# 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:** 275
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5481 "2012-05-18T00:01:45Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The latest Fox News poll shows Obama leading Romney by 7 points. > > [According to Fox News’ hosts, this is proof that Fox News is biased towards Democrats.](http://mediamatters.org/blog/201205170011) Despite the bias of the channel itself, I have actually always thought FOX polling was not really biased. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5482 "2012-05-18T00:53:04Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > In order to provide balance I think I should give some time to a Republican who has some genuinely smart ideas about possibly achieving [peace in the Middle East](http://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/middle-east-north-africa/227517-lawmaker-calls-for-peace-negotiations-between-deceased-arafat-comatose-sharon) Hey, if Joe is white, Christian, and hetrosexual he’d be a perfect secretary of state for Mitt. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5483 "2012-05-18T01:54:42Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Hey, **if Joe is white, Christian, and hetrosexual** he’d be a perfect secretary of state for Mitt. Joe is the congressman for Lancaster County, PA, area…Amish Country. They don’t generally come in any other variety here, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5484 "2012-05-18T02:20:07Z")
Then what’s with these Black Amish I’m always hearing about, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5485 "2012-05-18T02:30:14Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Then what’s with these Black Amish I’m always hearing about, eh? I believe they hang out with those Black Irish people two hollers over. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5486 "2012-05-18T08:06:52Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > have actually always thought FOX polling was not really biased. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkJiJs_WBXM)are a [few](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/nov2000/fox-n17.shtml) [instances](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7G_IIu-_v4). ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5487 "2012-05-18T12:16:18Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The latest Fox News poll shows Obama leading Romney by 7 points. > > [According to Fox News’ hosts, this is proof that Fox News is biased towards Democrats.](http://mediamatters.org/blog/201205170011) There’s only one sensible course of action left. Founding a new TV channel to counterbalance the rampant left wing bias of Fox News. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5488 "2012-05-18T21:38:25Z")
Ken Bennett, a Republican and Arizona’s top election official says it’s ‘possible’ Obama [might not be put on the ballot](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/birther-controversy-arizona-election-official-says-its-possible-obama-might-not-make-ballot/2012/05/18/gIQAZWbjYU_blog.html): > [@](#): > > According to the text of [an e-mail from Bennett to Corsi](http://www.wnd.com/2012/05/arizona-official-to-hawaii-show-birth-verification/) and confirmed by the secretary of state’s office to the Phoenix New Times, Bennett had written that “if Hawaii can’t or won’t provide verification of the president’s birth certificate, I will not put his name on the ballot.” The birther fun never ends. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5489 "2012-05-18T22:02:41Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Ken Bennett, a Republican and Arizona’s top election official says it’s ‘possible’ Obama [might not be put on the ballot](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/birther-controversy-arizona-election-official-says-its-possible-obama-might-not-make-ballot/2012/05/18/gIQAZWbjYU_blog.html):The birther fun never ends. Hey, I’m all for it. Just as long as exactly the same standard of proof demanded from Obama applies to Romney, or anyone else in Arizona running for office. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5490 "2012-05-19T01:45:06Z")
Well, seeing as it’s absolutely ESSENTIAL for Obama to win Arizona, I guess he may as well concede now. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5491 "2012-05-19T06:34:09Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Ken Bennett, a Republican and Arizona’s top election official says it’s ‘possible’ Obama [might not be put on the ballot](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/birther-controversy-arizona-election-official-says-its-possible-obama-might-not-make-ballot/2012/05/18/gIQAZWbjYU_blog.html):The birther fun never ends. Theoretically, what would the Federal Government do if Arizona refused to put him on the ballot in November? What if other states tried to do the same? I can’t see how this couldn’t work in favor for the GOP. Regardless of the outcome, they win points for the controversy. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5492 "2012-05-19T17:50:12Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Ken Bennett, a Republican and Arizona’s top election official says it’s ‘possible’ Obama [might not be put on the ballot](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/birther-controversy-arizona-election-official-says-its-possible-obama-might-not-make-ballot/2012/05/18/gIQAZWbjYU_blog.html): > > > [@](#): > > > > According to the text of an e-mail from Bennett to Corsi and confirmed by the secretary of state’s office to the Phoenix New Times, Bennett had written that “if Hawaii can’t or won’t provide verification of the president’s birth certificate, I will not put his name on the ballot.” > > The birther fun never ends. Sounds like a bluff. Pretty sure FF&C means Hawaii can tell AZ _“Verification is what we say it is.”_ ---
