# NEW Stupid Republican Idea of the Day (Part 4) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 22, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678 "2025-02-22T21:08:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 177
**Author:** ![billy-jack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3521 "2026-03-06T07:40:50Z")
> [@Norse](#): > > She’s got an EdD, which according to some (and like the MD and the JD) isn’t a “proper” doctorate like the PhD It’s not universally agreed upon, but I understand that the earliest doctorates were arguably teaching degrees to teach latin. ---
**Author:** ![JoePockets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8dc957/32.png) [@JoePockets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoePockets)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3522 "2026-03-06T13:19:28Z")
Rep Gonzales feels he is still worthy enough to serve out the 8 months left in his term! It will give him plenty of time to find a nice feather bed position to land in till this blows over ! ---
**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:** [March 6, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3523 "2026-03-06T20:02:50Z")
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT).drops out of his reelection campaign, for which he had previously been unopposed in the primary, exactly five minutes after another candidate filed to run, and three minutes before the deadline. > **['Betrayed': GOP senator's sneaky 5-minute switcheroo leaves even some...](https://www.rawstory.com/steve-daines-2675602108/)** > > Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) pulled off a sneaky maneuver on Wednesday that left Republicans fuming almost as much as Democrats. In a perfectly choreographed five-minute window, the GOP senator orchestrated what critics described as a brazen power grab... Meanwhile, Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) says James Talarico is “demonic” because he doesn’t think God has a dick and balls. > **['Antichrist ideology': GOP lawmaker attacks 'demonic' Texas Dem in unhinged...](https://www.rawstory.com/riley-moore-james-talarico/?utm_source=front-sidebar-watch)** > > Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) suggested that James Talarico, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Texas, was possessed by demons.The West Virginia Republican attacked the Texas hopeful during a Friday interview with MAGA influencer Benny Johnson."You're... ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3524 "2026-03-06T23:43:46Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT).drops out of his reelection campaign, for which he had previously been unopposed in the primary, exactly five minutes after another candidate filed to run, and three minutes before the deadline. You see? I said it before and it just becomes more clear every minute. The Republicans are so across afraid of Democrats they are rejecting Democracy. How many of those pissed off Republican Montanans will still vote for Kurt Alme? Hint: the amount that don’t could probably be counted on two hands. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2026, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3525 "2026-03-07T00:44:34Z")
I don’t agree. Never forget the number of people who simply see a ballot in terms of SomeName SomeName (R) SomeOthernName SomeOtherName (D) And vote for their team, their party, with all but zero knowledge of who those names really are. One hell of a lot of otherwise sane Republicans did exactly that this last time. At the most thoughtful those folks got, their “thinking” amounted to “The worst possible R is better than the best possible D”. In Montana Daines and Almes are in a dead heat to having an (R) after their name and that’s literally all that matters. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2026, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3526 "2026-03-07T01:45:35Z")
I dunno… Montana does sometimes elect Democrats for Senators or Governor. Jon Tester’s term only just ended last year. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2026, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3527 "2026-03-07T02:59:31Z")
Hegseth to 60 Minutes: “THE STREETS WILL RUN RED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE NON-BELIEVERS! DEUS VULT! KILL 'EM ALL AND LET GOD SORT 'EM OUT!” > **[Hegseth triggers massive alarms with 'grotesque' Iran remark in new '60...](https://www.rawstory.com/hegseth-iran-2675704813/)** > > Critics on social media sounded the alarm after comments from Pete Hegseth in a preview of an upcoming interview on “60 Minutes” began circulating online Friday.In the clip, Hegseth was asked about reports that Russia is assisting Iran in targeting... > In the clip, Hegseth was asked about reports that Russia is assisting [Iran] in targeting Americans and whether that would place U.S. personnel in greater danger. > > "No one’s putting us in danger,” Hegseth replied in the interview, set to air Sunday. “We’re putting the other guys in danger. That’s our job. So we’re not concerned about that.” > > “The only ones that need to be worried right now are Iranians that think they’re going to live,” Hegseth said. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2026, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3528 "2026-03-07T03:20:14Z")
> [@Karen\_Lingel](#): > > Yeah, I was trying to figure out if there was a term “doctress” or something… In my long ago HR manager days, I worked at a company which hired both _bartenders_ and _bartendresses_ from the Philippines. Somehow ensuring the title was gendered got around any discrimination legislation. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Hell, I recall the republicans getting all worked up about Jill Biden wanting to be referred to as Dr Biden, and she wasn’t even on a ballot. IIRC they called it fraudulent because she’s a PhD not an MD. Didn’t some talking head on, IIRC, the Felon’s News Network (aka Fox) get their tush handed to them for jumping on that bandwagon and it turned out their spouse, again IIRC, also had a non-medical doctorate degree and said talking head insisted on referring to the spouse as _Doctor_? