# 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:** 408
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8141 "2013-01-11T18:54:14Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The, er, “relevant” part of the quote is: > > There is simply no logical connection between this and Akin’s statement. There is an outright admission that if a woman is fertile at the time she is raped, her body does NOT “shut down” to prevent it. I disagree on what you’re calling the “relevant” part; he’s still making the claim that if the woman hasn’t ovulated, she’s not going to get pregnant, because of stress. He’s saying Akin’s partly right because SOMETIMES the woman’s body DOES “shut that thing down”. Which is STILL completely and totally wrong. If it weren’t, the rates of pregnancy from rape would be less than the rates of pregnancy from consensual sex, and they’re not. They’re both complete and utter morons looking for a way to claim that a rape exception for an outright abortion ban isn’t necessary. It’s just that one’s saying “You obviously weren’t legitimately raped because you got pregnant” and the other’s saying “It’s possible you weren’t legitimately raped, because you got pregnant.” Gingrey’s also adding a side order of “blame infertile couples for their own inability to get pregnant.” Which is a whole other kettle of fish. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8142 "2013-01-11T19:09:13Z")
I thought Akin (or someone defending him) was on TV last year saying that there was a local political issue back home re women being able to get an abortion if they had been raped, and so the controversy (among the anti-choice crowd) was that women would claim they had been raped, when in fact they just wanted an abortion (I think money was involved, re how the procedure was paid for). So when he referred to “legitimate rape” that’s really what he was talking about. Honest. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8143 "2013-01-11T19:47:13Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > I disagree on what you’re calling the “relevant” part; he’s still making the claim that if the woman hasn’t ovulated, she’s not going to get pregnant, because of stress. He’s saying Akin’s partly right because SOMETIMES the woman’s body DOES “shut that thing down”. Which is STILL completely and totally wrong. If it weren’t, the rates of pregnancy from rape would be less than the rates of pregnancy from consensual sex, and they’re not. > > They’re both complete and utter morons looking for a way to claim that a rape exception for an outright abortion ban isn’t necessary. It’s just that one’s saying “You obviously weren’t legitimately raped because you got pregnant” and the other’s saying “It’s possible you weren’t legitimately raped, because you got pregnant.” Gingrey’s also adding a side order of “blame infertile couples for their own inability to get pregnant.” Which is a whole other kettle of fish. No, he’s saying that stress may prevent ovulation. But the stress of rape is irrelevant to pregnancy occurring, because ovulation would have occurred _before_ the rape, or the stress that might prevent ovulation would also occur _before_ the rape. I do agree that he is stretching “partly right” beyond the breaking point, however. The part Akin was right about, that emotional states can conceivably affect fertility, is a point Akin probably doesn’t understand himself, didn’t intend to say, and can only be inferred by a ridiculously overly-generous interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8144 "2013-01-11T20:07:52Z")
Can we please make sure none of these fucking idiots hold onto public office? Please? I would rather use the houses of Congress to provide shelter for stray cats and piss their salaries away on cosmetics for dogs than pay them another dime and have to listen to them open their fucking idiot mouths even to utter a profound apology. They should be tied up and sent to the ice caps where their bodies can “shut down” while being raped by polar bears. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8145 "2013-01-11T20:58:47Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > Can we please make sure none of these fucking idiots hold onto public office? Please? > > I would rather use the houses of Congress to provide shelter for stray cats and piss their salaries away on cosmetics for dogs than pay them another dime and have to listen to them open their fucking idiot mouths even to utter a profound apology. > > They should be tied up and sent to the ice caps where their bodies can “shut down” while being raped by polar bears. This seems extreme. I would be content if they were tied up and shipped to the National Zoo to be nuzzled by polar bears. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8146 "2013-01-11T21:30:37Z")
Oh, I would allow heavy petting, even oral sex. I’ve never seen any videos of a Congressperson sucking off a polar bear, but I would sure like to. And if anything is going to enhance your standing with PETA… ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8147 "2013-01-11T22:02:33Z")
You know, that would be awfully mean to the polar bears, and far too good for a member of congress. What did polar bears ever do to you?! ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8148 "2013-01-11T22:35:13Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Oh, I would allow heavy petting, even oral sex. I’ve never seen any videos of a Congressperson sucking off a polar bear, but I would sure like to. And if anything is going to enhance your standing with PETA… Hold on now. I hate these morons as much as the next guy, but that’s no reason to accuse them of being sick PETAphiles. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8149 "2013-01-11T23:00:51Z")
