# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/41 "2009-03-29T03:23:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Should bureaucrats in Washington, DC be in charge of making your health care choices instead of you and your doctor? Hell yeah! > [@](#): > > Should Republicans unite to block new federal government bureaucracy and red tape that will crush future economic growth? Hell no! ---
**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:** [March 29, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/42 "2009-03-29T03:40:34Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Hell yeah! > > Hell no! You have scored 50% on the Republican aptitude test. Your results indicate you are a free-market socialist. There has been a cell designated for your occupation at Guantanamo Bay after the 2012 elections. Don’t worry about turning yourself in – we will know where you are and we will come and get you. ---
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/43 "2009-03-29T04:25:24Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Now, now, we haven’t even discussed the [GOP’s alternate budget proposal](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/26/gop-budget-plan-fizzles-a_n_179660.html): [FiveThirtyEight](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/) has it. Scroll down to 3/26/09 posting. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/44 "2009-03-29T04:25:27Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > 1. A recent national poll reported that nearly 25% of Americans want the government to pass more socialism. Do you agree or disagree? Do I agree that a national poll reported nearly 25% of Americans want more socialism? Do I agree that nearly 25% of Americans want more socialism? Do I agree with the nearly 25% of Americans who want more socialism? I’m so confused. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2009, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/45 "2009-03-29T04:47:12Z")
At least the reasonable and moderate wing of the Republican Party still has a voice. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2009, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/46 "2009-03-29T05:21:38Z")
_crickets_ ---
**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:** [March 29, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/47 "2009-03-29T05:26:51Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Do I agree that a national poll reported nearly 25% of Americans want more socialism? > > Do I agree that nearly 25% of Americans want more socialism? > > Do I agree with the nearly 25% of Americans who want more socialism? > > I’m so confused. It doesn’t matter. It’s all code for “Do you agree to be totally batshit insane and stupid?” Yes? Sign here! Then give us money! ---
**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:** [March 29, 2009, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/48 "2009-03-29T05:38:40Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > … the most popular First Lady in more than 40 years. [Burt Prelutsky](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kelly/townhall-michelle-obama-i_b_177947.html) would like to have a word with you. [QUOTE=Asswipe Prelutsky] Take Michelle Obama…please. Every time I turn around, there she is on a magazine cover. Now, normally, like the Mafia, I lay off the spouses, but inasmuch as this particular spouse attended the same racist church as her hubby for 20 years, I’ll make an exception in her case. After all, in spite of the fact that affirmative action got her an Ivy League degree and a $7,000-a-week salary and, moreover, has sent billions of dollars for no particularly good reason to Africa, she insists this is a mean country. **The burning question in my circle is: if the First Family gets a female dog, will she be the First Bitch or will she have to settle for second place?** [/QUOTE] Score! [Tammy Bruce](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/23/tammy-bruce-calls-the-oba_n_178109.html) too: > [@](#): > > Discussing the first lady’s visit to a Washington D.C. classroom last week, Bruce incredulously recalled [Michelle] Obama’s story about wanting to get A’s in school and called out her use of a “weird, fake accent.” > > **“That’s what he’s married to,” Bruce said. “…You know what we’ve got? We’ve got trash in the White House. Trash is a thing that is colorblind, it can cross all eco-socionomic…categories. You can work on Wall Street, or you can work at the Wal-Mart. Trash, are people who use other people to get things, who patronize others, who consider you bitter and clingy…”** Score! I thought about starting a thread called “What kind of an asshole hates Michelle Obama?” but I guess wouldn’t have been able to use the word asshole in the Subject Line and no other word fits the description. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/49 "2009-03-29T05:52:29Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > She isn’t. Michelle Obama has no legal authority. > > The President can delegate any number of Presidential duties as he sees fit to the First Lady. He could just as well delegate them to you, or Brad Pitt, or his cat, providing he isn’t assigning them to do a specific job that Congress has to approve, such as secretary of state or a similar post. There are some things he has to do himself and lots of specific positions that require Congressional vetting but things like “Hold meetings on the pet project of my choice” can be done by pretty much anyone he wants. As Algher’s cite points out, the Supreme Court has already ruled on what would seem, at least to me, to be just common sense; that the President is allowed to hire people to accomplish tasks, and that if his wife volunteers to be an unpaid employee doing some of those tasks, there’s nothing illegal about it and in fact it’s been that way for ages. Ultimately, **executive authority as stated in the Constitution is still his**. He’s on the hook for whatever his chosen agents do. What about Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ thing? I was taught that one can always delegate \*\*authority, \*\*but never **responsibility.