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3529 "2026-03-07T19:42:42Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I don’t agree. > > Never forget the number of people who simply see a ballot in terms of > > SomeName SomeName (R) > SomeOthernName SomeOtherName (D) > > And vote for their team, their party, with all but zero knowledge of who those names really are. I think you misread me. I’m saying the same thing. These R constituents are angry about the trick preventing a fair primary and voter selection, but when the election rolls around, not a damn one will even abstain from voting over the issue. They will fall in line and vote R, because that’s all that matters. In not saying nobody will sit out the election. I’m saying that the reason won’t have anything to do with this event. > [@Chronos](#): > > I dunno… Montana does sometimes elect Democrats for Senators or Governor. Jon Tester’s term only just ended last year. I realize this is something that is hard to measure so we can’t know for sure, but I still feel like this event won’t be the factor that decides the election. > [@Smapti](#): > > Hegseth to 60 Minutes: “THE STREETS WILL RUN RED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE NON-BELIEVERS! DEUS VULT! KILL 'EM ALL AND LET GOD SORT 'EM OUT!” Let’s be clear about the stakes. This is a war that on one side is an autocratic state lead by power-mad religious extremists, and the other side is Iran. > [@Monty](#): > > In my long ago HR manager days, I worked at a company which hired both _bartenders_ and _bartendresses_ from the Philippines. Somehow ensuring the title was gendered got around any discrimination legislation. That’s because, as everyone knows, separate but equal is sound legal doctrine. /s ---
**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:** [March 7, 2026, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3530 "2026-03-07T20:04:29Z")
Pete “I AM BECOME DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS” Hegseth doesn’t speak English, he speaks American. > **[Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mgi4tiw6lv2u)** > > Hegseth: "I only speak American" ---
**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:** [March 7, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3531 "2026-03-07T20:15:44Z")
To be fair, since that is not a correct English sentence . . . ol’ Pete is right. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2026, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3532 "2026-03-07T23:50:13Z")
I believe that language is spelled and pronounced “Merkin”, a word that works on multiple levels. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2026, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3533 "2026-03-08T08:20:44Z")
At least one of them below the belt. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2026, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3534 "2026-03-08T13:32:03Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Pete “I AM BECOME DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS” Hegseth doesn’t speak English, he speaks American. I believe this was at the same conference where Trump refused to “learn their damn language”. In Trump’s case, I can understand a 79 year old having exactly zero interest in learning a second language, but leave it to him to be an asshole about it. And, as best as I can tell, based on skimming a few articles, it’s not even like a reporter asked him about it or goaded him into saying it, but rather he just…announced it. If anything, it seemed to stem from some jealousy over Marco Rubio’s ability to speak Spanish and/or Rubio being able to spend more time in Spanish speaking countries because he can speak Spanish…or something like that, maybe? In any case, I remember Dan Quayle saying he didn’t speak Latin, while in Latin America. But at least in his case he wasn’t being an asshole (an idiot, but not an asshole), but rather apologizing for not knowing ‘their’ language better and not being able to have a conversation with them. (You’ll have to excuse me if I’m missing any context there, I was about 10 years old at the time). ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2026, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3535 "2026-03-08T14:03:57Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > In Trump’s case, I can understand a 79 year old having exactly zero interest in learning a second language, but leave it to him to be an asshole about it You speak as if Trump is even capable of “learning”. An aside, hopefully not leading to a thread hijack… I am getting on in years, though I am well behind Trump in age, I would improve my (very basic) Portuguese by shifting to the relatively similar Spanish - possibly only because Spanish is the second sexiest language, preceded only by French (at which I am beginner level) I like languages, and speak at very varying degrees of fluency in about 6. English, French, Portuguese, chiShona, venacular Afrikaans, some basic isiXhosa - my weakest, but my kids learn it at school so I am hoping to glom onto their homework to learn more. Trump is not even able to reach a 10 yr old’s ability in his native American English. (I am very good with about 12 programing languages, but all high level programming languages tend to converge, at least conceptually, and they are all actually written in English & logic.) ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3536 "2026-03-08T20:47:08Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > If anything, it seemed to stem from some jealousy over Marco Rubio’s ability to speak Spanish and/or Rubio being able to spend more time in Spanish speaking countries because he can speak Spanish…or something like that, maybe? I think a lot of it also is a form of pandering to his base, who are upset by all Spanish speaking people around them and are proud of their ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3537 "2026-03-09T07:10:58Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > In any case, I remember Dan Quayle saying he didn’t speak Latin, while in Latin America. [Dan Quayle didn’t actually say that, though it was reported as if true.](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/quayle-quotes/) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3538 "2026-03-09T14:50:20Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > [Dan Quayle didn’t actually say that, though it was reported as if true.](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/quayle-quotes/) But the potatoe incident is still true…right? ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3539 "2026-03-09T15:57:45Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > But the potatoe incident is still true…right Yes. And there’s a video to prove it. > **[Reddit - The heart of the internet](https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/1jlo1ux/dan_quayle_misspells_potato/)** ---
**Author:** ![billy-jack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/3540 "2026-03-10T01:17:12Z")
What’s this I’m hearing about Trump wanting to bring back the draft? Maybe now that he’s too old to be drafted, he won’t mind it himself. And he would probably pull all the strings to keep Barron out of it. Note that this is yet another imbecilic Trump idea. I doubt that very many Republicans would be for anything so daft. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678.md?page=176) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678.md?page=178)