# 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:** 1142
**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:** [July 9, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22822 "2015-07-09T14:38:00Z")
Jeb! is his campaign logo. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22823 "2015-07-09T14:40:49Z")
Oh. Thanks. His theme song should be something from Panic! At the Disco. Or perhaps from the musical Oklahoma! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22824 "2015-07-09T15:05:22Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > If he were a mole trying to damage the GOP, he’d be less obvious about it. Yeah, what makes me laugh is a Democratic mole would have been more subtle, assuming Republican voters would be too smart to go for the over-the-topness of actual Trump. And here we are. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22825 "2015-07-09T15:05:50Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Oh. Thanks. His theme song should be something from Panic! At the Disco. Or perhaps from the musical Oklahoma! Of course his email would be hosted by Yahoo! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22826 "2015-07-09T15:37:17Z")
Why would he give up AOL? ---
**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:** [July 9, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22827 "2015-07-09T15:45:22Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Why would he give up AOL? No exclamation mark. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22828 "2015-07-09T15:52:31Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Oh. Thanks. His theme song should be something from Panic! At the Disco. Or perhaps from the musical Oklahoma! Panic! dropped the “!” from their name in 2008. I’m not saying that’s the only reason I stopped listening to their music, but the exclamation mark was the reason I _started_ (I won free tickets to see them at House of Blues before they were big and I went because their name made me chuckle. I won a lot of free concert tickets in those days.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22829 "2015-07-09T16:07:45Z")
Maybe he was a fan of the TV show **Khan!** [Khan - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan)! Or maybe these movies: > **[Nine Movie Titles With Exclamation Points! | Cassava Films](http://cassavafilms.com/list-of-9/nine-movie-titles-with-exclamation-points)** Or any of these (Warning: TVTropes) [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ExcitedShowTitle](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ExcitedShowTitle) ---
**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:** [July 9, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22830 "2015-07-09T16:47:34Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Maybe he was a fan of the TV show **Khan!** > > [Khan - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan)! I had to read the Wiki page to determine that it wasn’t a _Star Trek_ spinoff. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22831 "2015-07-09T16:58:48Z")
[Jeb says his comment was taken out of context.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/08/jeb-bush-longer-hours_n_7758294.html) He meant the 6.5 million Americans who have part time employment but want full time employment should have it. It’s still dumb though, the unemployment rate is at a 7 year low and if he wants to claim Obama’s office had nothing to do with it he’ll have a hard time explaining how he’ll be able to achieve better. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and not compare this to the Romney incident where it was absolutely clear he meant what he said even though it was pandering. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22832 "2015-07-09T17:01:02Z")
More Trumpiness – first, [a report](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-could-damage-the-republican-image-party-leaders-worry/2015/07/08/2ec75b4c-25ab-11e5-b72c-2b7d516e1e0e_story.html) that RNC chief Reince Priebus personally appealed to The Donald to tone it down a few noches: > [@](#): > > The head of the Republican National Committee, responding to demands from increasingly worried party leaders, spent nearly an hour Wednesday on the phone with Donald Trump, urging the presidential candidate to tone down his inflammatory comments about immigration that have infuriated a key election constituency. > > The call from Chairman Reince Priebus, described by donors and consultants briefed on the conversation and confirmed by the RNC, underscores the extent to which Trump has gone from an embarrassment to a cause for serious alarm among top Republicans in Washington and nationwide… Then, [The Donald says](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/donald-trump-reince-priebus-mexicans-comment-119893.html) that nothing of the sort happened: > [@](#): > > Donald Trump remembers that phone call with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus a bit differently. > > The Donald took to Twitter on Thursday morning to slam a Washington Post report that Priebus spent nearly an hour on the phone with him this week, during which Priebus told him multiple times to “tone it down.” > > “Totally false reporting on my call with @Reince Priebus. He called me, ten minutes, said I hit a ‘nerve’, doing well, end!” Trump wrote… I’m picturing a two-person three-stage game of “telephone”: 1)What Priebus wants to say -\> 2)What Priebus dares to say -\> 3)What Trump’s ego hears. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22833 "2015-07-09T17:05:23Z")
[Trump is winning in North Carolina at 16 percent over Jeb and Scott Walkers 12!](http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/07/08/poll-donald-trump-leads-gop-field-in-north-carolina/) You go Trump! Hell yeah, North Carolina! ---
