# 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:** 258
**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 14, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5141 "2012-04-14T04:05:52Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Whatever happened to torte reform \ What’s that? Is that where your cake layers fall apart while you’re cooling them, and you have to cut them up into a bowl and make a trifle out of it? ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5142 "2012-04-14T10:06:00Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > You’d do far better if you actually knew what you’re talking about. You might want to consider that advice as applying to your thread about Romney also. Did Joseph Smith have a traditional marriage? Or did he have thirty-four traditional marriages? Also, I’ve been reading the thread from the beginning for amusement and I’d like to point out that negating the status of illegal immigrants as “persons” contravenes Article 6 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which the US is a signatory. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5143 "2012-04-14T10:30:03Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > You’d do far better if you actually knew what you’re talking about. You might want to consider that advice as applying to your thread about Romney also. So Romney has never supported a “traditional definition of marriage”, using those words or those largely equivalent? I’m truly interested in that. If he has, then **gamer** ’s quote stands. ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5144 "2012-04-14T11:19:08Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > So Romney has never supported a “traditional definition of marriage”, using those words or those largely equivalent? I’m truly interested in that. If he has, then **gamer** ’s quote stands. Democrats have a multitude of legitimate personal and policy issues on which to oppose Romney’s campaign for President. “He’s a Mormon!” isn’t one of them. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5145 "2012-04-14T11:31:27Z")
> [@Batfish](#): > > “He’s a Mormon!” isn’t one of them. I don’t think his faith is relevant until he starts making value judgements based on “traditions” and “definitions” that aren’t even relevant to the “traditions” and “definitions” employed by his Church in its inception. I think if he wants to avoid accusations of hypocrisy, he has to renounce the rhetoric used to oppose gay marriage at least (and shift to either personal belief or Obama’s position that it’s a “struggle”) or renounce those that do not practice the tradition that he longs to defend: namely those that are in homosexual or polygamous marriages. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5146 "2012-04-14T15:07:49Z")
The LDS Church bailed out on polygamy a long, long time ago. It is not legitimate to infer that they support polygamy simply because they did at one time. For comparison’s sake, the writings of Martin Luther reveal an appalling degree of antisemitism, a position the modern Lutheran Church rejects. It would not be legitimate to question a Lutheran candidate on the stance his Church took some hundreds of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5147 "2012-04-14T16:55:01Z")
Bella Santorum, 3 years old and both physically and mentally challenged, is now an official member of the … Wait for it … [National Rifle Association](http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t2#/video/politics/2012/04/13/bts-santorum-bella-nra.cnn). (video) ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5148 "2012-04-14T17:56:53Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > For comparison’s sake, the writings of Martin Luther reveal an appalling degree of antisemitism, a position the modern Lutheran Church rejects. and if someone that was a high ranking Lutheran said that they believed in the tradition of strong links with Israel, it’d suddenly be very relevant. I’d be interested in whether they agreed with Martin Luther about whether denying the transubstantiation should be a capital offence too (only in passing though, as it would likely be irrelevant to their political platform). I don’t think religions should get a pass when they can cohere so well on social issues and then ultimately reject them in a few generations. I’ve spoken to a Mormon that believes that the pronouncements from Joseph Smith were literally from the omniscient Godhead, as were those from Brigham Young (supporting and opposing polygamy, respectively). I’d say the exact same thing about a Muslim candidate that used the same rhetoric when it is clear neither their holy book nor the practices of their prophet supports that use. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5149 "2012-04-14T20:16:16Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > and if someone that was a high ranking Lutheran said that they believed in the tradition of strong links with Israel, it’d suddenly be very relevant. I suppose Obama is pro-slavery then because he’s a Democrat? ---
**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 14, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5150 "2012-04-14T22:29:38Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > I suppose Obama is pro-slavery then because he’s a Democrat? And I guess every Jew on the planet today is pro-polygamy. gamerunknown has given new meaning to the terms _stupid_, _inane_, and _asinine_. Naw, strike that. His utter lack of thinking skills tarnishes even those words. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5151 "2012-04-14T23:00:02Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > I’d be interested in whether they agreed with Martin Luther about whether denying the transubstantiation should be a capital offence too (only in passing though, as it would likely be irrelevant to their political platform). My wife is a convert to Lutheranism and is a firm transubstantiationist. I think the church goes with consubstantiationism these days. I’m a solid “it’s all symbolic” nonbeliever. We get around this by not discussing it, like good modern Lutherans. > [@](#): > > I don’t think religions should get a pass when they can cohere so well on social issues and then ultimately reject them in a few generations. So churches can’t be allowed to change their minds? Or their modern members can’t disagree with their great-grandfathers? Where is the chronological cutoff? Never? ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5152 "2012-04-15T00:04:08Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > I suppose Obama is pro-slavery then because he’s a Democrat? I didn’t plan to make a protracted defence of the genetic fallacy here. I’m just pointing out that when a person makes an appeal to tradition based in religious morality, it’d be handy if the progenitor of their religious morality actually engaged in that tradition. I’d be saying the exact same thing if Joseph Smith were in a gay marriage. The analogy would hold up if the Democrats expelled members that expressed their [abolitionist views](http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/09/gay-mormon-excommunicated-from-his-church-commits-suicide/). > [@dropzone](#): > > So churches can’t be allowed to change their minds? I phrased that awkwardly. I was going to add a qualifier of some sort about their moral authority. I don’t think the religious should claim that their doctrine is the revealed will of an omniscient being and then reject it when it becomes inimical to their chances of electoral success. They especially should not make appeals to that moral authority when their prophets did not adhere to the moral standards that they expect of their constituents. ---
**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 15, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5153 "2012-04-15T04:27:43Z")
> [@Batfish](#): > > Democrats have a multitude of legitimate personal and policy issues on which to oppose Romney’s campaign for President. > > “He’s a Mormon!” isn’t one of them. “He’s a Republican!” is. ---
**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 15, 2012, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5154 "2012-04-15T06:51:29Z")
The stupid is strong, very strong, in gamerunknown. ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5155 "2012-04-15T11:54:41Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > **[Rep. Allen West: Democratic group is Communist](http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/04/allen-west-democrats-communist-party-/1)** > Initial paragraph from the story. “Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., had initially declined to name names when he said “he’s heard” that up to 80 House Democrats are members of the Communist Party. > Now, his office says West was referring to the Congressional Progressive Caucus when the freshman Tea Party favorite made his remark at a [town hall meeting](http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/allen-west-hears-cheers-jeers-at-town-hall-2295766.html?cxtype=rss_news) Tuesday night.” > > Exactly how do these people get elected? I weep. I have begun to seriously question if Rep. West is entirely sane, or very intelligent. I’m also worried that he’s a typical example of today’s Army officer, or at least a significant subset of them. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5156 "2012-04-15T13:44:37Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > So churches can’t be allowed to change their minds? Or their modern members can’t disagree with their great-grandfathers? Where is the chronological cutoff? Never? Each religion is asserting that they have the superior view of God. If they change their practices, then they obviously aren’t supernaturally locked-in to God’s desires and needs. So, I’d say if your church changes its views, it’s pretty good evidence that its all horseshit and you should do something more productive with your Sundays. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5157 "2012-04-15T13:49:24Z")
> [@Batfish](#): > > I have begun to seriously question if Rep. West is entirely sane, or very intelligent. I’m also worried that he’s a typical example of today’s Army officer, or at least a significant subset of them. West, like many of the crop of recent Republican darlings is practically defined by his ignorance. These people are elected because they champion an ideological view that’s based on not understanding complex issues. Either they’re smart people faking, like say, Lindsey Graham, or they’re idiots elected by other idiots, like [Louie Gohmert](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gohmert_CPD_109_G000552.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5158 "2012-04-15T18:32:25Z")
> [@Batfish](#): > > I have begun to seriously question if Rep. West is entirely sane, or very intelligent. I’m also worried that he’s a typical example of today’s Army officer, or at least a significant subset of them. How dare you! Rep. West is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life. Why don’t you pass the time by playing a little solitaire? My favorite quote from the [very quotable movie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056218/): "Intelligence officer. Stupidity officer is more like it. Pentagon wants to open a Stupidity Division, they know who they can get to lead it. " ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5159 "2012-04-15T19:07:28Z")
Points Equipoise to posts 5081 and 5083. Com’on, this thread isn’t even 5,200 posts long. Surely you can keep up with the entire thing! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5160 "2012-04-15T19:08:08Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > So churches can’t be allowed to change their minds? Or their modern members can’t disagree with their great-grandfathers? I know you’re not addressing this argument and apologies for that, but modern members can’t disagree with their great-grandfathers on an issue while invoking that very same “tradition” of their forefathers in the name of taking away the same right for a separate group of people. If they themselves eschew the marriage traditions of their forefathers, why does their invocation of “traditional marriage” carry any weight whatsoever, since they themselves think their great-grandfathers views on marriage weren’t so very hot after all. Again, not saying that you’re discussing the SSM issue nor that Romney has invoked the “traditional marriage” anti-SSM argument. I’d love to see a clip of him doing so, though, for the delicious ironing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=257) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=259)