# 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:** 2158
**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:** [December 19, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43149 "2019-12-19T18:55:18Z")
The US Senate just changed the rules for military recruits to allow white nationalists to join. > **[GOP Senate quietly removes white nationalism from new requirements to screen...](https://www.rawstory.com/amp/gop-senate-quietly-removes-white-nationalism-from-new-requirements-to-screen-military-enlistees-2649291757)** > > On Thursday, the Huffington Post reported that the Senate-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act — the annual spending bill to fund the military and national security services — quietly gutted a House-passed amendment that would... ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43150 "2019-12-19T20:35:48Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The US Senate just changed the rules for military recruits to allow white nationalists to join. > [GOP Senate quietly removes white nationalism from new requirements to screen military enlistees - Raw Story](https://www.rawstory.com/2019/12/gop-senate-quietly-removes-white-nationalism-from-new-requirements-to-screen-military-enlistees/amp/) That’s not what that said. The House-passed amendment added a provision for the DoD to screen for white nationalists. The Senate amendment removed the term white nationalist while keeping “extremist and gang-related activity”. For the record, white nationalists are currently allowed to join and are NOT screened for. So the US Senate did not change a rule, they changed the wording of an amendment meant to pass a rule to encourage screening specifically for white nationalists. You know, because there are good people on both sides… Please don’t take this as approval for the Senate’s change. This is just a clarification. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43151 "2019-12-19T23:16:21Z")
In what way is white nationalist activity NOT “extremist activity”? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43152 "2019-12-20T01:18:37Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > In what way is white nationalist activity NOT “extremist activity”? It most certainly is, but the (D) quoted in the article was pushing specifically for “white nationalist” and was bemoaning that the Senate version of the amendment and the final amendment omitted that term. Seemed to be a bit of political grandstanding by a (D) more than a SRIotD, but YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43153 "2019-12-20T14:12:32Z")
Stupid Republican idea – pardoning child rapists because of medical ignorance: [Matt Bevin defends child-rape pardon in radio interview](https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2019/12/19/matt-bevin-defends-child-rape-pardon-radio-interview/2704244001/) ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43154 "2019-12-20T15:02:21Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Stupid Republican idea – pardoning child rapists because of medical ignorance: [Matt Bevin defends child-rape pardon in radio interview](https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2019/12/19/matt-bevin-defends-child-rape-pardon-radio-interview/2704244001/) I honestly don’t know how some people think. What could POSSIBLY make this anywhere close to a good idea? ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43155 "2019-12-20T16:29:23Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Stupid Republican idea – pardoning child rapists because of medical ignorance: [Matt Bevin defends child-rape pardon in radio interview](https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2019/12/19/matt-bevin-defends-child-rape-pardon-radio-interview/2704244001/) Not since George Zimmerman has someone needed to shut the fuck up and go away than Matt Bevin. ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43156 "2019-12-20T16:35:03Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Stupid Republican idea – pardoning child rapists because of medical ignorance He actually would have been better off brazening it out and flat-out admitting that he issued the pardon because the donation checks cleared. Everybody knows it anyway. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43157 "2019-12-20T16:53:37Z")
> [@Fugazi](#): > > OK. I know that most/ all of the banana Republican talking points trying to defend Trump against impeachment are stupid and complete bullshit. They almost have to be when you’re trying to defend the indefensible, but this one really has me scratching my head. > > Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oka said in his closing arguments that impeachment is a “flawed process” that has gone on “at the expense of minority rights.” > > Huh!?!? Minority rights? How the hell did he come up with that? He was speaking in parliamentary jargon about the [rights of the minority party](https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2019/12/12/the-minority-witness-rule-explained-and-why-it-might-be-irrelevant-for-impeachment/) in the house. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43158 "2019-12-20T17:01:58Z")
I never knew Matt Bevin until 2016 when he started talking about armed revolution if Trump lost. Every single thing I’ve ever read about that sonofabitch has reinforced the position that he is complete and total wanker. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43159 "2019-12-20T21:07:30Z")
