# 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:** 2221
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44409 "2020-05-20T14:58:22Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The woman who was in charge of reporting coronavirus data for the state of Florida claims she was fired because she refused to manipulate data to make the state’s numbers look better. > [https://www.salon.com/2020/05/19/covid-19-data-chief-claims-she-was-fired-for-refusing-to-manipulate-data-to-back-reopening-florida](https://www.salon.com/2020/05/19/covid-19-data-chief-claims-she-was-fired-for-refusing-to-manipulate-data-to-back-reopening-florida) At least the lying shit-ass governor had the decency to respond: > **[After scientist fired, Florida governor calls coronavirus data manipulation...](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/20/coronavirus-florida-gov-ron-desantis-disputes-data-manipulation/5226744002/)** > > Gov. Ron DeSantis faces an explosive charge that his administration is manipulating coronavirus data to make the case for reopening Florida. > [@](#): > > Facing an explosive charge that his administration is manipulating coronavirus data to help make the case for reopening Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis played down the controversy Tuesday as a “nonissue.” It’s pretty clear now that the republicans’ public health response is simply to lie to the public. Like how are we different from Russia, China, or any other authoritarian state at this point? The distinctions are increasingly fewer and less significant. I guess the government hasn’t had journalists murdered and doctors jailed yet - that’s some positive news, I reckon. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44410 "2020-05-20T15:13:39Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The state of Georgia put out a graph showing that the number of virus cases is going down. Until people looked closely and realized that the dates were not in chronological order. > [READ: Georgia Governor Brian Kemp's Office Apologizes for Misleading Graph: 'Our Mission Failed. We Apologize. It Is Fixed.' - Second Nexus](https://secondnexus.com/brian-kemp-misleading-graph-virus) > [@asahi](#): > > It’s pretty clear now that the republicans’ public health response is simply to lie to the public. The thing that really bothers me is that they’re lying so badly. With the example above, the only way they could have ever gotten away with it is if literally no one ever really took a look at their chart. How likely was that? This lie fell apart almost immediately - the first time I even heard about it was the people pointing out the lie - so what was the point? If they really wanted a lie to stand, even for a day or two, why didn’t they just make it up out of whole cloth? At least then the debunkers would have had to track down the real data, and compare it to the fake. But the way they did it, all the debunkers had to do was point to the dates listed on the very chart the liars themselves published. Are they really that stupid, or do they really think that everyone else is that stupid? ---
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44411 "2020-05-20T15:17:19Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Are they really that stupid, Yes. > [@Horatius](#): > > or do they really think that everyone else is that stupid? Also yes. And that’s what they’re counting on, that their base is more stupid than they are. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44412 "2020-05-20T15:59:16Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Yes. > Also yes. And that’s what they’re counting on, that their base is more stupid than they are. Partly yes, but more to the point: they’re counting on us to simply not give a shit. The most discouraging implication of the entire disastrous COVID-19 response is that we, the people, are accepting that this was somehow unavoidable. And that’s pretty hard to reconcile for a nation that brags its ass off about how great our technology is and how we have the most advanced healthcare system in the world, and how congratulate ourselves all the fucking time about how the rest of the planet looks to us for leadership. We haven’t done a fucking thing to stop the pandemic except make silly-assed YouTube videos, stupid hashtags, and obnoxious neighborhood car parades – because this was just as unavoidable as a comet smashing into, of all countries on the planet, America, and we need our self-esteem. Meanwhile, no collective outrage. Confusion and selective outrage, but no collective middle finger to lying, obfuscation, and attacks on public institutions. We’re a far cry from the country that rebelled for independence from the Crown; we’re just good little sheep. We’re behaving. And that’s not good. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44413 "2020-05-20T18:23:58Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > The thing that really bothers me is that they’re lying so badly. There’s a great line in the movie The Pope Of Greenwich Village spoken by Mickey Rourke: “I promise you from now on my lies will be much better” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44414 "2020-05-20T23:07:30Z")
