# 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:** 62
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1221 "2025-07-13T20:20:22Z")
Color me skeptical that the Epstein thing will be the thing that cracks MAGA down the middle and pulls the rug (at least somewhat) out from under Trump. Mind you, I’m totally OK at being wrong on that, I just doubt that that is “the thing”. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1222 "2025-07-13T20:28:00Z")
Yeah, I’ve lost count of “this is the thing that’s going to end Trump’s support” that we’ve seen, going back years ago to “McCain’s not a war hero” and “grab 'em by the pussy”. Still, it’s enjoyable to watch. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1223 "2025-07-13T20:31:08Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > > [@Sherrerd](#): > > > > As the Epstein explosion shows no signs of damping down, Donald will be looking for a scapegoat. > > Then he could just have Epstein killed again. Nah, that won’t work. Epstein’s mom would write him a note. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1224 "2025-07-13T20:33:53Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Yeah, I’ve lost count of “this is the thing that’s going to end Trump’s support” that we’ve seen, going back years ago to “McCain’s not a war hero” and “grab 'em by the pussy”. Still, it’s enjoyable to watch. Oh yeah, it’s enjoyable to watch. It’s been enjoyable to watch all the Leopards feasting and the Trump - FAFO memes too. Will it affect the mid-terms? I hope so, but it’s not something I’m going to bet on. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1225 "2025-07-13T20:38:42Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Wilson’s take is the Epstein debacle is a huge deal in the MAGA world and unprecedented in its divisiveness. This may have mattered a little _before_ Trump got elected again. (Dear Lincoln Project, Trump got elected again. Factually, bobot.) ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1226 "2025-07-13T20:48:41Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Wilson’s take is the Epstein debacle is a huge deal in the MAGA world and unprecedented in its divisiveness. There’s a recent video out there of Alex Jones crying about Trump’s betrayal. I saw that the other day and got a nice dose of schadenfreude but honestly, I thought Trump was toast after he dissed a gold star family and then again at least a half-dozen times after that in the past decade. We’re in Lucy and the football territory and I’ll believe it when it actually happens. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1227 "2025-07-13T20:52:50Z")
[![](https://crippledscholar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15111106_10154510449195733_7100512809205767734_o.jpg?w=640) ](https://crippledscholar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15111106_10154510449195733_7100512809205767734_o.jpg?w=640) > [@DesertDog](#): > > We’re in Lucy and the football territory and I’ll believe it when it actually happens. Maybe Peter can help: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZahNTpd-0_w/maxresdefault.jpg "Peter Griffin Beats Up Lucy van Pelt") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZahNTpd-0_w) ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1228 "2025-07-13T20:59:10Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I saw that the other day and got a nice dose of schadenfreude but honestly, I thought Trump was toast after he dissed a gold star family and then again at least a half-dozen times after that in the past decade. > > We’re in Lucy and the football territory and I’ll believe it when it actually happens. Here’s what makes the Epstein issue different: > **[Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/ronfilipkowski.bsky.social/post/3ltumtgyr622g)** > > Just checked back in with his post on Epstein. I’ve been on Truth Social since day 1 and never seen anything like this. 40K replies, 99% negative towards Trump. The comments are just brutal. This isn’t going away. It’s not just 99% negative—something that has NEVER happened before. It’s that the 99% negative is being reinforced in MAGA wherever they turn: [![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Uac1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf3c650c-5ed6-4401-ae96-5c894016d9c6_604x507.png) ](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Uac1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf3c650c-5ed6-4401-ae96-5c894016d9c6_604x507.png) [![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vYay!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F51b2ad7e-3874-4daf-b6ed-90f6c3a95b32_502x546.png) ](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vYay!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F51b2ad7e-3874-4daf-b6ed-90f6c3a95b32_502x546.png) (This post may be over-loaded with graphics for Discourse…I’ll move some to another post.) ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1229 "2025-07-13T20:59:17Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > We’re in Lucy and the football territory and I’ll believe it when it actually happens. Trump is the Teflon Don[ald], but I’m also enjoying the schadenfreude: But Trump _promised_ us the Epstein files! Waaaahhh! ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1230 "2025-07-13T21:03:10Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > > [@dasmoocher](#): > > > > What’s the distraction(s) going to be this time? > > Well, there’s always the ever-popular tariff thingie. Announcing one week that you’re going to impose fifty percent tariffs on a country only to reverse course the following week or the following month is not establishing any sort of rational policy. He claimed at one point that his goal with the tariffs was to encourage domestic production but that doesn’t work without consistent tariff rates over time. Who is going to invest in a domestic factory and all the associated costs if the tariff rates change with the phases of the moon? ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1231 "2025-07-13T21:03:26Z")
