# 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:** 1731
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34602 "2017-07-18T21:27:29Z")
Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-Crazytown) asks NASA scientist if there [used to be civilized life on Mars](http://mashable.com/2017/07/18/lawmaker-asks-nasa-scientist-about-mars-civilization/#fOQJmI_JOPqP). Hell, I’m still waiting for civilized life on Earth. ---
**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 18, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34603 "2017-07-18T21:31:12Z")
I think that they don’t believe the media that is telling them that Trump Jr. admitted that. Maybe they don’t use Twitter or don’t believe that it’s really his account or something. Anything that conflicts with their worldview must be wrong somehow. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34604 "2017-07-18T23:14:53Z")
> [@yanceylebeef](#): > > Representative [Steve King](https://thinkprogress.org/steve-king-trump-russia-investigations-must-stop-or-new-clinton-ones-will-democrats-b757028e05c6?ICID=ref_fark)“If this continues — this immobilization of the presidency over these kind of things  (The whole Russia collusion thing - yanceylebeef) — it’s gonna force Congress to do an investigation, a complete and thorough investigation, and that means go back all the way to the 650,000 emails of Anthony Weiner and look at [former FBI Director James] Comey and his activities,” > > I continue to be amazed at how hypocritical Republicans are about Russia meddling in our election. I mean, I knew they were craven, political animals only out for their own survival, but the Republican party of my father and grandfather’s time would have lost their collective shits over this kind of intrusion. This used to be the kind of thing that started wars, now its “Well, they helped our guy, so it’s cool”. > > I’m beyond baffled. I’m positively louvered. To hell with Steve King. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34605 "2017-07-18T23:15:55Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Republicans have clearly moved to a place where it is perfectly acceptable to work with a hostile country, a country that conducts espionage against us, a country that is headed by a despotic dictator… As long as that helps their party. > > They are OK with using another country’s agents to disrupt the electoral process, to hack into servers of their political enemies and to become beholden to foreign powers… as long as their party wins. > > This is what it has come down to. This is the basic fundamental way that the Republican Party works now. Goddamned traitors ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34606 "2017-07-18T23:18:22Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Well, not if he gives any answer that contains an implicit criticism of Trump. (Which he knows very well). Because if Trump’s vindictive eye turns on Ryan, it will be “Subreddit and Breitbarters, Assemble!” and they will commence to (try to) destroy him. … and the craven traitorous cowards have not yet figured out he would happily destroy them anyway, just to feed his diseased ego??? OK, so then they’re stupid too. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34607 "2017-07-18T23:20:06Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Now you’ll be able to open carry your knives and swords in Texas. > > [http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/13/us/texas-sword-knives-law-trnd/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/13/us/texas-sword-knives-law-trnd/index.html) > > There is now a lobbying group pushing the idea that knifes and swords are covered by the second amendment. > > [https://kniferights.org](https://kniferights.org) > > I guess profits are down in the knife and sword industry. > > Anyone who feels that there’s a genuine need to wear their Ninja sword to the corner store is probably someone who shouldn’t be playing with sharp things. Too commonplace. I want Mjolnir. And a flaming axe. And a belt made of skulls 🆒 ---
**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:** [July 18, 2017, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34608 "2017-07-18T23:20:09Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-Crazytown) asks NASA scientist if there [used to be civilized life on Mars](http://mashable.com/2017/07/18/lawmaker-asks-nasa-scientist-about-mars-civilization/#fOQJmI_JOPqP). > . Jesus. Someone this stupid should not be allowed to posses matches, or be allowed out without their name and address pinned to a card on their shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34609 "2017-07-18T23:35:39Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Jesus. > > Someone this stupid should not be allowed to posses matches, or be allowed out without their name and address pinned to a card on their shirt. Not a problem. Given that it’s fire season here in California it’s already illegal for him to have matches without approval from his local sheriff. And I have no doubt the local constabulary can recite his address from memory. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34610 "2017-07-19T01:44:50Z")
I never thought I would agree with Steve Bannon on anything, but I believe he hit the nail right on the head here: > [@](#): > > Steve Bannon reportedly called House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) “a limp-dick motherfucker who was born in a petri dish at the Heritage Foundation,” referring to the think tank whose fiscal conservative policies the representative espouses… > > [HuffPost](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/steve-bannon-paul-ryan-breitbart-trump_us_596dfdfce4b0b95f893e00b0?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34611 "2017-07-19T01:50:11Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I never thought I would agree with Steve Bannon on anything, but I believe he hit the nail right on the head here: Yes, I liked that too. The Trumpistas may be evil, but Paul Ryan is simply a pusillanimous piece of squirmy little shit. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34612 "2017-07-19T02:12:34Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Yes, I liked that too. The Trumpistas may be evil, but Paul Ryan is simply a pusillanimous piece of squirmy little shit. From [Slate.com](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/03/17/paul_ryan_s_college_dream_was_to_kick_poor_people_off_medicaid.html), March 17, 2017 > [@](#): > > **Paul Ryan: I’ve Been Dreaming About Kicking Poors Off Medicaid Since I Was a Drunk Frat Boy** > > At the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit on Friday, House Speaker Paul Ryan had an interesting exchange with National Review editor Rich Lowry about the AHCA’s changes to Medicaid: > > ``` > *Lowry*: You have been very clear for years—and we’ve seen compelling PowerPoint presentations—about how the entitlements and entitlements growing out of control is driving the country into a ditch on the debt. And we have a president of the United States who basically seems pledged not to touch entitlements. Where does that leave us? > > *Ryan*: So, the health care entitlements are the big, big, big drivers of our debt. There are three. Obamacare, Medicaid, and Medicare. Two out of three are going through Congress right now. So, Medicaid—sending it back to the states, capping its growth rate. We’ve been dreaming of this since you and I were drinking out of a keg. > > ``` > > - [Laughter]\* Yeah, that’s a side-splitter for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34613 "2017-07-19T02:58:50Z")
