# 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:** 1421
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28402 "2016-04-08T12:46:56Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [Ben Carson thinks everybody has been arrested at least once.](http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/04/07/watch-ben-carsons-excuse-for-violence-of-trump-campaign-stuns-cnn-hosts/) Rhetorically, I don’t think this: > [@](#): > > A lot of people have been charged with various things. You’ve probably been charged with with something too. Maybe with a misdemeanor or something. It doesn’t mean that you are an evil horrible person. Is the same as this: > [@](#): > > Ben Carson thinks everybody has been arrested at least once. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28403 "2016-04-08T15:31:20Z")
I have to agree; especially with so much low-hanging fruit, the “Ben Carson thinks everyone has been arrested” paraphrase isn’t a brilliant choice for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28404 "2016-04-08T15:33:43Z")
Yes, he didn’t say “everyone” - only that “probably” the majority of his audience had been arrested for something. Still wrong, but not as crazy wrong as some other things he’s said. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28405 "2016-04-08T15:48:37Z")
Pennsylvania State Representative Brad Raoe, reveals a wonderful plan: > [@](#): > > The Meadville Republican called for an end to arts grants and the state meteorologist position, and he proposed eliminating education grants for students who choose to study “poetry or some other Pre Walmart major.” ETA link: [Pennsylvania Republican waging ‘a medieval crusade against the arts, culture and learning’](http://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/pennsylvania-republican-waging-a-medieval-crusade-against-the-arts-culture-and-learning/) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28406 "2016-04-08T15:48:59Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Yes, he didn’t say “everyone” - only that “probably” the majority of his audience had been arrested for something. Still wrong, but not as crazy wrong as some other things he’s said. I dunno, was he giving the speech in a prison? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28407 "2016-04-08T20:46:40Z")
I’d almost be willing to bet that Ben’s brain morphed the “everyone commits three felonies a day” trope into “a lot of people have been charged with something”/arrested. (And AIUI _charged_ is actually a bit more significant than _arrested_.) CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28408 "2016-04-08T22:06:36Z")
I’ve got to admit to some sympathy with Carson in this one. I had a mutually bewildering conversation with a former coworker in which I could not understand how she had grown up without ever being delivered to her parents by the police and she could not understand that I thought it was a normal part of growing up. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28409 "2016-04-08T23:30:33Z")
Bruce Springsteen has canceled a concert in Greensboro, North Carolina over HB2. And Fox host Todd Starnes [tweeted](http://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/04/08/yahoo-reports-bruce-springsteen-cancels-north-carolina-show-over-bigotry-%20anti-lgbt-law/209838): > [@](#): > > Springsteen wants grown men to use the bathroom with little girls. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2016, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28410 "2016-04-09T00:41:08Z")
So I guess Florida governor Rick Scott went into a Starbucks this week. Another customer shouted at him and called him an asshole. I’m not defending the woman who accosted him. Screaming obscenities at Scott doesn’t help all that much. But then Scott – the governor of a state, backed by the resources of a campaign machine – produced an ad attacking this random loudmouth. > **[FL Guv Puts Out Video Attacking Random Woman Who Called Him ‘As\*hole’](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rick-scott-starbucks-video-latte-liberal)** > > Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott's campaign slammed a woman who shouted him down in a Starbucks this week as an "anarchist" who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance in a video released Friday. I’m going to have to mark that as an example of “punching down”. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28411 "2016-04-09T00:43:00Z")
Tennessee state Rep. Jeremy Durham (R) has been banished from his office and any contact with legislative aids or interns, because he is such an [obnoxious horn dog](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2016/04/08/jeremy-durham-tennessee_n_9644974.html): > [@](#): > > According to The Tennessean, Slatery concluded that Durham used his position of power to obtain women’s personal contact information under the guise of legislative business. He also “made inappropriate comments of a sexual nature or engaged in inappropriate physical contact with some women” and “attempted to meet the women alone,” the investigation revealed. > > … > > In January, The Tennessean also reported that three women who worked at the statehouse said they had received inappropriate text messages from Durham in which he asked to meet up with them and for them to send him pictures. Durham told the paper he didn’t remember sending the messages. > > On Jan. 24, Durham resigned his leadership position as state House majority whip. > > A few days later, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R) called on the House to remove Durham, revealing that Durham also had an affair with another lawmaker. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28412 "2016-04-09T01:11:28Z")
I must have missed the memo that “family values” means “go after everything with a vagina and try to get lucky”. Bad move on the GOP’s part, I might have been an ® all these years… ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28413 "2016-04-09T01:18:53Z")
New Mandatory Bricker Disclaimer: Yes, I’m sure lots of (D)'s have pulled similarly bad stuff. However, the Democrats don’t generally run on a platform of “we’re good Christians and root for traditional family values and will vote against the fornicators, whores, and fags”. It’s the disconnect that makes it a SRIOTD. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28414 "2016-04-09T01:22:05Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > So I guess Florida governor Rick Scott went into a Starbucks this week. Another customer shouted at him and called him an asshole. I’m not defending the woman who accosted him. Screaming obscenities at Scott doesn’t help all that much. But then Scott – the governor of a state, backed by the resources of a campaign machine – produced an ad attacking this random loudmouth. > > [FL Guv Puts Out Video Attacking Random Woman Who Called Him ‘As\*hole’ - TPM – Talking Points Memo](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rick-scott-starbucks-video-latte-liberal) > > I’m going to have to mark that as an example of “punching down”. It’s fascinating that _this_ is our introduction to Cara Jennings,"And it turns out she’s a former government official who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance and calls herself an anarchist. But never mind about that."OK . . . but if we should “never mind that” then why the fuck did you bring it up in the first place? Well-poisoning, it’s not _just_ a logical fallacy! CMC fnord! ---
