# 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:** 51
**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:** [June 3, 2025, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1001 "2025-06-03T21:58:16Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > With cancer. They are just saying its cancer in reality he’s nearing his replicant expiration date. ---
**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:** [June 4, 2025, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1002 "2025-06-04T13:29:07Z")
It’s not “stupid” as much as icky, but I had to share this Jesse Waters nonsense. Trump sure chose a fertile patch of mud for his recruitment. > **[Fox host claims Sports Illustrated swimsuit models were ‘obese’ during Biden era](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/jesse-watters-obese-models-biden-b2763513.html)** > > The Fox News host made the bizarre claim during a discussion about the magazine’s latest catwalk show ---
**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:** [June 4, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1003 "2025-06-04T14:21:42Z")
I think Jesse needs glasses. > [@MrAtoz](#): > > No matter how Trump dies–even if it’s plainly, obviously, 100% natural causes–there will be MAGA conspiracy theories about how he was murdered, and probably acts of “revenge” against those deemed “responsible.” Totally this. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fox starts “speculating” on “possible” theories about an otherwise 100% natural death. “Speculations” are sufficeint gruel for MAGAts to blindly act on. Whoa, wg123 - Mr. Wareheim got way too heavy near the end of that one. > [@Atamasama](#): > > Sure, but I think that the degree of response will vary depending on the manner of death. I’m thinking it’ll just be a blanket response regardless of how banal or eye-raising his death turns out. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1004 "2025-06-04T14:33:06Z")
I’m looking forward to finding out what will happen. 🧐 ---
**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:** [June 4, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1005 "2025-06-04T19:31:43Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > It’s not “stupid” as much as icky, but I had to share this Jesse Waters nonsense. Trump sure chose a fertile patch of mud for his recruitment. > > [Jesse Watters claims that Sports Illustrated swimsuit models were ‘obese’ during Biden era | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/jesse-watters-obese-models-biden-b2763513.html) I’m pretty sure that he’s referring to Megan Thee Stallion’s appearance on the 2022 cover and the whole thing is just another racist dog whistle cause his viewers know exactly who he was referring to, cause it made them crazy at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1006 "2025-06-05T22:16:40Z")
The fashion industry has moved to be more inclusive of plus- sized women, and begin including them. SI followed that trend. > **[Hunter McGrady](https://swimsuit.si.com/swimsuit/model/hunter-mcgrady)** > > The latest image galleries and video for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Hunter McGrady ---
**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 5, 2025, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1007 "2025-06-05T22:45:55Z")
I hadn’t been aware of her appearance on there until just now, so o had to go look it up. Maybe it’s because I’ve developed an appreciation for what society calls a “thicc,” because my fiancée is a proud, thicc Black woman, or maybe because I was raised better than most Republicans, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with MtS in a swimsuit. In fact, if I may be a little superficial, she was a lot better to look at than many of the heroin-chic models from years gone by. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1008 "2025-06-06T02:56:57Z")
Real testimony to Congress by Trump’s Secretary of Commerce: > DEAN: What’s the tariff on > bananas? > > LUTNICK: Generally 10% > > DEAN: Walmart has already > increased the cost of bananas by > 8% > > LUTNICK: If you build in America, > there is no tariff > > DEAN: We cannot build bananas > in America > **[Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lqurvhnffc2v)** > > DEAN: What's the tariff on bananas? > > LUTNICK: Generally 10% > > DEAN: Walmart has already increased the cost of bananas by 8% > > LUTNICK: If you build in America, there is no tariff > > DEAN: We cannot build bananas in America ---
**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:** [June 6, 2025, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1009 "2025-06-06T03:18:23Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Real testimony to Congress by Trump’s Secretary of Commerce Here’s a YouTube link. The bananas question comes at about the 4:30 mark. Link [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Td2Bib2qZo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Td2Bib2qZo) ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1010 "2025-06-06T03:54:57Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Real testimony to Congress by Trump’s Secretary of Commerce: I’ll correct that for you: Trump’s Dipshit of Commerce. Lutnick is a moron. I assume he barely got the bachelor’s degree he holds. ---
**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 6, 2025, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1011 "2025-06-06T06:33:53Z")
I get the whole “build” thing, but can’t bananas be grown in America? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1012 "2025-06-06T07:27:01Z")
Likely there are a few places in the US that can grow bananas, but I’d guess that there aren’t many. Probably not enough to satisfy Americans’ demand for them, anyway, and such bananas might not be at a reasonable price. Better for the US to concentrate on what it does well (oranges, grapes, etc.), and just buy an adequate supply of bananas from where they do grow well, and enough of them that prices can be kept as low as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1013 "2025-06-06T09:09:26Z")
Sounds like commie talk. We all know that trade is inherently about one side exploiting the other, and in this case it’s the opulent supereconomy of [checks notes] Ecuador. We need to make america great again by being the ones toiling in fields to give _them_ delicious fruit, see how they like it! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1014 "2025-06-06T09:28:29Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I get the whole “build” thing, but can’t bananas be grown in America? Short answer is “no”, we do not have the correct climate despite covering so much real estate. Slightly longer answer: there are a few, very few areas where it is possible in theory to grow a banana tree. Puerto Rico, I think, might be suitable, or the Florida Keys, and some of Hawaii. Some hardy varieties of banana grow slightly further north but they are not the commercial varieties and I don’t know if consumers would accept them. Growing them some place like Florida is impractical due to the frequency of hurricanes which would easily wipe out any planting of bananas. Even so, I don’t think there is enough fertile real estate meeting banana requirements to come anywhere near meeting normal US demand for bananas. We have similar issues with coffee (some is grown in Hawaii) and chocolate (again, a small amount is grown in Hawaii). Technically possible, but commercially not really. OK, you can buy Hawaiian coffee in stores. 100% Kona coffee is grown in the “Kona strip”, which is an area of land 1 mile wide and 30 miles long (1.6 km by 48 km) which is not a hell of a lot of land. There are some other bits of land in Hawaii that grow coffee, but again, we don’t have nearly enough of it to supply the entire US demand, and Hawaiian coffee isn’t the cheapest. Contrary to rumor, not all of the Hawaiian islands are lush, tropical paradise. Hawaii contains actual desert areas and areas with insufficient rainfall or humidity for bananas. Some parts (mountain tops) even get snow. Americans want cheap bananas to put in their kid’s lunches (assuming anyone packs bag lunches for kids anymore). They don’t want an expensive fruit in short supply. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1015 "2025-06-06T09:32:43Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Puerto Rico, I think, might be suitable My understanding is that the amount of bananas grown in Puerto Rico is sufficient to meet the demand for bananas in…Puerto Rico. Hawaii does also produce bananas but it’s a fraction of 1% of the demand. America imports literally billions of bananas each year. Even in the most generous estimates, America doesn’t have the land to produce anywhere near that. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1016 "2025-06-06T11:08:26Z")
Maybe instead of 30 bananas for Christmas, kids can do with just one or two. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1017 "2025-06-06T14:10:47Z")
So we’re a Banana Republic without a lot of bananas? ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1018 "2025-06-06T14:11:24Z")
Yes, we have no bananas. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1019 "2025-06-06T14:22:21Z")
My back neighbor (St. Louis area) has banana trees around his pool. I doubt they actually grow bananas. He also owns a Cybertruck. I don’t know if those things are connected. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1020 "2025-06-06T14:31:13Z")
People, it’s obvious that Climate Change/Global Warming is a conspiracy by Big Banana to develop areas of the USA for optimal conditions for growing American Bananas…I mean, it’s so obvious… Press on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678.md?page=50) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678.md?page=52)