# 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:** 258
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2021, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5158 "2021-05-18T21:20:40Z")
The most absurd part of this is that I would be shocked if Edith ever said the word abortion. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2021, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5159 "2021-05-18T21:34:00Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > The most absurd part of this is that I would be shocked if Edith ever said the word abortion.- In at least one episode she did: > **["All in the Family" The Very Moving Day (TV Episode 1975) - Plot - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0768880/plotsummary/)** > > "All in the Family" The Very Moving Day (TV Episode 1975) - Plot summary, synopsis, and more... > It is moving day, as Mike prepares to move into the house next door. Gloria comes home with some wonderful news - she’s pregnant. As she celebrates with Archie and Edith, she tells them that Mike doesn’t know. They leave her alone so she can tell him in private. She breaks the news to Mike by reminding him of a romantic weekend they took in which she forgot her pills and he didn’t want to drive into town to a drug store. Giving the matter some thought, Mike comes to the conclusion that it was all perpetrated to trap him into having a baby. A nasty fight ensues and he walks out. **Gloria begins to give some consideration to the possibility of having an abortion in order to save her marriage, but Edith talks her out of it.** In a very tender moment, Archie consoles Gloria and tells her how much he loves her. Mike comes back and tells Gloria that he really does want to have the baby. My bold. _All in the Family_ dealt with many difficult and controversial issues. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2021, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5160 "2021-05-18T22:10:01Z")
> **[How ‘Rear Adm. Jack Meehoff’ fooled a bunch of real retired generals and...](https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/military-retired-generals-admiral-jack-meehoff/)** > > 'Thank you for standing tall.' "A group of more than 100 retired generals and admirals who have accused President Joe Biden of being a communist have been pranked by a faux flag officer going by the nom de guerre “Rear Adm. Jack Meehoff.” "Earlier this month, the group Flag Officers 4 America posted [an open letter that repeated lies spread by former President Donald Trump](https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/fb7c7bd8-097d-4e2f-8f12-3442d151b57d/downloads/2021%20Open%20Letter%20from%20Retired%20Generals%20and%20Adm.pdf?ver=1620643005025) and the elected leaders who support his claims that the FBI and Supreme Court ignored “election irregularities” in 2020. No concrete evidence has emerged suggesting the 2020 election was stolen. Trump’s former Attorney General William Barr said in December [there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud](https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d) and Chris Krebs, Trump’s director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, called the 2020 presidential election [“the most secure in U.S. history.”](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/christopher-krebs-trump-election-wasnt-hacked/2020/12/01/88da94a0-340f-11eb-8d38-6aea1adb3839_story.html)" 100+ retired Admirals and Generals with the combined intelligence of private Gomer Pyle. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2021, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5161 "2021-05-18T22:34:18Z")
Do they also not remember things like this from 2017: > **[Trump held only one press conference this year. His predecessors had way more](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/22/trump-held-only-one-press-conference-year-his-predecessors-had-way-more/976675001/)** > > Trump also became the first president in 15 years not to hold an end-of-the-year press conference before heading out of town for the holidays. or this (2019): > **[White House announces press briefing after record six weeks without one](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/11/white-house-announces-press-briefing-after-record-time-without-one.html)** > > Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders will appear alongside acting budget director Russell Vought on Monday, the White House says. or this (2020): > **[Commentary: Trump White House goes 300+ days without a press briefing – why...](https://www.pressherald.com/2020/02/25/commentary-trump-white-house-goes-300-days-without-a-press-briefing-why-thats-unprecedented/)** > > Journalists learn to adapt to current conditions, be they storms or tantrums, vagaries of nature or whims of officials. White House correspondents these days should be well past their withdrawal symptoms from the daily delirium of the once-regular... Or this (2020): > **[White House Holds First Formal Press Briefing In Over A Year](https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/05/01/white-house-holds-first-formal-press-briefing-in-over-a-year/?sh=62a90fb624a1)** > > Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany vowed never to lie to the press, defended Trump’s statement that coronavirus originated in a lab and took aim at the WHO and the FBI. 5 fucking minutes of googling. FIVE. No, the previous administration did very much not give press conferences all the time. And thank you wikipedia for this - Trumps travel schedule last year: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_presidential\_trips\_made\_by\_Donald\_Trump\_(2020–2021)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidential_trips_made_by_Donald_Trump_(2020%E2%80%932021)) Pretty much everything after March was golfing, vacation, campaign rallies or some combination of the three. (about one trip/month that fell outside of those parameters). No international trips post-COVID ([List of international presidential trips made by Donald Trump - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_presidential_trips_made_by_Donald_Trump)) Because, you know, pan-fucking-demic. As someone who voted for him, I am ok with Biden not doing campaign rallies or flying to cool golf courses around the country during his first year in office. I’m also ok with keeping both national and international travel down for another few months. IF the rest of the world mostly opens up and world leaders start travelling widely and he doesn’t… I’ll rethink this. But for the moment, this is just fine and dandy. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2021, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5162 "2021-05-18T22:45:17Z")
Yeah, but Eric was calling those “yelling while trying to be heard over engine noises” Q&As as “press conferences.” _Those_ he had all the time. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5163 "2021-05-18T22:50:48Z")
