# 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:** 509
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10161 "2013-08-01T21:45:28Z")
The South would have been a lot better off if Lincoln hadn’t been killed. “With malice toward none; with charity to all,” as he said, and his track record indicates he lived that mantra. Never sought revenge against anybody[sup]1[/sup], and even put up with a backstabber in his cabinet for 3 years. Johnson and Grant made Reconstruction a way to punish the South. Lincoln never would have. [sup]1[/sup]I don’t count vampires as people. They’re abominations against nature. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10162 "2013-08-01T21:47:38Z")
The idea that reconstruction “punished” South is largely hokum. ---
**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 1, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10163 "2013-08-01T21:47:56Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > The better strategy is to send a robot back in time to kill Lincoln’s mom. > [@elucidator](#): > > Send a robot back in time to violate Lincoln’s mom’s spirit! Oh, sure, whenever there’s a dirty job to do, it’s “send in the robots.” But do you ever invite us 'round for tea or to have wild sex with a bunch of lingerie models? No. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10164 "2013-08-01T22:37:34Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > But do you ever invite us 'round for tea or to have wild sex with a bunch of lingerie models? No. You know, you’re right, and I’d like to make it up to you. I’ll bring the tea, you bring the lingerie models. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10165 "2013-08-01T23:05:53Z")
Just pop open a cold beer and they’ll appear, like magic. The commercials wouldn’t lie. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10166 "2013-08-01T23:18:30Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The idea that reconstruction “punished” South is largely hokum. Comes from the same place as _Birth of a Nation._ ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10167 "2013-08-02T17:33:15Z")
For those who consider ‘Selfish’ to be a negative Republican attribute, time is on your side. > [@](#): > > “Being mean can give you an advantage on a short timescale but certainly not in the long run - you would go extinct.” [Evolution does not favour selfish people, according to new research.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23529849) ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10168 "2013-08-02T17:41:55Z")
Is this a stupid Republican idea of the day, or simply a consequence of stupid Republican ideas? [Caleb Howe](http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/08/01/2401341/bipartisan-crowd-funding-hospital-costs/), a right-wing blogger, is in the hospital for liver failure. He is, of course, uninsured. So both conservative and liberal pundits are fund-raising for him and he’s now cleared $25,000 in donations. The liberal pundits, while donating, have gently pointed out that it’s a terrible shame that there’s no program that would have required this family man with two lovely daughters to actually buy health insurance and that would have let him do so even if he had an existing condition. This outpouring of kindness is \* despite \* the fact that Caleb Howe’s web presence can be best summed up by \* [this kerfluffle.](http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/i-dont-caleb-howe) ``` So, there's been a lot of commentary pointing out the * schadenfreude* of a conservative blogger essentially asking for handouts, tempered by the fact that what he and his family are going through is truly awful. So there's really no sense in making things worse by poking Caleb Howe with a stick. But this [horrible person](http://melissablogs.com/2013/08/01/dailykos-obamacare-and-caleb-howe/), I have no patience for. Her blog entry essentially reiterates Romney's "that's what emergency rooms are for" attitude. ``` > [@](#): > > Also, here’s what the hospital will do for Caleb or anyone in a similar situation: they’ll assess his ability to pay and then bill him a small amount each month until they forgive the debt or it’s paid off. I’ve known people who pay $5 a month. Most hospitals were/are have Christian and charitable missions. ``` How many $5.00/month payments does it take to pay off a liver transplant, I wonder? ``` > [@](#): > > ``` > Unlike medicare, medicaid and now Obamacare, charity is less likely to be abused, overused, or overextended. Who wants to exploit their friend’s love? No one. Well, no decent person. > > ``` ``` She * actually thinks that begging for help during times of medical crisis is an appropriate way to handle things *. ``` I’d say that “Dr.” Clouthier, as a medical practitioner, should be more aware of the realities of the costs and hardships of a medical crisis, but she’s a chiropractor, so she knows as little about medical realities as she does economic and political realities. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10169 "2013-08-02T22:30:11Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’m not so sure of that. I’m reading _Team of Rivals_ right now, and I just got past the part where Seward had written a scathing letter to Britain threatening war if they dared break the Union blockade on the south, that he wanted read aloud, verbatim, blah blah blah, and tell him, “so there,” when you’re done. Lincoln, softened the missive and directed (I can’t remember the guy that actually delivered the message) to use it as notes and to neither show it, nor read it to anyone. As a result, Britain basically abstained from aiding either side. > > If Seward had been in charge, Britain probably would have sided with the South to keep their textiles mills open and we’d all some Monday off for Jefferson Davis Day right now. Did she quote Lincoln to the effect it was best that they fight only one enemy at a time or fight one war at a time? Wise man. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10170 "2013-08-02T22:52:26Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > This outpouring of kindness is \* despite \* the fact that Caleb Howe’s web presence can be best summed up by \* [this kerfluffle.](http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/i-dont-caleb-howe) I didn’t bother reading the whole article, just looked at the image of his Twitter feed, and really, the only response is the classic: “Christ, what an asshole.” I think modern conservatism has mostly devolved into trying to prove how irredeemably assholish you can be in under 140 characters. I wonder how many of these people who donate money are currently working on convincing young people to “burn their Obamacare cards.” ---
