# 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:** 199
**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:** [December 16, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3961 "2011-12-16T23:58:31Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I don’t believe that conservatives knowingly want U.S. society to come to resemble this, but I do believe that their fiscal policies lead toward it. You think better of them than I do. I think that many of them want exactly this, as they believe that they will be the ones living in the mansions. I’ve seen that same attitudes in Jamaica. The wealthy (who got wealthy due to luck, inheritance, corruption or hard work, ALL believe that they got there by hard work _alone_, and that the poor are just lazy. ---
**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:** [December 18, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3962 "2011-12-18T15:04:25Z")
Sorry for being a few days behind in the news(\*), but this story astounded me. The Florida Family Association (FFA) has condemned TLC’s show “All-American Muslim” (and caused several companies to drop sponsership of the show) [because](http://floridafamily.org/full_article.php?article_no=108): > [@](#): > > “The show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks, while excluding many Islamic believers whose agenda poses a clear and present danger to liberties and traditional values that the majority of Americans cherish.” Presumably FFA would have objected if the show depicted Muslims advocating terror; it also objects that it depicts Muslims who do not depict terror. :dubious: I apologize to good-spirited Republicans, if such exist, for posting the story in this thread. It does seem a good guess, however, that FFA does not align with the Democratic Party. 🆒 (\* - I saw the story on Jon Stewart’s Dec 13 show. Another fun segment ridiculed Gingrich’s insistence that Blacks are lazy for any work but pimping and prostitution.) ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3963 "2011-12-18T20:06:07Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > It’s a great question. I asked a similar one in the " Conservative Dopers convince me with your best-case plans" thread, but the only answers are along the lines of “if individuals are unhappy with their lot in life, they should do something to improve their situation.” Admittedly, should the time come when the majority-poor rise up against the wealthy, pillaging, rioting, burning and stealing, that indeed could be described as doing “something to improve their situation.” Let the free-market rule! In additional fun Constitutional news, I recently poked fun at Rick Perry’s pledge to cut Congress’ pay and send them home, should he be elected President - even though the President has no Constitutional authority to do so. Not to be outdone, Newt Gingrich is [throwing the judicial branch out of the Big 3.](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3460_162-57344825/gingrich-govt-branches-should-rule-2-out-of-3/) There’s a name for a national leader who can just do things by fiat, ignoring decisions he doesn’t agree with and acting without regard to those pesky checks-and-balances things and Constitutional limits. It’s not President, though … hmmm, what is that type of leader called, anyway? Tater-something? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3964 "2011-12-18T21:33:02Z")
That isn’t ignorance, that’s strategery. The kind of voter they are appealing to gets all wet when you act like a tough guy who’s going to apply simple, no-nonsense, common sense solutions! They are the kind of people who believe that simple and common sense solutions can dissolve complex and intricate problems. And to quote The Master, there isn’t anything wrong with that except that it just ain’t so. ---
**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:** [December 18, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3965 "2011-12-18T22:34:43Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > There’s a name for a national leader who can just do things by fiat, ignoring decisions he doesn’t agree with and acting without regard to those pesky checks-and-balances things and Constitutional limits. It’s not President, though … hmmm, what is that type of leader called, anyway? Tater-something? “If this were a dictatorship, it’d be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I’m the dictator.” –[George W. Bush](http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0012/18/nd.01.html) It’s practically a plank in the GOP platform. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3966 "2011-12-19T12:55:28Z")
This one does belong i this thread, if only for the caricature of Newt: _Night of the Living Newt_ from _The Boston Phoenix_: [http://thephoenix.com/Boston/news/131315-night-of-the-living-newt/](http://thephoenix.com/Boston/news/131315-night-of-the-living-newt/) > [@](#): > > At this past Saturday’s debate in Iowa, Gingrich insulted Romney — saying the only reason he’s not a career politician is because he couldn’t beat Ted Kennedy — before Romney could get off a jab of his own. And that was after insisting all day he would not go negative. > > On Monday, when Romney called for Gingrich to return the fees he received from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Gingrich responded that he would do so only after Romney returns all the money he made from firing people and bankrupting companies. That shiv, too, was delivered between claims that he would, under no circumstances, say anything negative about Romney. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3967 "2011-12-19T20:28:03Z")
