# 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:** 1784
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35662 "2017-11-13T20:48:38Z")
How’s this for a Machiavellian / House of Cards scenario (posed in the NY Times, in their recent article about an additional Moore victim coming forward): Moore stays in the race and wins. But the Senate refuses to seat him, because they have high standards and moral compasses suddenly. Alabama Governor then has to appoint a replacement: Jeff Sessions. Trump gets to pick a new toady Attorney General, who will probably immediately fire Mueller. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2017, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35663 "2017-11-13T21:20:08Z")
Following McConnell’s call for Moore to step aside, Moore tweeted, “The person who should step aside is @SenateMajLdr Mitch McConnell. He has failed conservatives and must be replaced. #DrainTheSwamp” [https://twitter.com/MooreSenate/status/930128259035082756](https://twitter.com/MooreSenate/status/930128259035082756) ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35664 "2017-11-13T21:22:26Z")
Classy - “No, U!” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35665 "2017-11-13T21:36:04Z")
But he does have a point. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35666 "2017-11-13T21:45:13Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > But he does have a point. 😉 Are you talking about his penis? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35667 "2017-11-13T22:10:01Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Roy Moore’s wife is trying to collect evidence to prove that Roy’s accusers are being paid. > [https://www.yahoo.com/news/roy-moore-apos-wife-kayla-174009011.html](https://www.yahoo.com/news/roy-moore-apos-wife-kayla-174009011.html) Before or after [Beverly Nelson](http://nypost.com/2017/11/13/new-roy-moore-accuser-alleges-he-sexually-assaulted-her-when-she-was-16/) joined in? ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35668 "2017-11-14T00:32:23Z")
Because, [_fuck those people_](http://www.newsweek.com/tax-cuts-middle-class-bikers-709565) \*Buried in the Senate Republican tax plan released last week is the elimination of a $20-a-month tax benefit for people biking to and from work, a program that costs the government a grand total of $5 million. The same tax bill would retain a $255-a-month parking subsidy for drivers that costs $7.3 billion. “The cost of this [cyclist] benefit is equal to a rounding error in the tax bill.…” said Ken McLeod, policy director at the League of American Bicyclists.… The cost of the driving subsidy is roughly 1,500 times bigger than the biking subsidy. As such, some experts believe Senate Republicans are targeting Americans living in cities, where cycling—and Democratic voting habits—are more common.… “This is urban versus rural or suburban,” said League of American Bicyclists Executive Director Bill Nesper. The cut hurts the urban lower and middle class while saving the U.S. government almost no money. “We often imagine that there’s this image of the bike commuter as a wealthy person in Spandex, but it’s mostly low-income people riding to work,” said (Steven) Higashide. Sixty percent of those who commute by bike have household incomes of less than $75,000 each year, according to the Census Bureau.\* Nobody like bicyclists. They get in the way, scoff at traffic controls, run pedestrians down and dent your car while you are trying to turn in front of them. So, easy target it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35669 "2017-11-14T00:39:39Z")
This is literally the first I’ve ever heard of a bicycle tax benefit. The online tax services I use have never asked about my commuting habits, and I’m not sure how to claim a benefit outside the bounds of what the online services ask about. And yeah, for what it’s worth, I commute by bike because it’s a lot cheaper than a car, and I need to pinch what pennies I can. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35670 "2017-11-14T00:49:25Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > How’s this for a Machiavellian / House of Cards scenario (posed in the NY Times, in their recent article about an additional Moore victim coming forward): > > Moore stays in the race and wins. But the Senate refuses to seat him, because they have high standards and moral compasses suddenly. Alabama Governor then has to appoint a replacement: > > Jeff Sessions. > > Trump gets to pick a new toady Attorney General, who will probably immediately fire Mueller. And that Attorney General is . . . Roy Moore? ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35671 "2017-11-14T01:03:59Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Following McConnell’s call for Moore to step aside, Moore tweeted, “The person who should step aside is @SenateMajLdr Mitch McConnell. He has failed conservatives and must be replaced. #DrainTheSwamp” > [x.com](https://twitter.com/MooreSenate/status/930128259035082756) Ah, the ‘I know you are, but what am I?’ defence! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35672 "2017-11-14T01:17:35Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > They are actually asking the Republican Governor to unilaterally decide to postpone the election till they can deal with the problem. One wonders just how legal that would be. “Oh, we don’t like the way the polls are going, Hillary might actually win in Alabama, let’s postpone the election till we can dig up or make up more dirt.” The Governor here, Kay Ivey, came into office following the resignation of the old Governor who got caught canoodling with a lady who was not his wife (and spending tax dollars on private jet trips). While I have no doubt that she’s a staunch Republican, I don’t see her getting herself involved in this Republican scuffle and she’ll stay on the sidelines, IMHO. > [@jsc1953](#): > > How’s this for a Machiavellian / House of Cards scenario (posed in the NY Times, in their recent article about an additional Moore victim coming forward): > > Moore stays in the race and wins. But the Senate refuses to seat him, because they have high standards and moral compasses suddenly. Alabama Governor then has to appoint a replacement: > > Jeff Sessions. > > Trump gets to pick a new toady Attorney General, who will probably immediately fire Mueller. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > And that Attorney General is . . . Roy Moore? My head asplode. ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35673 "2017-11-14T04:30:57Z")
Roy Moore was well known by the local people in Gadsden, AL for being shady. The security guards at Gadsden Mall had him on the list of people to watch out for. > **[Gadsden locals say Moore's behavior at mall, restaurants not a secret](https://www.al.com/news/2017/11/gadsden_residents_say_moores_b.html)** > > "These stories have been going around this town for 30 years." ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35674 "2017-11-14T05:04:16Z")