Interesting results on a new poll: 55% of Trump voters say they don’t believe Donald Trump Jr met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign. Which is something Donald Trump Jr has said he did. [Majority of Trump supporters ‘don’t believe Trump Jr attended Russian lawyer meeting’](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-jr-russian-meeting-poll-majority-supporters-dont-believe-it-happened-despite-son-admitting-it-a7847636.html) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34614 "2017-07-19T03:11:03Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Jesus. > > > [@Punoqllads](#): > > > > Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-Crazytown) asks NASA scientist if there used to be civilized life on Mars. > > Someone this stupid should not be allowed to posses matches, or be allowed out without their name and address pinned to a card on their shirt. Heh, that IS dumb. Everyone knows the locals call it Barsoom. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34615 "2017-07-19T07:10:37Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Interesting results on a new poll: 55% of Trump voters say they don’t believe Donald Trump Jr met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign. Which is something Donald Trump Jr has said he did. > > [Majority of Trump supporters ‘don’t believe Trump Jr attended Russian lawyer meeting’](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-jr-russian-meeting-poll-majority-supporters-dont-believe-it-happened-despite-son-admitting-it-a7847636.html) [Ahem](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=511831&page=692#post20354262). ---
**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 19, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34616 "2017-07-19T15:42:50Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-Crazytown) asks NASA scientist if there [used to be civilized life on Mars](http://mashable.com/2017/07/18/lawmaker-asks-nasa-scientist-about-mars-civilization/#fOQJmI_JOPqP). My favorite part is this bit of word salad: [QUOTE=Dana “Dumbass” Rohrabacher] Would you rule that out? That — see, there are some people — well, anyway [/QUOTE] I get the distinct impression that the “some people” in question suspect NASA of delivering child slaves to the Martians. ---
**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 19, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34617 "2017-07-19T16:25:59Z")
[Followup](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/greg-gianforte-congressman-who-assaulted-reporter-fights-court-ordered-fingerprints-photographs_us_596e63ede4b0000eb1968b24?section=us_politics) on the “Slammin’ Greg” Gianforte assault story: > [@](#): > > Rep. Greg Gianforte, the Montana Republican who pleaded guilty to assaulting a reporter the day before his election, does not want to be treated like a common criminal ― for more than a month, he has been quietly fighting a court order requiring him to get fingerprinted and photographed at a local jail. If you don’t want to be treated like a common criminal, maybe you should _not commit crimes_, jackass. ---
**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 19, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34618 "2017-07-19T16:37:37Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > [Followup](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/greg-gianforte-congressman-who-assaulted-reporter-fights-court-ordered-fingerprints-photographs_us_596e63ede4b0000eb1968b24?section=us_politics) on the “Slammin’ Greg” Gianforte assault story: > > If you don’t want to be treated like a common criminal, maybe you should _not commit crimes_, jackass. He was striking a blow for journalistic freedom!\* \*The freedom from being reported on by journalists. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34619 "2017-07-20T04:07:37Z")
NRA goes all out racist, claiming Black Lives Matter are out to kill white people. > **[WATCH: NRA TV hosts warn ‘white families’ will be ‘tortured and killed’ if...](https://www.rawstory.com/2017/07/watch-nra-tv-hosts-warn-white-families-will-be-tortured-and-killed-if-black-lives-matter-succeeds/)** > > Grant Stinchfield, a host at the NRA's online television network, made more incendiary comments about Black Lives Matter activists allegedly stoking "racial hatred" against white people.Via Media Matters, Stinchfield began a segment on his show... ---
**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:** [July 20, 2017, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34620 "2017-07-20T06:53:03Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > My favorite part is this bit of word salad: > … > I get the distinct impression that the “some people” in question suspect NASA of delivering child slaves to the Martians. The thing that pissed me off was the answer. When pressed with “would you rule that out?” the guy makes some response that sounded a bit like “extremely unlikely.” No, goddamit, “No!” That is the answer. Get a guy up there who can speak person. If the likelihood is small enough to underflow a common calculator, tell him straight out that you would indeed rule it out. Enough with this contract-pure accurate language that only in the end serves to confuse people. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/34621 "2017-07-20T07:06:58Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > The thing that pissed me off was the answer. When pressed with “would you rule that out?” the guy makes some response that sounded a bit like “extremely unlikely.” > > No, goddamit, “No!” That is the answer. Get a guy up there who can speak person. If the likelihood is small enough to underflow a common calculator, tell him straight out that you would indeed rule it out. Enough with this contract-pure accurate language that only in the end serves to confuse people. He’s playing politics. If he goes up there and says that’s crazy talk, NASA gets defunded. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1730) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1732)