** Having said that, I agree that Mr. Obama can appoint anybody to the position of left-handed coat hangers or whatever. He’s still responsible for whatever actions (or inaction) his appointee does. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/50 "2009-03-30T16:22:54Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > At least the reasonable and moderate wing of the Republican Party still has a voice. And we are using our voice to order another round while eating all of the good nuts from the dish. It accomplishes the same thing, and at least gives us a buzz. -Algher, not sure who to hate this morning - idiot Republicans in CA, idiot Republicans in DC, or the management of his former company that laid him off. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/51 "2009-03-30T16:54:27Z")
I don’t see what’s wrong with the general concept here. I object to someone being granted super-special public offices based solely on their marital status with no accountability to the public. If the president believes that his or her spouse is an appropriate person to whom to grant public policy tasks, then the spouse should be officially appointed to a named position in the executive department and should be subject to all the public participation/open government/sunshine laws that any government official or body is subject to. Given that, I’m not quite sure I understand what Issa’s proposal is. Didn’t the whole Hillary Clinton health care lawsuit establish that she had to conduct public business in public? ---
**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:** [March 30, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/52 "2009-03-30T17:58:10Z")
Diogenes pretty much nailed it: > [@](#): > > Issa’s only motivation is to harrass the Obama’s and hope to contrive a political issue that Obama isn’t being “transparent” enough. Obviously this has no chance to go anywhre – it’s not a serious or sincere attempt at real legislation (the last thing the Republicans would want is for an future Republican First couples to be saddled with this garbage). It’s just about throwing rocks at the Obamas. There has been no indication whatsoever that Michelle is going to be in charge of any policy or even be included in any policy decisions. This is pandering to the people who believed that “whitey” crap, who took her ‘proud of America’ comments out of context and twisted them to make her look like an angry black woman, who just really hate the fact that Barack and Michelle Obama even exist, let alone occupy the White House. Fuckheads. ---
**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:** [March 30, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/53 "2009-03-30T19:06:24Z")
Call in the allies! Break out the rationing coupons! Start booking the Squirrel Nut Zippers! **WORLD WAR III** IS [COMING](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20634.html)! > [@](#): > > Texas Sen. John Cornyn is threatening “World War III” if Democrats try to seat Al Franken in the Senate before Norm Coleman can pursue his case through the federal courts. > > Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, acknowledges that a federal challenge to November’s elections could take “years” to resolve. But he’s adamant that Coleman deserves that chance — even if it means Minnesota is short a senator for the duration. > > A three-judge panel is expected to rule any day now on legal challenges to the November election. > > … > > Sen. Charles Schumer, the New York Democrat in charge of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, says that Minnesota gets its second senator as soon as the state case ends. Boy, I’m getting the vague idea that Republicans really do not want Franken in the Senate, do they? If a Democrat were this obstructionist you’d hear the screaming of Republicans all the way to Mars. This happened yesterday but it qualifies: Michael Steel to Obama: [“I’m done”](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/29/steele-im-done-reaching-o_n_180429.html) [reaching out to you] Transcript from CNN interview: > [@](#): > > STEELE: Look, I like the president personally, even though I think he has got a little thing about me, that I haven’t quite figured out what that is. > > CNN: You haven’t spoken to him? > STEELE: No. > > CNN: You’ve reach out? > STEELE: Several times, and I’m done. > > CNN: So there is no bipartisanship going on there? > STEELE: Not, not that I know of. > > CNN: Is there any professional jealousy? > STEELE: Not on my part. What would I be jealous of? > > CNN: He’s the president of the United States. > STEELE: I’m chairman of the RNC, so, what’s your point? We both have leadership responsibilities and roles. I’m not equating the two. My point is: you are on your track. I’m on my track. You do your thing. I do my thing. Like President Obama gives a shit what Steele thinks. Who does this twerp think he is? Is he taking cues from Howard Dean and Bush’s close, bi-partisan relationship when Dean headed the DNC? ---
**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:** [March 30, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/54 "2009-03-30T20:33:00Z")
Why would a Democratic President even bother talking to the chair of the RNC? He’s nobody as far as the structure of the government is concerned. He doesn’t represent any population at all, he’s not in Congress. There’s no REASON for Obama to give him the time of day. ---
