# 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:** 2199
**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:** [April 6, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43969 "2020-04-06T15:57:14Z")
[https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/04/03/its-a-sh-sandwich-republicans-rage-as-florida-becomes-a-nightmare-for-trump-1271172](https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/04/03/its-a-sh-sandwich-republicans-rage-as-florida-becomes-a-nightmare-for-trump-1271172) > [@](#): > > Privately, Republicans admit that the $77.9 million system that is now failing Florida workers is doing exactly what Scott designed it to do — lower the state’s reported number of jobless claims after the great recession. > > “It’s a sh-- sandwich, and it was designed that way by Scott,” said one DeSantis advisor. “It wasn’t about saving money. It was about making it harder for people to get benefits or keep benefits so that the unemployment numbers were low to give the governor something to brag about.” And Floridians kept voting for this because the old folks wanted lower taxes and probably felt that welfare was a problem for brown people. It’s kinda of a problem now that _everyone_ needs it. How ya doin, Sunshine (state)? ---
**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:** [April 6, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43970 "2020-04-06T18:12:35Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > [https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/04/03/its-a-sh-sandwich-republicans-rage-as-florida-becomes-a-nightmare-for-trump-1271172](https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/04/03/its-a-sh-sandwich-republicans-rage-as-florida-becomes-a-nightmare-for-trump-1271172) > > And Floridians kept voting for this because the old folks wanted lower taxes and probably felt that welfare was a problem for brown people. > > It’s kinda of a problem now that _everyone_ needs it. > > How ya doin, Sunshine (state)? I was just reading that the system has no backups because none were implemented, even though they were supposed to be ---
**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:** [April 7, 2020, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43971 "2020-04-07T14:20:55Z")
The Commies Are Coming! > [@](#): > > [Minnesota GOP chair: Dems using COVID-19 for “communist control”](https://m.startribune.com/minnesota-gop-chair-dems-using-covid-19-for-communist-control/569381852) > > …But the last straw? For Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan, it was the Minneapolis Park Board closing city beaches for the summer to limit the spread of COVID-19. > > “Was it necessary for Minneapolis to close the beaches for the summer in early Apr? Much can unfold, change & transpire between now/then,” she tweeted Friday. “The Democrats have turned Coronavirus into an excuse for extreme communist control. Wake up people!”… ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43972 "2020-04-07T14:52:00Z")
Since the hydroxychloroquine for coronavirus craze seems to be political, pushed by Republicans, I thought I’d post this here. I’ve read Orac’s blog for a long time. He often discusses antivaxxers and other medical woo, but he’s made a couple of interesting posts recently explaining how there’s almost nothing to recommend hydrochloroquine for coronavirus and plenty of risks to taking it. > [@](#): > > As for me, I can attest that doctors I’ve communicated with using hydroxychloroquine to treat patients tell me that they are unimpressed and don’t think it works. Certainly, they have seen no dramatic effects. > **[Hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19: Science-based medicine has no chance against...](https://www.respectfulinsolence.com/2020/04/06/sbm-no-chance-against-trump-navarro-oz/)** > > President Trump's COVID-19 advisors include Peter Navarro, the latter an economist who thinks he can science better than Anthony Fauci. > [@](#): > > Doctors also need to remember: There’s a political purpose behind the promotion of these drugs by the right wing, and it’s most definitely not to help patients. Rather, the purpose is to weaken the FDA, decreasing its authority and lowering the bar for drug approval as part of an ideological opposition to government regulation, and divert attention from the Trump administration’s criminally incompetent response to the COVID-19 pandemic. > **[Drs. Vladimir Zelenko and Stephen Smith: Abandoning evidence-based medicine...](https://www.respectfulinsolence.com/2020/04/03/zelenko-smith-abandoning-evidence-based-medicine-for-covid-19/)** > > Drs. Vladimir Zelenko and Stephen Smith have been claiming that hydroxychloroquine is a miracle drug based on anecdotes, which is irresponsible. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43973 "2020-04-07T14:56:02Z")