The Illinois legislator (GOP & Downstate, natch) who sued to challenge the stay-at-home order was booted from the Assembly when he attended today’s legislative session without a mask and refused to put one on when asked to. [Link.](https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/illinois-lawmaker-booted-from-legislative-session-after-refusing-to-comply-with-mask-requirement/2275488/) [Link.](https://www.daily-chronicle.com/2020/05/20/rep-darren-bailey-removed-from-house-session-for-refusing-to-wear-a-mask/a8o536q/) To be fair, the mask rule was voted in 97-12 and the scofflaw was voted out 81-27, so at least _some_ Republicans had a non-stupid idea today. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2020, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44415 "2020-05-21T02:20:23Z")
A Fox news anchor challenged a Biden staffer to name any lies Individual 1 has come up with about the coronavirus, and she got more than she bargained for. > **[Fox News Host Asks For 'One Example Of A Lie' From White House About Coronavirus](https://news.yahoo.com/fox-news-symone-sanders-interview-005037787.html)** > > Anchor Dana Perino got more than she bargained for from Biden campaign adviser Symone Sanders. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44416 "2020-05-22T20:33:34Z")
Militia member is arrested trying to hijack a helicopter so he can “rescue” coronavirus patients from a hospital. > **[Armed 70-year-old tried to steal helicopter to free coronavirus patients from...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/michigan-police-arrest-70-year-old-man-helicopter-coronavirus-patients-a9528431.html)** > > Michigan 70-year-old threatened to shoot police, dispatchers and hospital power supplies on Sunday ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44417 "2020-05-23T20:05:15Z")
> [@](#): > > According to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll, 44 percent of Republicans believe that Bill Gates is plotting to use a mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign as a pretext to implant microchips in billions of people and monitor their movements > **[New Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows coronavirus conspiracy theories spreading on...](https://news.yahoo.com/new-yahoo-news-you-gov-poll-shows-coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-spreading-on-the-right-may-hamper-vaccine-efforts-152843610.html)** > > As states relax lockdown restrictions and responsibility for containing the coronavirus shifts, in part, to the American people, the dangerous tendency to ignore fundamental facts about the deadly pathogen in favor of misinformation peddled by... I chalk it up to faulty pre-frontal cortex development. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2020, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44418 "2020-05-23T23:56:29Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > The Illinois legislator (GOP & Downstate, natch) who sued to challenge the stay-at-home order was booted from the Assembly when he attended today’s legislative session without a mask and refused to put one on when asked to. [Link.](https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/illinois-lawmaker-booted-from-legislative-session-after-refusing-to-comply-with-mask-requirement/2275488/) [Link.](https://www.daily-chronicle.com/2020/05/20/rep-darren-bailey-removed-from-house-session-for-refusing-to-wear-a-mask/a8o536q/) > > To be fair, the mask rule was voted in 97-12 and the scofflaw was voted out 81-27, so at least _some_ Republicans had a non-stupid idea today. From the first link: “When asked during his daily briefing on Monday, Pritzker addressed the reports of lawmakers who did not want to wear masks during session. “I hear that there are people that are planning to show up in Springfield in the legislature not wearing a mask. Think about what that says, right? Because a mask isn’t designed to protect you. It’s designed to protect the people you’re with,” he said, calling the decision to not wear a face covering “callous disregard for people’s health.” “Most of the legislators that I talked to understand that it is necessary, it is something that is, again, it’s keeping the other people that you’re with safe,” Pritzker later added.” ---
**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:** [May 24, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44419 "2020-05-24T01:41:47Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > From the first link: > “When asked during his daily briefing on Monday, Pritzker addressed the reports of lawmakers who did not want to wear masks during session. “I hear that there are people that are planning to show up in Springfield in the legislature not wearing a mask. Think about what that says, right? Because a mask isn’t designed to protect you. It’s designed to protect the people you’re with,” he said, calling the decision to not wear a face covering “callous disregard for people’s health.” > “Most of the legislators that I talked to understand that it is necessary, it is something that is, again, it’s keeping the other people that you’re with safe,” Pritzker later added.” Exactly right. Refusal to wear a mask in an appropriate situation is simply a means for a person to say “fuck you, I don’t give a shit about you.” So take them seriously. They have identified themselves as not giving a shit about others. It’s a good indicator that you should have nothing whatsoever to do with this person. They should be cut off from civilized society, shunned, and ignored. Businesses are free to refuse them entry. Normal people should refuse to engage with them in any fashion whatsoever. They want to say “fuck you”? Feel free. All by themselves. