# 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:** 1305
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26082 "2015-12-09T16:26:04Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > [The Pig](http://static2.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2459530.1449656078!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/index_635_390/390-trump-1208.jpg) getting his just desserts on the cover of the New York Daily News, Godwin be damned. > > Republicans should hang their heads in shame and apologize to the rational Americans for allowing this diseased anus of a man becoming the face of their party. > > The GOP is a disgrace. Not undeserved, IMO, however, he seems to have moved the needle so that rightwing nut jobs such as Ted Cruz now appear to be moderate. Has to be hugely damaging to America. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26083 "2015-12-09T16:33:24Z")
> **[Barack Obama | Mediaite](https://www.mediaite.com/tag/barack-obama/)** > > Barack Hussein Obama II served as the 44th President of the United States. He served two terms, from 2009-2017 and was the first African American to be elected president. Before his presidency, he served as U.S. senator for the state of Illinois from... Curious as to Fox News’ take on Trump’s ban plan, I watched some of Megyn Kelly’s show last night. She ranted about how everyone was condemning Trump – world leaders! – as if anything he had to say was really not that important. She went on to say that the liberals were glad to turn the discussion away from terrorism and give Trump the attention he wants. And then she was incredulous that the mainstream media was doing interviews with Trump all day long. Bitch please. Fox News started feeding the troll. Trump was being laughed at until Fox gave him a platform on every show all day every day. Of course, now she is better than that all those other journalists. She was only going to talk about Trump for half the show and move on to important shit. :rolleyes: And yeah, I know this isn’t a stupid republican idea. Just stupid speech from a republican (or at least someone who plays one on TV). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26084 "2015-12-09T16:44:11Z")
[Study: Racism can explain ALL of the decline of Southern white support for Democrats from 1958 to 1980, and 77% of the decline through 2000.](http://www.salon.com/2015/12/08/the_south_won_the_civil_war_white_men_racial_resentment_and_how_the_bitter_minority_came_to_rule_us_all/) ---
**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:** [December 9, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26085 "2015-12-09T17:09:58Z")
Justice Scalia: [black people not advanced enough for top US schools](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/scalia-race-affirmative-action). ---
**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:** [December 9, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26086 "2015-12-09T18:15:49Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Justice Scalia: [black people not advanced enough for top US schools](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/scalia-race-affirmative-action). As much of an ass as he is, he didn’t say this. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26087 "2015-12-09T18:33:09Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > As much of an ass as he is, he didn’t say this. Then what was he saying? Seems pretty clear to me that he was saying black people would be better off at ‘slower’ schools. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26088 "2015-12-09T18:48:01Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Then what was he saying? Seems pretty clear to me that he was saying black people would be better off at ‘slower’ schools. It sounds like he read Malcom Gladwell’s “David and Goliath”. One of the arguments is that by placing yourself in prestigious universities (note not universities with necessarily better outcomes) you’re unable to distinguish yourself as easily (thereby reinforcing your own sense of self worth) and so fail. I’m guessing Scalia is trying to say that the “only got in thanks to quotas” exasperates the undermining of confidence of being outpaced by running with the very best. I’m probably being too generous though. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26089 "2015-12-09T18:52:13Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Then what was he saying? Seems pretty clear to me that he was saying black people would be better off at ‘slower’ schools. He wasn’t talking about “black people”, he was talking about “black people who get into particular schools due to affirmative action”. World of difference. Now please stop making me defend Scalia. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26090 "2015-12-09T18:59:09Z")
By his logic (or lack thereof), Whites, Hispanics, Blacks, and all other ethnicities other than Asians should be in “slower” schools other than the University of Texas. See: [The University of Texas at Austin, Accountability Report, January 2015](http://www.txhighereddata.org/Interactive/Accountability/UNIV_Complete_PDF.cfm?FICE=003658), page 9, 6-year graduation chart by ethnicity. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26091 "2015-12-09T19:20:02Z")
He is saying that the students who gain admission via affirmative action may not be advanced enough for those schools. Which is probably true; the whole point of affirmative action is to equalize opportunity for students who are less qualified on paper. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26092 "2015-12-09T19:27:22Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > He is saying that the students who gain admission via affirmative action may not be advanced enough for those schools. Which is probably true; the whole point of affirmative action is to equalize opportunity for students who are less qualified on paper. But the idea behind affirmative action is that it counteracts built-in prejudice. Some of those people getting in solely because of affirmative action theoretically would have also gotten in, in a truly colorblind world. So it doesn’t make what he said stupid, just hateful. That’s our Scalia! ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26093 "2015-12-09T19:39:42Z")
