# 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:** 193
**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:** [November 23, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3841 "2011-11-23T16:06:24Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > There’s a word to describe doing the same thing and expecting different results. Conservative ? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3842 "2011-11-23T19:23:50Z")
Wanna turn Illinois into Iowa? Viola! > **[Illinois Republican wants to make Chicago area the 51st state](https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/illinois-republican-wants-chicago-area-51st-state-160924927.html)** > > A state Republican legislator has introduced a bill to the Illinois General Assembly to separate the Chicago's county from the state--effectively making the midwestern city the 51st state in the union. The bill, filed by State Rep. Bill Mitchell of... ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3843 "2011-11-23T19:48:23Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Wanna turn Illinois into Iowa? Viola! > > [Yahoo News: Latest and Breaking News, Headlines, Live Updates, and More](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/illinois-republican-wants-chicago-area-51st-state-160924927.html) :eek: Wow. The guy’s not even from Chicago – he’s from Decatur, which is way downstate. WTH?? What did Chicago ever do to you, pal? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3844 "2011-11-23T20:00:52Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Wanna turn Illinois into Iowa? Hey, Iowa’s cool. It’s more like turning Illinois into Indiana. I’d agree to breaking up California/Illinois/etc through the Republican’s transparent scheme, so long as the great swath of the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, and Kansas were all combined into one state. ---
**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:** [November 23, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3845 "2011-11-23T20:04:01Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > What did Chicago ever do to you, pal? :dubious: Voted Democratic. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3846 "2011-11-23T20:47:20Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Voted Democratic. Hmmm, good point. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3847 "2011-11-23T21:53:24Z")
[GOP’s Romney defends ad’s use of Obama 2008 line](http://news.yahoo.com/gops-romney-defends-ads-obama-2008-line-180436309.html) A TV ad shows 2008 Obama saying, "“If we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose.” The minor detail that’s left out is that he was quoting John McCain. But it’s OK! The Romney campaign released a statement pointing out what they did. So essentially, they’re saying that it’s OK to lie, and let the lie stand, as long as you quietly admit it somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3848 "2011-11-23T22:10:01Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Wanna turn Illinois into Iowa? Viola! > > [Yahoo News: Latest and Breaking News, Headlines, Live Updates, and More](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/illinois-republican-wants-chicago-area-51st-state-160924927.html) > [@The Ticket](#): > > “These liberal policies are an insult to the traditional values of downstate families,” Mitchell told the Decatur Tribune. “When I talk to constituents, one of the biggest things I hear is ‘Chicago should be its own state . . . .Our voters’ voices were drowned out by Chicago.” Actually, since the population is in Chicago, the actual new and 51st state would be the Illinois sticks. I’m not convinced that separating metropolis and countryside is smart administratively. The one depends on the other. (Though I grant some rural voters think they don’t need the cities.) ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3849 "2011-11-23T22:11:49Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Hey, Iowa’s cool. It’s more like turning Illinois into Indiana. > > I’d agree to breaking up California/Illinois/etc through the Republican’s transparent scheme, so long as the great swath of the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, and Kansas were all combined into one state. Oh, great. So aspiring politicians would have to take a plane trip to get to the state capital to register for a state general assembly election? I guess that rule could be changed. Would it? I think we probably should have more and smaller states, but Illinois isn’t the one I would most want to split. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3850 "2011-11-23T22:53:18Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Pfff, as if we feared American airstrikes. We’ve got the impenetrable Maginot Line to protect us, mister ! Don’t worry about Cain invading France. He’d never be able to find the place. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3851 "2011-11-23T23:05:49Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Don’t worry about Cain invading France. He’d never be able to find the place. France he can find. But if y’all rename your country to Frankenstan he might invade Kyrgyzstan instead. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3852 "2011-11-24T20:36:04Z")
Herman Cain is [afraid of non-Christian doctors](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/21/herman-cain-holy-land-experience_n_1105725.html). PLEASE let this guy be the GOP nomination! There is an inexhaustible supply of shit like this that I would love to have come out slowly, week by week, until November when it looks like the voters would have to choose between Obama and a guy who has the brain power of an insufficiently clubbed baby seal ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3853 "2011-11-24T23:17:20Z")