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2020, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44420 "2020-05-24T03:15:43Z")
Bexar County, Texas GOP chair tells a crowd that the coronavirus is a Democratic hoax, so take off your masks and hug each other. > ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44421 "2020-05-24T06:37:19Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Bexar County, Texas GOP chair tells a crowd that the coronavirus is a Democratic hoax, so take off your masks and hug each other. > [https://twitter.com/i/status/1263937751872868353](https://twitter.com/i/status/1263937751872868353) Shout out to Germany, Spain, PM Boris Johnson, and all those other heroes around the world who died or went critical to help the Dems pull this off. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2020, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44422 "2020-05-24T08:38:05Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Shout out to Germany, Spain, PM Boris Johnson, and all those other heroes around the world who died or went critical to help the Dems pull this off. You’re talking about those crisis actors, right? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44423 "2020-05-24T13:47:12Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Exactly right. Refusal to wear a mask in an appropriate situation is simply a means for a person to say “fuck you, I don’t give a shit about you.” > > So take them seriously. They have identified themselves as not giving a shit about others. It’s a good indicator that you should have nothing whatsoever to do with this person. They should be cut off from civilized society, shunned, and ignored. Businesses are free to refuse them entry. Normal people should refuse to engage with them in any fashion whatsoever. They want to say “fuck you”? Feel free. All by themselves. I repeat my suggestion from a couple weeks ago in another thread. If you don’t want to abide by the new social distancing protocols, fine, but you get the back of your hand stamped with permanent ink; something that’ll last about two weeks but it gets renewed every time you go out. If the hospitals don’t get slammed, no problem; the stamp has no effect. If they are overwhelmed, though, and you arrive at ER with a stamp – even for a non-COVID illness or injury – _you’re_ the one tipped off of the gurney into a corner. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44424 "2020-05-24T14:22:01Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Bexar County, Texas GOP chair tells a crowd that the coronavirus is a Democratic hoax, so take off your masks and hug each other. > [https://twitter.com/i/status/1263937751872868353](https://twitter.com/i/status/1263937751872868353) This woman’s husband pleaded guilty in 1999 to [indecently exposing himself](https://www.expressnews.com/news/news_columnists/gilbert_garcia/article/Sexual-assault-allegations-surface-about-husband-13093070.php?utm_campaign=fb-premium&utm_source=CMS+Sharing+Button&utm_medium=social) to her 14-year-old daughter (from a previous marriage). Also: > [@](#): > > During his stint in the military, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) looked into a series of allegations against him covering the period from 1983-88, including acts of sexual assault against children and exposing minors to pornography, according to Army documents obtained by the San Antonio Express-News. These incidents occurred at Fort Lewis, Wash., the military installation where Norman was stationed at the time. > > The investigation focused on three alleged victims — two girls and one boy — in addition to Norman’s stepdaughter. The CID released its investigative summary on Oct. 13, 2006, and it was damning. > > “Investigation established probable cause to believe LTC BREHM committed the offenses of Forcible Sodomy, Indecent Acts and Liberties with a Child, when on numerous occasions he forced (name redacted) to perform oral sodomy upon him, indecently assaulting (her) and exposing her to various forms of adult and child pornography,” CID concluded. #FamilyValues ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44425 "2020-05-24T15:17:37Z")
Where do these people come from? Some gutter or from under some rock? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44426 "2020-05-24T15:45:49Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Where do these people come from? Some gutter or from under some rock? I can’t even figure out what their ‘goal’ is anymore. I mean really. They WANT a stupid asshole to run the country? And it is to laugh that he is ‘running’ the country. But to what end? Sure, they are racist assholes, but my god, many of them can’t think past the ends of their noses. I know there have been threads about being gentle with these people, but that’s like reasoning with a rabid dog. I’ll continue to call them what they are. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44427 "2020-05-24T20:37:27Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Bexar County, Texas GOP chair tells a crowd that the coronavirus is a Democratic hoax, so take off your masks and hug each other. > [https://twitter.com/i/status/1263937751872868353](https://twitter.com/i/status/1263937751872868353) Did they? If so, it’s time to start the countdown timer, set to 14 days. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44428 "2020-05-24T21:46:08Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Did they? If so, it’s time to start the countdown timer, set to 14 days. The video shows the people behind her (who weren’t wearing masks) hugging. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=2220) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=2222)