Look an 8 foot polar bear could never rape your average 50-ish year old congressman, who’s anus let’s estimate at two feet off the ground. There is just no way a polar bear of that size could squat down far enough and sustain any sort of thrusting motion without severely straining his hamstrings. Here, take this copy of the Constitution, rolled up into a paper-tube, and try it yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8150 "2013-01-11T23:08:15Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Look an 8 foot polar bear could never rape your average 50-ish year old congressman, who’s anus let’s estimate at two feet off the ground. There is just no way a polar bear of that size could squat down far enough and sustain any sort of thrusting motion without severely straining his hamstrings. > > Here, take this copy of the Constitution, rolled up into a paper-tube, and try it yourself. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8151 "2013-01-11T23:15:41Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > No, he’s saying that stress may prevent ovulation. But the stress of rape is irrelevant to pregnancy occurring, because ovulation would have occurred _before_ the rape, or the stress that might prevent ovulation would also occur _before_ the rape. > > I do agree that he is stretching “partly right” beyond the breaking point, however. The part Akin was right about, that emotional states can conceivably affect fertility, is a point Akin probably doesn’t understand himself, didn’t intend to say, and can only be inferred by a ridiculously overly-generous interpretation. I think we’re arguing two sides of the same outrage. My point is, there aren’t ANY studies out there showing that rape stops ovulation. None. All the studies about stress and ovulation involve people with stressful _lifestyles_ and chronic high cortisol levels. Trying to speculate that stress from being raped can affect ovulation the same way chronic lifestyle stress can is comparing apples to oranges. There are, however, statistics indicating that [women who are raped are MORE likely to get pregnant than women who have a session of consensual sex](http://io9.com/5936157/the-real-science-behind-todd-akins-claim-that-victims-of-legitimate-rape-dont-get-pregnant), leading to (admittedly pure) speculation that rape may actually STIMULATE ovulation. Akin wasn’t right about it, he was dead WRONG. And Gingrey is a fool when he opened up his big yapper after all these months to defend Akin, using the same stupid mistaken argument. They may be\* honestly\* mistaken, but you’d better be DAMNED sure of the science when you’re trying to use it to argue policy restricting people’s rights. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8152 "2013-01-11T23:24:27Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Look an 8 foot polar bear could never rape your average 50-ish year old congressman, who’s anus let’s estimate at two feet off the ground. There is just no way a polar bear of that size could squat down far enough and sustain any sort of thrusting motion without severely straining his hamstrings. > > Here, take this copy of the Constitution, rolled up into a paper-tube, and try it yourself. But you’re assuming the polar bear is on top. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8153 "2013-01-12T01:11:59Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > On the contrary - I present evidence that Republicans are [very concerned indeed](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2257867/Charles-Krauthammer-praises-John-Boehner-blocking-larger-relief-Hurricane-Sandy-victims.html) about preventing rape.Personally I think the Treasury was asking for it. After all, it has a reputation for “quantitative easing” if you know what I mean. And it loves the pork, amirite? Just to emphasize the “PORK” part; Stewart covered it on the Daily Show a couple of nights ago. The bill is one page. Basically one line that funds the Federal Flood insurance program. I jumped on a couple of golf friends (backward, Okie, racist, Faux News indoctrinated but when off politics - semi-ok) for repeating the PORK bullshit. ---
**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 12, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8154 "2013-01-12T01:19:42Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > . . . There are, however, statistics indicating that [women who are raped are MORE likely to get pregnant than women who have a session of consensual sex](http://io9.com/5936157/the-real-science-behind-todd-akins-claim-that-victims-of-legitimate-rape-dont-get-pregnant), leading to (admittedly pure) speculation that rape may actually STIMULATE ovulation. Akin wasn’t right about it, he was dead WRONG. And Gingrey is a fool when he opened up his big yapper after all these months to defend Akin, using the same stupid mistaken argument. They may be\* honestly\* mistaken, but you’d better be DAMNED sure of the science when you’re trying to use it to argue policy restricting people’s rights. More likely that women build up an immune reaction (sperm anti-body) to their significant other’s sperm that doesn’t exist with the stranger’s. Pure speculation on my part, but a speculation that makes some sense. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8155 "2013-01-12T03:09:35Z")
I didn’t know all our congressmen were midgets with 24-inch legs. _What’s next?_ _Congressman Yoda, (J)-Dagobah?_ ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8156 "2013-01-12T04:57:17Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > Can we please make sure none of these fucking idiots hold onto public office? Please? I did my part to prevent Joe Walsh from ever again entering our nation’s capitol except as a tourist. You’re welcome. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8157 "2013-01-12T05:00:57Z")
Thank you. Sincerely. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8158 "2013-01-12T06:08:18Z")
To help our Republican friends, I’ve found a nice little website with some rape prevention tips. I think it really cuts to the heart of what Republicans are getting after: [Rape prevention tips](http://canyourelate.org/2011/05/24/rape-prevention-tips/) If everyone followed these simple recommendations, we wouldn’t need to talk about rape babies at all! ---
