# 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:** 428
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8541 "2013-02-07T16:11:00Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > I don’t think I was pretending liberals were perfect, I just don’t believe they do what you say they do, or if they do it’s a tiny percentage of internet cranks compared to being common among right wing internet cranks and even elected right wing officials do it. And that’s just revealing your bias. You just don’t notice when liberals do it. And you want it to be a “tiny” proportion - enough so you can make the original blanket statement. ANY statement that characterizes a certain logical or debate tactic as “liberal” or “conservative” is going to be wrong, every time. I agree that conservatives do it more, but it’s simply not fair or productive to blame one side for something all the time. > [@](#): > > BTW I have noticed you keep claiming to be a liberal but if you are you’re one of the most conservative ones I have ever encountered. I don’t mean to open this up as an accusation, but I honestly don’t consider you one. You don’t know me well enough to tell me that. I know what I believe, you don’t. The reason you don’t see many liberal postings from me is because I find that boring as hell. I would much rather explore how my fellow liberals are screwing up the arguments for our side, so that they can improve their strength. Also, some positions others consider liberal, I don’t, for instance the Citizen’s United decision. In any event, all this proves is what I’ve always said, which is that ideological labels are useless. So maybe I’m not a liberal, but I’m sure as hell not a conservative either. I have views, and I express them. I frankly don’t care how they line up ideologically, and don’t think it matters one iota anyway. > [@](#): > > Ah the good old “they do it too so we can’t complain” false equivelency because some dumbass youtuber, somewhere, might’ve done the same thing, though you can’t cite any. No dice buddy. Typical conservative hogwash argument. Of course you can complain about it. You just can’t go saying that only rightwingers do it, because that’s false. And it’s not fair. And really, why does it matter? Why not simply say it’s wrong, and not use it as a cheap point to score? And here’s a great example of how I’m making you improve your argument, because if I were a rightwinger trying to destroy you, I’d use this to destroy you. Ten minutes on google and I’d be throwing stuff at you and you’d be bogged down in a pointless argument that gets you nothing. Which I’m going to now avoid. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8542 "2013-02-07T17:01:12Z")
Nope, you’re wrong. Liberals are perfect 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8543 "2013-02-07T17:51:18Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > snip To “help me improve my argument” you’d actually have to have a counter argument better than my argument, which you don’t. You have standard by-the-books conservative shell games that one can’t point out idiocy that is standard part of the republican party now because somewhere, some no-name idiot on a youtube comment who _claims_ to be a liberal did something similar, whereas we have documented republican elected officials doing it routinely. So to be “unbiased” in your eyes, I have to pre-pend every criticism of republicans or conservatives with “though some liberals, somewhere, might’ve done this too, I hate it when…” as if I am milquetoast Obama or something and have to pretend they are anywhere near similar to us. Your false equivalence does not impress me one bit, and you don’t impress me one bit. You have nothing to “destroy” me with. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8544 "2013-02-07T18:42:36Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Can somebody please tell Bryan Fischer that a state senator is trying to force high school students to read a novel that explicitly promotes atheism, and adultery? I think we should get behind him on this one. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8545 "2013-02-07T18:52:03Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > To “help me improve my argument” you’d actually have to have a counter argument better than my argument, which you don’t. You have standard by-the-books conservative shell games that one can’t point out idiocy that is standard part of the republican party now because somewhere, some no-name idiot on a youtube comment who _claims_ to be a liberal did something similar, whereas we have documented republican elected officials doing it routinely. So to be “unbiased” in your eyes, I have to pre-pend every criticism of republicans or conservatives with “though some liberals, somewhere, might’ve done this too, I hate it when…” as if I am milquetoast Obama or something and have to pretend they are anywhere near similar to us. No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. (I do like your use of “claims to be a liberal,” because that’s a classic example of another tactic rightwingers use alot - to either simply claim countervailing evidence is being faked to embarass them, or to use the No True Scotsman fallacy to discount it. So you kinda just proved my point right there. Good show). > [@](#): > > Your false equivalence does not impress me one bit, and you don’t impress me one bit. You have nothing to “destroy” me with. Sigh. I’m not surprsied you don’t get it one bit. You want to waste your time with this pointless crap, thinking it wins you anything? Feel free. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8546 "2013-02-07T18:53:50Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Can somebody please tell Bryan Fischer that a state senator is trying to force high school students to read a novel that explicitly promotes atheism, and adultery? And rape. Or is that _The Fountainhead_? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8547 "2013-02-07T19:09:07Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > whereas we have documented republican elected officials doing it routinely. Somewhere out there, some rightwingers are ranting about how it’s always the liberals who “hide behind the First Amendment” to justify porn, radical college professors, violent or sexy movies made by (liberal!) Hollywood, promoting terrorism or persecution of Christians (like the “War on Christmas”), the “lies” of the liberal media, etc. And they’re saying it’s a liberal thing to do, and that conservatives hardly ever do it. And you’d be eaten alive out there in the real world. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8548 "2013-02-07T19:24:10Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Somewhere out there, some rightwingers are ranting about how it’s always the liberals who “hide behind the First Amendment” to justify porn, radical college professors, violent or sexy movies made by (liberal!) Hollywood, promoting terrorism or persecution of Christians (like the “War on Christmas”), the “lies” of the liberal media, etc. Yeah, we know. They’re called “Republican congressmen and senators.” What was your point again? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8549 "2013-02-07T19:36:02Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Yeah, we know. They’re called “Republican congressmen and senators.” > > What was your point again? That not being aware of your own biases will bite you in the ass. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8550 "2013-02-07T19:42:21Z")
