# 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:** 353
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7041 "2012-09-30T20:21:09Z")
Ryan: “It would take too long to explain how we’re going to pay for our planned tax cuts…look, just elect us and we’ll work out the details like closing loopholes and making cuts later, OK?” [ > [@](#): > > RYAN: The cut in tax rates is lowering all Americans’ tax rates by 20 percent. > WALLACE: Right, how much does that cost? > RYAN: It’s revenue neutral. > […] > WALLACE: But I have to point out, you haven’t given me the math. > Ryan: No, but you…well, I don’t have the time. It would take me too long to go through all of the math. But let me say it this way: you can lower tax rates by 20 percent across the board by closing loopholes and still have preferences for the middle class. For things like charitable deductions, for home purchases, for health care. So what we’re saying is, people are going to get lower tax rates. ]([http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/30/931121/paul-ryan-to-fox-news-i-dont-have-the-time-to-explain-how-we-will-pay-for-our-tax-plan/](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/30/931121/paul-ryan-to-fox-news-i-dont-have-the-time-to-explain-how-we-will-pay-for-our-tax-plan/))The unedited clip is even better. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7042 "2012-09-30T21:22:39Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > [http://didtoddakinsaysomethingstupidtoday.com/](http://didtoddakinsaysomethingstupidtoday.com/) > > I believe the answer will be “yes” for weeks to come Just more liberal crap - it says ‘today’, but it links to something stupid he said on Friday. I think it should clarify if they mean ‘weekday’ or just any day. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7043 "2012-09-30T22:07:18Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Ryan: “It would take too long to explain how we’re going to pay for our planned tax cuts…look, just elect us and we’ll work out the details like closing loopholes and making cuts later, OK?” I think what he’s trying to say is, “we have to pass the tax cut so you can find out what’s in it.” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7044 "2012-10-01T00:51:37Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I think what he’s trying to say is, “we have to pass the tax cut so you can find out what’s in it.” Dang, you stole my line :mad: 😃 ---
**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:** [October 1, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7045 "2012-10-01T01:04:53Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Divide and conquer. That might be sleazy as all get out, but I wouldn’t call it stupid. It’s stupid if you get caught. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7046 "2012-10-01T12:37:54Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Ryan: “It would take too long to explain how we’re going to pay for our planned tax cuts…look, just elect us and we’ll work out the details like closing loopholes and making cuts later, OK?” > > [URL=“[http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/30/931121/paul-ryan-to-fox-news-i-dont-have-the-time-to-explain-how-we-will-pay-for-our-tax-plan/](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/30/931121/paul-ryan-to-fox-news-i-dont-have-the-time-to-explain-how-we-will-pay-for-our-tax-plan/)”]The unedited clip is even better. It’s like buying a used care from that guy down on the corner. He assures you that it will run fine, but he won’t allow you to get a mechanic to check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7047 "2012-10-01T12:50:24Z")
Have heard the buzz but have not had a chance to see the clip yet. Can anyone add context? I love a good titter as much as the next guy, but something about this suggests it’s just a titter-fuck–an enjoyable distraction and wonderful bit to break up the monotony, but not a long-term substitute for the real thing. Was he suggesting that “no, the plan itself is just so complicated that we’d never be able to explain it in time for the election,” or was he saying something along the lines of “sorry, Chris, but we have just five minutes for the interview and I’m just don’t have the time to accurately summarize and explain how we plan to pay for tax cuts (but the information is out there and on our site).”? ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7048 "2012-10-01T13:17:04Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Have heard the buzz but have not had a chance to see the clip yet. Can anyone add context? I love a good titter as much as the next guy, but something about this suggests it’s just a titter-fuck–an enjoyable distraction and wonderful bit to break up the monotony, but not a long-term substitute for the real thing. > > Was he suggesting that “no, the plan itself is just so complicated that we’d never be able to explain it in time for the election,” or was he saying something along the lines of “sorry, Chris, but we have just five minutes for the interview and I’m just don’t have the time to accurately summarize and explain how we plan to pay for tax cuts (but the information is out there and on our site).”? The problem with option 2 is that Paul Ryan has been the VP candidate for 2 months now and he still has never explained how their tax plan is revenue neutral. That’s why Chris Wallace was asking in the first place. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7049 "2012-10-01T15:16:40Z")
