# 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:** 214
**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:** [April 2, 2021, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4272 "2021-04-02T23:41:23Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Good plan, Republican constituents notoriously hate baseball. > > However, this will give all the self-described anti-“cancel culture” conservatives a nice opportunity to scold their overreacting legislators for attempting to “cancel” MLB. . 😄 How hilarious it is, to watch “government must keep its hands off Business” Republicans struggle to justify their attempts at government action to keep a business from conducting itself as it sees fit… It’s the Hypocrisy Games! And conservatives are favored to win! (as they always, always, always are). ---
**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:** [April 3, 2021, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4273 "2021-04-03T07:06:40Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > How hilarious it is, to watch “government must keep its hands off Business” Republicans struggle to justify their attempts at government action to keep a business from conducting itself as it sees fit… Republicans: Corporations are people with first amendment rights Corporations: We’re choosing not to do business with states that suppress voting rights Republicans: No not like that Corporations: Also we’re going to stop publishing this book with outdated racist caricatures Republicans: Not like that either Corporations: And we’re going to ban users that advocate overthrowing the government Republicans: Stop we just meant we just wanted you to hate gay people Corporations: About that, here’s this new music video we just produced… ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4274 "2021-04-03T11:57:38Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > It seems like it should be illegal to target tax raises based on what a corporation says about any sort of bill. And if it’s not illegal, it certainly sounds wrong. IANAL, and would be glad if one of our legal eagles were to weigh in on this, but to me, it sounds like a bill of attainder. Bills of attainder - laws punishing a specific person or group of persons - are specifically prohibited by the Constitution. [Wikipedia, referring to United States v. Lovett (1946)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_attainder#Supreme_Court_cases): > the _Lovett_ Court said that a bill of attainder 1) specifically identified the people to be punished; 2) imposed punishment; and 3) did so without benefit of judicial trial. So, this bill would identify a particular corporation to be punished (corporations are people too, per SCOTUS), and it imposes the punishment (revocation of a tax break) without judicial trial. Like I said, IANAL, so I’d welcome commentary from one of our board lawyers, because we all know that even when the Constitution, let alone the law, appears to be cut and dried, it often isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4275 "2021-04-03T12:03:32Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > However, this will give all the self-described anti-“cancel culture” conservatives a nice opportunity to scold their overreacting legislators for attempting to “cancel” MLB. It is quite amusing that they’re calling this an instance of ‘cancel culture.’ It doesn’t ‘cancel’ anyone! Nobody’s free speech has been interfered with; nobody’s even been denied a platform here. (The game hasn’t even been canceled, just relocated.) But maybe this’ll get them to realize that athletes kneeling before ballgames isn’t so bad by comparison. (Oddly enough, their efforts to try to get the networks televising the games to not show the kneeling athletes…that’s apparently _not_ ‘cancel culture’ even though it would deprive said athletes of a platform. I know, expecting consistency from conservatives is futile.) ---
**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:** [April 3, 2021, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4276 "2021-04-03T12:07:43Z")
I, for one, find it… Amusing, I guess? that capitalism is working to save democracy, and might be the only thing that can succeed. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2021, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4277 "2021-04-03T14:10:39Z")
Capitalists want the game rigged in their favor, to be sure. But even they can recognize that they can’t win if the game turns negative sum. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4278 "2021-04-03T15:46:12Z")
> **[Citing fear of Hindu indoctrination, Alabama GOP block efforts to lift...](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024153)** > > Did you know that for 28 years, Alabama has had a ban on teaching yoga in the Yellowhammer State? Well, it’s true. Since 1993, the Alabama board of education has blocked yoga, hypnosis, and meditation from public schools. According to Newsweek,... > The Associated Press [reports](https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/alabama-yoga-bill-stalls-after-conservative-groups-object/) that on Wednesday, the bill stalled in the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee. How come? “During a hearing, two conservative groups objected because of yoga’s historic ties to Hinduism.” When they aren’t turning your kids Muslim I guess they’re exercising them into Hinduism? It’s hard to say how this works in the mind of the right. > > The Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP) legal adviser, Eric Johnston, told the [_Times_](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/13/us/alabama-yoga-ban-bill.html) that yoga’s important place in the Hindu religion made it dangerous; he said that “it does not need to be taught to small children in public schools.” ALCAP was one of the groups testifying against the bill in the senate committee. To be clear, Johnston says that he does not oppose the practice of yoga as it’s already accepted and taught at some Christian churches. The issue is the slippery slope defense that the religious right has used for years. “You cannot have any kind of religious activities in elementary schools.” > … ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4279 "2021-04-03T18:12:50Z")
Emily Litella: “This is totally unfair to harmless cartoon characters. It’s cancel culture to prohibit Yogi in classrooms. It’s not like he’s naked; he wears a tie and hat.” Newscaster: “It’s ‘yoga’, not ‘Yogi’.” E.T.: “Nevermind.” ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4280 "2021-04-03T18:29:10Z")
