# 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:** 1605
**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:** [January 3, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32082 "2017-01-03T23:27:55Z")
Nice quote. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32083 "2017-01-04T01:18:57Z")
> [@PigArcher](#): > > They will slip it through quietly sometime in the next 6 months. Calling it now. Right. If you want to predict what Congress will do and how it will do it, just study Kansas, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. Middle-of-the-night legislation, failure to notify the other side of what’s coming, no hearings, endless tax cuts for the connected and benefit cuts for everyone else, voter suppression: it’s all there in those “laboratories of democracy” where plutocracy’s been incubating for the past 8 years. ---
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32084 "2017-01-04T04:06:34Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yeah, Trump twitterated 'em. Good. although while doing it he added, “even though it’s unfair.” Why is the ethics board unfair? Because it’s always Repubs with no ethics? Trump took credit, but it was actually all the people jamming up their congress critters’ phone lines in protest that made them change their minds. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2017, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32085 "2017-01-04T04:09:39Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yeah, Trump twitterated 'em. Good. although while doing it he added, “even though it’s unfair.” Why is the ethics board unfair? Because it’s always Repubs with no ethics? If it doesn’t benefit Trump, it’s unfair. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2017, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32086 "2017-01-04T04:16:23Z")
He was saving jobs! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32087 "2017-01-04T06:13:51Z")
[Sarah Palin is now apologizing to Julian Assange](http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/internet-shames-palin-for-julian-assange-apology-she-can-collude-with-russia-from-her-house/) and thanking him for getting Trump elected. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2017, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32088 "2017-01-04T07:07:00Z")
I have no idea why people conflate Assange and Snowden, but they evidently do. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2017, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32089 "2017-01-04T13:13:16Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Trump even joined in, Tweeting to criticize the plan. Just after his blonde spokesmodel was defending it on TV… I prefer to think of Ms. Kellyanne Conway as **The Mouth of Sauron** > **[Battle of the Morannon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouth_of_Sauron)** > > In J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings, the Battle of the Morannon or the Battle of the Black Gate, is the final confrontation in the War of the Ring. Gondor and its allies send a small army ostensibly to challenge Sauron at the entrance to his land of Mordor; he supposes that they have with them the One Ring and mean to use it to defeat him. In fact, the Ring is being carried by the hobbits Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee into Mordor to destroy it in Mount Doom, and the ar... ---
**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:** [January 4, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32090 "2017-01-04T19:22:16Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I have no idea why people conflate Assange and Snowden, but they evidently do. Because it was Assange that was hacking the Democratic emails. ---
**Author:** ![Donpeyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a4c791/32.png) [@Donpeyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donpeyote)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32091 "2017-01-04T19:39:53Z")
Move American troops & armor to border of Russia in Eastern Europe ( Lithuania ) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32092 "2017-01-04T19:41:33Z")
Bring potatoes. Make Latvia sadder. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32093 "2017-01-04T20:21:42Z")
> [@Donpeyote](#): > > Move American troops & armor to border of Russia in Eastern Europe ( Lithuania ) Is this a current Republican idea? Where did it come from? Has Trump or Pence said they’d do this, or has Paul Ryan proposed it? Like, Cite? There is currently a NATO tripwire force in the Baltic Republics. Strengthening it is not a stupid idea, although massively strengthening it would be unnecessarily provocative. ---
**Author:** ![Donpeyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a4c791/32.png) [@Donpeyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donpeyote)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32094 "2017-01-04T20:31:53Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Is this a current Republican idea? Where did it come from? Has Trump or Pence said they’d do this, or has Paul Ryan proposed it? Like, Cite? > > There is currently a NATO tripwire force in the Baltic Republics. Strengthening it is not a stupid idea, although massively strengthening it would be unnecessarily provocative. It’s Obama’s move as of today ( US mechanized special forces on border of Russia in Lithuania , but GOP under Trump administration may put them in Poland border of Baltic Russia or Estonia who knows , but don’t put stupidity only on GOP when it comes to provoking Russia … ---
**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:** [January 4, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32095 "2017-01-04T21:02:52Z")
We have a thread for stupid liberal thoughts. If you’ve missed it, it’s because it’s not nearly as active. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32096 "2017-01-04T21:48:52Z")
