# 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:** 224
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4461 "2016-02-10T02:04:12Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Because a 9% increase in spending is a very dumb liberal idea. Are you even listening to yourself? ---
**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:** [February 10, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4462 "2016-02-10T02:05:57Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Accordingly, IMO the cutoff should be when the removed fetus is capable of breathing on its own. AFAIK, that’s after five months, since the youngest surviving premie was 21 weeks, and was respirated and fed artificially. > > ETA: Right-to-Lifers, suppose there WAS technology that allowed aborted fetuses to survive, no matter how young. Would you be willing to pay more taxes to pay for this very expensive treatment? It would probably come to billions a year in the US alone. > > And then what happens to them after they’re out of danger? [This.](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/d0/d2/5a/d0d25a3c36a276d433078c4a4885e791.jpg) ---
**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:** [February 10, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4463 "2016-02-10T03:39:43Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Because a 9% increase in spending is a very dumb liberal idea. Once again: _What is the title of this thread?_ Are you talking about something a particularly stupid idea or action said or done by a liberal today or recently? If you are confused as to how this should work, go take a looksee at the “Stupid Republican Idea Of The Day” thread, and read a few thousand of the entries. What you won’t find is anything as mindnumbingly mundane as “This Republican proposed a higher budget than that Democrat!!” If you can’t step up to the plate, go sit on the bench. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4464 "2016-02-10T04:16:56Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Once again: _What is the title of this thread?_ > Are you talking about something a particularly stupid idea or action said or done by a liberal today or recently? If you are confused as to how this should work, go take a looksee at the “Stupid Republican Idea Of The Day” thread, and read a few thousand of the entries. What you won’t find is anything as mindnumbingly mundane as “This Republican proposed a higher budget than that Democrat!!” > If you can’t step up to the plate, go sit on the bench. Does it even matter what budget the president proposes? The Republicans aren’t going to read it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4465 "2016-02-10T14:32:55Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Only if you assume that a political compromise someone is willing to accept (or even propose in the first place) somehow must align perfectly with their ideal moral solution. Did people who claimed they wanted single payer health care but voted for Obamacare because it was the best compromise feasibly reachable reveal themselves as hypocrites? Most issues, such as that one, are hardly comparable to abortion. For most on both sides of the abortion issue, it is a clear-cut ethical decision with little room for compromise. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4466 "2016-02-10T14:36:36Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > A lot of Americans, myself included, think it depends on the development of the fetus. Ending the division of a glob of cells is not murder. Ending the life of something that is basically just a smaller version of a baby is. I’m fine with first trimester abortions but after that I think it should be restricted. But that’s just about timing. This is about exceptions based on the status of the fetus, i.e. how it was conceived, etc. > [@](#): > > As for a woman’s body, I think we should all agree that at the point of viability the baby can be removed alive. Women have a right to evict unwanted babies from their bodies, but they do not have the right to see it killed after it’s gone. Once it’s gone, it’s none of their business to put it bluntly. So does that apply in all situations, or do women have a special right to “evict” babies after viability if the fetus is a product of rape, for instance? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4467 "2016-02-10T15:28:27Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > President Obama’s budget is a 9% spending hike over last year’s actual spending: > > [http://news.yahoo.com/obama-release-4-trillion-plus-091803268.html;\_ylt=A0LEV0xgYrpWkLAAUqdXNyoA;\_ylu=X3oDMTEyNW84ODh0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjE1NjNfMQRzZWMDc2M-#](http://news.yahoo.com/obama-release-4-trillion-plus-091803268.html;_ylt=A0LEV0xgYrpWkLAAUqdXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyNW84ODh0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjE1NjNfMQRzZWMDc2M-#) > > Last years’ numbers: > > [2015 United States federal budget - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_United_States_federal_budget) Since the GOP turned it down [before it was even published](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/us/politics/congressional-republicans-balk-at-obamas-budget-sight-unseen.html), I don’t think you get to complain about it. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4468 "2016-02-11T01:03:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Why did you post that in this thread instead of somewhere in MPSIMS? I think he’s just trying to bring the thread back to its roots. After all, if **Clothy** had titled it accurately from the beginning, this would be known as the “Latest Thing a Liberal/Democrat Did That I Don’t Care For” thread. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4469 "2016-02-11T04:18:04Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Since the GOP turned it down [before it was even published](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/us/politics/congressional-republicans-balk-at-obamas-budget-sight-unseen.html), I don’t think you get to complain about it. A 9% increase should be turned down before publication. It’s an insane number. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4470 "2016-02-11T04:27:08Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > A 9% increase should be turned down before publication. It’s an insane number. Oh, please. If the increase was for defense / homeland security, and proposed by someone from their side of the aisle, Congressional Republicans would be lining up to fellate the president before reading it. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4471 "2016-02-11T04:29:55Z")
A 9% increase in overall spending, if it was just for defense, would be a 35% increase in defense spending. That budget would never pass because enough Republicans would defect. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4472 "2016-02-11T04:44:30Z")
Last year, spending rose by 3%(Obama wanted three times that), while revenues rose by 6%, putting us on a nice path back to balance: > **[U.S. Budget Deficit Falls to Lowest Level Since August 2008](https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/u-s-budget-deficit-falls-to-lowest-level-since-august-2008)** > > The U.S. ran a budget surplus in January, dropping the annual deficit to its lowest level since August 2008, the Treasury Department said Wednesday. Obama’s budget also increases the deficit higher than it was this year. So again, a really insane budget. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2016, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4473 "2016-02-11T05:40:08Z")
_Boooooring._ edited to add: What next, a report about how Obama forgot to brush his teeth after lunch? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4474 "2016-02-11T06:07:13Z")
Stupid liberal idea: irresponsible budgets are boring. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4475 "2016-02-11T14:01:48Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > A 9% increase should be turned down before publication. It’s an insane number. And you’re basing this assessment on comparisons to previous spending hikes, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4476 "2016-02-11T14:37:20Z")
And sustainability. Revenues grew by 6% last year. So a spending increase of more than 6% is irresponsible. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4477 "2016-02-11T14:38:43Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > And sustainability. Revenues grew by 6% last year. So a spending increase of more than 6% is irresponsible. Would that mean a spending increase of 6% would be responsible? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4478 "2016-02-11T14:47:46Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > A 9% increase should be turned down before publication. It’s an insane number. It’s was also an imaginary number at the time it was turned down. The GOP didn’t reject it after hearing a precis or something. They rejected it before they knew anything about it, including the 9% figure. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4479 "2016-02-11T14:50:09Z")
Thinking that a Presidential budget proposal would ever be passed by Congress _in toto_, or that it’s _ever_ anything but a starting point for negotiation, is definitely a stupid idea. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4480 "2016-02-11T17:24:11Z")
Given that between 1960 and 2008, federal government outlays increased an average of 7.5% a year, and that between 2008 and 2015 the federal outlays only increased an average of 2.6% [(see table 1.1)](https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals) , and are showing the signs of the extended sequestration, maybe its time to ease off a little [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=223) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=225)