# 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:** 1401
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28002 "2016-03-22T08:01:24Z")
Back on post 27988; it’s North Carolina and Charlotte. I am an idiot on occasion.:smack::smack: The Republican thought is still ugly. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28003 "2016-03-22T08:33:18Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Back on post 27988; it’s North Carolina and Charlotte. Not that Charlotte has an inferiority complex or anything. They’re a world-class city, just ask them! Did you know the Secretary of Transportation is a former Mayor? They hosted the 2012 Democratic National Convention! ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28004 "2016-03-22T10:46:31Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > I haven’t looked into this. It may be as simple as “if we don’t call it a marriage license, the sanctity of marriage is unsullied” (or whatever). Which is dumb. > > But say the married same-sex couple moves and another state asks to see their marriage license and they say, well, it was recorded… Would they have the correct documents to make sure they are married no matter where in the country they might live? The marriage would be recorded in the office of the judge of probate and the Office of Vital Statistic. No change is being made to the actual record of a marriage; it removes the requirement that the judge issue a license in advance, and that the document be filed by “the person who performs the marriage”. > [@bengangmo](#): > > One (or at least I) suspect that along with the “recording” will come some regulations (not laws) on what sorts of institutions will be “recognised” to be able to marry people for the marriage to be recorded… > > That would be my bet. The bill prevents that. It separates the religious and civil marriage (unfortunately, I can’t copy the text): “A civil and independent or religious ceremony … may be conducted … which … will have no legal effect on the validity of the marriage.” “The requirement of a ceremony of marriage to solemnize a marriage is abolished.” I find this a progressive change. One might suspect opposition is just a knee-jerk reaction, because, having read the bill, I can see no reason to oppose it. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28005 "2016-03-22T12:00:00Z")
> [@j666](#): > > The marriage would be recorded in the office of the judge of probate and the Office of Vital Statistic. Which are staffed by clerks who can claim the religious freedom to refuse to record the marriages of homosexuals. It’s Christians all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28006 "2016-03-22T12:26:06Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Which are staffed by clerks who can claim the religious freedom to refuse to record the marriages of homosexuals. It’s Christians all the way down. Staff who currently manage the documents. This bill, which separates legal and ceremonial aspects of a marriage, does not change which state employees manage the records. There is no change in how a marriage is recorded, other than that no preliminary marriage license is required and no officiant is necessary to file the paperwork. Please, point to the section of the bill which gives you concern that this would somehow limit the rights to marriage of anyone. I cannot find it; I cannot even find a restriction on what county the paperwork needs to be filed before being sent to the Office of Vital Statistic. I think this is a very good idea, and that opposition to it would be foolish. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28007 "2016-03-22T13:01:00Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Staff who currently manage the documents. This bill, which separates legal and ceremonial aspects of a marriage, does not change which state employees manage the records. OK. Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. The law requires me to record my marriage at a local or state government office. I walk in, I ask a clerk to record my marriage. She looks at my form and sees two male names, deduces this is a gay marriage, and refuses to accept my form or record my marriage. Any time there is human interaction between the public and an agent of the government, there is an opportunity for that agent to claim religious freedom and discriminate against homosexuals. How do you propose to record the form without any interaction between the public and the government? ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28008 "2016-03-22T13:02:22Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Staff who currently manage the documents. This bill, which separates legal and ceremonial aspects of a marriage, does not change which state employees manage the records. Ah, yes. The State employee who decides even touching the “wrong” paperwork violates his/her religion. ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28009 "2016-03-22T16:53:57Z")
> [@](#): > > … We need to empower law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized… [Ted Cruz on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/tedcruzpage/?fref=ts) Excellent plan. We can call the neighborhoods, oh I dunno… how about ghettos? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28010 "2016-03-22T17:44:32Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Any time there is human interaction between the public and an agent of the government, there is an opportunity for that agent to claim religious freedom and discriminate against homosexuals. How do you propose to record the form without any interaction between the public and the government? How about doing it all on-line, entirely automated? ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28011 "2016-03-22T17:49:47Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > How about doing it all on-line, entirely automated? How would you detect fraud? ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28012 "2016-03-22T18:39:10Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > How about doing it all on-line, entirely automated? “My religious beliefs forbid me from coding systems that will be used to allow gingers to marry”… “My religious beliefs prevent me maintaining servers that will host systems that will be used to allow Boca Juniors fans to adopt innocent children”… ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28013 "2016-03-22T18:55:00Z")
[Michigan state legislator wants to require foster children to shop for their clothing at thrift shops.](http://michiganradio.org/post/plan-would-require-foster-children-shop-clothing-thrift-stores#stream/0) ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28014 "2016-03-22T19:10:49Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [Michigan state legislator wants to require foster children to shop for their clothing at thrift shops.](http://michiganradio.org/post/plan-would-require-foster-children-shop-clothing-thrift-stores#stream/0) Check the date on that story. It’s from 2011. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28015 "2016-03-22T19:34:52Z")
Damn. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28016 "2016-03-22T20:43:28Z")
Trump: “I’ll let the Heritage Foundation pick my Supreme Court nominees.” > **[Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](https://www.yahoo.com/)** > > Latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores and video are just the beginning. Discover more every day at Yahoo! The gift that keeps on giving. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28017 "2016-03-22T20:51:51Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Trump: “I’ll let the Heritage Foundation pick my Supreme Court nominees.” > > [https://www.yahoo.com/](https://www.yahoo.com/) > > The gift that keeps on giving. I think that this is the link you want for that: [http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/03/22/3762275/trump-says-he-will-delegate-supreme-court-appointments-to-the-heritage-foundation/](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/03/22/3762275/trump-says-he-will-delegate-supreme-court-appointments-to-the-heritage-foundation/) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28018 "2016-03-22T21:33:46Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Trump: “I’ll let the Heritage Foundation pick my Supreme Court nominees.” > > [https://www.yahoo.com/](https://www.yahoo.com/) > > The gift that keeps on giving. What, the Heritage Foundation?! Not even the Federalist Society?! At least they’re lawyers! ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28019 "2016-03-22T21:40:44Z")
I thought maybe **E-DUB** was exaggerating a little for comic effect with his post. The way one does in the Pit. But, nope! That’s really what Trump said. He is going to release a list of 5-10 names of judges now, and if he gets any SCOTUS picks as President, he will pick his nominee from that list. He’s going to pre-commit to a list of potential SCOTUS nominees to allay fears on the right wing that he’ll pick liberal justices. And that list of 5-10 Justices-in-Waiting is being developed by Heritage, “and other groups”. Here’s the part in his press conference where he unveils Heritage Foundation’s role in his master plan: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ksvCcRm_vws#t=1355) ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28020 "2016-03-22T22:06:29Z")
Imagine the furor if Obama had reached a similar deal their opposite number. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2016, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28021 "2016-03-22T22:36:08Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Imagine the furor if Obama had reached a similar deal their opposite number. Well, for the record, we progressives are NOT happy with Merrick Garland. Prior decisions he has made on the appelate court indicate he is a big fan of Citizens United as it stands. Actually, one of the decisions he made EXPANDED the scope of what Super PACs could do as far as raising money is concerned. He will probably defend abortion rights … maybe … and he has made decisions that made the NRA get all itchy on the trigger finger, but that’s about it. There’s nothing progressive about him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1400) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1402)