# Stupid Republican idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897 "2009-03-26T18:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1107
**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:** [June 10, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22122 "2015-06-10T01:05:41Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > (Wisconsin) [GOP lawmakers seek support for killing state’s watchdog bureau](http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/gop-lawmakers-seek-support-for-killing-state-s-watchdog-bureau/article_9b5a9a3b-aae9-5242-9666-2e475c900332.html) _Hey, there’s a pimple on my nose! **Destroy this mirror**!_ ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22123 "2015-06-10T01:42:03Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Don Rumsfeld throws Dubya [under the bus for Iraq](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/09/rumsfeld-unrealistic-for-bush-to-pursue-democracy-in-iraq/?intcmp=latestnews):Now, that is what many people were thinking, but you don’t have to be a cynic to imagine Rumsfeld is just being a self-serving ass. > > So where is the stupid idea? After making his argument against nation building in Iraq, he takes a parting shot at Obama, just because:Which is exactly what he said wouldn’t work in Iraq! Well, that just shows that Rumsfeld’s thinking is unknowing unknowable. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22124 "2015-06-10T03:45:05Z")
Jeb Bush wanted to make unwed mothers publish their sexual history in a newspaper. This was a few years ago but this article about it came out today. > **[Jeb Bush: Unwed Mothers Should Be Publicly Shamed](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jeb-bush-1995-book_n_7542964?1433860308=)** > > Jeb Bush: Unwed Mothers Should Be Publicly Shamed > [@](#): > > Bush points to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter, in which the main character is forced to wear a large red “A” for “adulterer” on her clothes to punish her for having an extramarital affair that produced a child, as an early model for his worldview. "Infamous shotgun weddings and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter are reminders that public condemnation of irresponsible sexual behavior has strong historical roots,” Bush wrote. > > As governor of Florida in 2001, Bush had the opportunity to test his theory on public shaming. He declined to veto a very controversial bill that required single mothers who did not know the identity of the father to publish their sexual histories in a newspaper before they could legally put their babies up for adoption. He later signed a repeal of the so-called “Scarlet Letter” law in 2003 after it was successfully challenged in court. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22125 "2015-06-10T04:17:47Z")
Yeesh. I had not heard that one before but it does not surprise me. What I really don’t get is why people think Jeb is a moderate. That guy is a scary true believer with lots of history that backs this up. I think the only thing he is moderate on is immigration. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22126 "2015-06-10T04:41:30Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Yes, the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day. > > You know what? Let’s test this. We’ll bring those who supported this into a biology classroom, give them a bible, a fetal pig, and tell them to locate and remove the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc. Let’s see if they pass. Idaho natives will fail. Pennsylvanians who relocated to Idaho will be making scrapple. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22127 "2015-06-10T14:09:31Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Hey, Republicans! You know that abstinence-based sex education you all love? > [It don’t work!](http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/teen-pregnancies-and-abortions-plummeted-after-hawaii-ditched-abstinence-based-sex-ed/) Oh I love this part: > [@](#): > > Republican critics say the changes to the teen pregnancy and abortion rates are misleading. > > “It’s the availability of the morning-after pill,” said Rep. Bob McDermott (R-HI), who believes current sex-ed programs encourage teens to have sex. “The need for surgical abortions is diminished.” Oh, you mean those other things you psychotically oppose without compromise? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22128 "2015-06-10T14:12:28Z")
> [@bup](#): > > They forgot to specify _which_ bible! Hijinks! I nominate the [Tijuana Bible](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tijuana_bible). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22129 "2015-06-10T14:18:10Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Yes, the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day. > > You know what? Let’s test this. We’ll bring those who supported this into a biology classroom, give them a bible, a fetal pig, and tell them to locate and remove the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc. Let’s see if they pass. Not kosher. Make it a fetal lamb. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22130 "2015-06-10T15:02:18Z")
> [@bup](#): > > They forgot to specify _which_ bible! Hijinks! How about the [Lolcat Bible](http://www.lolcatbible.com/index.php?title=Main_Page)? ---