The Washington state House of Representatives has released a report that accuses one of their members, wacky Matt Shea, of participating “in an act of domestic terrorism against the United States.” They have forwarded the report to the FBI and to the US Attorney’s office. Shea has also been suspended from the Republican caucus and has been removed from all of his committees. > **[Investigation finds Washington state representative took part in 'domestic...](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/12/20/politics/washington-state-congressman-domestic-terrorism-investigation/index.html)** > > A Republican state lawmaker in Washington is accused of participating "in an act of domestic terrorism against the United States," according to a new report released Thursday by the Washington State House Republicans on their website. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43160 "2019-12-21T02:18:41Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The Washington state House of Representatives has released a report that accuses one of their members, wacky Matt Shea, of participating “in an act of domestic terrorism against the United States.” They have forwarded the report to the FBI and to the US Attorney’s office. Shea has also been suspended from the Republican caucus and has been removed from all of his committees. > [Matt Shea, Washington state lawmaker, took part in domestic terrorism, investigation finds - CNNPolitics](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/12/20/politics/washington-state-congressman-domestic-terrorism-investigation/index.html) Doesn’t that literally constitute treason as defined in the Constitution? > [@Article 3 - The Judicial Branch Section 3 - Treason.](#): > > Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or … ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43161 "2019-12-21T03:01:05Z")
Between Roy Moore and Matt Bevin, I think it’s time to call the GOP the party of child rape. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43162 "2019-12-21T22:20:56Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I don’t think they needed to do an analysis. There are some very simple criteria, e.g. permanence of residence, that correlate very strongly with party. Students, in particular, are likely D voters who can be targeted in this and several other ways. > > And of course, note that voters who have moved are unlikely to drive across their state, or whatever, to vote illegally. This kind of voter fraud doesn’t exist. > > As another example, recall the Suppression Program which looked for false duplicates. (A “John B. Brown” is registered in another state? Strike him from the rolls!) These fake duplicates are obviously easiest with common surnames. Here are the 20 commonest surnames according to U.S. census, along with a major racial component: > **#1 Smith 22% Black > #2 Johnson 34% Black > #3 Williams 47% Black > #4 Brown 35% Black > #5 Jones 38% Black > #6 Miller 86% White > #7 Davis 31% Black > #8 Garcia 91% Hispanic > #9 Rodriguez 93% Hispanic > #10 Wilson 25% Black > #11 Martinez 92% Hispanic > #12 Anderson 18% Black > #13 Taylor 28% Black > #14 Thomas 38% Black > #15 Hernandez 94% Hispanic > #16 Moore 27% Black > #17 Martin 77% White > #18 Jackson 53% Black > #19 Thompson 23% Black > #20 White 27% Black** > > Only the #6 and #17 most common surnames come close to the GOP’s preferred ethnicity. That’s why the GOP _loves_ spurious name matching. Late to the conversation, but this still makes no freaking sense to me. You’re saying the name “Martin” (#17) counts as GOP-preferred ethnicity because its holders are 77% White, but the name “Smith” (#1) doesn’t because its holders are 22% Black? Doesn’t that leave 78% of "Smith"s who are non-Black, i.e., presumably almost all White? Similarly, the fact that 18% of "Anderson"s (#12) are Black leaves 82% of "Anderson"s that I’m willing to bet are almost entirely White. I get what you’re saying in general about the GOP’s obvious racial bias in voter suppression, but this particular analysis of “major racial components” in common surnames doesn’t make a lick of sense. ---
**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:** [December 21, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43163 "2019-12-21T23:23:53Z")
In my mind, this is the quintessential trump supporter. I defy anyone to convince me otherwise. This happened in Iowa. [ **Woman Ran Over Girl Because She Was ‘a Mexican,’ Police Say** _The police charged a Des Moines woman with attempted murder after she told investigators she intentionally ran over a 14-year-old girl with her vehicle._](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/21/us/Nicole-Marie-Poole-Franklin-Des-Moines.