Heck, I don’t think it’s “stupid” at all. Putting obstacles between Putin and his victims is darn good sense. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32097 "2017-01-04T23:13:39Z")
Does [this item](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/383f4b3061e74c90b7683317f20e92d9/gop-legislator-rips-uw-program-questioning-masculinity) belong in this thread?[ > [@](#): > > A University of Wisconsin-Madison program that explores masculinity amounts to a declaration of war on men and the university should be punished in upcoming budget deliberations, a Republican legislator said Wednesday. > [@](#): > > Sen. Steve Nass, a frequent UW System critic, sent an email to his fellow lawmakers on Wednesday entitled “UW-Madison Declares War on Men and their Masculinity — Not a Joke.” The email accuses UW-Madison of being part of a national liberal effort to rid male students of their “toxic masculinity.” > > The email comes less than three weeks after Nass and Republican Rep. Dave Murphy ripped the school for offering a course entitled “The Problem of Whiteness.” They demanded legislators cut the UW System budget if UW-Madison didn’t drop the class. > > “Our friends at UW-Madison, not happy enough with labeling ‘whiteness’ as a societal problem, now are attacking another social ill …, Men and their masculinity,” the email says. > > “The supposedly underfunded and overworked administrators at our flagship campus have scrapped (sic) together enough dollars to offer a six-week program open only to 'men-identified students,” the email goes on. “In short, the highly paid leaders at UW-Madison now believe that Wisconsin mothers and fathers have done a poor job of raising their boys by trying to instill in them the values and characteristics necessary in becoming a Man.” > > The email concludes by encouraging legislators to reform the UW System in the next state budget. ]([http://bigstory.ap.org/article/383f4b3061e74c90b7683317f20e92d9/gop-legislator-rips-uw-program-questioning-masculinity](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/383f4b3061e74c90b7683317f20e92d9/gop-legislator-rips-uw-program-questioning-masculinity))But based on these parts of the article, I don’t think Sen. Nass understands, well, much of anything at all, really:[ > [@](#): > > UW-Madison offers a six-week program for undergraduate and graduate students called the Men’s Project. It’s open only to students who identify as male. Participants examine their masculinity and how it plays into pop culture, sexuality and “hook up culture,” according to the program website. > [@](#): > > UW-Madison spokesman John Lucas declined to address Nass’ criticisms. He said the Men’s Project is a small, voluntary, not-for-credit program that serves only about 30 students and consists of a retreat and six discussions over six weeks. The program is designed to address common issues of college life, he said, adding that a number of schools across the country offer similar programs, including Arizona, North Carolina, Duke and Washington University in St. Louis. ]([http://bigstory.ap.org/article/383f4b3061e74c90b7683317f20e92d9/gop-legislator-rips-uw-program-questioning-masculinity](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/383f4b3061e74c90b7683317f20e92d9/gop-legislator-rips-uw-program-questioning-masculinity)) ---
**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:** [January 5, 2017, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32098 "2017-01-05T00:04:29Z")
We should tell **Clothy** about the Men’s Project, so that he can put it in his thread and get mocked mercilessly for, well, being **Clothy**. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32099 "2017-01-05T00:13:38Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Heck, I don’t think it’s “stupid” at all. Putting obstacles between Putin and his victims is darn good sense. Not to worry. Trump will probably turn over command of the US troops in the Baltic states to Putin shortly. The Republicans will cheer this announcement, and twist mightily to explain what a good idea it is. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32100 "2017-01-05T00:50:20Z")
Steve King (you remember him, don’tcha? R-Iowa) [has filed a bill](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/steve-king-obamacare-supreme-court) that would ban the Supreme Court from citing its own Obamacare rulings. How he would prevent them from declaring it unconstitutional is another problem. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/32101 "2017-01-05T04:46:12Z")
Got it covered, can’t cite the Constitution either. Got to get up pretty early in the afternoon to get over on Steve! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1604) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1606)