# 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:** 404
**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:** [January 4, 2013, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8061 "2013-01-04T02:13:54Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Introduced by 'ol crazy eyes herself, Michelle Bachmann. Upon reflection I think this is actually a good thing for Bachmann to be doing. It’s totally pointless and will lead to nowhere which is good. This keeps her and her crazy notions away from legislation that could do actual harm. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8062 "2013-01-04T16:41:46Z")
This is kind of awesome: [http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-04/john-boehners-hapless-tea-party-opposition](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-04/john-boehners-hapless-tea-party-opposition) Final step: Pulling it off. Here’s where things went truly, hilariously awry. Any good coup depends on stealth. But on Thursday, an enterprising Politico photographer snapped Representative Tim Huelskamp sitting in open session reading from his iPad—not making this up—the entire roster of the plot against Boehner. Just so there was no mistaking that he was up to no good, the document was entitled “YOU WOULD BE FIRED IF THIS GOES OUT.” Not making that up either. Worse still, half the roster on Huelskamp’s iPad lost their nerve and bailed out. In the end, only nine Republicans broke ranks. Three cast votes for Cantor (who was visibly disgusted), two for recently ousted Representative Allen West, and one for a former U.S. comptroller general. Several of the plotters even voted for each other. Boehner was reelected Speaker. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8063 "2013-01-04T16:49:14Z")
> [@Katriona](#): > > Just so there was no mistaking that he was up to no good, the document was entitled “YOU WOULD BE FIRED IF THIS GOES OUT.” Not making that up either. What does it mean to “fire” a congressman? ---
**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:** [January 4, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8064 "2013-01-04T16:56:21Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > What does it mean to “fire” a congressman? I suspect that this was a message for congressional staff, not for any U.S. representative. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8065 "2013-01-04T17:01:08Z")
I assume that refers to congressional aides and staffers rather than the congresscritters themselves. They could lose their committee assignments and stuff, though. In 1993 Gingrich saw to it that everyone that joined a coup against him had about as much influence in the House as the custodial workers. ETA: ninjaed. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8066 "2013-01-04T17:01:48Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > What does it mean to “fire” a congressman? Or maybe removed from any committee? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8067 "2013-01-04T17:40:59Z")
> [@Katriona](#): > > Three cast votes for Cantor (who was visibly disgusted), Disgusted that 3 broke ranks? Or disgusted that **only** 3 broke ranks? ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8068 "2013-01-04T17:48:01Z")
Has anyone come up with the name “Cantor Won’t” for him? Because that’s the only real question I have for him, and I suspect I know the answer. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8069 "2013-01-04T17:51:42Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Disgusted that 3 broke ranks? Or disgusted that **only** 3 broke ranks? I was wondering that too. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8070 "2013-01-04T18:36:58Z")
Just, y’know, disgusted. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8071 "2013-01-04T18:39:56Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Disgusted that 3 broke ranks? Or disgusted that **only** 3 broke ranks? Probably both. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8072 "2013-01-04T19:19:06Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Disgusted that 3 broke ranks? Or disgusted that **only** 3 broke ranks? I assumed that it was because only 3 broke. But…I guess the article doesn’t really make that clear. I guess in the First Step paragraph, it says that Cantor didn’t really want the job, so maybe he was just disgusted by the shenanigans? ---
**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:** [January 4, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8073 "2013-01-04T19:30:51Z")
> [@Katriona](#): > > This is kind of awesome: > > [http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-04/john-boehners-hapless-tea-party-opposition](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-04/john-boehners-hapless-tea-party-opposition) > > Final step: Pulling it off. Here’s where things went truly, hilariously awry. Any good coup depends on stealth. But on Thursday, an enterprising Politico photographer snapped Representative Tim Huelskamp sitting in open session reading from his iPad—not making this up—the entire roster of the plot against Boehner. Just so there was no mistaking that he was up to no good, the document was entitled “YOU WOULD BE FIRED IF THIS GOES OUT.” Not making that up either. > > Worse still, half the roster on Huelskamp’s iPad lost their nerve and bailed out. In the end, only nine Republicans broke ranks. Three cast votes for Cantor (who was visibly disgusted), two for recently ousted Representative Allen West, and one for a former U.S. comptroller general. Several of the plotters even voted for each other. Boehner was reelected Speaker. It’s a wonder those clowns win elections. Is it really just Koch Brothers’ money? Would the whole teahadist movement fall apart without that financial underpinning? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8074 "2013-01-04T23:51:28Z")