**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:** [April 9, 2016, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28415 "2016-04-09T02:06:39Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > It’s fascinating that _this_ is our introduction to Cara Jennings,"And it turns out she’s a former government official who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance and calls herself an anarchist. But never mind about that."OK . . . but if we should “never mind that” then why the fuck did you bring it up in the first place? > > Well-poisoning, it’s not _just_ a logical fallacy! > > CMC fnord! It looks like Cara Jennings was formerly a city commissioner for Lake Worth, FL, a town of about 35,000 people in the Miami metro area. She was apparently elected to more than one term, in spite of being considered a bit quirky. I guess “government official” sounds a lot more ominous than “small-town activist and politician”. [http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional/cara-jennings-lake-worth-activist-confronts-gov-sc/nqzWj/](http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional/cara-jennings-lake-worth-activist-confronts-gov-sc/nqzWj/) [http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/profile-cara-jennings-the-radical-cheerleader-of-l/nL7RK/](http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/profile-cara-jennings-the-radical-cheerleader-of-l/nL7RK/) > **[Lake Worth Beach, Florida](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Worth,_Florida)** > > Lake Worth Beach, previously named Lake Worth, is a city in east-central Palm Beach County, Florida, United States, located about 63 miles (101 km) north of Miami. The city's name is derived from the body of water along its eastern border known as the Lake Worth Lagoon, which was named for General William J. Worth, who led United States Army forces during the last part of the Second Seminole War. Lake Worth Beach is situated south of West Palm Beach, southeast of Lake Clarke Shores, east of P... ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28416 "2016-04-09T02:37:53Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > So I guess Florida governor Rick Scott went into a Starbucks this week. Another customer shouted at him and called him an asshole. I’m not defending the woman who accosted him. Screaming obscenities at Scott doesn’t help all that much. But then Scott – the governor of a state, backed by the resources of a campaign machine – produced an ad attacking this random loudmouth. > > [FL Guv Puts Out Video Attacking Random Woman Who Called Him ‘As\*hole’ - TPM – Talking Points Memo](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rick-scott-starbucks-video-latte-liberal) > > I’m going to have to mark that as an example of “punching down”. Aye, this is totally a dick move. How thin-skinned, insecure, petty and vicious can someone be to have all that money and all that power and still feel the need to try and trash anyone and everyone who shows them up in public, no matter how brief or how strong rebuke was? 😕 Someone ask Trump this in the next GOP debate, wouldja? I’m told he’s a really smart guy; he’ll prolly know the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28417 "2016-04-09T02:47:06Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Aye, this is totally a dick move. How thin-skinned, insecure, petty and vicious can someone be to have all that money and all that power and still feel the need to try and trash anyone and everyone who shows them up in public, no matter how brief or how strong rebuke was? 😕 > > Someone ask Trump this in the next GOP debate, wouldja? I’m told he’s a really smart guy; he’ll prolly know the answer. I just hope it brings more public outbursts down on [the freak.](https://www.google.com/search?q=stephen+colbert+picture+imitating+rick+scott&rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS671US671&oq=stephen+colbert+picture+imitating+rick+scott&aqs=chrome..69i57.10902j0j8&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=qGI1xKCsa3VXfM%3A) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28418 "2016-04-09T12:11:32Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Aye, this is totally a dick move. How thin-skinned, insecure, petty and vicious can someone be to have all that money and all that power and still feel the need to try and trash anyone and everyone who shows them up in public, no matter how brief or how strong rebuke was? 😕 > > Someone ask Trump this in the next GOP debate, wouldja? I’m told he’s a really smart guy; he’ll prolly know the answer. FWIW, former French President Sarkozy used to sue his hecklers for insults, having them hurried through the courts as well. A few guys earned a month of prison for telling him to go fuck himself, another who’d thrown yogurt at him got four months. Insecurity knows no bounds. (note that Sarkozy himself didn’t shy from telling random people to go fuck themselves, either. He was \*that \*classy.) ---
**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:** [April 9, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28419 "2016-04-09T21:47:44Z")
I’m going to claim this is a stupid Republican thing to say. [The wife of the former CEO of General Electric says that sending jobs overseas is in order to protect widows and children.](http://crooksandliars.com/2016/04/spouse-former-ge-ceo-corporations-move) ---
**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:** [April 9, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28420 "2016-04-09T21:53:47Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I’m going to claim this is a stupid Republican thing to say. > > [The wife of the former CEO of General Electric says that sending jobs overseas is in order to protect widows and children.](http://crooksandliars.com/2016/04/spouse-former-ge-ceo-corporations-move) [Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Welch) says he’s a Republican. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2016, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/28421 "2016-04-09T23:21:30Z")
[Donald Trump has tweeted that over a million postcards have been sent to the Republican National Committee demanding that Trump be the Republican candidate](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/04/09/donald-trump-brags-about-a-million-mysterious-postcards-that-were-addressed-to-a-parking-lot/?tid=sm_tw). Except the RNC says they haven’t received a single one, and the picture of the postcard that Trump tweeted has an address that’s a vacant lot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1420) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1422)