Do I have to remind you: IOWRDI. Or in this case, **don’t** do it. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5164 "2021-05-18T23:10:34Z")
Getting back to the Mississippi ballot-initiative thing… I’m not familiar with Mississippi’s procedure for amending the state constitution… but in the states I am familiar with, a ballot initiative is part of the process. Has Mississippi gotten themselves into a mess they literally can’t get out of? ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5165 "2021-05-19T00:22:18Z")
Mississippi does not have any other form of citizen participation. They do not have a legislative initiative process, citizen referendum by petition or recall of elected officials. They do have voter approval on constitutional amendments passed by the legislature, though, which is in every other state but Delaware. My state has legislative initiative, referendum and recall, but not constitutional amendment by citizen petition. I mostly think that is a good thing, that we lack the amendment thing, but the initiative process has been seriously abused and should probably be revised to be harder to fuck with. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5166 "2021-05-19T00:46:25Z")
But my point is, suppose that the Mississippi legislature actually writes up an amendment to fix this stupidness. And then that amendment goes to the voters for approval. And it isn’t approved by all five Congressional districts. Because, of course it isn’t. What then? ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5167 "2021-05-19T01:08:55Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > The most absurd part of this is that I would be shocked if Edith ever said the word abortion. I thought so too, but sometimes they have to break character to make a joke work. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5168 "2021-05-19T02:34:38Z")
The DOJ is investigation illegal contributions to Susan Collins’s reelection campaign by a defense contractor. > **[Feds investigating alleged illegal donations to Collins’ re-election bid](https://www.axios.com/2021/05/18/susan-collins-reelection-investigation-finance-scheme)** > > An unsealed search warrant application shows the FBI believes $150k was illegally funneled to a pro-Collins super PAC. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5169 "2021-05-19T02:35:27Z")
Ted Cruz thought it would be funny to make a joke about traveling to Cancun. > **[Cruz faces backlash on social media after joking about flights resuming to...](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/05/18/politics/ted-cruz-flights-cancun/index.html)** > > Sen. Ted Cruz is facing renewed backlash from users on Twitter after sharing a news alert from a local Texas station promoting the return of flights to Cancun. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5170 "2021-05-19T02:53:33Z")
Andrew Giuliani announced he’s running for Governor of New York. His previous government experience was organizing White House meetings with sports teams. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5171 "2021-05-19T03:17:59Z")
Maybe that Giuliani name will carry the day. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5172 "2021-05-19T04:55:36Z")
Appropriate place as any, with the possibilty it’s been posted before (from last Oct. - I got one free reading, myself, this time around). His daughter seems like the most sensible of the bunch. Can’t help but feel for her. > **[Rudy Giuliani Is My Father. Please, Everyone, Vote for Joe Biden and Kamala...](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/10/rudy-giulianis-daughter-on-voting-for-biden)** > > I may not be able to change my father’s mind, but together, we can vote this toxic administration out of office. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5173 "2021-05-19T05:12:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But my point is, suppose that the Mississippi legislature actually writes up an amendment to fix this stupidness. And then that amendment goes to the voters for approval. And it isn’t approved by all five Congressional districts. Because, of course it isn’t. What then? Because [it does not apply to the legislature](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/mississippi-supreme-court-overturns-legal-marijuana-amendment%E2%80%94and-voids-state-ballot-initiatives-entirely-in-the-process/ar-BB1gKpf5): > [@](#): > > The text of Section 273, which passed in the 1990s, requires that all initiatives to amend the Constitution be submitted with an equal number of signatures from eligible voters in each of the state’s then-five congressional voting districts. “The signatures of the qualified electors from any congressional district shall not exceed one-fifth (1/5) of the total number of signatures required to qualify an initiative petition for placement upon the ballot,” the statute says, in part. (My bolding) ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5174 "2021-05-19T05:13:23Z")
This is why I could never hack it as a politician; I would probably make that joke too, as a sort of _mea culpa_. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2021, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5175 "2021-05-19T07:48:33Z")
Right now, flooding in Texas has killed several people and left 100,000 others without power. So naturally Ted “50 rats in a human skin and each rat is 500 cockroaches in a rat skin” Cruz is tweeting about flying to Cancun again. > > > ABC13 Houston @abc13houston ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_McQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Steve\_McQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_McQwark)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5176 "2021-05-19T13:09:00Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > This is why I could never hack it as a politician; I would probably make that joke too, as a sort of _mea culpa_. But you would have probably culpa-ed back in February and taken responsibility for the initial incident, so a tweet now could be seen as a self-deprecating joke. Unlike Ted who threw his children to the wolves in an attempt to save his own skin. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140/5177 "2021-05-19T14:54:49Z")
> [@Steve\_McQwark](#): > > But you would have probably culpa-ed back in February and taken responsibility for the initial incident, so a tweet now could be seen as a self-deprecating joke. True, I didn’t think of it like that; the added baggage of blaming his kids and dodging the responsibility really amplifies the shittiness of him joking about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140.md?page=257) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-1/911140.md?page=259)