# 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:** 236
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4701 "2026-06-09T17:22:39Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Oh well, a different episode name dropped Randy Johnson, and far fewer people know who he is. Everyone knows the Big Unit! ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4702 "2026-06-09T17:44:50Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > > > Oh well, a different episode name dropped Randy Johnson, and far fewer people know who he is. > > Everyone knows the Big Unit! - Especially the Avian Mafia. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4703 "2026-06-09T18:01:57Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > > [@SunUp](#): > > > > “Government should be run like a business!” > > And he IS!!! > Like a Trump business. Running it right into the tank. People have been making that joke since Dubya. “When he said he was going to run this country like a business, I didn’t think he meant like one of his!” And “running the country like a business” has been around since at least Ross Perot. You’d think we (as a country) would have learned by now… ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4704 "2026-06-09T18:18:24Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > You’d think we (as a country) would have learned by now… His supporters make bobble heads look smart. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4705 "2026-06-09T18:28:33Z")
I first heard of “running the country like a business” back when Lee Iacocca’s name was in the press about a possible run. From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > In his 2007 book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone?, Iacocca described how he considered running for president in 1988 and was in the planning stages of a campaign with the slogan “I Like I”, before ultimately being talked out of it by his friend Tip O’Neill. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4706 "2026-06-09T18:31:40Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > There’s a 2006 episode of L&O:Criminal Intent where the soon-to-be murder victim is bragging he is going to be introduced to “The Donald”. We who did not live in NYC were still expected to know who he was (at least by public reputation), > > Considering trump’s actual rep in NYC, I wonder why he was name dropped. Maybe the fact the character was murdered immediately after is the actual message. 🙂 > > Oh well, a different episode name dropped Randy Johnson, and far fewer people know who he is. [Here’s a “Saturday Night Live” cold open from the 90s](https://youtu.be/G1gC912LUq0?si=Qvu4OgFeuirFXuTK) which has Phil Hartman’s Donald Trump and Jan Hooks as Ivana discussing their divorce. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4707 "2026-06-09T18:38:59Z")
And in the 1980s, Spy Magazine made fun of Trump constantly, famously calling him a “short-fingered vulgarian.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4708 "2026-06-09T19:34:11Z")
“Run the country like a business” is such a stupid phrase - equating two things that have nothing to do with each other. It’s like saying “We should fly this plane like a submarine!” No. No you shouldn’t. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4709 "2026-06-09T20:02:46Z")
Especially given that the people who say that often go on to describe the ways they want the government to not run like a business. Like, deficit spending: You give absolutely any business the opportunity to borrow money at a fraction of a percent annual interest, and I guarantee that every single business will borrow as much of that money as they can, and then worry about finding some way to spend it, because almost anything they can think of to spend it on will have better returns. If the government were run like a business, they’d be running even bigger deficits. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4710 "2026-06-09T20:57:15Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > [Here’s a “Saturday Night Live” cold open from the 90s](https://youtu.be/G1gC912LUq0?si=Qvu4OgFeuirFXuTK) which has Phil Hartman’s Donald Trump and Jan Hooks as Ivana discussing their divorce. And in 2000 _The Simpsons_ predicted that Trump would become President (and that Lisa would follow him as President, having to clean up the disasters he’d created during his term). _The Apprentice_ didn’t start until 2004–but in 2000 the creators of _The Simpsons_ figured that most Americans would know who DT was. [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0767439/](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0767439/) ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4711 "2026-06-09T20:59:26Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > “President Tucker Carlson said today…” He _ **is** _ said to be considering a run. (Personally I don’t think he retains the popularity he’d need to win over Donald’s 27%. And he certainly won’t be getting anyone else’s votes!) ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4712 "2026-06-09T21:05:40Z")
Everyone seems to be forgetting about when Trump’s brain was transplanted into Bill the Cat back in the 80s (apparently they never put it back). ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4713 "2026-06-09T21:17:12Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > The issue is that he’s a relatively small profile guy; In more ways than one (I can’t believe I get to do the short joke, unless I missed it downstream (I looked!)). ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4714 "2026-06-09T21:17:14Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > All he had to do was memorize a few stock phrases to convince people he was a successful tycoon. > > “Whose baby is that?” > “What’s your angle?” > “I’ll buy that.” …”You’re fired.” ---
**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:** [June 9, 2026, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4715 "2026-06-09T21:30:46Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > In more ways than one (I can’t believe I get to do the short joke, unless I missed it downstream (I looked!)). Short jokes are easy to overlook. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4716 "2026-06-10T01:31:04Z")
so mad=man Kennedy wants Americans to eat healthy, but then this happens: The U.S. House passed a fiscal year 2027 Agriculture funding bill that cuts $200 million from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which includes over **$141 million in specific fruit and vegetable benefit reductions** for millions of pregnant women and young children ---
**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:** [June 10, 2026, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4717 "2026-06-10T01:50:37Z")
Who needs fruit and vegetables when you can have red meat and some ferments? > **[RFK Jr. only eats meat, fermented foods. The carnivore diet, explained.](https://health.yahoo.com/wellness/nutrition/diet-types/articles/rfk-jr-only-eats-meat-120109776.html)** > > “I only eat meat or fermented foods,” the health secretary told USA TODAY's Extremely Normal show. Here's what experts say about the diet. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2026, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4718 "2026-06-10T12:34:25Z")
Missed it by _that_ much. RFK actually wants for the well-off to eat “healthy” per his wacko definition of healthy and for the poors to starve, self-deport, or both. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4719 "2026-06-10T13:15:03Z")
I think the FDA s conflicting actions–they want to ban “unhealthy” soda, candy et al from SNAP but then cut out “healthy” fruits and vegetables ---
**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:** [June 10, 2026, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/4720 "2026-06-10T13:21:11Z")
Of course, expecting consistency from both the executive branch departments and congressional budgeting has always been a reach here in the good 'ol US of A. And that’s before the current criminal clown show regime took over. Nowaday’s? _Fuggeddaboudit!_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678.md?page=235) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678.md?page=237)