And that has what to do with Republican congressmen and senators accusing the left of shit they’re not doing? ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8551 "2013-02-07T19:43:20Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > What was your point again? Really. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8552 "2013-02-07T20:06:49Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > And that has what to do with Republican congressmen and senators accusing the left of shit they’re not doing? In many cases, they ARE doing it. Just stop this nonsense now. No ideology has a monopoly on intelligence, or logic, or rationality. I don’t blame you for wanting to say so - the right is coming up with new forms of stupid and crazy all the time. But if you think there aren’t stupid, or crazy, or irrational liberals out there too–more than just an tiny number–you’re blinded by your own bias. And trying to brand the other side as completely irrational while your side is spotless accomplishes little, here or in the real world. In fact, having “sides” at all doesn’t do much. Debate issues, not people or labels. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8553 "2013-02-07T20:07:35Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > In many cases, they ARE doing it. > > Just stop this nonsense now. No ideology has a monopoly on intelligence, or logic, or rationality. I don’t blame you for wanting to say so - the right is coming up with new forms of stupid and crazy all the time. But if you think there aren’t stupid, or crazy, or irrational liberals out there too–more than just an tiny number–you’re blinded by your own bias. > > And trying to brand the other side as completely irrational while your side is spotless accomplishes little, here or in the real world. In fact, having “sides” at all doesn’t do much. Debate issues, not people or labels. Are you severely autistic? ---
**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:** [February 7, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8554 "2013-02-07T20:13:39Z")
So the War on Christmas \*is \*real. I fucking knew it! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8555 "2013-02-07T20:25:54Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > New Hampshire Democrats just killed another Stupid Republican Idea™: > > [New Hampshire Lawmakers Kill Agenda 21 Ban | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/06/new-hampshire-agenda-21_n_2633364.html?utm_hp_ref=politics) > > Mind control. Your link made me go look something else up on Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > The General Court of New Hampshire is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The lower house is the New Hampshire House of Representatives with 400 members. … the General Court is the largest state legislature in the United States and the fourth-largest English-speaking legislative body in the world, behind the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the Parliament of India, and the United States Congress. Holy crap. 400 members in New Hampshire! Does every block captain get to be in the Legislature? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8556 "2013-02-07T20:33:40Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > Are you severely autistic? And that response also doesn’t surprise me. (And not only is it substanceless and an insult, it’s rude to people with disabilities, like my child. Please don’t use that as an insult - pick another one). ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8557 "2013-02-07T20:35:13Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Your link made me go look something else up on Wikipedia: > > Holy crap. 400 members in New Hampshire! Does every block captain get to be in the Legislature? It’s that New England town meeting thing. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8558 "2013-02-07T20:39:30Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > So the War on Christmas \*is \*real. I fucking knew it! No, but try to follow along, this will be long: When right wingers say there’s a war on Christmas because a liberal attacked Christianity or something (whether or not he actually did), sometimes a liberal says “but I have a First Amendment right to say that, so you can’t criticize me for what I said.” And then you’re on the flip side. Then the righty says “you’re just hiding behind the First Amendment!” If it’s too much, never mind. I’m sure that right wingers are all drooling dolts and liberals are pretty much all sane geniuses. What could go wrong just assuming that? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8559 "2013-02-07T20:43:37Z")
How can anyone participate in a “Stupid Republican idea of the day” thread and still harp on self-righteously about being aware of biases? The whole fucking thread is about mocking Republicans. If you want to be scrupulously fair, this isn’t the thread for it. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/8560 "2013-02-07T20:46:41Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Somewhere out there, some rightwingers are ranting about how it’s always the liberals who “hide behind the First Amendment” to justify porn, radical college professors, violent or sexy movies made by (liberal!) Hollywood, promoting terrorism or persecution of Christians (like the “War on Christmas”), the “lies” of the liberal media, etc. And they’re saying it’s a liberal thing to do, and that conservatives hardly ever do it. And you’d be eaten alive out there in the real world. You’re falling into an easy trap… yes, it’s certainly the case that for any given Bad Thing there is almost certainly at least one example of someone “on the left” doing it and one example of someone “on the right” doing it. There are thieves and scoundrels of all political persuasions. That said, there’s no grand principle of political-malfeasance-balance which somehow ensures that the amount of any one particular Bad Thing is anywhere near equal between the two sides at any given time. I mean, it might be. Or it might not be. But it’s not automatically guaranteed to be by the universe simply so that nonpartisan political independents can cluck their tongues and act superior. In other words, unless you’re refuting a really extreme and absolute claim (EVERY Republican is X, NO Democrat has ever done Y) you can’t just make the facile point that neither side is perfect and act like you’ve scored a point. So is it the case that approximately as many prominent Democrats are guilty of whatever-the-heck-it-is-that-we-were-talking-about as prominent Republicans? Well, maybe. Democrats aren’t saints. But if you want to make that argument you actually have to make it, with, you know, evidence and stuff, not just pointing out obvious things that no one is denying in the first place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=427) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=429)