# Repubs have formed an openly racist caucus **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 17, 2021, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207 "2021-04-17T12:56:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/61 "2021-04-17T15:17:30Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Do you think that the number of jobs being “taken away” by these immigrants constitutes a problem? Because that is how policy is discussed, by looking at the pro’s and con’s, and not thinking in terms of “ALL” or “ONE” Well, that’s just it: I want _legal_ immigration policy to be built around us doing our level best to discern whether “THIS” would-be immigrant would be more of a benefit than a problem, so we can let them in if so — and, if we figure “THAT” would-be immigrant would be more of a problem, so we can sensibly turn them away. And if they try to sidestep that process by coming in illegally, well, then, they’ve sidestepped our chosen method for evaluating whether we figure they’ll be more of a problem or more of a benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/62 "2021-04-17T15:19:57Z")
This doesn’t even make any sense historically, since England was hardly Anglo-Saxon by the time English settlers came to America. They were a mutt race of Celtic, Norman French, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse peoples. And that was 500 years ago. The government of England certainly didn’t descend from “uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions” - we don’t really have a Witan selecting our kings anymore… This is just another anti-immigrant nationalist party. We’ve had them since we’ve been a nation. All that changes is what group of immigrants they decide to hate. Hell, Gosar is a third-generation Slovenian immigrant with Basque ancestors on the other side. ---
**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:** [April 17, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/63 "2021-04-17T15:20:55Z")
That reasoning can be used as a fig leaf to cover supporting truly horrible people. For example, if a politician were to say: "We must make America Great Again by deporting all of those fucking N$%^# and %^&$, (insert racial epithets), I guess you could say, “Well, I really agree with making America great. I disagree with some of what he says, but hey, I like that first part so…” In this instance, you are trying to ignore the chunks of white supremacist shit in the sundae. Actually, it’s more like you’re picking bits of ice cream out of the pile of white supremacist shit. The sundae is tainted. It’s been contaminated with shit. Don’t eat it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/64 "2021-04-17T15:22:24Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > As “legal” immigrants we really aren’t interested in the types of people we need - people like migrant farm workers. The America First crowd is carving out a place for “good” immigrants - the educated. But America is one of the most educated places on the planet…we have plenty of people who are educated. What we don’t have is a lot of people willing to pick fruit or clean bathrooms. That’s been proven over and over again - “we” don’t want those jobs, someone needs to do those jobs, and then we demonize the people doing those jobs. > > America isn’t the only place to have this problem, by the way. Its part of the problem with Brexit - many service workers in London were not British…despite there being a lot of British in need of jobs. And Germany’s Turkish worker problem is big as well. > > Nations historically don’t REALLY want educated immigrants, because we really want immigrants who will do our shit work for little pay - leaving both good jobs and welfare benefits for “those that deserve it” - i.e. native born citizens, preferably with a few generations under their belts, that look like us. So let’s _have that debate_, as a country, and write into law whatever immigration policy we decide would be best for the United States — and revisit it from time to time, changing it as our evaluation changes. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/65 "2021-04-17T15:24:31Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > “Well, I really agree with making America great. I disagree with some of what he says, but hey, I like that first part so…” It’s the whole “Hitler went too far but he did make the trains run on time” thing. “I disagree with some of the Democratic Party’s platform and I agree with some of the Fascist Authoritarian White Supremacist Party’s platform so 🤷‍♂️ both sides. I’m just a simple independent free-thinker, after all.” ---
**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:** [April 17, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/66 "2021-04-17T15:24:37Z")
Why the assumption that, back in the 50s, The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper would have been one of the ones sitting back and letting the KKK go ahead? That’s completely unjustified. He’s said right here in this very thread that he supports racist policy, because he thinks it’s just sensible. Based on that, the only reasonable conclusion is that he wouldn’t have just been sitting back. And no, you don’t support legal immigration. If you did, you’d be voting for the party that is trying to make legal immigration possible. We could end illegal immigration entirely, but it’s only the Democrats who ever try to do so. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/67 "2021-04-17T15:25:21Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > That reasoning can be used as a fig leaf to cover supporting truly horrible people. > > For example, if a politician were to say: "We must make America Great Again by deporting all of those fucking N$%^# and %^&$, (insert racial epithets), I guess you could say, “Well, I really agree with making America great. I disagree with some of what he says, but hey, I like that first part so…” > > In this instance, you are trying to ignore the chunks of white supremacist shit in the sundae. Actually, it’s more like you’re picking bits of ice cream out of the pile of white supremacist shit. > > The sundae is tainted. It’s been contaminated with shit. Don’t eat it. Fair enough; and if one of them is running against a Democrat who’s offering me a non-shit sundae, then I’ll vote accordingly. But if I see a Democrat throw in a piece of shit — or two pieces of shit, or three — then I’m going to compare and contrast; I can’t _not_ compare and contrast. ---
**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:** [April 17, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/68 "2021-04-17T15:25:40Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > So let’s _have that debate_ , as a country, and write into law whatever immigration policy we decide would be best for the United States — and revisit it from time to time, changing it as our evaluation changes. Sure, that’s an excellent idea. But then don’t defend the asshats that talk about immigration with terms like “supporting anglo saxon culture” and other white supremacist garbage. Don’t take the words of white supramacist asshats, and massage them around to make them more palatable. Have a good policy discussion about immigration with reasonable people, and cast these despicable people to one side. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/69 "2021-04-17T15:27:02Z")
> History has shown that societal trust and political unity are threatened when foreign citizens are imported _en-masse_ into a country, particularly without institutional support for assimilation They oppose the importation of slaves. How is that a bad thing? Time to party like it’s 1808. ---