> [@](#): > > “…extreme communist control. Wake up people!”… People round here have a surface of calm banality that many people confuse with sanity. They weren’t here when the Twins won the World Series. (It happened, you can look it up!) Raving madness broke through, there were people honking their horns at _midnight!_ True, most of them had cars… ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43974 "2020-04-07T15:49:42Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > Since the hydroxychloroquine for coronavirus craze seems to be political, pushed by Republicans, I thought I’d post this here. I’ve read Orac’s blog for a long time. He often discusses antivaxxers and other medical woo, but he’s made a couple of interesting posts recently explaining how there’s almost nothing to recommend hydrochloroquine for coronavirus and plenty of risks to taking it. > > [Hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19: Science-based medicine has no chance against Donald Trump, Peter Navarro, and Dr. Oz - RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE](https://respectfulinsolence.com/2020/04/06/sbm-no-chance-against-trump-navarro-oz/) > > [Drs. Vladimir Zelenko and Stephen Smith: Abandoning evidence-based medicine to promote unproven drugs for COVID-19 - RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE](https://respectfulinsolence.com/2020/04/03/zelenko-smith-abandoning-evidence-based-medicine-for-covid-19/) There is, of course, a more obvious reason why Trump and other prominent Republicans are promoting hydroxychloroquine:[they make money from it](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-malaria-drug.html). > [@New York Times](#): > > If hydroxychloroquine becomes an accepted treatment, several pharmaceutical companies stand to profit, including shareholders and senior executives with connections to the president. Mr. Trump himself has a small personal financial interest in Sanofi, the French drugmaker that makes Plaquenil, the brand-name version of hydroxychloroquine. > > […] > > Some associates of Mr. Trump’s have financial interests in the issue. Sanofi’s largest shareholders include Fisher Asset Management, the investment company run by Ken Fisher, a major donor to Republicans, including Mr. Trump. A spokesman for Mr. Fisher declined to comment. > > Another investor in both Sanofi and Mylan, another pharmaceutical firm, is Invesco, the fund previously run by Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary. Mr. Ross said in a statement Monday that he “was not aware that Invesco has any investments in companies producing” the drug, “nor do I have any involvement in the decision to explore this as a treatment.” > > As of last year, Mr. Trump reported that his three family trusts each had investments in a Dodge & Cox mutual fund, whose largest holding was in Sanofi. The criminality and flat-out monstrosity of these people is simply horrifying. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43975 "2020-04-07T16:43:20Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > There is, of course, a more obvious reason why Trump and other prominent Republicans are promoting hydroxychloroquine:[they make money from it](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-malaria-drug.html). > > The criminality and flat-out monstrosity of these people is simply horrifying. I figured there was money in there somewhere. If trump is touting something then you know he’s getting money or enhanced reelection chances or both. I do think he figures if more Covid patients are given this and get better, he can say he saved them with his foresight and extreme knowledge about medical :rolleyes: and just ignore the ones who are given hydroxychloroquine and die anyway, the ones who suffer severe side effects, and the fact that there’s no evidence that it saved the ones who take it and survive. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43976 "2020-04-07T17:04:11Z")
They’re not even pretending anymore. [Trump removes independent watchdog tasked with overseeing coronavirus emergency funds](https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/07/politics/trump-sidelines-pentagon-watchdog-coronavirus-funds/index.html). ---
**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:** [April 7, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43977 "2020-04-07T18:26:38Z")
Another Senator caught in stock manipulation > **[David Perdue’s stock trading saw an uptick as coronavirus took hold](https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/david-perdue-stock-trading-saw-uptick-coronavirus-took-hold/MRWmzwXeHgxi6IcmBbPgaN/amp.html)** > > U.S. Sen. David Perdue’s financial portfolio saw heavy trading during the month of March, a period during which Congress passed three different spending bills to address the spread of COVID-19 and the markets took a turn for the worse. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43978 "2020-04-09T03:10:43Z")