Don’t you just love those christians who want to make their religion the official one? An Indiana state senator, who also happens to be the chairman of the Senate education committee, is trying once more to [give school districts the power to mandate recitation of the lord’s prayer every morning](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/01/04/1397651/indiana-lawmaker-wants-to-give-schools-the-power-to-mandate-prayer-in-classrooms/). The good news is that his fellow republicans apparently don’t think much of this, either, and the bill has been assigned to a committee “often considered a graveyard for legislation according to the Indianapolis Star.” ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8075 "2013-01-04T23:57:46Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > ..the bill has been assigned to a committee “often considered a graveyard for legislation according to the Indianapolis Star.” Wow. How do you get assigned to \*that \*committee? And is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Either way, it sounds like it’s good for the congresscritter’s golf game. "Say John…haven’t been able to get on the course and work on my slice – can I get on the Legislative Graveyard committee? ---
**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:** [January 5, 2013, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8076 "2013-01-05T06:19:05Z")
I came here to post that. Oh, well. Let’s just scroll through [thinkprogress.org](http://thinkprogress.org) and see what else there is. Hey, [Louie Gohmert says an assault weapons ban could outlaw hammers!](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/01/04/1399921/louie-gohmert-hammers/) I like to feel like I’ve contributed _something_ to the thread. ---
**Author:** ![metalimpactss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7feea3/32.png) [@metalimpactss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metalimpactss)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8077 "2013-01-05T07:49:58Z")
[“Metal Impacts is a leading Manufacturers & Suppliers of Mobile Compactor, Mobile Compactors Racks, Heavy Duty Pallet Racks, Heavy Duty Rack and Compactors Racks in Bangalore, India.”](http://www.metalimpacts.in/mobile.php) ---
**Author:** ![Mann\_Slaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@Mann\_Slaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mann_Slaughter)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8078 "2013-01-05T08:02:45Z")
> [@metalimpactss](#): > > “Metal Impacts is a leading Manufacturers & Suppliers of Mobile Compactor, Mobile Compactors Racks, Heavy Duty Pallet Racks, Heavy Duty Rack and Compactors Racks in Bangalore, India.” SPAMMY URL removed, and reported! I hope you enjoyed your stay. You won’t be here much longer. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8079 "2013-01-05T09:04:48Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > … Hey, [Louie Gohmert says an assault weapons ban could outlaw hammers!](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/01/04/1399921/louie-gohmert-hammers/) … It’s, almost certainly, already illegal to carry a hammer in Texas if you intend to use it as a weapon, > [@](#): > > [Texas - Health, Safety & Morals - 46.02. Unlawful carrying weapons.](http://knife-expert.com/tx.txt) > > (a) A person commits an offense if intentionally, knowingly , or recklessly carries on or about his person a handgun, illegal knife, or club. [Exceptions: official; actor was own premises; was traveling; engaged in lawful hunting, fishing, or other sporting activity; security guard]. > > - 46.01. Definitions. (1) “Club”… includes… (D) Tomahawk… > (6) “Illegal knife” means a: > (A) knife with a blade over five and one-half inches; > (B) hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being thrown; > (C) dagger, including but not limited to a dirk, stiletto, and poniard; > (D) sword; or > (E) spear. > (7) “Knife” means any bladed hand instrument that is capable of inflicting serious bodily injury or death by cutting or stabbing a person with the instrument. > - 46.03. Places weapons prohibited. > (a) A person commits an offense if, with a firearm, illegal knife, club, or prohibited weapon [includes switchblade knives], he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly goes: > (1) on the physical premises of a school [or school bus]; > (2) on the premises of a polling place… > (3) a court; > (4) a racetrack; > (5) secured area of an airport. CMC ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8080 "2013-01-05T12:41:12Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > It’s, almost certainly, already illegal to carry a hammer in Texas if you intend to use it as a weapon,CMC Also if you intend to use a box of them in place of a brain. Well, maybe not in Texas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=403) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=405)