# 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:** 1970
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39382 "2018-10-23T05:01:48Z")
For your reading pleasure: a nuclear take from the WSJ editorial page. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-reason-they-hate-trump-1540148467](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-reason-they-hate-trump-1540148467) > [@](#): > > Every big U.S. election is interesting, but the coming midterms are fascinating for a reason most commentators forget to mention: The Democrats have no issues. The economy is booming and America’s international position is strong. In foreign affairs, the U.S. has remembered in the nick of time what Machiavelli advised princes five centuries ago: Don’t seek to be loved, seek to be feared. The contrast with the Obama years must be painful for any honest leftist. For future generations, the Kavanaugh fight will stand as a marker of the Democratic Party’s intellectual bankruptcy, the flashing red light on the dashboard that says “Empty.” The left is beaten. For now, though, the left’s only issue is “We hate Trump.” This is an instructive hatred, because what the left hates about Donald Trump is precisely what it hates about America. The implications are important, and painful. Not that every leftist hates America. But the leftists I know do hate Mr. Trump’s vulgarity, his unwillingness to walk away from a fight, his bluntness, his certainty that America is exceptional, his mistrust of intellectuals, his love of simple ideas that work, and his refusal to believe that men and women are interchangeable. Worst of all, he has no ideology except getting the job done. The difference between citizens who hate Mr. Trump and those who can live with him—whether they love or merely tolerate him—comes down to their views of the typical American: the farmer, factory hand, auto mechanic, machinist, teamster, shop owner, clerk, software engineer, infantryman, truck driver, housewife. The leftist intellectuals I know say they dislike such people insofar as they tend to be conservative Republicans. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama know their real sins. They know how appalling such people are, with their stupid guns and loathsome churches. They have no money or permanent grievances to make them interesting and no Twitter followers to speak of… In truth they are dumb as sheep. Mr. Trump reminds us who the average American really is… He might be realigning the political map: plain average Americans of every type vs. fancy ones. [T]he Trump-hater truly does hate the average American—male or female, black or white. Often he hates America, too. Take it all in, it’s really something else. As [Nathan J. Robinson](https://www.currentaffairs.org/2018/10/its-just-incredible-what-some-people-can-believe) put it: “There are so many bad opinions crammed into this single Wall Street Journal op-ed by Yale professor David Gelertner that I cannot hope to address them within the finite period of a human lifespan.” This is the same Gelertner who thinks the moon landings were a hoax, by the way, but apparently he’s good enough for the WSJ’s editorial page. Jesus fucking christ, this guy _teaches_ computer science at an ivy league school, and he’s this much of a fucking idiot. How do you fix this? ---
**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 23, 2018, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39383 "2018-10-23T05:11:25Z")
There’s [another pretty good response](https://reason.com/blog/2018/10/22/i-dont-hate-trump-because-he-is-the-aver) to David Gelertner’s idiocy from the libertarian folks over at Reason. ---
**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:** [October 23, 2018, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39384 "2018-10-23T09:21:37Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Jesus fucking christ, this guy _teaches_ computer science at an ivy league school, and he’s this much of a fucking idiot. How do you fix this? I’ve been repeatedly assured [you can’t fix stupid](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDvQ77JP8nw). ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39385 "2018-10-23T10:36:03Z")
> [@ThelmaLou's NYT Quote](#): > > “If you can’t drink milk,” it says in part, “you have to go back.” I’m reasonably sure that my brothers and I are biological full-siblings. But two of us can chug the whole cow (as is the case with Dad’s side of the family), whereas the other has been lactose-intolerant since his teen years (as are some of our relatives on Mom’s side). Those morons understand genetics about as well as they understand culture (any definition thereof). ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39386 "2018-10-23T10:39:40Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > For your reading pleasure: a nuclear take from the WSJ editorial page. > > [https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-reason-they-hate-trump-1540148467](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-reason-they-hate-trump-1540148467) > > Take it all in, it’s really something else. As [Nathan J. Robinson](https://www.currentaffairs.org/2018/10/its-just-incredible-what-some-people-can-believe) put it: “There are so many bad opinions crammed into this single Wall Street Journal op-ed by Yale professor David Gelertner that I cannot hope to address them within the finite period of a human lifespan.” This is the same Gelertner who thinks the moon landings were a hoax, by the way, but apparently he’s good enough for the WSJ’s editorial page. Jesus fucking christ, this guy _teaches_ computer science at an ivy league school, and he’s this much of a fucking idiot. How do you fix this? Wow, the Wall Street Journal is on board with “Leftist” being the common term for Liberal or Democrat or Smart Enough To See Through Republican Bullshit. I thought that term was the product of hyperbolic lunatics like Clothahump or H.Ditka. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39387 "2018-10-23T12:20:30Z")
Man that WSJ piece is a great bit of satire. In that vein, the Machiavelli reference is brilliant! ---
**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:** [October 23, 2018, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39388 "2018-10-23T14:02:22Z")
> [@aktep](#): > > Man that WSJ piece is a great bit of satire. In that vein, the Machiavelli reference is brilliant! To think I used to subscribe to that paper! :smack: ---
**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:** [October 23, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39389 "2018-10-23T15:22:22Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > This is the same Gelertner who thinks the moon landings were a hoax, by the way, but apparently he’s good enough for the WSJ’s editorial page. Jesus fucking christ, this guy _teaches_ computer science at an ivy league school, and he’s this much of a fucking idiot. How do you fix this? Gelernter was one of the Unabomber’s targets. Maybe the explosion damaged his brain? ---
**Author:** ![ohiomstr2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/82dd89/32.png) [@ohiomstr2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ohiomstr2)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39390 "2018-10-23T15:47:00Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Hugging is like > ((( **kaylasdad99** ))), that is some rough shit you are going through. > > The anti-Semitic version is more like > Hey, man, did you see what ((( **kaylasdad99** ))) did the other day? > > The context makes the meaning obvious. Now, of course, people are using it to express solidarity with Jews, fuck your waspy assholery, and ((( **eschereal** ))) thinks that is perfect irony. I have been under the impression that using multiple parentheses around a word was a way of evading content filters when posting on a board i have seen examples of this in other boards when a poster is making a racist slur but using this dodge to get past the filters on the board Likely some of the trolls who are also WS, some of whom are actually tech savvy, may have caused a “slop over” to expand the meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39391 "2018-10-23T22:11:03Z")
I guess[jailing your opponent](https://www.newsweek.com/ted-cruz-says-beto-orourke-can-have-double-occupancy-cell-hillary-clinton-1184495) is now part of the GOP platform. \*"During a rally in Georgetown, Texas, on Tuesday, for Republican Senator Ted Cruz, a supporter shouted “Lock him up” in reference to Cruz’s opponent, Beto O’Rourke. Cruz replied that O’Rourke could share a cell with former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. “Well, you know, there’s a double-occupancy cell with Hillary Clinton,” Cruz said. "\* ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39392 "2018-10-23T22:24:28Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I guess[jailing your opponent](https://www.newsweek.com/ted-cruz-says-beto-orourke-can-have-double-occupancy-cell-hillary-clinton-1184495) is now part of the GOP platform. > > \*"During a rally in Georgetown, Texas, on Tuesday, for Republican Senator Ted Cruz, a supporter shouted “Lock him up” in reference to Cruz’s opponent, Beto O’Rourke. Cruz replied that O’Rourke could share a cell with former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. > > “Well, you know, there’s a double-occupancy cell with Hillary Clinton,” Cruz said. "\* Wait a minute. I thought it was an article of faith with them that Michelle, not Hillary, is a man. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39393 "2018-10-24T14:00:49Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > For your reading pleasure: a nuclear take from the WSJ editorial page. > > [https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-reason-they-hate-trump-1540148467](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-reason-they-hate-trump-1540148467) > > Take it all in, it’s really something else. As [Nathan J. Robinson](https://www.currentaffairs.org/2018/10/its-just-incredible-what-some-people-can-believe) put it: “There are so many bad opinions crammed into this single Wall Street Journal op-ed by Yale professor David Gelertner that I cannot hope to address them within the finite period of a human lifespan.” This is the same Gelertner who thinks the moon landings were a hoax, by the way, but apparently he’s good enough for the WSJ’s editorial page. Jesus fucking christ, this