# 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:** 1832
**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:** [February 14, 2018, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36622 "2018-02-14T11:29:20Z")
Scott Pruitt explains that, gosh darn it, he just had to [charter all those first-class and military-jet rides](http://www.unionleader.com/politics/epas-scott-pruitt-blames-security-concerns-for-costly-first-class-flights-20180213): > [@](#): > > …“We’ve reached the point where there’s not much civility in the marketplace and it’s created, you know, it’s created some issues and the (security) detail, the level of protection is determined by the level of threat.” > > [The Washington Post reported](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/first-class-travel-distinguishes-scott-pruitts-epa-tenure/2018/02/11/5bb89afc-0b7d-11e8-8b0d-891602206fb7_story.html) that taxpayers funded at least $90,000 for Pruitt and his top aides to fly during one stretch last June. It included first-class seats and a ride on a military jet, the newspaper reported… ---
**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:** [February 14, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36623 "2018-02-14T12:08:27Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Scott Pruitt explains that, gosh darn it, he just had to [charter all those first-class and military-jet rides](http://www.unionleader.com/politics/epas-scott-pruitt-blames-security-concerns-for-costly-first-class-flights-20180213): Am I reading too much into things, or does his official statement really reads “What I’m afraid of is that, were I to travel like a normal person and be seated next to the proles, they might just glare at me on account of what I’m about” ? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36624 "2018-02-14T13:08:24Z")
Isn’t Pruitt the one who’s insisted on a 24-hour security detail, and refuses to put anything in writing about decisions made at the EPA? Yes, yes he is. The man’s paranoid about something. Love to know what it is. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36625 "2018-02-14T13:32:15Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Love to know what it is. Well, too bad – you will never penetrate the [Cone of Silence](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/09/26/epa-spending-almost-25000-to-install-a-secure-phone-booth-for-scott-pruitt)! ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36626 "2018-02-14T16:58:50Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Isn’t Pruitt the one who’s insisted on a 24-hour security detail, and refuses to put anything in writing about decisions made at the EPA? Yes, yes he is. > > The man’s paranoid about something. Love to know what it is. Does mother nature hire hitmen? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36627 "2018-02-14T17:37:30Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Does mother nature hire hitmen? I dunno, but I wouldn’t be playing gold on a stormy day if I were him. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36628 "2018-02-14T17:42:23Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I dunno, but I wouldn’t be playing gold on a stormy day if I were him. Funny typo, given the Trump admin. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36629 "2018-02-14T17:43:31Z")
Brings up images of Scrooge McDuck basking on his pile of gold coins. Which also is probably not a good idea in a thunderstorm, of course. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36630 "2018-02-14T19:25:49Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Isn’t Pruitt the one who’s insisted on a 24-hour security detail, and refuses to put anything in writing about decisions made at the EPA? Yes, yes he is. > > The man’s paranoid about something. Love to know what it is. He also has a Cone of Silence installed inside his office. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36631 "2018-02-14T20:45:55Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > He also has a Cone of Silence installed inside his office. It’s like a whoopee cushion, but with less noise and more pain. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2018, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36632 "2018-02-15T06:04:54Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Well, too bad – you will never penetrate the [Cone of Silence](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/09/26/epa-spending-almost-25000-to-install-a-secure-phone-booth-for-scott-pruitt)! Jesus, who needs all that just to watch porn during office hours ? ETA : but seriously though, that just screams “HI I’M MAKING SHADY DEALS I DON’T WANT THE PUBLIC TO HEAR ABOUT, OK ?” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36633 "2018-02-15T07:09:16Z")
Who’s going to stop him? Some ethics oversight committee or something? Haw haw haw haw! ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36634 "2018-02-15T22:39:32Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Does mother nature hire hitmen? Mother Nature does not need to hire hitmen. Mother Nature will not mention that it would be a shame if anything were to happen to that nice house of yours. Mother Nature will clue you in with [flaming 175 mph winds](https://imgur.com/gallery/vL8VFVQ). ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36635 "2018-02-15T23:44:47Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Of course, once the effort fails and is shut down, all the people on food stamps will be getting half as much as they had been but with no other offset. Have the proponents of the “Harvest Box” considered anybody’s food allergies? Lost or stolen shipments? Lack of fresh produce? Something tells me that issues have not occurred. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36636 "2018-02-15T23:49:51Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Have the proponents of the “Harvest Box” considered anybody’s food allergies? Lost or stolen shipments? **Lack of fresh produce?** > > Something tells me that issues have not occurred. Even worse, the presence of no longer fresh and beginning to rot all over the rest of the food because of delays between procurement and packing/delivery. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36637 "2018-02-15T23:55:47Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Have the proponents of the “Harvest Box” considered anybody’s food allergies? Lost or stolen shipments? Lack of fresh produce? Canned food is a good enough replacement for fresh produce. I mean, fresh produce is for those effete libruls who eat sprouts and tofu. And if you are, say, lactose-intolerant, you can find the celiac person in the neighborhood and trade your cheese for their pasta. It will all work out in the end. That is, until the whole system collapses and you are left with half as much money. Or, maybe it will not collapse, _per se_, it will just be grafted into oblivion, and the budget will still be allocated, and the contractors will still be paid, and the boxes will pretend to be shipped, and it will all be good. (Good for a few people, anyway, who will get paid for doing nothing, unlike those trashy food stamp recipients who get a handout.) ---
**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:** [February 16, 2018, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36638 "2018-02-16T02:21:07Z")
[Great idea, Betsy!](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/374155-murphy-responds-to-devos-on-arming-teachers-to-prevent-gun-violence) > [@](#): > > DeVos said in an interview Thursday that states could consider training and arming teachers as a way to stop school shootings. She made the comment while discussing a shooting at a high school in Florida on Wednesday that left 17 people dead. ---
**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:** [February 16, 2018, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36639 "2018-02-16T03:20:44Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Even worse, the presence of no longer fresh and beginning to rot all over the rest of the food because of delays between procurement and packing/delivery. You think there is going to be any FRESH PRODUCE in those boxes…? You sweet, sweet man. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36640 "2018-02-16T03:33:18Z")
Will there be any variation in what comes inside these boxes? I think anybody would be sick of the same old things after a week or so of eating them. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/36641 "2018-02-16T03:33:21Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > You think there is going to be any FRESH PRODUCE in those boxes…? > > You sweet, sweet man. Well, sure – some kale, some arugula, just the right greens to toss with a dash of balsamic and your Government Quinoa. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1831) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1833)