# NEW Stupid Republican Idea of the Day (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 7, 2022, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018 "2022-02-07T00:52:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 182
**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:** [August 4, 2022, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3622 "2022-08-04T01:11:41Z")
Josh Hawley voted not to approve Finland and Sweden for NATO. Rand Paul voted Present. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2022, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3623 "2022-08-04T03:44:16Z")
May both of them encounter a sculpture of a saguaro cactus made from running chainsaws and then sit on it. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3624 "2022-08-04T04:46:27Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Josh Hawley voted not to approve Finland and Sweden for NATO. And, not to inflict Josh Hawley on any innocent readers but just to point out the full Stupid Republican of this position, [Hawley claims that his opposition to allowing Finland and Sweden into NATO is due to wanting to save US resources for conflict with China.](https://nationalinterest.org/feature/why-i-won’t-vote-add-sweden-and-finland-nato-203925) To justify this opposition by confirming that the US couldn’t fight China and Russia at the same time, Hawley (or whoever wrote that op-ed for him) cited and linked [an article called “A Strategy for Avoiding a Two-Front War”.](https://nationalinterest.org/feature/strategy-avoiding-two-front-war-192137?page=0%2C2) But that article advises, > [@](#): > > The leitmotif of the Russia-in-Europe policy should be adamantine resistance to Russian expansion culminating in a decisive defeat for Russia’s present aims in Europe’s borderlands. […] > > This pain, however, must have a goal beyond simply punishment; namely, to inflict a defeat for strategic effect, with the calculated aim of convincing Russia that its chosen path of westward expansion is closed. […] > > The strategy advocated here would not require the United States to defer a robust defense of its interests in Asia; Indeed, the strategy’s European component can be pursued using current U.S. force levels there—or eventually even less, as the Europeans step up more and more. In fact, as [a recent Wilson Center analysis of Finnish/Swedish NATO membership concludes,](https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/implications-finnish-and-swedish-nato-membership-security-baltic-sea-region) > [@](#): > > […] a Finnish and Swedish NATO membership would increase the security of both NATO and the Baltic region. […] > > As two technologically advanced and resilient societies, NATO has much to gain from Finnish and Swedish membership. Net security contributors in terms of advanced military capabilities, Finnish and Swedish navy and airforce power add to the collective defense in both Baltic Sea region as well as in [the Arctic](https://www.heritage.org/global-politics/report/finlands-and-swedens-nato-accession-the-national-interest-and-should-receive). Finland and Sweden, respectively, benefit from increased security alignment with the defense alliance and its security guarantees. > > As described in the report, the Finnish and Swedish military expenditures and materiel procurements are large in comparison to the smaller Baltic countries and have been increasing in recent years, especially since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The membership and deeper co-integration thus opens new opportunities for the defense and support of the Baltic states as well. In other words, Hawley is claiming that he opposes Finnish/Swedish NATO membership in deference to geopolitical strategy views which actually support Finnish/Swedish NATO membership. I can’t quite tell if he’s just that stupid, or simply lying. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3625 "2022-08-04T04:50:03Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I can’t quite tell if he’s just that stupid, or simply lying. Don’t discount the possibility that he’s both that stupid _and_ lying. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3626 "2022-08-04T09:36:10Z")
I see **silenus** , er, beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3627 "2022-08-04T09:40:14Z")
Or that all he knows is the president is for it and that’s good enough for him to oppose it. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3628 "2022-08-04T12:07:07Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > In other words, Hawley is claiming that he opposes Finnish/Swedish NATO membership in deference to geopolitical strategy views which actually support Finnish/Swedish NATO membership. I can’t quite tell if he’s just that stupid, or simply lying. This is what happens when you let a party be taken over by conspiracy theorists. This is just how their brains work. Evidence against their beliefs = evidence for their beliefs, because they never, _ever_ look into the details. Their “analysis” is entirely superficial. I guarantee his thoughts never went beyond, “Someone was talking about the impact Finland and Sweden would have on NATO, therefore, I’m right, it would cause problems, case closed!” ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3629 "2022-08-04T13:37:33Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > > [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > > > Josh Hawley voted not to approve Finland and Sweden for NATO. > > And, not to inflict Josh Hawley on any innocent readers but just to point out the full Stupid Republican of this position, [Hawley claims that his opposition to allowing Finland and Sweden into NATO is due to wanting to save US resources for conflict with China.](https://nationalinterest.org/feature/why-i-won’t-vote-add-sweden-and-finland-nato-203925) By Hawley’s logic, shouldn’t the U.S. just pull out of NATO altogether? ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3630 "2022-08-04T13:55:37Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Or that all he knows is the president is for it and that’s good enough for him to oppose it. Regarding Hawley: It is more likely that he knows that Putin is against it, and that’s good enough for him to oppose it. That and the rubles that Putin sends to him. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3631 "2022-08-04T14:11:22Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > That and the rubles that Putin sends to him. If he’s dumb enough to settle for that exchange rate…wait, of course he’s that dumb! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3632 "2022-08-04T17:21:30Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > By Hawley’s logic, shouldn’t the U.S. just pull out of NATO altogether? Hawley is a Trumplican, so yes, he believes the US should just pull out of NATO altogether. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3633 "2022-08-04T17:31:57Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > Hawley is a Trumplican, so yes, he believes the US should just pull out of NATO altogether. Yes. It’s basically following what Putin has told them. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3634 "2022-08-04T17:41:39Z")
Conservative black Congressional candidate Lavern Spicer: “Putin just sentenced Brittney Griner to nine years in Russian jail for her drug trafficking. Trump wouldn’t have allowed that to happen and she’d be back on American soil even though she hates America. Biden didn’t lift a finger and let Brittney rot. So much for loving Blacks!” [https://twitter.com/lavern\_spicer/status/1555215615312515078](https://twitter.com/lavern_spicer/status/1555215615312515078) Tons of people pointed out to her that Individual 1 said that Griner deserved what she got. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3635 "2022-08-04T18:12:20Z")
That would have only been after Donnie _personally_ led the extraction team that busted her out of the gulag prison, right? ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3636 "2022-08-04T18:15:51Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Conservative black Congressional candidate There’s a built in spin there. “Conservative Congressional candidate insists that Trump loves drug dealers, would free them from prison!” ---
**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:** [August 4, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3637 "2022-08-04T19:07:00Z")
Townsfolk shocked their library might close after they vote to defund it over books about gays. > **[Upset over LGBTQ books, a Michigan town defunds its library in tax vote |...](https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/upset-over-lgbtq-books-michigan-town-defunds-its-library-tax-vote)** > > Voters in Jamestown Township, near Grand Rapids, rejected a renewal of an operations millage for the community’s public library Tuesday, leaving the library’s future in doubt. Those leading the effort said the library was indoctrinating children. This is what Neil deGrasse Tyson talked about ignorance making our nation poorer. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3638 "2022-08-04T19:33:41Z")
What did they expect to happen? Oh, no, it’s the totally foreseeable consequences of their own actions! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3639 "2022-08-04T20:02:59Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > What did they expect to happen? They expected the library to yield to their blackmail. I’m glad the community uses the library so much. I hope it closes. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3640 "2022-08-04T20:13:58Z")
Don’t need no stinkin’ liberries. They just make people uppity and give them ideas above the station where God put them and wants them to stay. The foundation of the modern Republican party is ignorance, after all. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/3641 "2022-08-04T20:18:00Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > This is what Neil deGrasse Tyson talked about ignorance making our nation poorer. ‘Your write! We shoulda have sold the lie-berry!’ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018.md?page=181) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018.md?page=183)