# Stupid liberal idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 20, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086 "2011-04-20T15:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 198
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3941 "2015-10-06T01:56:10Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Obviously, you’re not familiar with Starving Artist. The man thinks Leave It To Beaver was the ideal world… Hardly. I was in my teens during most of **LITB’s** run and was well aware it had very little in common with the real world. It’s mostly victims of history revisionism such as yourself who seem to think it was a documentary. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3942 "2015-10-06T02:04:14Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > No, my brain wouldn’t explode. I’d simply peg you as an outlier. Not every liberal acts like every other liberal and not every conservative acts like every other conservative. But the fact remains that it’s been the left in the main who embraced drugs to begin with, Full stop, we already found that you continue to think that the counterculture = all other liberal movements. Or that all liberals supported them, as digs and many others showed not every liberal acted like that and you only are just **[nut picking](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nutpicking)**. You are indeed deluded. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3943 "2015-10-06T02:05:06Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Obviously, you’re not familiar with Starving Artist… who can make a gun out of a paper to— umm, nevermind ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3944 "2015-10-06T02:06:38Z")
And then she said “Ward, you were pretty hard on the beaver last night”. It was _straight_ to Hell from there. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3945 "2015-10-06T02:29:01Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Full stop, we already found that you continue to think that the counterculture = all other liberal movements. Nope. The counterculture revolution was the catalyst. All the other societal ills we’re plagued with currently grew out of it. I’ve often suspected many of the counterculture crowd would have bailed from the movement themselves if they’d had a crystal ball to see what the eventual outcome would be. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3946 "2015-10-06T02:39:18Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Nope. The counterculture revolution was the catalyst. All the other societal ills we’re plagued with currently grew out of it. I’ve often suspected many of the counterculture crowd would have bailed from the movement themselves if they’d had a crystal ball to see what the eventual outcome would be. And this answer also shows that you are only a wilful ignorant, we already showed evidence that the counterculture died in the 70’s and most liberals did not follow them. And as usual you ignore that many conservatives are convinced that the war on drugs was a big mistake and curiously many democratic administrations showed that they were more draconian against drugs. > **[The Right & the Drug War](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-right-the-drug-war/)** > > Conservatives are the last prohibitionists, but that’s changing. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3947 "2015-10-06T02:41:29Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Nope. The counterculture revolution was the catalyst. All the other societal ills we’re plagued with currently grew out of it. That doesn’t include fucking in the mud, does it? For the love of god man, leave us our fucking in the mud! ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3948 "2015-10-06T04:20:40Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Already done – you’re incorrect because the lawsuits against car companies you describe are entirely legal. Sigh. Nobody, including me, said they weren’t. What I did say - for the benefit of those who are severely challenged in reading comprehension - is that they are a monumentally stupid idea. And Hillary’s advocating it is a monumentally stupid idea. Now, do I need to type that any s-l-o-w-e-r so you can follow that thought? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3949 "2015-10-06T05:13:19Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Nope. The counterculture revolution was the catalyst. All the other societal ills we’re plagued with currently grew out of it. Who even uses a phrase like “The Counterculture Revolution” with a straight face? I’m picturing an episode of Route 66 where the “square” with the tweed jacket and pipe (not an artist, and certainly not starving) is pontificating about “Young People Of Today” while a beatnik with bongos and a bad acid trip shouts a poem about “The Running-Dog Lackeys of Capitalism, maaaan…”. ETA: Guess I’m just one of those liberals “who treat drug use as cool and inside and people who don’t as uptight squares who are out of it” (More lingo from SA, to prove he’s “with it, Daddy-o”) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3950 "2015-10-06T05:56:51Z")
Copacetic cat with reet pleat and a drape shape! Boodly-acky-sacky, want some _sea_food, Mama! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3951 "2015-10-06T09:23:35Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Sigh. Nobody, including me, said they weren’t. What I did say - for the benefit of those who are severely challenged in reading comprehension - is that they are a monumentally stupid idea. And Hillary’s advocating it is a monumentally stupid idea. > > Now, do I need to type that any s-l-o-w-e-r so you can follow that thought? She’s advocating that gun companies not have special protection. Why do you think they are delicate flowers who need special government protection? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3952 "2015-10-06T09:30:03Z")