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage) > [@](#): > > An Iowa woman was charged with attempted murder after running over a 14-year-old girl because she thought the teenager was Mexican, the police said. > > The woman, Nicole Marie Poole Franklin, 42, of Des Moines, told the police that she intentionally struck the girl with her vehicle on Dec. 9 because she believed that she was “a Mexican,’’ Chief Michael G. Venema of the Clive Police Department said in a news release Friday. > > “She went on to make a number of derogatory statements about Latinos to the investigators,” Chief Venema said. > > The episode took place in Clive, a city of about 17,000 residents about 10 miles west of Des Moines. The authorities said the girl was walking on the sidewalk on her way to Indian Hills Junior High School when “a vehicle left the roadway and ran the girl over,” the news release said. > > The driver fled without giving aid to the girl, the police said. > > The girl, who had a concussion and bruises, was hospitalized for two days, The Associated Press reported. Television news footage showed her in a neck brace and walking with crutches before being released. > > “I don’t remember the impact,” the girl told the television station KCCI in Des Moines. “I just remember the car coming towards me.” > … > > “Clearly this is a hate crime,’’ said Joe Henry, president of Council 307 for the Hispanic civil rights group in Des Moines, adding that members of his group plan to attend Ms. Franklin’s court hearing on Dec. 30. > > “When hate is promoted by the president of our country, it is going to show itself in the weakest elements of society and Latinos have been targeted,” Mr. Henry said. “We had to deal with this ever since he was a candidate for president and it has just gotten worse over time.” ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43164 "2019-12-22T00:02:06Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > In my mind, this is the quintessential trump supporter. I defy anyone to convince me otherwise. This happened in Iowa. > > [ **Woman Ran Over Girl Because She Was ‘a Mexican,’ Police Say** > _The police charged a Des Moines woman with attempted murder after she told investigators she intentionally ran over a 14-year-old girl with her vehicle._](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/21/us/Nicole-Marie-Poole-Franklin-Des-Moines.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage) My guess is that Trump’s (and Barr’s) Department of Justice will find an excuse to avoid prosecuting this under federal hate crime laws. That excuse is likely to be that the perpetrator has mental illness issues. From your source: it appears that the perp was found after an extensive search that focused on identifying her vehicle, but then as it turned out: > [@](#): > > … Ms. Franklin was already at the Polk County Jail on a separate assault charge that took place the same day as the hit and run. > > She was accused of making racist comments to a West Des Moines convenience store clerk and customers, and of hurling items at the clerk … I would be amazed if Barr’s DOJ is prosecuting hate crimes by whites against non-whites at a rate anywhere near what it was under previous administrations. ETA: In the photo accompanying the article, the perpetrator looks positively proud of herself. Perhaps she anticipates being invited to the White House? ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43165 "2019-12-22T00:16:09Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > In my mind, this is the quintessential trump supporter. I defy anyone to convince me otherwise. This happened in Iowa. > > [ **Woman Ran Over Girl Because She Was ‘a Mexican,’ Police Say** > _The police charged a Des Moines woman with attempted murder after she told investigators she intentionally ran over a 14-year-old girl with her vehicle._](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/21/us/Nicole-Marie-Poole-Franklin-Des-Moines.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage) She was on meth. > **[Des Moines woman smoked meth before race-motivated hate crimes | ThePerryNews](https://theperrynews.com/des-moines-woman-smoked-meth-before-race-motivated-hate-crimes/)** ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43166 "2019-12-22T00:44:27Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > She was on meth. Never mind that. Is she single? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43167 "2019-12-22T02:14:10Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > In my mind, this is the quintessential trump supporter. I defy anyone to convince me otherwise. This happened in Iowa. > > [ **Woman Ran Over Girl Because She Was ‘a Mexican,’ Police Say** > _The police charged a Des Moines woman with attempted murder after she told investigators she intentionally ran over a 14-year-old girl with her vehicle._](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/21/us/Nicole-Marie-Poole-Franklin-Des-Moines.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage) That [goofy-looking picture of her](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/12/22/us/22xp-mexican-print/merlin_166226664_968cf39a-5587-42bb-bcec-f19045e134d7-superJumbo.jpg) looks amazingly similar to [this fictional(?) movie character](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/lotr/images/b/ba/Smeagol_5.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20060310225156) ! ---
**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:** [December 22, 2019, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43168 "2019-12-22T03:27:52Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > She was on meth. > [https://theperrynews.com/des-moines-woman-smoked-meth-before-race-motivated-hate-crimes/](https://theperrynews.com/des-moines-woman-smoked-meth-before-race-motivated-hate-crimes/) Smoked 5 hours before. Just how long do the effects linger? (I know nothing about meth, other than that it makes people lose their minds and their teeth.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=2157) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=2159)