So, our favorite political genius, Newt Gingrich, has proposed what his GOP rivals are calling “amnesty” for illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. for a long time, have established ties to the community, and so on. One of the requirements for demonstrating this, Gingrich proposes, is that the immigrant in question must “[belong to a local church](http://loyalopposition.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/23/newt-gingrich-says-the-right-thing-film-at-11/?ref=politics&gwh=9991BA5DE512C0FA2A09EF296B3F8179).” What a way to poison a basically decent idea with pure idiocy. He also said another requirement would be for the immigrant to [buy health insurance](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/24/us/politics/newt-gingrichs-words-on-immigration-become-a-target.html?pagewanted=all). (!) Interesting, no? ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3854 "2011-11-24T23:45:08Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > So, our favorite political genius, Newt Gingrich, has proposed what his GOP rivals are calling “amnesty” for illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. for a long time, have established ties to the community, and so on. One of the requirements for demonstrating this, Gingrich proposes, is that the immigrant in question must “[belong to a local church](http://loyalopposition.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/23/newt-gingrich-says-the-right-thing-film-at-11/?ref=politics&gwh=9991BA5DE512C0FA2A09EF296B3F8179).” It’s a sickening fact, not to mention an indictment of a party unwittingly clutched in the talons of the religious right, but in Today’s GOP a politician vying for high office must appease its Christian base in order to have any chance whatsoever of becoming its nominee, so I guess one could say this is simply Gingrich being pragmatic. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3855 "2011-11-24T23:49:18Z")
Or you could say Newt has once again realized he opened his mouth before his brain was engaged, and is now placing qualifications on his “humane” approach to immigration that will make it impossible for illegal aliens to meet his criteria, in a desperate attempt to polish the turd he laid at the last debate. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3856 "2011-11-25T00:48:13Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > It’s a sickening fact, not to mention an indictment of a party unwittingly clutched in the talons of the religious right, but in Today’s GOP a politician vying for high office must appease its Christian base in order to have any chance whatsoever of becoming its nominee, so I guess one could say this is simply Gingrich being pragmatic. Well, there’s stupid in terms of appeasing the party base and getting the nomination: he broke into that bit of stupidity by promoting and defending his “amnesty” proposal. And then there’s just stupid and frankly unconstitutional policy, which is the “must belong to a local church” requirement for said “amnesty.” ---
**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:** [November 26, 2011, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3857 "2011-11-26T08:58:10Z")
What would you do if you found out that a high school kid had said on Twitter that you suck? If you’re Sam Brownback, you might [track her down and have her school’s principal order him to write you an apology letter.](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/11/25/376213/kansas-school-unconstitutionally-disciplines-student-for-criticizing-gov-sam-brownback/) ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3858 "2011-11-26T17:16:56Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > What would you do if you found out that a high school kid had said on Twitter that you suck? > > If you’re Sam Brownback, you might [track her down and have her school’s principal order him to write you an apology letter.](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/11/25/376213/kansas-school-unconstitutionally-disciplines-student-for-criticizing-gov-sam-brownback/) Hello, constitutional rights lawsuit. ---
**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:** [November 26, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3859 "2011-11-26T17:34:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > What would you do if you found out that a high school kid had said on Twitter that you suck? > > If you’re Sam Brownback, you might [track her down and have her school’s principal order him to write you an apology letter.](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/11/25/376213/kansas-school-unconstitutionally-disciplines-student-for-criticizing-gov-sam-brownback/) In Kansas, you must not criticize the Great Leader. This certainly fits the thread title very well. What a stupid thing for the party to do. ---
**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 26, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3860 "2011-11-26T21:39:57Z")
I really want to know more about this. > [@](#): > > “Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot” That’s the text of her quote. Am I to understand from this that IRL she stood up in his presence, disparaged him to his face, and told him he sucked, right out loud? Okay, I was able to find deeper information, to the effect that she did not speak to him. IMO, she does owe an apology. And this is the apology letter that she should send: > [@](#): > > To all concerned (including the governor, the organizers of the event, and the social studies coordinator): I wish to express my deep and sincere remorse for the fact that I was tweeting my opinion of the degree to which Governor Brownback sucks during the course of the governor’s presentation at the Youth In Government event which I attended last week. > > I realize that being selected to participate in this event is a privilege, and that by posting a tweet about the fact that I believe Governor Brownback sucks while the event was in progress, I was behaving in a way that constituted an abuse of that privilege. What I did trivializes the Youth In Government event itself, and was disrespectful of the event sponsors, my fellow attendees, and the officials of my school district and high school who saw fit to provide me with this opportunity. > > To Governor Brownback, I offer this specific apology: in addition to my remorse for the fact that instead of remaining respectfully attentive during your speech, I was posting a tweet to the effect that you suck, I also deeply regret and apologize for the terminology I used. Because we did not, in fact literally have words with one another, it was an act of adolescent and self-aggrandizing chest-pounding for me to have suggested in my tweet that I had, in fact, told you to your face that you suck. In the future, when I wish to report to people that I told you, in person, that you suck, I will first actually find a way to come face-to-face with you and actually tell you that you suck. Even people who suck deserve that much consideration, and you are no exception. I hope that you will forgive me for having tried to take credit for an action which I did not actually perform. > > To all who read this, please forgive me for my failings, and believe that I have well and truly learned my lessons from this incident. I shall endeavor to do better in the future. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=192) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=194)