Aww, the poor widdle gun companies can’t stand on their own two feet and need government pwotection from the mean big bad America people… those poor widdle delicate flowers. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3953 "2015-10-06T10:28:51Z")
What happened to conservatives? Who would have ever thought they would advocate for special types of government protection only for certain types of companies? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3954 "2015-10-06T11:30:18Z")
I don’t think gun companies should get special protection, but first I’d have to know exactly what we’re talking about here. Is it actually special protection, or is it “special tax breaks” like oil companies supposedly get but are actually just regular old tax breaks that Democrats think they don’t deserve? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3955 "2015-10-06T11:34:20Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I don’t think gun companies should get special protection, but first I’d have to know exactly what we’re talking about here. Is it actually special protection, or is it “special tax breaks” like oil companies supposedly get but are actually just regular old tax breaks that Democrats think they don’t deserve? It’s actual special protection just for gun companies. Links here (copy and paste – for some reason the link button isn’t working for me): > **[Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protection_of_Lawful_Commerce_in_Arms_Act)** > > The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) is a U.S law, passed in 2005, that protects firearms manufacturers and dealers from being held liable when crimes have been committed with their products. Both arms manufacturers and dealers can still be held liable for damages resulting from defective products, breach of contract, criminal misconduct, and other actions for which they are directly responsible. However, they may be held liable for negligent entrustment if it is found that they ... > **[Gun Industry Immunity](https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-laws/policy-areas/other-laws-policies/gun-industry-immunity/)** > > Universal background checks save lives from gun violence. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3956 "2015-10-06T11:36:21Z")
That law ought to be perfect for this thread – the government getting involved when totally unnecessary to provide special legal protection for a valued special interest. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3957 "2015-10-06T11:50:42Z")
Ehhhhh, it looks like the judicial branch was interpreting existing law in an unintended way. What those lawsuits seemed to be saying is that if a gun is used in a murder, then the gun company is at fault. The end result would be that gun manufacturers would have to go out of business or at least exit the civilian market entirely. The law is narrowly tailored to only protect gun companies from activist judges that would basically make sales of guns to civilians illegal. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3958 "2015-10-06T11:56:15Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Ehhhhh, it looks like the judicial branch was interpreting existing law in an unintended way. What those lawsuits seemed to be saying is that if a gun is used in a murder, then the gun company is at fault. The end result would be that gun manufacturers would have to go out of business or at least exit the civilian market entirely. > > The law is narrowly tailored to only protect gun companies from activist judges that would basically make sales of guns to civilians illegal. This law is only 10 years old. If such lawsuits were going to put gun companies out of business, then why hadn’t they in the 20th century? Allowing the lawsuits to proceed doesn’t mean that the plaintiff is guaranteed to win. It just means that gun companies are treated like any other companies – and why shouldn’t they be? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3959 "2015-10-06T11:57:04Z")
I’d note that a few years before, Eli Lilly had received special protection from autism lawsuits. For good reason. > **[A Capitol Hill Mystery: Who Aided Drug Maker? (Published 2002)](https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/29/us/a-capitol-hill-mystery-who-aided-drug-maker.html)** > > Nobody in Congress or Bush administration will admit to being author of new domestic security law rider that protects Eli Lilly & Co from suits over vaccine preservative thimerosal; provision forces suits into special 'vaccine court'; could... ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3960 "2015-10-06T11:58:09Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > This law is only 10 years old. If such lawsuits were going to put gun companies out of business, then why hadn’t they in the 20th century? Allowing the lawsuits to proceed doesn’t mean that the plaintiff is guaranteed to win. It just means that gun companies are treated like any other companies – and why shouldn’t they be? Because like the tobacco lawsuits in the 90s, it hadn’t been attempted successfully. Once the precedent is established that gun makers can be sued for the failings of individual gun owners(and police and the military for that matter), then you’ve banned guns through the backdoor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=197) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=199)