**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:** [July 9, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22834 "2015-07-09T17:14:59Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > [Jeb says his comment was taken out of context.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/08/jeb-bush-longer-hours_n_7758294.html) He meant the 6.5 million Americans who have part time employment but want full time employment should have it. It’s still dumb though, the unemployment rate is at a 7 year low and if he wants to claim Obama’s office had nothing to do with it he’ll have a hard time explaining how he’ll be able to achieve better. > > **I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt** and not compare this to the Romney incident where it was absolutely clear he meant what he said even though it was pandering. I’m not since it’s the job creators who have been creating jobs overseas and the part-time jobs here. > [@](#): > > “ **Under President Obama, we have the lowest workforce participation rate since 1977** , and too many Americans are falling behind," Bush spokesperson Allie Brandenburger said in a statement provided to The Huffington Post. “Only Washington Democrats could be out-of-touch enough to criticize giving more Americans the ability to work, earn a paycheck, and make ends meet.” ---
**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:** [July 9, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22835 "2015-07-09T17:15:17Z")
“Donald Trump declines to rule out third-party bid” [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/donald-trump-republican-independent-119846.html](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/donald-trump-republican-independent-119846.html) > [@](#): > > Donald Trump is almost completely shutting the door on the possibility of switching to a third-party presidential bid in the 2016 presidential cycle — almost. > > “I’ve had many, many people ask me about running as an independent,” Trump said in an interview Tuesday with The Washington Examiner’s Byron York. “My sole focus is to run as a Republican. I’m a conservative Republican.” > > Still, Trump isn’t ruling out running under a different party banner. Please please please please please… ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22836 "2015-07-09T17:34:49Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I’m not since it’s the job creators who have been creating jobs overseas and the part-time jobs here. I mean I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he isn’t an imbecile who really believes Americans are lazy. ‘Getting America to work’ is a mantra plank in both parties platforms, its far likelier that’s what he meant. I am sure the other GOP hopefuls and Hillary will continue to use it against him, but it’s political theater and I think everyone knows that. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22837 "2015-07-09T17:45:25Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Panic! dropped the “!” from their name in 2008. I’m not saying that’s the only reason I stopped listening to their music, but the exclamation mark was the reason I _started_ (I won free tickets to see them at House of Blues before they were big and I went because their name made me chuckle. I won a lot of free concert tickets in those days.) They have since restored the exclamation point, but not their guitarist who parted with them after the second album. (I assume he was a factor in dropping the “!” since he wanted to go in a more “adult”, beatlesque indie direction, so once he was gone they could put it back again.) There’s nothing really quite like the first: their third was like the first but you can really hear the absence of the guitarist. And their fourth is basically synth pop. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22838 "2015-07-09T17:58:54Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I mean I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he isn’t an imbecile who really believes Americans are lazy. I think it reflects his privileged background and general cluelessness, a la [brother George’s statement](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33469209) along similar lines: > [@](#): > > “You work three jobs?” then-President Bush asked a divorced mother of three in Nebraska during a town hall forum. “Uniquely American, isn’t it? I mean, that is fantastic that you’re doing that. Get any sleep?” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22839 "2015-07-09T18:24:27Z")
That’s actually even worse than Nelson Rockefeller’s debate line about “Let’s take the average guy, making a hundred thousand a year.” In 1968. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22840 "2015-07-09T19:07:30Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > I think it reflects his privileged background and general cluelessness, a la [brother George’s statement](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33469209) along similar lines: See, that’s what I’m saying. For the sake of argument, lets say he’s clueless about his privileged background and completely out of touch with most Americans. He still wouldn’t say at a country club fundraiser that all the rich attendees there needed to work more hours, at least not say that while holding for laughs. And I don’t think he’s the fool his brother was, even if they had the same upbringing. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/22841 "2015-07-09T19:09:01Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I don’t think he’s the fool his brother was, even if they had the same upbringing. High praise indeed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1141) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1143)