute. [![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1752/4477/products/PaddClassic16inch_Template_1024x1024.jpg?v=1574193984) ](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1752/4477/products/PaddClassic16inch_Template_1024x1024.jpg?v=1574193984) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3426 "2021-02-18T01:41:52Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > > [@Smapti](#): > > > > Rick Perry says Texans should be willing to go without electricity in order to prevent the federal government from regulating it. . > > > > [Rick Perry calls on Texans to endure frigid temps without heat to ‘keep the feds out of their business’](https://www.rawstory.com/rick-perry/) > > So Rick Perry is asking Texans to, quite literally, die for Republican anti-regulatory dogma. > > I’d like to see that bumper sticker. - A good leader sets the example. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2021, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3427 "2021-02-18T02:45:03Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > What does he expect people to do for themselves, especially if they’re elderly or have medical conditions requiring power for equipment? They expect them to die, and do it quietly, dammit. Oh, and they also expect them to send money. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/3428 "2021-02-18T03:05:10Z")
I’ve seen folks suggesting that people “make do” and “solve their problems themselves” by tearing down the Mayor’s house to use for firewood. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140.md?page=170) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140.md?page=172)