[Going back to the impressively unqualified candidate](https://shareblue.com/embarrassingly-unqualified-trump-nominee-forgets-wife-is-a-witness-in-russia-probe/) for the federal bench. Mr. Talley, who has never heard a case, and has only been a member of the bar for three years, remember? Turns out, the wife he’d forgotten to mention as working for the Administration, is also a witness in the Mueller probe. > [@](#): > > The New York Times reports that Donaldson “has emerged in recent weeks as a witness in the special counsel’s investigation into whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice.” She was interviewed recently by investigators about her “detailed notes” on conversations with her boss on issues like the decision to fire FBI Director James Comey. Quid pro quo, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35675 "2017-11-14T11:06:10Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Buried in the Senate Republican tax plan released last week is the elimination of a $20-a-month tax benefit for people biking to and from work, a program that costs the government a grand total of $5 million. The same tax bill would retain a $255-a-month parking subsidy for drivers that costs $7.3 billion. All the details of the GOP tax plan, beyond the general transfer from poor to rich, are designed to screw D-leaning demographics. It’s quite despicable and sickening when you think of it. I suppose this is well discussed on left-leaning message boards. But is mainstream media doing its job in exposing this? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [off-topic anecdote] Watching SNL just now, their “news” show informed me that in Texas it is illegal to possess or promote the use of six or more dildos. Googling seems to confirm this. Ownership of 47 semi-automatic rifles is, of course, no problem. I realize there are D’s in Texas. If this law was passed by the D’s instead of the R’s I’ll sit corrected (and astonished). ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35676 "2017-11-14T12:09:37Z")
Oh goody. [“Sessions considering special counsel to probe Clinton Foundation, uranium sale”](https://a.msn.com/r/2/BBEVPGl?m=en-us) > [@](#): > > Attorney General Jeff Sessions is entertaining the idea of appointing a second special counsel to investigate a host of Republican concerns — including alleged wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation and the controversial sale of a uranium company to Russia — and has directed senior federal prosecutors to explore at least some of the matters and report back to him and his top deputy, according to a letter obtained by The Washington Post. > > The revelation came in a response from the Justice Department to an inquiry from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), who in July and again in September called for Sessions to appoint a second special counsel to investigate concerns he had related to the 2016 election and its aftermath… I guess Jeffy is trying to get back in Thump’s good graces. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35677 "2017-11-14T12:49:27Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > [off-topic anecdote] > Watching SNL just now, their “news” show informed me that in Texas it is illegal to possess or promote the use of six or more dildos. Googling seems to confirm this. Ownership of 47 semi-automatic rifles is, of course, no problem. I realize there are D’s in Texas. If this law was passed by the D’s instead of the R’s I’ll sit corrected (and astonished). If you’re using six or more dildos I’d be amazed if you could sit at all. ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35678 "2017-11-14T12:57:19Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > [off-topic anecdote] > Watching SNL just now, their “news” show informed me that in Texas it is illegal to possess or promote the use of six or more dildos. Googling seems to confirm this. Ownership of 47 semi-automatic rifles is, of course, no problem. I realize there are D’s in Texas. If this law was passed by the D’s instead of the R’s I’ll sit corrected (and astonished). Molly Ivins wrote about this, several years ago. Her phrasing was perfectly typical of her “Apparently possession of fewer than six dildos marks you as a mere enthusiast.” I do miss her wit. One of my favorites (which made me do a double take when I heard her read it in the audio edition I had) was her idea of authors like here (she was on a book tour) promoting their books with matching products. Hers would have been Barbecue-Flavored Vaginal Gel. Think about it for a bit. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35679 "2017-11-14T13:01:42Z")
Not really a Stupid Republican idea (or a Republican idea), but this is the thread I had open when it occurred to me. Mention has been made of AG Sessions’s somewhat diminutive stature and his apparent suitability for either the cobbling or the baking profession. With [del]Christ[/del]Holidaymas fast approaching, perhaps someone ought to get to work producing Elf-On-the-Shelf action figures with Beauregard’s face on them. I imagine they would be 37% scarier to young minds, and therefore more effective at obtaining desired behavior as Holidaymas draws nigh… ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35680 "2017-11-14T13:04:37Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > [off-topic anecdote] > Watching SNL just now, their “news” show informed me that in Texas it is illegal to possess or promote the use of six or more dildos. Googling seems to confirm this. Ownership of 47 semi-automatic rifles is, of course, no problem. I realize there are D’s in Texas. If this law was passed by the D’s instead of the R’s I’ll sit corrected (and astonished). It was probably passed by Dixiecrat D’s. For about 100 years it was impossible for an R to get votes in this state. ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/35681 "2017-11-14T14:54:19Z")
The more I read about this tax plan, the more I think the whole thing needs to be posted to this thread. [Republican tax plan would tax graduate student tuition waivers as income.](http://www.chronicle.com/article/How-the-GOP-Tax-Plan-Could/241702) So we are going to stimulate growth by cutting taxes on the rich and then significantly increasing taxes on people going to college, especially those in graduate school. When I was in graduate school, my university waived my tuition, a benefit of nearly $40,000 a year. They also gave me a position as a research assistant and paid me around $20,000 a year. I dutifully paid taxes on the 20 grand, but under this new tax plan I would have been on the hook for taxes on $60,000 every year. Talk about a disincentive. I was eating ramen and beans in grad school and occasionally making choices on which bill not to pay in any given month. If I was on the hook for another couple thousand in taxes, I would not have gone. I wonder how many other engineers and physicists are in the same position as me. I don’t know why Republicans think attacking higher education is a good idea for stimulating growth in this global economy, but I think this is probably one of the stupidest things I have read in a long time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1783) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1785)