**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:** [March 31, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/55 "2009-03-31T02:45:00Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Why would a Democratic President even bother talking to the chair of the RNC? He’s nobody as far as the structure of the government is concerned. He doesn’t represent any population at all, he’s not in Congress. There’s no REASON for Obama to give him the time of day. No kidding! I had to laugh at Steele’s “…I think he has got a little thing about me, that I haven’t quite figured out what that is.” That “thing” is probably along the lines of “who?” if someone were to ask President Obama about Steele. Steele’s ego is too hilariously huge. ---
**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:** [March 31, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/56 "2009-03-31T02:49:49Z")
Steele seems to think he represents the Congressional Republicans or something somehow. His job is to raise money for the party and decide which national races that money should go to. It’s not a governing position. It’s not even an ideological position. It’s a purely political position. And I think the same of Howard Dean, if there’s any thought that I’m downplaying it only because it’s the RNC. Dean had the 50-state strategy. He was instrumental in growing the Democratic majority and getting Obama elected. But he would have had no reason to confer with Bush, at all. Of course, Dean knew that and never pretended that Bush was snubbing him or something. ---
**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:** [March 31, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/57 "2009-03-31T02:55:33Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > And I think the same of Howard Dean, if there’s any thought that I’m downplaying it only because it’s the RNC. Dean had the 50-state strategy. He was instrumental in growing the Democratic majority and getting Obama elected. But he would have had no reason to confer with Bush, at all. Of course, Dean knew that and never pretended that Bush was snubbing him or something. I’m trying to imagine Dr. Dean whining to a reporter that Bush was snubbing him and has a “thing” about him. It’s way hard. ---
**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 30, 2009, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/58 "2009-04-30T06:55:37Z")
I haven’t kept up with this thread, though goodness knows I could put something here every day, it’s just that I’ve been lazy, but these really deserved a resurrection. **Stupid Republican Bigotry of the Day** Move over Michelle! There’s a new batshit lady in town! (ok, she’s been around forever and has been batshit forever, but she’s not as young and pretty as Bachman and so doesn’t get the coverage). [Virginia Foxx: Story of Matthew Shepard’s Murder A “Hoax” (VIDEO)](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/29/virginia-foxx-story-of-ma_n_192971.html) > [@](#): > > As the House of Representatives debates an expansion of hate crimes legislation, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) has taken the rhetoric to a new level, claiming that those who say Matthew Shepard was murdered in Wyoming for being gay are perpetrating a “hoax” on the American people. > > **“I also would like to point out that there was a bill – the hate crimes bill that’s called the Matthew Shepard bill is named after a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn’t because he was gay. This – the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it’s really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills,” said Foxx.** > > A Foxx spokesman didn’t immediately return a call. The Matthew Shepard “hoax” notion is a popular meme on right-wing blogs. > > … Disgusting vermin. Oh, and… > [@](#): > > **“Matthew Shepard’s mother was in the gallery yesterday and I believe she was back today – so I’m sorry she had to be around to hear it,”** Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) told Thrush. Elsewhere, Byron York doesn’t think black people are people too. [York: Obama is “Actually” Not So Popular, Because Some People Who Like Him Are Black](http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/york-obama-is-actually-not-so-popular-because-some-people-who-like-him-are-black.php) > [@](#): > > Byron York has identified an important problem in our system of measuring public opinion, just the sort of thing that inspired the noble Framers of our constitution to wisely implement the three fifths compromise: > > [QUOTE=Byron York] > On his 100th day in office, Barack Obama enjoys high job approval ratings, no matter what poll you consult. But if a new survey by the New York Times is accurate, the president and some of his policies are significantly less popular with white Americans than with black Americans, and **his sky-high ratings among African-Americans make some of his positions appear a bit more popular overall than they actually are.** Dave Weigel observes that all Democratic politicians are always much more popular among blacks than among whites, so it’s not clear why York would spin this as a unique attribute of Obama’s. But more to the point, what is York talking about here? How does the fact that much of Obama’s support come from African-Americans mean that he’s not “actually” popular? [/QUOTE] I guess all the white people who supported white presidents get their popularity counted, but for some reason, black people who support a black president don’t count at all. Disgusting vermin. But I repeat myself. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/59 "2009-04-30T12:26:46Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I haven’t kept up with this thread, though goodness knows I could put something here every day, it’s just that I’ve been lazy, but these really deserved a resurrection. > > **Stupid Republican Bigotry of the Day** > > Move over Michelle! There’s a new batshit lady in town! (ok, she’s been around forever and has been batshit forever, but she’s not as young and pretty as Bachman and so doesn’t get the coverage). > > [Virginia Foxx: Story of Matthew Shepard’s Murder A “Hoax” (VIDEO)](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/29/virginia-foxx-story-of-ma_n_192971.html) > > Disgusting vermin. And this bitch had the nerve to say all this while Shepard’s mother sat in the chamber? What the fuck kind of people DO that? What the fuck kind of brain damage are we talking about here? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/60 "2009-04-30T13:44:57Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > And this bitch had the nerve to say all this while Shepard’s mother sat in the chamber? What the fuck kind of people DO that? What the fuck kind of brain damage are we talking about here? The kind that makes them angry they’re not allowed to just kill fags? -Joe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=4)