[Marco Rubio is claiming that he killed Obamacare.](http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/rubios-curious-boast-he-killed-obamacare?cid=sm_fb_maddow) ---
**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:** [December 9, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26094 "2015-12-09T19:42:48Z")
> [@bup](#): > > But the idea behind affirmative action is that it counteracts built-in prejudice. Some of those people getting in solely because of affirmative action theoretically would have also gotten in, in a truly colorblind world. > > So it doesn’t make what he said stupid, just hateful. That’s our Scalia! Sure. But there’s no question that _some_ students who are admitted to schools based on race-conscious admissions policies turn out to be unable to handle those schools. Whether that’s because they were stuck in crappy high schools and don’t catch up in time or what is a different issue. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26095 "2015-12-09T20:28:57Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > He wasn’t talking about “black people”, he was talking about “black people who get into particular schools due to affirmative action”. > > World of difference. > Now please stop making me defend Scalia. Here’s a snippet of the text from the article I linked: > [@](#): > > Referencing an unidentified amicus brief, Scalia said that there were people who would contend that “it does not benefit African-Americans to – to get them into the University of Texas where they do not do well, as opposed to having them go to a less-advanced school, a less – a slower-track school where they do well.” > > He argued that “most of the black scientists in this country don’t come from schools like the University of Texas.” > > “They come from lesser schools where they do not feel that they’re – that they’re being pushed ahead in – in classes that are too – too fast for them,” Scalia said. To me, that’s saying that affirmative action hurts black people because it pushes black students into schools that are too fast for them – that most black students are not ready for advanced schools, and are more suited to slower schools. So I should have said ‘Scalia thinks black students for the most part are not advanced enough for top schools’. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26096 "2015-12-09T20:41:34Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Here’s a snippet of the text from the article I linked: > > To me, that’s saying that affirmative action hurts black people because it pushes black students into schools that are too fast for them – that most black students are not ready for advanced schools, and are more suited to slower schools. So I should have said ‘Scalia thinks black students for the most part are not advanced enough for top schools’. UT automatically admits the highest 10% from every high school class in Texas. This policy ignores race, ethnicity, etc. The plaintiff in the case–who is suing for the second time–failed to qualify. UT is a good school but it isn’t MIT. It isn’t even Rice. If the girl had devoted that time & money to education, she could have finished two years in community college & been ready to step up to a university. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26097 "2015-12-09T21:39:49Z")
Oddly enough, you missed the racist remark. > [@](#): > > He argued that “most of the black scientists in this country don’t come from schools like the University of Texas.” > > “They come from lesser schools where they do not feel that they’re – that they’re being pushed ahead in – in classes that are too – too fast for them,” Scalia said. He is clearing saying that most black scientists are inferior, because they went to lesser schools where not much was expected of them, because they aren’t very bright. Is that how Ben Carson got a degree? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26098 "2015-12-09T21:45:35Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Oddly enough, you missed the racist remark. > > He is clearing saying that most black scientists are inferior, because they went to lesser schools where not much was expected of them, because they aren’t very bright. Is that how Ben Carson got a degree? Do we know how Carson got into Yale and U of Michigan? Were they ROTC scholarships, or what? it’s doubtful his mother who worked three jobs could send him there. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26099 "2015-12-09T22:12:54Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Sure. But there’s no question that _some_ students who are admitted to schools based on race-conscious admissions policies turn out to be unable to handle those schools. Whether that’s because they were stuck in crappy high schools and don’t catch up in time or what is a different issue. Some students admitted using traditional measures can’t handle the school either. Part of affirmative action, by the way, is recruiting in places you didn’t recruit before. You’re not going to find smart kids in “inferior” schools if you never visit them, and then the smart kids will never get a chance. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26100 "2015-12-09T22:23:42Z")
True, and true. But the girl in the case was not challenging UT’s recruiting policy. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/26101 "2015-12-09T23:34:09Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > What does “proficiently” mean in this case? Knowing how to squeeze a trigger? 😕 You gotta be able to twirl 'em and flip 'em from hand to hand and all that ninja kung fu shit. Gotta terrorize the mark before you blow 'em away. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1304) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1306)