# 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:** 316
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6301 "2012-08-11T02:58:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > [Romney wants Obama to promise not to talk about his business background.](http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/08/10/676441/romney-to-obama-lets-agree-not-to-discuss-my-business-record/) > > Is there any accomplishment in Romney’s life that he _isn’t_ ashamed of? Whaaaa? Does …? Huh? ---
**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:** [August 11, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6302 "2012-08-11T03:12:10Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > [Romney wants Obama to promise not to talk about his business background.](http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/08/10/676441/romney-to-obama-lets-agree-not-to-discuss-my-business-record/) > > Is there any accomplishment in Romney’s life that he _isn’t_ ashamed of? If life were fair, that clip would absolutely disqualify Romney from being the Republicans’ tough-guy candidate, because he’s being a big old WATB in it. After all the absolute bullshit lying crap that Obama has had to deal with since he announced his candidacy in 2007, that Romney is practically begging him not to punch too hard is just amazingly wimpy. To quote Mr. Romney, “It ain’t beanbag!” ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6303 "2012-08-11T03:33:32Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > [Romney wants Obama to promise not to talk about his business background.](http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/08/10/676441/romney-to-obama-lets-agree-not-to-discuss-my-business-record/) > > Is there any accomplishment in Romney’s life that he _isn’t_ ashamed of? PLEASE please _please_ tell me that there’s video of this interview! ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6304 "2012-08-11T04:20:22Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > [Romney wants Obama to promise not to talk about his business background.](http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/08/10/676441/romney-to-obama-lets-agree-not-to-discuss-my-business-record/) > > Is there any accomplishment in Romney’s life that he _isn’t_ ashamed of? What is this I don’t even 😕 😕 😕 I am 63+ years old and I have never in all my adult years seen such a cluelessly incompetent candidate for the presidency. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6305 "2012-08-11T04:55:28Z")
It just got worse: he’s choosing [Paul Ryan](http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/10/13226315-nbc-3-sources-indicate-romney-will-pick-ryan?lite) as his VP. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6306 "2012-08-11T05:00:52Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It just got worse: he’s choosing [Paul Ryan](http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/10/13226315-nbc-3-sources-indicate-romney-will-pick-ryan?lite) as his VP. I’m just aquiver at what the Obama campaign can put out there about Grandma-Starver… ---
**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:** [August 11, 2012, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6307 "2012-08-11T07:33:31Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It just got worse: he’s choosing [Paul Ryan](http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/10/13226315-nbc-3-sources-indicate-romney-will-pick-ryan?lite) as his VP. I’m just gonna go ahead and nominate this for Stupid Republican Idea of the 2012 Election Cycle. The traditional purpose of the VP pick is to “balance the ticket” and appeal to moderates by providing someone whose strengths match your weaknesses. Obama, a single-term senator, picked Biden, an elder statesman. Bush, who was never known for being all that bright, picked Cheney, a technocrat who’d served in the White House before. Clinton, who was charismatic but not particularly wonkish, picked Gore, a dour intellectual. JFK, a northeastern liberal, picked Johnson, a southern conservative. And so on. Romney has chosen one of the most polarizing people in Congress, who’s only popular with the tea party fringe, who’s best known achievement is proposing a massively unpopular budget plan that went down in flames. Is he not even trying anymore? Did the vetting process consist of “So, are you doing anything for the next couple months?” Or maybe Romney knows he’s going to lose and he’s decided to fail so spectacularly that the rest of the GOP goes down in flames with him as punishment for not being more enthusiastic about him? ---
**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:** [August 11, 2012, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6308 "2012-08-11T07:50:44Z")
It makes a kind of sense if Romney is going to make a big move from the right to the center soon. He’s already started that IMO, as he’s given a couple of speeches in the last few days that offer a less condemnatory tone toward UHC and an individual mandate. Personally, I think a substantial move toward the center is his only chance, though it will again bring up his old flip-flopping issues, which I think has been less of a problem for him in the last month or two. Ryan would be a decent anchor for his right flank. The big ‘if’ is whether independents and the few remaining moderate Republicans will buy into a suddenly more moderate Romney or not. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6309 "2012-08-11T11:43:11Z")
