# 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:** 283
**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:** [June 2, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5641 "2012-06-02T12:37:54Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [Let’s hurl some acid at those female Democratic Senators.](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/republican-spokesman-lets-hurl-acid-female-democratic-senators/story?id=16471627#.T8jxxlLhf7A) > > And they’re afraid of _sharia_? From **silenus** ’ link: [QUOTE=Jay Townsend (spokesman for GOP Congresswoman)] … when is Tommy boy going to weigh in on all the Lilly Ledbetter hypocrites who claim to be fighting the War on Women? Let’s hurl some acid at those female democratic Senators who won’t abide the mandates they want to impose on the private sector. [Hayworth’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter. Townsend is described on his own personal website an “adept wordsmith,” and is far from a political newcomer.] [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5642 "2012-06-02T14:24:39Z")
Let’s go to the quarry and hurl some acid in there! ---
**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:** [June 2, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5643 "2012-06-02T14:50:38Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > He was a proud host of the 2004 GOP Convention. > > He also ran on the Republican line in his most recent election. He may call himself an independent, but he’s a REPUBLICAN. > > Stupid and impractical idea. Will never fly. Probably won’t even come up for a vote in the city council. > **[Bloomberg-nanny\_finaldraft.pdf](https://www.consumerfreedom.com/app/uploads/2012/06/Bloomberg-nanny_finaldraft.pdf)** > > 417.38 KB I can’t get too excited about this little flap. We’ve suffered far more damage to the Bill of Rights in recent years than a ban on large sugary drinks would inflict, but I found this ad funny and effective. Pretty interesting the soft drink industry had it published within a couple of days of Bloomie’s proposal. ---
**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:** [June 2, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5644 "2012-06-02T16:12:32Z")
Personally, I can’t think of any damage that a ban on large sugary drinks might inflict on the Bill of Rights. Care to expand? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5645 "2012-06-02T16:15:39Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Let’s go to the quarry and hurl some acid in there! We thought about that with the reservoirs, but Owsley wouldn’t make ten gallons for free. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5646 "2012-06-02T16:24:54Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Personally, I can’t think of any damage that a ban on large sugary drinks might inflict on the Bill of Rights. Care to expand? Without passing on the merits of the ban—or impugning the above poster—I think it’s a tendency to find rights, privileges and freedoms that are inherent to the concept of a free country/land of the free/free hat. That the government shouldn’t intrude on them is taken as a given, and the “shouldn’t” is followed up by an assumption that the Constitution protects those rights, and that intrusion on the supposed freedoms is somehow an intrusion on the Bill of Rights. Of course, there’s lots of womb to see things differently and find cases where people feel the government should intrude on a person’s private decisions. I also like the right’s general tendency to decry privacy readings or other interpretations of the Constitution but get up in arms over other areas. This, though, says nothing about the fact that this isn’t even a state law. ---
**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:** [June 2, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5647 "2012-06-02T16:28:57Z")
Whether or not it’s a state law is irrelevant, unless you mean that it hasn’t passed yet. The Bill of Rights notwithstanding, states have plenary power to regulate the sale of goods. This is no different than a hypothetical New York ordinance limiting the arsenic content of 1% milk, and I doubt anyone would suggest that such a law damages the Bill of Rights. ---
**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:** [June 2, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5648 "2012-06-02T16:49:52Z")
I don’t think the law violates the constitution. It just violates any reasonable notion of common sense and of the appropriate concerns of government. There is a level at which we shouldn’t be protecting people from themselves. I have never in my life purchased a Big Gulp or some other massive soda drink, but if someone wants 32 oz of sugary water, then why the fuck do you care? I say all this as a confirmed social democrat who believes that government has a strong and positive role to play in the economy and in society. I believe in progressive taxation; i believe in regulation of industry, especially in cases where the regulation protects the public from exploitation; i believe in public transit and subsidized housing and food stamps and welfare. But i just don’t think it’s either necessary or beneficial for the government to spend a whole lot of effort policing what people do to themselves and their bodies. I’m not a smoker, and i think it’s a disgusting habit, but the anti-smoking crusade has gone too far when people can’t even light up outside in a lot of places now. And this ban on large sodas is equally ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5649 "2012-06-02T17:36:27Z")
Bloomberg has no problem telling us that we drink too much soda, but try and tell him that he makes too much money… ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5650 "2012-06-02T19:15:48Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > He was a proud host of the 2004 GOP Convention. > > He also ran on the Republican line in his most recent election. He may call himself an independent, but he’s a REPUBLICAN. > > Stupid and impractical idea. Will never fly. Probably won’t even come up for a vote in the city council. Its very much an anti-Republican (in the sense of anti-conservative) idea. ---