Kansas Republican legislature overrides Democratic Governor’s executive order limiting size of church gatherings. Because of course Democrats hate Easter. > **[Kansas coronavirus update: Gov. Laura Kelly condemns A.G., legislators for...](https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2020/04/08/kansas-coronavirus-update-laura-kelly-condemns-legislators-political-attack-deaths-infections-surge/1158342007/)** > > Republican legislators overturn executive order limiting church crowds; attorney general had advised police not to enforce order; health officials report surge to 38 deaths, 1,046 cases ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43979 "2020-04-09T11:11:43Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Kansas Republican legislature overrides Democratic Governor’s executive order limiting size of church gatherings. Because of course Democrats hate Easter. > > [Kansas coronavirus update: Gov. Laura Kelly condemns A.G., legislators for ’political attack’ as deaths, infections surge](https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200408/kansas-coronavirus-update-gov-laura-kelly-condemns-ag-legislators-for-rsquopolitical-attackrsquo-as-deaths-infections-surge) What’s particularly great is that at least three outbreaks in the state are linked to church gatherings. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43980 "2020-04-09T16:48:50Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > What’s particularly great is that at least three outbreaks in the state are linked to church gatherings. I’m quite sure that if (God Forbid) these church gatherings end up spreading more disease and death, the appropriate blame will be given: 1. Democrats 2. The devil I’m sure that those who sicken and die will probably not have prayed enough. The important thing will be to assign blame to someone else. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43981 "2020-04-09T18:14:29Z")
Liberty University issues arrest warrants for two reporters who said mean things about Jerry Fallwell. > **[Liberty University police issue arrest warrants for NYT, ProPublica reporters](https://thehill.com/homenews/media/492015-liberty-university-police-issue-arrest-warrants-for-nyt-propublica-reporters/)** > > Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. on Wednesday said that arrest warrants had been issued for reporters from The New York Times and ProPublica after both publications wrote stories… * * * Bill O’Reilly: “Many people who are dying, both here and around the world, were on their last legs anyway.” [https://thehill.com/homenews/media/491994-bill-oreilly-many-dying-from-coronavirus-were-on-last-legs-anyway](https://thehill.com/homenews/media/491994-bill-oreilly-many-dying-from-coronavirus-were-on-last-legs-anyway)? ---
**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:** [April 9, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43982 "2020-04-09T19:03:23Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Bill O’Reilly: “Many people who are dying, both here and around the world, were on their last legs anyway.” > [https://thehill.com/homenews/media/491994-bill-oreilly-many-dying-from-coronavirus-were-on-last-legs-anyway](https://thehill.com/homenews/media/491994-bill-oreilly-many-dying-from-coronavirus-were-on-last-legs-anyway)? So, what, this pandemic is really just a form of “market correction?” Never change, Bill-o. not that you’re likely to ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43983 "2020-04-09T20:35:11Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > {…} Bill O’Reilly: “Many people who are dying, both here and around the world, were on their last legs anyway.” > [https://thehill.com/homenews/media/491994-bill-oreilly-many-dying-from-coronavirus-were-on-last-legs-anyway](https://thehill.com/homenews/media/491994-bill-oreilly-many-dying-from-coronavirus-were-on-last-legs-anyway)? > [@](#): > > William James O’Reilly Jr. is an American journalist, author, and former television host. > Born: September 10, 1949, age 70 years. Yeah, about that “being on your ‘last legs’” boomer… CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43984 "2020-04-09T20:41:10Z")
I’m confused. Doesn’t handwaving away the old folks risk making right wing tv viewers angry? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43985 "2020-04-09T20:52:05Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > I’m confused. Doesn’t handwaving away the old folks risk making right wing tv viewers angry? Hell, you have some political pundits like Glenn Beck telling old people to die in order to re-open the economy. I don’t think any critical thinking is involved with their audiences. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2020, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43986 "2020-04-09T21:11:30Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’m quite sure that if (God Forbid) these church gatherings end up spreading more disease and death, the appropriate blame will be given: > > 1. Democrats > 2. The devil > > I’m sure that those who sicken and die will probably not have prayed enough. > > The important thing will be to assign blame to someone else. You forgot; 1. Obama. ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43987 "2020-04-09T21:32:56Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > You forgot; > > 1. Obama. Already double-counted. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43988 "2020-04-09T22:56:09Z")
Also, “The Lord works is mysterious ways.” “It’s God’s will.” “Soros.” “Clinton(s)/Hillary.” “Deeeep State.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=2198) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=2200)