**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:** [August 2, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10171 "2013-08-02T23:05:53Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > I didn’t bother reading the whole article, just looked at the image of his Twitter feed, and really, the only response is the classic: “Christ, what an asshole.” I think modern conservatism has mostly devolved into trying to prove how irredeemably assholish you can be in under 140 characters. I wonder how many of these people who donate money are currently working on convincing young people to “burn their Obamacare cards.” I went to the original article by Caleb Howe and I think it’s worth reading: [http://www.mediaite.com/online/i-dont-like-roger-ebert/](http://www.mediaite.com/online/i-dont-like-roger-ebert/) ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10172 "2013-08-02T23:52:44Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Is this a stupid Republican idea of the day, or simply a consequence of stupid Republican ideas? [Caleb Howe](http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/08/01/2401341/bipartisan-crowd-funding-hospital-costs/), a right-wing blogger, is in the hospital for liver failure. He is, of course, uninsured. So both conservative and liberal pundits are fund-raising for him and he’s now cleared $25,000 in donations. The liberal pundits, while donating, have gently pointed out that it’s a terrible shame that there’s no program that would have required this family man with two lovely daughters to actually buy health insurance and that would have let him do so even if he had an existing condition. > > This outpouring of kindness is \* despite \* the fact that Caleb Howe’s web presence can be best summed up by \* [this kerfluffle.](http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/i-dont-caleb-howe) > > ``` > So, there's been a lot of commentary pointing out the * schadenfreude* of a conservative blogger essentially asking for handouts, tempered by the fact that what he and his family are going through is truly awful. So there's really no sense in making things worse by poking Caleb Howe with a stick. > > But this [horrible person](http://melissablogs.com/2013/08/01/dailykos-obamacare-and-caleb-howe/), I have no patience for. Her blog entry essentially reiterates Romney's "that's what emergency rooms are for" attitude. > > How many $5.00/month payments does it take to pay off a liver transplant, I wonder? > > She * actually thinks that begging for help during times of medical crisis is an appropriate way to handle things *. > > ``` > > I’d say that “Dr.” Clouthier, as a medical practitioner, should be more aware of the realities of the costs and hardships of a medical crisis, but she’s a chiropractor, so she knows as little about medical realities as she does economic and political realities. I’ll have you know that Sharon Angle has offered to donate a couple of chickens. ---
**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 3, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10173 "2013-08-03T00:17:15Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > I’ll have you know that Sharon Angle has offered to donate a couple of chickens. That was actually her primary opponent, Sue Lowden. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10174 "2013-08-03T01:12:48Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > That was actually her primary opponent, Sue Lowden. Well, crap, there are so many loony Republicans, it’s hard to keep them straight. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10175 "2013-08-04T16:28:31Z")
Removed ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10176 "2013-08-05T16:17:32Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > That was actually her primary opponent, Sue Lowden. So Sharon Angle was the _sane_ one? :eek: ---
**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 5, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10177 "2013-08-05T16:52:19Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > So Sharon Angle was the _sane_ one? :eek: Now, now…let’s not go crazy here. Angle was the san_er_ one. ---
**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 5, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10178 "2013-08-05T16:57:57Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > So Sharon Angle was the _sane_ one? :eek: They were both well off the end of any useful scale. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10179 "2013-08-05T17:00:08Z")
Rick Perry spoke at the [RedState Republican conference](http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/13887/oops-on-saturday-rick-perry-forgot-which-state-he-was-in)–the same meeting where he announced his Presidential candidacy in 2011. > [@](#): > > This time, Perry managed to immediately remind Republicans why (even) they had to reject him in 2012. Perry, donning new black-rimmed glasses, declared early in his speech, “There are many other states that embrace those conservative values, the approach we’ve taken over the years. I’m in one today - Florida.” > > “We’re in Louisiana,” someone in the audience shouted. Yup, they were meeting in New Orleans… ---
**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 5, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/10180 "2013-08-05T17:04:45Z")
What is that thing luci says? Now, Universe, I know I haven’t been a good pantheist, but please please please let Perry and Rand Paul be the last two Republican candidates standing in 2016. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=508) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=510)