guy _teaches_ computer science at an ivy league school, and he’s this much of a fucking idiot. How do you fix this? RE: this fucking idiot: he went in for an interview with Slate. > **[The Yale Professor Who Knows “the Real Reason” Liberals Hate Trump Defends...](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/david-gelernter-donald-trump-why-liberals-hate-trump-op-ed.html)** > > “A lot of people were not born in America. Don’t restrict my freedom to ask questions that are perfectly legitimate.” It’s like listening to someone ask Ian Juby whether or not the sun is larger than the earth. It is nails-on-chalkboard hard to read. If I studied CompSci at Yale, I’d want my tuition back. I think the highlight is this little exchange: > [@](#): > > Q: I know you’ve heard his comments about Mexican rapists and all that. I assume you don’t think those are racially charged? > > A: I think the idea that he’s a racist is absurd. > > Q: What did you think about— > > A: I don’t think you understand that **men—hard-line, wealthy, privileged WASPs—with Jewish sons-in-law are not racists**. You take these things for granted. I’m a little older and I don’t. > > Q: Come again? I’m confused. > > A: **If he has accepted and embraced Jews in his family, it is absurd to call him a prejudiced or biased or bigoted man**. (Bolding mine) _Wow_. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39394 "2018-10-24T15:29:21Z")
There was an exchange in that interview that certainly wasn’t meant the way I read it: Re: birtherism _What’s wrong with calling that into question? A lot of people were not born in America. Don’t restrict my freedom to ask questions that are perfectly legitimate, that cast no aspersion unless you choose to take them that way. Most of my best friends were not born in America._ **Well, that’s fantastic**. (My sister has been known to use that phrase instead of What the fuck. Kids around, she doesn’t want to say fuck, but a certain tone and “well, that’s fantastic” gets the point across.) ---
**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:** [October 24, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39395 "2018-10-24T15:36:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Don’t restrict my freedom to ask questions that are perfectly legitimate Like that moon-landing thing? ---
**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:** [October 24, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39396 "2018-10-24T18:32:03Z")
At a Ted Cruz rally, his fans were chanting “Lock him up!” aimed at Beto O’Rourke. I am honestly confused. What do they want him locked up _ **for** _? For having the audacity to run for the Senate? ---
**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:** [October 24, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39397 "2018-10-24T19:06:37Z")
NRA spokescreature Dana Loesch says NRA supporters should bring their guns to the polls to protect themselves from progressives. What are progressives going to do? Leaflet them to death? > **[Dana Loesch says NRA supporters may need to bring guns to polls to protect...](https://www.mediamatters.org/nratv/nra-spokesperson-dana-loesch-says-supporters-may-need-bring-guns-polls-protect-themselves)** > > "In actuality, it is this group that will be doing the intimidating." ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39398 "2018-10-24T21:34:03Z")
the bombs are a democratic conspiracy [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-instant-inevitable-cries-of-‘false-flag’-after-bomb-threats-targeting-the-clintons-obamas-and-cnn/ar-BBOQs9K?li=BBnbcA1](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-instant-inevitable-cries-of-%E2%80%98false-flag%E2%80%99-after-bomb-threats-targeting-the-clintons-obamas-and-cnn/ar-BBOQs9K?li=BBnbcA1) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39399 "2018-10-24T22:11:00Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > NRA spokescreature Dana Loesch says NRA supporters should bring their guns to the polls to protect themselves from progressives. What are progressives going to do? Leaflet them to death? > [NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch says supporters may need to bring guns to polls to protect themselves from progressives | Media Matters for America](https://www.mediamatters.org/video/2018/10/24/nra-spokesperson-dana-loesch-says-supporters-may-need-bring-guns-polls-protect-themselves/221818) Surely she’s opened herself to some serious liability issues. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39400 "2018-10-24T22:37:05Z")
A right-winger being made responsible for the consequences of their actions? Surely you jest! ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/39401 "2018-10-24T22:45:20Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > A right-winger being made responsible for the consequences of their actions? Surely you jest! Yeah, but I’d like to see her at least tied up in some serious lawsuits. And this was a bald call for people to do something illegal: bring firearms to a polling place. (Illegal most places, presumably. Texas, I don’t know about.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1969) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1971)