[http://www.westernjournalism.com/rep-louie-gohmert-obama-helped-jump-start-new-radical-ottoman-empire/](http://www.westernjournalism.com/rep-louie-gohmert-obama-helped-jump-start-new-radical-ottoman-empire/) Hard to believe this hasn’t been included in the thread. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) on Friday accused President Obama of conducting a foreign policy that is helping to create a second Ottoman Empire in the Middle East. Gohmert was speaking on the House floor, where he accused the Obama administration of pulling out of Iraq after victory had been won, and allowing Iran to better influence Iraq. This reminds me of the Texas governor who famously said “If American was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me, no Spanish.” I think he was speaking more about the Caliphate of Baghdad, which did not include Asia Minor, but had a stronger presence in North Africa. But of course, if he thinks Jesus spoke “American”, just being able to name either empire is probably about the height of his educational attainment. What a gomer. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7050 "2012-10-01T16:23:07Z")
Locally: The GOP in Bucks country, PA decided a good tactic to use would be to try and [link his opponent and the convicted cop Killer Mumia Abu Jamal](http://articles.philly.com/2012-09-30/news/34164710_1_web-ad-ed-rendell-fitzpatrick). This was based on some legal work the candidate had done for some people somewhat tangentially involved with the Mumia case (a publisher and a witness). ---
**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:** [October 1, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7051 "2012-10-01T16:32:40Z")
Gohmert probably deserves his own thread. He’s the dumbest person in Congress. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7052 "2012-10-01T16:36:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Gohmert probably deserves his own thread. He’s the dumbest person in Congress. And that’s some really strong competition… ---
**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:** [October 1, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7053 "2012-10-01T16:40:09Z")
Congress is the crucible of stupid, where mere idiocy is burned away to reveal only the purest dumb. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7054 "2012-10-01T16:53:58Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > …This reminds me of the Texas governor who famously said “If American was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me, no Spanish.”… Snotty pedantry ensues… That would be “Ma” Ferguson, one of a series of Texas governors who are charitably described as “colorful”. Not all that bad, in comparison. At any rate, that quote and variations thereof dates back to the 1880’s. History does not record whether it was first offered as snarky irony or with unvarnished goober sincerity. Snotty pedantry temporarily abates. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7055 "2012-10-01T17:13:20Z")
Bonus pedantry: **luci** ’s post doesn’t make this clear, but it _could not_ have been Ma Ferguson who said it, because she was six years old in 1881, the date of the earliest attribution. Well, I suppose it could, but it seems unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7056 "2012-10-01T17:16:30Z")
Whether or not additional snotty pedantry can fairly be called a “bonus” is a question too deep for this forum. But from one fact ferret to another, _jay voosaloot_. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7057 "2012-10-01T18:49:59Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Snotty pedantry ensues… > > That would be “Ma” Ferguson, one of a series of Texas governors who are charitably described as “colorful”. Not all that bad, in comparison. At any rate, that quote and variations thereof dates back to the 1880’s. History does not record whether it was first offered as snarky irony or with unvarnished goober sincerity. > > Snotty pedantry temporarily abates. Thanks for that. I did a little searching and couldn’t find a 19th century attribution, but the story is clearly an urban legend. I probably first heard it about 40 years ago. When compared with recent Texas politics, it seems perfectly in character. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7058 "2012-10-01T19:52:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Gohmert probably deserves his own thread. He’s the dumbest person in Congress. Are you sure? Virginia Foxx is still there. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7059 "2012-10-01T20:07:41Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > It’s like buying a used care from that guy down on the corner. He assures you that it will run fine, but he won’t allow you to get a mechanic to check it out. I’d buy a used care from Romney and Ryan anytime. They don’t care about anyone but their rich friends, so it would be spotless with low mileage. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/7060 "2012-10-01T20:18:30Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Are you sure? Virginia Foxx is still there. And Steve King. Though I guess I’d have to say he’s more scary than stupid. But it’s a pretty close race. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=352) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=354)