The graphics of right-wing reaction (in my last post) are all over, and that’s simply never happened before. Every Trump scandal up until now has been a scandal for the left and the moderates, and a delight to the right. This is different. We’re all used to the assumption that Trump IS Teflon. But maybe we are wrong. (An article by conservative Never-Trumper Charlie Sykes compiles even more right-wing reaction: > **[The Master of Distraction Fails to Distract](https://charliesykes.substack.com/p/the-master-of-distraction-fails-to?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fffdc9f0b-7ab0-4d93-aa3a-e55ba424147c_1206x1287.jpeg&open=false)** > > Trump's epic Epstein fumble ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1232 "2025-07-13T21:03:41Z")
Everything I’ve read on X (god, I almost wish I was on X when reading Twitter. Or some other strong drug) has the people blaming Bondi and company, but the blame stops before reaching Trump. To them, he’s still completely innocent, and everyone else is corrupted. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1233 "2025-07-13T21:05:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > He claimed at one point that his goal with the tariffs was to encourage domestic production but that doesn’t work without consistent tariff rates over time. Who is going to invest in a domestic factory and all the associated costs if the tariff rates change with the phases of the moon? And then he gives special exceptions to certain products (cell phones, I think, may have been one), which completely, entirely, 100% undercuts the whole point of what he claimed to be doing. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1234 "2025-07-13T21:07:16Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Who is going to invest in a domestic factory and all the associated costs if the tariff rates change with the phases of the moon? No one, which puts the lie to the rationale Donald and his mouthpieces have been trying to sell. (WHY don’t media figures task them with this obvious fakery? Instead, they let them bloviate on about Encouraging American whatever, with no pushback.) Donald loves tariffs because they allow him to exact tribute. Tribute in the forms of flattery and cash—his favorites. An endless stream of servile supplicants entering the Oval Office is his idea of heaven. He could not possibly care less what effect his tariff game has on the US economy. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1235 "2025-07-13T21:11:09Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Announcing one week that you’re going to impose fifty percent tariffs on a country only to reverse course the following week or the following month is not establishing any sort of rational policy. No, but it does create a distraction every time you reverse course. Which was my point. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1236 "2025-07-13T21:11:25Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Everything I’ve read on X (god, I almost wish I was on X when reading Twitter. Or some other strong drug) has the people blaming Bondi and company, but the blame stops before reaching Trump. To them, he’s still completely innocent, and everyone else is corrupted. Maybe for many of them. What people are reporting about the goings-on at TruthSocial sounds as though a lot of them ARE willing to blame Donald, though. (I hear that whoever punches the buttons over at TruthSocial is “solving” Donald’s being ratioed by simply deleting negative comments en masse. But that leaves a lot of TruthSocial users who are aware that their comments were disappeared.) ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1237 "2025-07-13T21:15:27Z")
[The New York Times reports](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/13/world/europe/trump-tariffs-trade-europe-us.html) (paywall) that countries outside the U.S. are establishing trading blocs that exclude it. The E.U., for instance, is deepening its ties to Canada, Indonesia, Britain and other countries. Trump likes to think that the U.S. economy is too important for other countries to ignore but I think we’re all going to learn that he’s mistaken. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1238 "2025-07-13T21:17:07Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > No, but it does create a distraction every time you reverse course. It’s the laser pointer gambit. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xUwNAsK0EDI/maxresdefault.jpg "Cat Vs Laser Pointer - My Funny Mon Cat Chases Laser Pointer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUwNAsK0EDI) ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1239 "2025-07-13T21:18:17Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Trump likes to think that the U.S. economy is too important for other countries to ignore but I think we’re all going to learn that he’s mistaken. A very safe bet. (And, again: Donald doesn’t care. He’ll just go on saying ‘I’VE MADE THE USA THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH’ and won’t be bothered by the increasingly third-world reality.) ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1240 "2025-07-13T21:20:14Z")
Plus, given his advanced age, he’s not going to live long enough to see the long-term negative results of his policies and flip-flopping. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678.md?page=61) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678.md?page=63)