**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:** [May 19, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5493 "2012-05-19T18:50:10Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Sounds like a bluff. Pretty sure FF&C means Hawaii can tell AZ _“Verification is what we say it is.”_ Most likely a bluff (and a buff to his conservative cred), but I wonder how much discretion he has on who gets listed on the ballot? Of course, one doesn’t actually vote for the President, you [vote for the electors](http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/16/00212.htm&Title=16&DocType=ARS), which puts a twist on the whole ballot access thing anyway. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5494 "2012-05-19T20:28:52Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Pretty sure FF&C means Hawaii can tell AZ “Verification is what we say it is.” They should get one of the legislator’s little kids to draw a birth certificate. As an added bonus, it’d infuriate the birthers. I was going to suggest used toilet paper, but that’d just seem demeaning to Obama. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5495 "2012-05-19T21:01:42Z")
The GOP won the 2004 Pres. election via cheating and lies. Intrade now shows Republican President elected in 2012 as 41+%. Obama is by no means a “shoe-in.” There will be many many thousands of voters who would tell pollsters “I wanted to vote for Obama, but I couldn’t ignore all the talk about his lying about his birth-place.” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5496 "2012-05-19T22:27:41Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > …There will be many many thousands of voters who would tell pollsters “I wanted to vote for Obama, but I couldn’t ignore all the talk about his lying about his birth-place.” Umm, no. Those who are believing the birther conspiracies, or even willing to believe that Obama is actively “lying about his birth-place”[sic] are not going to be voting for him (even if he released that video of the birth… on Waikiki beach, with the palm trees and surfers giving his mom the “Hang Loose” gesture). In fact, Romney might be too rational for them, and they’ll be voting for the LibertwatarianTinFoilTouque Party candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5497 "2012-05-20T00:42:50Z")
> [@digs](#): > > (even if he released that video of the birth… on Waikiki beach, with the palm trees and surfers giving his mom the “Hang Loose” gesture). I would not believe any video that had palm trees. Wait, did we do that in this or another thread? Who had the meltdown again? I think the point a few posts ago is not that potential swing voters are going to believe any of the bullshit that the RWMarketing Machine is pumping out, but that it will sully their Obama irrespective of the truth. Complaints about policy differences, character flaws, etc. are one thing. It’s the outright lies and fabrications that the Machine is so prolific at spreading and repeating that will have an unquestionable effect. Whether it will turn the election is another thing, and between voter suppression efforts, intentional falsehoods, and a close to majority of people who actually prefer a Republican for whatever reason, Obama as a shoe-in is a myth. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5498 "2012-05-20T00:48:08Z")
[obsessive vocabulary nitpick] Grrrr. It’s [“_shoo_-in”](http://www.word.com/unabridged/archives/2008/06/from_the_mail_s_28.html): > [@](#): > > Around 1620 _shoo_ began to be used as a transitive verb, as in “He shooed the pigeons away from the bench.” Later, the verb developed an intransitive use reflecting the result of _shooing_, as in “When she hollers at the cat, it shoos at once.” Then around 1900 the verb began to be used figuratively in the field of horse racing. If a racehorse was allowed to win easily, it was said to have been _shooed in_. > > A few years later, those devoted to racing jargon began to use _shoo-in_ as a noun. At first it was used to mean “a predetermined or fixed race,” and from that use it was extended to mean “a horse that is a certain winner.” From that point, it was only a matter of time before _shoo-in_ passed into the general vocabulary to mean anyone or anything that is a sure winner. [/ovn] ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5499 "2012-05-20T00:49:53Z")
“Shoo-in” As in “shoo! shoo!”. You might have it confused with “shoe in the door”, implying a tenuous state for success, as opposed to a “shoo in”, a near certainty. I don’t have many attacks of Obsessive Pedantic Disorder, but they all seem to happen here… ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5500 "2012-05-20T00:50:54Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > …Obama as a shoe-in is a myth. _“If I am elected, every American will have tight pussy, loose shoes and a warm place to shit.”_ Shoo-in. Not shoe-in. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=274) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=276)