# 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:** 202
**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:** [December 23, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4021 "2011-12-23T01:15:43Z")
[Mitt Romney in his own words](http://twitter.com/#!/MittRomney/statuses/149867634589040640): [QUOTE=Mitt Romney] This is a time when we look beyond who we are today and ask who we will become tomorrow. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s always the question with Mitt… :rolleyes:😛 ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4022 "2011-12-23T03:16:18Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > I prefer [this bit](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/12/boehners_words_for_the_ages.php?ref=fpblg) of probably inadvertent honesty from Boehner:Shows you where doing what’s right for the American people falls on the GOP’s priority list. Well in his defense it is hard to talk when one has been kicked in the Boehner. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4023 "2011-12-23T03:51:41Z")
Now this is stupid in several ways: [http://www.npr.org/2011/12/22/144136516/future-dim-for-100-watt-bulb-despite-congress-stall](http://www.npr.org/2011/12/22/144136516/future-dim-for-100-watt-bulb-despite-congress-stall) > [@](#): > > The trillion-dollar budget bill that Congress passed last weekend includes plenty of non-spending provisions tucked into it. One of these so-called riders is aimed at saving the 100-watt incandescent light bulb. > > But the move is more about politics than light. > > Strictly speaking, the issue is this: Old-fashioned incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy. So under federal law, they’re being slowly phased out. The first to go, starting on New Year’s Day, is the 100-watt bulb. > > But what looked like energy efficiency when President George W. Bush signed the law four years ago now looks like oppressive big government to many conservatives. > > “Let me tell you, President Bachmann will allow you to buy any light bulb you want in the United States of America,” GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann said on the campaign trail in June. > > Speaking during a House debate in July, Texas Republican Michael Burgess said consumers should be deciding whether to use 100-watt bulbs, “not bureaucrats in Washington.” As many republicans stood by and let this go forward, it is really hard to find any house republican that does not deserve to be branded a “Dim Bulb” for posterity. I love the graphic ClimateProgress used to comment on this “helpful” move by politicians that even the industry does not like! [http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/16/390760/dim-bulbs-budget-deal-gop-anti-consumer-anti-business-pro-pollution-rider-lighting-efficiency-standards/](http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/16/390760/dim-bulbs-budget-deal-gop-anti-consumer-anti-business-pro-pollution-rider-lighting-efficiency-standards/) "GD Soft-Head Bulbs Generally Demented Dim Lights for Dim Wits." ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4024 "2011-12-23T07:32:37Z")
I just flat out don’t get that one. Curly light bulbs are the tits, the perfect merging of beauty and functionality. They work better, last longer, save bo-koo bucks, what’s not to like? Are they gay? A gateway drug to LED abuse? Encourage unnecessary reading? What is there about curly bulbs that is _remotely_ political? ---
**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:** [December 23, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4025 "2011-12-23T13:20:19Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I just flat out don’t get that one. Curly light bulbs are the tits, the perfect merging of beauty and functionality. They work better, last longer, save bo-koo bucks, what’s not to like? Are they gay? A gateway drug to LED abuse? Encourage unnecessary reading? What is there about curly bulbs that is _remotely_ political? The connection to energy savings and the fight against global climate change. “The stupid Democrats are making you give up your beloved incandescent light bulbs as part of the conspiracy to fight imaginary global warming!” ---
**Author:** ![grayhairedmomma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/47e85d/32.png) [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4026 "2011-12-23T14:24:37Z")
(I don’t get the politics of it, but what’s not to like for some people who get light-induced migraines, is that incandescent bulbs are much easier to live with - the light from the “curly bulbs” is pretty harsh. Hopefully technology will improve the newer bulbs so that their light is softer.) ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4027 "2011-12-23T20:24:14Z")
> [@grayhairedmomma](#): > > (I don’t get the politics of it, but what’s not to like for some people who get light-induced migraines, is that incandescent bulbs are much easier to live with - the light from the “curly bulbs” is pretty harsh. Hopefully technology will improve the newer bulbs so that their light is softer.) The hilarious thing is that people will still be able to purchase incandescent bulbs, with one catch: the new incandescents will be more energy efficient. No wonder Republicans are so upset. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4028 "2011-12-23T20:24:27Z")
> [@grayhairedmomma](#): > > (I don’t get the politics of it, but what’s not to like for some people who get light-induced migraines, is that incandescent bulbs are much easier to live with - the light from the “curly bulbs” is pretty harsh. Hopefully technology will improve the newer bulbs so that their light is softer.) If you check the rest of the article you will notice that demos from industry were made to the congress critters to show that the improvements that you refer to are here already. That was one of the reasons why I was saying this is so idiotic, the republicans willfully ignored the evidence. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4029 "2011-12-23T20:50:38Z")
Won’t somebody please think of the incandescent bulbs? ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4030 "2011-12-23T21:38:45Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I just flat out don’t get that one. Curly light bulbs are the tits, the perfect merging of beauty and functionality. They work better, last longer, save bo-koo bucks, what’s not to like? Are they gay? A gateway drug to LED abuse? Encourage unnecessary reading? What is there about curly bulbs that is _remotely_ political? Agreed. Every time an incandescent bulb burns out in my house, I replace it with the new curly bulbs. I think at this point we’ve only got about four more incandescents to go. The CFLs give off more light, use less energy, and they last longer. It’s really a no-brainer (unless you’re a Republican, apparently). ---
**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 23, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4031 "2011-12-23T21:55:00Z")
The Republican mantra: “It’s my Goddamn right to waste energy and money. You’re not the boss of me” ---