**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:** [June 10, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22131 "2015-06-10T15:06:01Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > How about the [Lolcat Bible](http://www.lolcatbible.com/index.php?title=Main_Page)? I can haz Rezrekshun? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22132 "2015-06-10T16:28:55Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Jeb Bush wanted to make unwed mothers publish their sexual history in a newspaper. This was a few years ago but this article about it came out today. > [Jeb Bush In 1995: Unwed Mothers Should Be Publicly Shamed | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/09/jeb-bush-1995-book_n_7542964.html?1433860308) Did Jeb get the \*point \*of _The Scarlet Letter_? Maybe he should re-read the Spark Notes. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22133 "2015-06-10T16:32:49Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [The Idaho Republican Party has passed a resolution calling for the Bible to be used as a biology and government text book.](http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/idaho-republicans-public-schools-should-use-the-bible-as-a-science-and-law-textbook/) Hmmm … they left out paleontology from their list of Biblical sciences. That’s gonna cheese off a lot of Creationists. Or more likely, they are such dumbasses that they think paleontology and archaeology are the same. ---
**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 10, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22134 "2015-06-10T16:45:17Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > This is kind of muddled, so I cannot tell whether it is stupid or the other thing: [Alabama state senate votes (22-3) to eliminate all marriage licensing and replace them with notarized contracts](http://truthinmedia.com/alabama-senate-approves-bill-to-abolish-marriage-licensing/). > > As much as it looks like throwing up the hands and stomping off in a huff, it may be the trend. Alabama as trendsetters. Hurts my head. eschereal, you’ll be happy to know that this did not become law in Alabama, it got shuffled off by the house leadership and died quietly. Or not. The idiots, er, elected representatives of the State of Alabama will have to come back for a summer session since they were unable to deal with the budget deficet (sp) except to offer the Governor a budget that cut $200 M from an already lean budget (it would close most if not all State parks, gut the Highway patrol, affect Medicare benefits, and probably lead to Federal takeover of the prison systme (which is already at 180% capacity). So Governor Bentley vetoed it and is bringing them back to try again. Bentley isn’t exactly a hero; he ran for re-election last year touting all he had done and promising not to raise taxes, then once safely re-elected, he was shocked…Shocked!..to find the state was broke. To his credit he has proposed a long-term solution which no one else in Alabama has done (except for legalizing gambling). So once back in session, who knows what those lovable loons may come up with so they can point to the voters “look at what I did.” Idiots. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22135 "2015-06-10T17:19:49Z")
Well, its not been proven that faith-based economics doesn’t work, its only that they have not been given a sufficient opportunity to prove their value. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22136 "2015-06-10T17:42:12Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > … The idiots, er, elected representatives of the State of Alabama will have to come back for a summer session since they were unable to deal with the budget deficit … Who was it said _Alabama, your cadillac has a wheel on the track, and a wheel in the ditch_? Maybe the southern man does need him around. Anyhow … ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22137 "2015-06-10T17:49:39Z")
I know they loved the governor in Birmingham, but I guess pretty much everywhere else in the state too. ---
**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 10, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22138 "2015-06-10T18:02:15Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I know they loved the governor in Birmingham, but I guess pretty much everywhere else in the state too. Yeah, thanks to a combination of the Civil Rights struggle and Nixon’s Southern Strategy, the state has been pretty reliaby Republican the past few decades, and then the ‘conservative’ Dems, who at least occassionally won an election, got caught with their hand in the till and between convictions and party strife, would be hard-pressed to elect a dog-cathcher (Birmingham is probably the only major place that still elects Democrats outside of some gerrymandered districts). Bentley could have been caught naked with a dozen ladies of doubtful virtue, pardoned 30 Willie Hortons and still not lost\*\*…as long as he muttered the three magic words “No New Taxes”. \*\* Not that Bentley would have done so…he makes Calvin Coolidge look like a wild and crazy guy. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22139 "2015-06-10T18:08:44Z")
Let’s give a big, warm hug to Idaho state Rep. [Paul Shepherd](http://www.liberalamerica.org/2015/06/08/idaho-gop-state-rep-slave-owners-were-good-people-who-made-bad-decisions-like-gays/), shall we? > [@](#): > > Slave owners were very good Christians and good people. They weren’t terrible, rotten, horrible people. And that’s how I see gay people. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22140 "2015-06-10T18:22:32Z")
WTF is going on Idaho? They’re going to have to change the name to Idadumbass pretty soon. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22141 "2015-06-10T18:47:50Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > WTF is going on Idaho? They’re going to have to change the name to Idadumbass pretty soon. The potatoes have achieved sentience (of a sort) and quietly replaced all the actual humans? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1106) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1108)