I don’t know if this is a stupid idea, but it’s fairly evil: > **[StockExaminer - AI-Powered Stock Chatbot](https://examiner.com)** > > Discover Stock Examiner, the AI-powered chatbot delivering instant, interactive stock charts, real-time financials, breaking news, stock screeners, and more—all in one seamless experience. > [@Jules Manson](#): > > “Assassinate the f----- n----- and his monkey children” Censoring is from the article. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3968 "2011-12-19T20:38:18Z")
I can definitively state that assassinating the president and his children is a stupid idea. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3969 "2011-12-19T20:41:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I can definitively state that assassinating the president and his children is a stupid idea. Well yeah, but is it a political idea or a general bleat of racism. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3970 "2011-12-19T20:42:44Z")
This was my favorite part: > [@](#): > > Two hours after making the offensive post, and after being bombarded by hundreds of Facebook users outraged by his racist call to assassinate the leader of the free world, Manson made a bizarre Facebook post, presumably in the hopes of justifying his unjustifiable rant. There Mason argued that using the word “n-----” does not make him a racist. Is that a plank in the Tea Party platform? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3971 "2011-12-19T20:46:34Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > This was my favorite part: > > Is that a plank in the Tea Party platform? I think it’s the framing material, the siding and the foundation. I like how he didn’t mention the _monkey children_ part. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3972 "2011-12-19T20:56:25Z")
I wonder what he told the Secret Service when they paid him a visit? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3973 "2011-12-19T21:04:19Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I wonder what he told the Secret Service when they paid him a visit? Hopefully they sent some black secret service agents. 😃 ---
**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:** [December 20, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3974 "2011-12-20T00:52:56Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I don’t know if this is a stupid idea, but it’s fairly evil: > > [StockExaminer - AI-Powered Stock Chatbot](http://www.examiner.com/democrat-in-national/california-politician-advocates-assassination-of-obama-and-family) > Censoring is from the article. Meh. Town councilman is already pretty goddamn low on the totem pole, but a guy who didn’t even make it there ? He’s a nobody. And an asshole, but then there’s no shortage of them ; if we had to mention every asshole with an assholish opinion ITT, the hamsters would explode. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3975 "2011-12-20T01:50:13Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Meh. Town councilman is already pretty goddamn low on the totem pole, but a guy who didn’t even make it there ? He’s a nobody. And an asshole, but then there’s no shortage of them ; if we had to mention every asshole with an assholish opinion ITT, the hamsters would explode. An “assholish opinion” is something like being against same sex marriage. Calling for the murder of a man and his children goes a wee bit beyond an “assholish opinion”. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3976 "2011-12-20T02:34:36Z")
But the point stands; it wouldn’t be right to attribute every assholish (or beyond) act of asshattery (or beyond) committed by every low-level and unsuccessful Democrat to the party at large. Give 'em their own thread! ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3977 "2011-12-20T02:49:20Z")
This is true. I just saw it and thought it was worth posting here, but on reflection he isn’t important enough to be newsworthy. ---
**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:** [December 21, 2011, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3978 "2011-12-21T10:03:19Z")
Apparently, Gingrich has decided he doesn’t NEED certain people’s votes… [Newt Gingrich Tells Gay Iowan To Vote For Obama](http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/12/20/393663/newt-gingrich-tells-gay-iowan-to-vote-for-obama/) > [@](#): > > “I asked him if he’s elected, how does he plan to engage gay Americans. How are we to support him? And he told me to support Obama,” said Arnold. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3979 "2011-12-21T10:40:05Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Apparently, Gingrich has decided he doesn’t NEED certain people’s votes… > > [Newt Gingrich Tells Gay Iowan To Vote For Obama](http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/12/20/393663/newt-gingrich-tells-gay-iowan-to-vote-for-obama/) I shouldn’t be surprised by this, but I was… stunned, that a politician would give such an answer in this day and age. Very likely Bachmann, Perry and Santorum would have pretty much the same answer. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/3980 "2011-12-21T16:29:32Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I shouldn’t be surprised by this, but I was… stunned, that a politician would give such an answer in this day and age. Very likely Bachmann, Perry and Santorum would have pretty much the same answer. Yeah, that seems like a new low. That councilman Manson from above is a nobody, but Gingrich is the fucking leader of the GOP candidates for president right now. I would love to visit some of these assholes in 20 or 30 years, when gay marriage is legal nationwide and ask them what they would have told themselves if they could travel back in time. Would they be like George Wallace and say it was a mistake? Or keep to their ignorance? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=198) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=200)