**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 12, 2013, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8159 "2013-01-12T09:43:03Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Just to emphasize the “PORK” part; Stewart covered it on the Daily Show a couple of nights ago. The bill is one page. Basically one line that funds the Federal Flood insurance program. I jumped on a couple of golf friends (backward, Okie, racist, Faux News indoctrinated but when off politics - semi-ok) for repeating the PORK bullshit. Even if you’re talking about the original Senate bill the pork might have been beef anyway, > [@](#): > > … The draft of a House bill on Sandy disaster relief includes not only an additional $11.4 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund but $16 billion for the Community Development Fund under the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as Sandy-related funds for agencies ranging from the Drug Enforcement Administration to the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund. > > The $150 million for fisheries in Alaska, New Hampshire and elsewhere that had been in last month’s Senate Sandy emergency bill were not in the House bill. But the House bill would spend $5 million “for necessary expenses related to fishery disasters resulting from impacts of Hurricane Sandy.” > > **Katrina delays** > Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, will try to get the money for Alaska fisheries added back to the Sandy bill or to another vehicle. > > Arguing for fishery disaster money to be included in the Sandy bill last month, Begich said, “The disasters that are declared for fisheries in this bill have been declared disasters. It is not some pie in the sky, some pork, or we sit around and say: Let’s get some money for every state. These are actually declared disasters by the states and our federal government that need to be funded.” …[RIGHT][CITE](http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/04/16353403-after-irate-sandy-rhetoric-long-funding-process-awaits?lite)[/RIGHT] > [@](#): > > On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee released a Hurricane Sandy Supplemental Funding bill, which included $150 million for fishery disaster relief and $56 million for marine debris efforts to be shared by several states, including Alaska. > > According to the National Review Online, both Alaska U.S. senators, Democratic Mark Begich and Republican Lisa Murkowski, support the incoming aid. In a statement Sen. Begich said that both the salmon shortfall and tsunami debris problem are “very real and very serious disasters.” He added that the fisheries disaster was declared so “by the federal government” in September, but that Alaskans are “still waiting for relief.” …[RIGHT][CITE](http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/alaska-fisheries-disaster-aid-tucked-superstorm-sandy-recovery-bill)[/RIGHT] > [@](#): > > … Taxpayers for Common Sense released an analysis {see below} of the bill on Thursday, saying it contains millions of dollars that have nothing to do with the storm. … > > … “I’m not necessarily saying this stuff is pork,” said Steve Ellis, a spokesman for Washington-based Taxpayers for Common Sense. “But I think it should be done in the regular budget process and not stamped ‘emergency.’” … > > … Rep. Rob Andrews, D-N.J., said that although some criticisms raised by Taxpayers for Common Sense are worth looking at, the bill is needed to get his state’s economy going again. > > “I don’t think anyone thinks that what has been introduced will be adopted,” he said. > > Andrews said provisions such as the one providing money for weather forecasting by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are valid because those projects might otherwise never be funded. > > "You can say, ‘Well, do that in the regular process,’ " he said. “A lot of time, it doesn’t happen in the regular process.” …[RIGHT][CITE](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/01/10/group-criticizes-sandy-legislation/1825047/)[/RIGHT] > [@](#): > > Here are some highlights, as reported by the group: > > - > > ``` > $25 million to improve weather forecasting and hurricane intensity forecasting. > > ``` > > - > > ``` > $1 million for DEA to repair or replace 15 vehicles as well as some technology (BATF gets $230K to replace three vehicles and some furniture). For the record, the Department of Justice has over 40,000 vehicles – this should come out of agency budgets, not emergency. > > ``` > > - > > ``` > $5.37 million for Army O&M to repair damaged facilities. This represents 0.01 percent of the Army’s FY12 regular O&M account (no war spending). I think a few sergeants could rummage through the couch cushions to come up with $5.37 million instead of emergency funding. > > ``` > > - > > ``` > $3.461 billion for Corps construction projects, $2.9 billion of which is for the Sandy region, and sand pumping on beaches would be at full federal expense. Normal cost-share (even in disasters like Katrina) is 65 percent federal, 35 percent local or state. > > ``` > > - > > ``` > $10 million for FBI salaries and expenses (this is more than double the $4 million requested by the President and in the previous Senate bill) > > ``` > > - > > ``` > $2 million for Smithsonian roof repairs > > ``` > > - > > ``` > $118 million for AMTRAK - $86 million more than the President requested and will be used on non-Sandy related Northeast Corridor upgrades > > ``` > > - > > ``` > $2 billion for Federal Highway Administration to spend on roads across the country (obviously not Sandy related) > > ``` > > - > > ``` > $16 billion Community Development Fund that would go to not only Sandy states but to any major disaster declarations of 2011, 2012, and 2013 (OH had the latest major disaster declaration on January 3, 2013 – for Sandy!). That encompasses 47 states and Puerto Rico. Want to know who’s left out? Sorry Arizona, Michigan, and South Carolina, thanks for playing. Maybe you’ll have a disaster later this year.[RIGHT][CITE](http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washington/2013/01/roof-repairs-fbi-salaries-and-more-all-part-of-disaster-relief-bill-group-says.html)[/RIGHT] > > ``` One might just start to think that this isn’t about pork but it is about folks who want “government small enough to drown in a bathtub” not wanting anything done that might let folks realize that there things that can only, and will only, be done by government that’s some size larger. CMC ---
**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 12, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8160 "2013-01-12T17:33:42Z")
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