**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:** [December 23, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4032 "2011-12-23T22:10:51Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > They work better, last longer, save bo-koo bucks, what’s not to like? I must disagree. About half of the CFLs I have bought take a significant amount of time to warm up. It is pretty annoying to walk into a room, turn the light on, and have it operate at probably 40% of its rated lumens for some amount of time, I’d guess somewhere in the 10 to 30 second range. So this happens all the time: I walk into a room at night looking for something. Turn the CFL on. Look around as if I just turned on a 25 watt light. Can’t find it. Getting brighter, maybe 40 watts now. Keep looking. Where is that damned gonkulator? Light still getting brighter. Ah, the light is now at full power, and now I can see that the item is six inches away from the lamp, and only now has light been shed on it. There are a couple aspects of CFLs that are clearly better than incandescents. But I’m willing to bet that most people would rather have CFLs that are MORE like incandescents in most respects (comes on quickly, doesn’t hum, is dimmable, very cheap to replace, able to throw in trash, etc) while maintaining the only two key advantages of CFLs (uses less power and lasts longer). I’m sure you’ll notice that CFLs are getting better because they are getting more like incandescents. BTW, I’m fully in favor of phasing out old incandescents. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4033 "2011-12-23T22:11:23Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > How did we all miss the stupid Republican House idea of failing to extend the payroll tax cut? This is SO stupid that Senate Republicans are calling them on it. Breathtaking in its stupidity! Because they didn’t fail to extend it. The House wanted a one year extension. The Senate decided to toss a few crumbs to the working man and magnificently came up with…two months. Instead of buying the liberal bullshit that the Republicans were screwing things up, why aren’t you raising hell with the Democrat run Senate for being such horse’s asses as to think that two months extension really meant something? ---
**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:** [December 23, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4034 "2011-12-23T22:13:56Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Because they didn’t fail to extend it. The House wanted a one year extension. The Senate decided to toss a few crumbs to the working man and magnificently came up with…two months. > > Instead of buying the liberal bullshit that the Republicans were screwing things up, why aren’t you raising hell with the Democrat run Senate for being such horse’s asses as to think that two months extension really meant something? Do you ever post about things you actually understand? Oh, I’m sorry…that would pretty much prevent you from posting at all, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4035 "2011-12-23T22:17:47Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Do you ever post about things you actually understand? Oh, I’m sorry…that would pretty much prevent you from posting at all, wouldn’t it? If only… ---
**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 23, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4036 "2011-12-23T22:33:09Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Because they didn’t fail to extend it. The House wanted a one year extension. The Senate decided to toss a few crumbs to the working man and magnificently came up with…two months. > > Instead of buying the liberal bullshit that the Republicans were screwing things up, why aren’t you raising hell with the Democrat run Senate for being such horse’s asses as to think that two months extension really meant something? You exist in a fun-house distortion of reality that frightens and enrages you. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4037 "2011-12-23T22:34:34Z")
Woot! Got another stupid Republican idea of the day: [Clothahump deciding to post in this thread without any real knowledge or understanding of what’s being discussed](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14597800&postcount=4031)! I know it’s not unusual, but it does fit the thread’s criteria! ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4038 "2011-12-23T22:49:34Z")
What **Ravenman** sad. It’s fucking annoying. My old CFLs had a pause before the light came on. That was OK by me. Flip light switch, _pause_, light on full, ready to go. I can’t seem to find those any longer, just the crappy ones that _s l o w l y_ come up to level. I keep thinking I’m going blind. I didn’t know about the new incandescents, I’ll have to check those out. We have a number of fixtures that aren’t CFL appropriate, for one reason or another. I’m hopeful that the LEDs will continue to get better and cheaper in the near future, and I’ll give those a try. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4039 "2011-12-23T22:59:22Z")
Just recently read about a system for providing night time lighting for those without reliable electricity: solar panels, storage batteries, and LED’s, all of it third world cheap. Kind of thing gladdens my heart, sappers undermining the fortifications of ignorance. Good show, that! Pip pip! ---
**Author:** ![AlienVessels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@AlienVessels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlienVessels)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/4040 "2011-12-24T10:34:39Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Because they didn’t fail to extend it. The House wanted a one year extension. The Senate decided to toss a few crumbs to the working man and magnificently came up with…two months. This is false. The House wanted one year so they could reject 2 months. That’s why they kept embedding poison pills in the legislation. The GOP was all about tax cuts paying for themselves until it was a tax cut for other than their key constituency. The GOP was all about keeping legislation clean and simple, without addons. Until it was something they wanted and would reduce the chances the tax cut would pass. > [@](#): > > Instead of buying the liberal bullshit that the Republicans were screwing things up, why aren’t you raising hell with the Democrat run Senate for being such horse’s asses as to think that two months extension really meant something? 39 Republicans voted for the 2 month extension as well. I don’t remember when the Dems were calling the shots on their votes. The GOP resistance to this tax cut was completely political in spite of the near- universal support for it. This was all about the Tea Party flexing their muscles. Congrats to them. Their popularity was already on the decline. That freshman class is going to learn a valuable lesson. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=201) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=203)