**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:** [June 2, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5651 "2012-06-02T20:45:56Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Its very much an anti-Republican (in the sense of anti-conservative) idea. That’s about half true, give or take a bit.. It’s an idea that flies in the face of libertarian conservatism, but it seems to me that it’s well in line with the traditionalist conservatism that characterizes a significant chunk of the Republican Party base. There are plenty of traditionalist conservatives who have been happy to have the government enforce issues of morality and personal choice. Those who, for example, want the FCC to crack down on bad language and depictions of sex on television. Those who not only oppose gay marriage, but pass constitutional amendments banning the practice and, in some cases (North Cackalacky), even barring civil unions. Those who support and uphold “blue laws” that prevent businesses from trading on Sundays. Those who support “dry counties” where you can’t even buy alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5652 "2012-06-02T20:46:01Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Its very much an anti-Republican (in the sense of anti-conservative) idea. Hardly. Republicans are all for banning legal things they don’t like - abortion, contraception, brown people voting, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5653 "2012-06-04T06:15:45Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > [Sitting Republican Representative fails to turn in enough valid signatures to qualify for August primary.](http://www.freep.com/article/20120525/NEWS15/120525063/Thaddeus-McCotter-may-not-appear-election-ballot-?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Cimg%7CFRONTPAGE) > > This is my congressman of “McCotter Rocks” infamy, and I’m just so proud. [McCotter has given up on his write-in candidacy](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/mccotter-opts-against-write-in-campaign/2012/06/02/gJQAVM4CAV_blog.html?wprss=rss_politics). It seems that providing the name of the staff member who falsified the signatures (he has apparently suggested he already knows who it is) will somehow take up so much time that he won’t have time to ask people to write his name on the ballot, let alone teach them how to spell it. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5654 "2012-06-04T13:21:38Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I don’t think the law violates the constitution. > > It just violates any reasonable notion of common sense and of the appropriate concerns of government. There is a level at which we shouldn’t be protecting people from themselves. I have never in my life purchased a Big Gulp or some other massive soda drink, but if someone wants 32 oz of sugary water, then why the fuck do you care? Well to play devil’s advocate, Bloomberg cares (and thinks other New Yorkers should care) because the city spends billions of dollars on healthcare-related expenses, and the major factor in the increase of those expenses is a growing obesity epidemic, and consumption of sugary drinks correlates strongly with obesity. It’s still stupid, because it won’t prevent people from becoming obese, but that’s his rationale for caring. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5655 "2012-06-05T04:43:38Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Well to play devil’s advocate, Bloomberg cares (and thinks other New Yorkers should care) because the city spends billions of dollars on healthcare-related expenses, and the major factor in the increase of those expenses is a growing obesity epidemic, and consumption of sugary drinks correlates strongly with obesity. > > It’s still stupid, because it won’t prevent people from becoming obese, but that’s his rationale for caring. I overheard one of the networks (ABC or CBS) spouting the story. The claim that caught my ear was made that banning soft drinks from schools cut the obesity rate 5%. Per Wikipedia, approximately 1.1 million students attend NYC public schools with a claim that 40% suffering obesity. That 5% would work out a reduction of 22,000 students who now tip the scales towards lean. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5656 "2012-06-05T14:48:46Z")
Lean_er_ ---
**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:** [June 5, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5657 "2012-06-05T19:03:03Z")
Hmm…my dieting plan with verbosity doesn’t seem to be working. ---
**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:** [June 7, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5658 "2012-06-07T21:54:28Z")
Romney mouthpiece Ed Gillespie says Mitt Romney’s 47th place job creation record as Massachusetts governor is a distortion, because he inherited a bad economy, [so his first year shouldn’t be held against him](http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/06/romney-massachusetts-record-job-creation-47th-fehrnstrom.php): > [@](#): > > Behind the Romney campaign’s numbers is an argument that actually mirrors what the Obama campaign has been saying about the president’s job-creation record. The Romney team is arguing that Obama is not taking into account the fact that Romney inherited a tough situation. > > “This is what they’re doing, Chris,” Gillespie said. “You take the first year, which is a low base year when the governor came in and took office, because it was 50th in job creation out of all of the states, dead last … and they’re averaging out over the four years. So, they are bringing down the gains of his fourth year in office, which shows the real impact of his policies and diluting it with the first year in office.” So Mitt Romney’s record isn’t so bad if you don’t count the first year, but Barack Obama is just blaming everybody else for the stubborn unemployment performance of his administration. Uh huh. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5659 "2012-06-07T22:01:12Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Romney mouthpiece Ed Gillespie says Mitt Romney’s 47th place job creation record as Massachusetts governor is a distortion, because he inherited a bad economy, [so his first year shouldn’t be held against him](http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/06/romney-massachusetts-record-job-creation-47th-fehrnstrom.php):So Mitt Romney’s record isn’t so bad if you don’t count the first year, but Barack Obama is just blaming everybody else for the stubborn unemployment performance of his administration. > > Uh huh. But but Mitt Romney knows how to create jobs! Just because his history shows he doesn’t it should be held against him! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/5660 "2012-06-07T22:07:30Z")
Of course he knows how, he was just like the educated virgin, who knows how but would rather not, thank you very much! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=282) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=284)