# 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:** 183
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3641 "2011-10-21T16:52:08Z")
Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum recently pledged to “die on that hill” fighting against same-sex marriage, and made a similar vow to repeal all federal funding for contraception because it is “a license to do things in a sexual realm.” From an AOL link. God forbid (literally) we “do things in a sexual realm”. Less contraception would be sure to have positive benefits to the country as a whole… ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3642 "2011-10-21T17:19:29Z")
Two things I saw on The Daily Show last night: (1) Bill O’Reilly gets utterly and completely pwned, and by someone he can’t possibly fight back against: [Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/20/bill-oreilly-book-burned-_n_1021465.html) (The stupid idea of the day was sending his book to soldiers in Afghanistan in the first place, I hope it goes without saying.) (2) Tea Party Nation, in order to prove that Obama’s policies are destroying jobs, wants its members to [pledge not to hire anyone](http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/216451/250/Tea-Party-group-Stop-creating-jobs) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3643 "2011-10-21T17:25:00Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > (1) Bill O’Reilly gets utterly and completely pwned, and by someone he can’t possibly fight back against: > [Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/20/bill-oreilly-book-burned-_n_1021465.html) Wow. That is truly delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3644 "2011-10-21T17:53:27Z")
No Huff Post at work. Would someone summarize? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3645 "2011-10-21T17:55:44Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > (2) Tea Party Nation, in order to prove that Obama’s policies are destroying jobs, wants its members to [pledge not to hire anyone](http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/216451/250/Tea-Party-group-Stop-creating-jobs) Is this the first major attempt at going Galt? Of course, it’ll work exactly as well as boycotting gas stations. Businesses don’t hire out of the goodness of their hearts, they hire because they need the workers. If they need to hire and don’t, they’re only hurting themselves. Ideology doesn’t factor into it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3646 "2011-10-21T17:55:58Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > More Santorum Doesn’t that take the lower case when used as an improper noun? ---
**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:** [October 21, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3647 "2011-10-21T18:01:49Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > No Huff Post at work. Would someone summarize? > [@](#): > > A group of soldiers recently burned a box of Bill O’Reilly’s books that had been sent to them in Afghanistan. > > An anonymous soldier going by the name of Everqueer posted pictures of the burning on their Tumblr page. The book in question was “Pinheads and Patriots,” which O’Reilly has sent to Afghanistan through a charity group. With pictures of the books burning. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3648 "2011-10-21T18:09:17Z")
Eurgh…I don’t care for burning books, even when the books are utter crap like O’Liely’s. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3649 "2011-10-21T18:15:07Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Eurgh…I don’t care for burning books, even when the books are utter crap like O’Liely’s. Did you read why they burned the books? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3650 "2011-10-21T18:16:28Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > Did you read why they burned the books? For those who couldn’t read the article, here is why: > [@](#): > > The motivation behind the order to burn them was not political…as mentioned in the original post, we are in an extraordinarily remote location. We don’t have a post office here, so sending them back wasn’t an option. Extra space is scarce and alternatives that a few mentioned, like recycling, are nonexistent…I’m aware of the historical implications of book-burning. I won’t say I didn’t take pleasure in removing a few copies of this bigoted twerp’s writings from circulation, but the reason for doing so was military necessity. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3651 "2011-10-21T18:34:50Z")
You know – this is off topic probably – there’s one thing that continues to flummox me. The mere mention of ‘burning books’ is met with aghast astonishment and condemnation. Here’s the thing, if I go down to my local, now-nonexistant, Border’s and buy 37 copies of _Horton Hears a Who_, and I take them home and burn them in my back yard … who am I hurting? Besides myself, because I’d be out however much it costs to buy 37 copies of _Horton Hears a Who_. It’s the State’s burning of books to keep them out of the public sphere that sticks in my craw, not Joe Pyromaniac lighting up a few paperbacks. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3652 "2011-10-21T18:53:14Z")
The deeply entrenched symbolism of burning books is hard to deny (you know who \*else _burned books?_). If I were to buy a cross and burn it in my back yard, it’d be my business too, but I bet people would be uncomfortable, and I understand why. \*Montag ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3653 "2011-10-21T18:53:21Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > It’s the State’s burning of books to keep them out of the public sphere that sticks in my craw, not Joe Pyromaniac lighting up a few paperbacks. Yeah, i agree with you. No matter whose politics are being set alight. If a bunch of conservatives want to buy thousands of copies of Paul Krugman’s books or whatever, and have a big bonfire, what do i care? It’s not like we’re talking about a single library full of unique and irreplaceable tomes. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3654 "2011-10-21T18:54:36Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > Did you read why they burned the books? No, not until after I posted that. Now I do understand. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3655 "2011-10-21T19:04:07Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > (2) Tea Party Nation, in order to prove that Obama’s policies are destroying jobs, wants its members to [pledge not to hire anyone](http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/216451/250/Tea-Party-group-Stop-creating-jobs) You know, I’m going to have to start agreeing with those people who’ve been saying that the right-wing is deliberately trying to destroy the economy and country, just so they can win the next election. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3656 "2011-10-21T19:19:07Z")
Cue those who now try to claim that: 1. The Tea Party Nation is not a mainstream tea party group. 2. Judson Phillips, founder of Tea Party Nation, is not a Republican, not right wing and is not representative of anyone or anything on the right. 3. Clinton got a blowjob. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3657 "2011-10-21T20:07:00Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > You know, I’m going to have to start agreeing with those people who’ve been saying that the right-wing is deliberately trying to destroy the economy and country, just so they can win the next election. It also demonstrates their utter lack of faith and conviction in their ideals. If Obama’s policies were so ruinous, no one would be hiring anyway; you wouldn’t have to ask them not to. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3658 "2011-10-21T20:16:40Z")
It could be a lazy way of taking credit. “See all these businesses not hiring? That’s because of _our_ influence.” Nothing I hate worse than someone suggesting something you were going to do anyway, just so they can take the credit for the suggestion. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3659 "2011-10-21T21:34:14Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > It could be a lazy way of taking credit. > > “See all these businesses not hiring? That’s because of _our_ influence.” > > Nothing I hate worse than someone suggesting something you were going to do anyway, just so they can take the credit for the suggestion. Wouldn’t that be essentially saying: “Obama did not ruin the economy. We did!” It’s hard to fathom the utter idiocy of the Tea Party Nation for even suggesting such a thing. If unemployment rises, they can claim credit for wrecking the economy. If unemployment drops, then they are irrelevant. It’s lose-lose for them. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3660 "2011-10-21T22:16:28Z")
I’m just guessing. But “burn the country to save the party” sounds about right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=182) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=184)