**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:** [April 17, 2021, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/70 "2021-04-17T15:27:23Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > — then I’m going to compare and contrast; I can’t _not_ compare and contrast. It seems you might be saying that white supremacist shit is not all that bad in comparison, so “meh”. I might not have that right. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/71 "2021-04-17T15:29:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > He’s said right here in this very thread that he supports racist policy, because he thinks it’s just sensible. I don’t believe I’ve said that. > [@](#): > > And no, you don’t support legal immigration. If you did, you’d be voting for the party that is trying to make legal immigration possible. So instead of asking whether I voted for Democrats, you just — put that little _no-you-don’t_ out there, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/72 "2021-04-17T15:31:54Z")
Can anyone think of any “uniquely Anglo-Saxon political tradition” that still exists? I mentioned the Witan. They also had wergeld as a price for criminal activity. They had pretty strong protections of kingly lands. Slavery and serfdom were a thing. Worship of the Germanic gods? Paying the Danegeld? I’d say there is almost nothing from the Anglo-Saxon culture that still exists in a meaningful sense, certainly not politically. Why didn’t they just say “Western European”? At least that would have made sense. Worried folks would have thought they meant the French, God forbid? ---
**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:** [April 17, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/73 "2021-04-17T15:34:45Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Why didn’t they just say “Western European”? At least that would have made sense. Worried folks would have thought they meant the French, God forbid? It’s a dog - whistle for “white people”. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/74 "2021-04-17T15:39:51Z")
If it doesn’t harm others, people can believe what they want to a degree. This is more reminiscent of yahoos drinking large quantities of milk in public. (We have lactase!?). Since America is becoming ever less homogeneous it is not a smart or viable long-term strategy. It will look very dated and sad from a future perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/75 "2021-04-17T15:50:18Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > I’d say there is almost nothing from the Anglo-Saxon culture that still exists in a meaningful sense, certainly not politically. Do you think historical accuracy is important to them? In any case, “Anglo-Saxon” has long been used as an ethnic term in the United States that has nothing to do with the political history of Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/76 "2021-04-17T15:52:55Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > If it doesn’t harm others, people can believe what they want to a degree. That in no way describes this group and the morally/ethically handicapped assholes that support them. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/77 "2021-04-17T15:53:43Z")
[ETA: quoted by Meltdown, not said or agreed with by Meltdown] > [@Meltdown](#): > > a common respect for uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions. What political traditions, other than bragging on “Anglo-Saxons”, are uniquely Anglo-Saxon? > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Ask me about a white-supremacist assertion that’s _not_ mundane-sounding and see if _it_ concerns me. It concerns me when white supremacy is perceived as “mundane”. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > ::shrugs:: Every time I’ve gone to vote, one candidate has said some stuff I agree with and some I disagree with, and the other candidate has — done likewise; I don’t recall ever seeing a party platform that I could 100% agree with, there’s always a clause here and a clause there or whatever. If you think that makes me an apologist for _both_ sides, so be it. I’ve never seen a candidate – or anybody else – who I agree with 100% either. But between a candidate who I think will encourage or at least not discourage consolidation of crop seed production, and a candidate who’s encouraging people who want to murder or at least exile me and a lot of my loved ones, I don’t have too much trouble making a distinction. There is not shit in both sundaes. There’s a couple of anchovies in one of them (I hate anchovies) and a shitload of pure poison in the other one. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > A would-be _legal_ immigrant would (a) acquire citizenship via a path involving assorted institutional processes — you know, with testing and safeguards and et cetera, in hopes that they‘ok make the case that they’ll contribute positively to the country Do you favor the existence of such a path, without a ten or twenty year waiting list to get on it? > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > If it doesn’t harm others, people can believe what they want to a degree. Do you seriously think that racism doesn’t harm others? > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > This is more reminiscent of yahoos drinking large quantities of milk in public. Say _what_? > [@Drsunflower1](#): > > i had to fight off my kitten who was jumping me with claws extended. Kittens! We can all come together about kittens! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/78 "2021-04-17T16:00:00Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > > > Ask me about a white-supremacist assertion that’s _not_ mundane-sounding and see if _it_ concerns me. > > It concerns me when white supremacy is perceived as “mundane”. I didn’t introduce the word “mundane”. > [@](#): > > There is not shit in both sundaes. There’s a couple of anchovies in one of them (I hate anchovies) and a shitload of pure poison in the other one. Hey, next time there’s an election, I’ll tally up the sundaes — and if it shakes out like you say, then you and I may well be in agreement. > [@](#): > > Do you favor the existence of such a path, without a ten or twenty year waiting list to get on it? Of course! If they can benefit us, then I want them to be able to make that case. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/79 "2021-04-17T16:07:25Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Hey, next time there’s an election, I’ll tally up the sundaes — and if it shakes out like you say, then you and I may well be in agreement. You didn’t seem to be able to tell the difference between shit and sundae the last election, and I see little sign of you developing taste buds since then. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207/80 "2021-04-17T16:10:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > > > Hey, next time there’s an election, I’ll tally up the sundaes — and if it shakes out like you say, then you and I may well be in agreement. > > You didn’t seem to be able to tell the difference between shit and sundae the last election, and I see little sign of you developing taste buds since then. Interesting. So you’re not going to ask how I voted in the last election; you’re just going to make a claim? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repubs-have-formed-an-openly-racist-caucus/940207.md?page=5)