_Severely_ moderate. ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6310 "2012-08-11T12:14:07Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > …Clinton, who was charismatic but **not particularly wonkish** … (bold mine) You couldn’t be less correct. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6311 "2012-08-11T12:27:13Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Obama, a single-term senator, picked Biden, an elder statesman. Bush, who was never known for being all that bright, picked Cheney, a technocrat who’d served in the White House before. Clinton, who was charismatic but not particularly wonkish, picked Gore, a dour intellectual. JFK, a northeastern liberal, picked Johnson, a southern conservative. And so on. You forgot one: McCain, a man, picked Palin, a woman. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6312 "2012-08-11T12:37:16Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > You forgot one: McCain, a man, picked Palin, a woman. And also H. W. Bush, who was an intelligent older man, picked a retarded child. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6313 "2012-08-11T12:49:41Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > And also H. W. Bush, who was an intelligent older man, picked a retarded child. At first I thought you meant this about H.W.'s actual child. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6314 "2012-08-11T13:21:55Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It just got worse: he’s choosing [Paul Ryan](http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/10/13226315-nbc-3-sources-indicate-romney-will-pick-ryan?lite) as his VP. This was reported on Friday evening. Isn’t that when politicians usually choose to release unpopular news that they hope will be forgotten by Monday morning? ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6315 "2012-08-11T13:44:47Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Romney has chosen one of the most polarizing people in Congress, who’s only popular with the tea party fringe, who’s best known achievement is proposing a massively unpopular budget plan that went down in flames. This I’m less sure about. Yes, the Ryan plan is a disastrous pile of pig shit, but I have seen many people who are quite excited about it, including those not of the tea party fringe, and indeed not even of the republican party. Ryan/Romney seems like a pretty darn realistic ticket, tbh. Romney himself is seen by the base as rather questionable, because of his _liberal_ history. So he brought in a hardline conservative to up his cred. It seems like a pretty smart move to me, once I set myself in the headspace of a republican. Man, it’s not a pretty place in there. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6316 "2012-08-11T13:47:13Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > This I’m less sure about. Yes, the Ryan plan is a disastrous pile of pig shit, but I have seen many people who are quite excited about it, including those not of the tea party fringe, and indeed not even of the republican party. Ryan/Romney seems like a pretty darn realistic ticket, tbh. Romney himself is seen by the base as rather questionable, because of his _liberal_ history. So he brought in a hardline conservative to up his cred. It seems like a pretty smart move to me, once I set myself in the headspace of a republican. Man, it’s not a pretty place in there. The last polling I saw on the Ryan budget plan was about two-thirds opposed. We all recall how popular privatizing Social Security was last time it was pushed. You may be right that people outside the base will look favorably on this, but I don’t think so, and I don’t think the evidence is there for it either. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6317 "2012-08-11T14:42:02Z")
And you can bet pretty solidly on the prediction that the American people are going to get an intensive education about what’s actually IN the Ryan budget, courtesy of the Obama campaign. That’s going to depress the enthusiasm for it, too. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6318 "2012-08-11T22:18:53Z")
So, they’re just going to try to get by on their looks, then? Man, should have gone with Eric Cantor. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6319 "2012-08-11T23:23:56Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > So, they’re just going to try to get by on their looks, then? [Yes, as a matter of fact.](http://www.zimbio.com/Paul+Ryan/articles/n0dKwrJLNcU/World+Wants+Paul+Ryan+Shirtless+Pictures) ---
**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:** [August 11, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6320 "2012-08-11T23:27:56Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’m just gonna go ahead and nominate this for Stupid Republican Idea of the 2012 Election Cycle. The traditional purpose of the VP pick is to “balance the ticket” and appeal to moderates by providing someone whose strengths match your weaknesses. Obama, a single-term senator, picked Biden, an elder statesman. Bush, who was never known for being all that bright, picked Cheney, a technocrat who’d served in the White House before. Clinton, who was charismatic but not particularly wonkish, picked Gore, a dour intellectual. JFK, a northeastern liberal, picked Johnson, a southern conservative. And so on. > > Romney has chosen one of the most polarizing people in Congress, who’s only popular with the tea party fringe, who’s best known achievement is proposing a massively unpopular budget plan that went down in flames. > > Is he not even trying anymore? Did the vetting process consist of “So, are you doing anything for the next couple months?” Or maybe Romney knows he’s going to lose and he’s decided to fail so spectacularly that the rest of the GOP goes down in flames with him as punishment for not being more enthusiastic about him? He’s also young, good looking, and more interesting than Romney without being _so_ much better that he’ll overshadow him. As a liberal who wants Obama to win, I’m not happy about the pick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=315) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=317)