That bear is a terrible example to the schoolkids! Swiping pic-a-nic baskets from unsuspecting parkgoers. What sort of values are we going to teach the young generation? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4281 "2021-04-03T18:37:03Z")
It seems that Alabama Republican legislators are not smarter than the average bear. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4282 "2021-04-03T18:41:00Z")
> [@SwissMan](#): > > What sort of values are we going to teach the young generation? “The best things in Life are free, when you steal them from the bourgeoisie.” - Country Joe McDonald ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4283 "2021-04-03T19:25:36Z")
They’re not smarter than the average beer, either. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4284 "2021-04-03T20:07:14Z")
Oh, yeah. That old saw … > **[Yoga in school not same as teaching religion, California judge rules](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-yoga-california/yoga-in-school-not-same-as-teaching-religion-california-judge-rules-idUKBRE96016Y20130702)** > > A California judge refused on Monday to block the teaching of yoga as part of a public school's physical fitness program, rejecting parents' claims that the classes were an unconstitutional promotion of Eastern religions. Touching your toes lets the devil in … er … the back door (or something like that). #Murica ! ---
**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:** [April 3, 2021, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4285 "2021-04-03T23:09:21Z")
Donation fraud > **[How Trump Steered Supporters Into Unwitting Donations (Published 2021)](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/03/us/politics/trump-donations.html)** > > Online donors were guided into weekly recurring contributions. Demands for refunds spiked. Complaints to banks and credit card companies soared. But the money helped keep Donald Trump’s struggling campaign afloat. “Online donors were guided into weekly recurring contributions. Demands for refunds spiked. Complaints to banks and credit card companies soared. But the money helped keep Donald Trump’s struggling campaign afloat.” ---
**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:** [April 3, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4286 "2021-04-03T23:36:06Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Republicans: Corporations are people with first amendment rights > > Corporations: We’re choosing not to do business with states that suppress voting rights > > Republicans: No not like that > > Corporations: Also we’re going to stop publishing this book with outdated racist caricatures > > Republicans: Not like that either > > Corporations: And we’re going to ban users that advocate overthrowing the government > > Republicans: Stop we just meant we just wanted you to hate gay people > > Corporations: About that, here’s this new music video we just produced… We must spare a thought for the poor Republicans, who are flummoxed at every turn by their basic inability to understand simple logic and motivation. Someone really should start a charitable foundation for these benighted souls. \ > [@Andy\_L](#): > > “Online donors were guided into weekly recurring contributions. Demands for refunds spiked. Complaints to banks and credit card companies soared. But the money helped keep Donald Trump’s struggling campaign afloat.” . This is a story and a half. Apparently the pre-checked boxes through which the suckers, er, _donors_ gave the Trump people free access to their assets, were filled with miles of verbiage, with the kicker (that the donations would be ‘recurring,’ etc.) in fine print that most didn’t see. A non-firewalled source shows the relevant charts and screenshots: > [@](#): > > The _Times_ provided details about specific cases, including one man who donated $500, but soon discovered the campaign had reeled in $3,000 from him within 30 days, depleting and freezing his bank account. … . > **[Trump campaign used 'dizzyingly complex' pre-checked boxes to reel in...](https://theweek.com/speedreads/975527/trump-campaign-used-dizzyingly-complex-prechecked-boxes-reel-recurring-donations-amid-dwindling-finances)** > > The latest Speed Read,/speed-reads,,speed-reads, breaking news, comment, reviews and features from the experts at The Week ---
**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:** [April 3, 2021, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4287 "2021-04-03T23:39:31Z")
[![](https://moodyeyeview.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/jobs.png) ](https://moodyeyeview.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/jobs.png) ---
**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:** [April 3, 2021, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4288 "2021-04-03T23:43:36Z")
What is that, Matt Gaetz’s last birthday party? ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4290 "2021-04-04T03:07:38Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > “Online donors were guided into weekly recurring contributions. Demands for refunds spiked. Complaints to banks and credit card companies soared. But the money helped keep Donald Trump’s struggling campaign afloat.” IIRC **Ann Hedonia** had a whopper of a post about dealing with those shmucks. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4291 "2021-04-04T03:26:11Z")
Mike Huckabee: I’ve decided to “identify” as Chinese. Coke will like me, Delta will agree with my “values” and I’ll probably get shoes from Nike & tickets to MLB games. Ain’t America great? > ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/4292 "2021-04-04T04:30:19Z")
Here, in case you missed it. > [@A Perfectly Reasonable Amount of Schadenfreude about Things Happening to Trump & His Enablers (Part 1)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers/925537/1331): > > Here’s a stunning but totally unsurprising story about how the Trump campaign- increasingly desperate for cash and humiliated by poor fund-raising numbers- resorted to increasingly dishonest tactics in order to fleece their not-very-smart small dollar donors. Here’s the link, but it may be paywalled but it’s an exclusive - I’m going to summarize but it’s only April 3rd and it’s worth one of your free NYT views. Now, most fund-raising platforms give you an option to make a recurring donation… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140.md?page=213) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140.md?page=215)