# 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:** 589
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11761 "2013-11-16T17:20:24Z")
They actually used to do that, you know. Before airplanes had the capacity to lift anything much more than the pilot, pilots would care bricks, hoping to get above the other guy and drop it on his head. Then they carried pistols. I don’t think history actually records the pilots who were unlucky enough to get shot by a pistol in midair. Nearly the ultimate in the _shlemiel/shlmozzle_ duality. The \*shlemiel \*was the guy who carries a pistol for air combat, the \*shlmozzle \*was the guy actually got shot. ---
**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:** [November 16, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11762 "2013-11-16T17:22:19Z")
And here I thought right-wingers _wanted_ people who come here to learn the language so they don’t have to Oprima Uno Para Ingles. ---
**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:** [November 16, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11763 "2013-11-16T18:11:18Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I don’t think history actually records the pilots who were unlucky enough to get shot by a pistol in midair. > > Nearly the ultimate in the _shlemiel/shlmozzle_ duality. The \*shlemiel \*was the guy who carries a pistol for air combat, the \*shlmozzle \*was the guy actually got shot. I’m not finding the names of either, but at least one shlemiel shot down a shemozzle with a handgun, over Rheims, in 1914. But it being 1914, I doubt either was a Republican from the USA. > **[Dogfight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogfight)** > > A dogfight, or dog fight, is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft that is conducted at close range. Modern terminology for air-to-air combat is air combat manoeuvring (ACM), which refers to tactical situations requiring the use of individual basic fighter maneuvers (BFM) to attack or evade one or more opponents. This differs from aerial warfare, which deals with the strategy involved in planning and executing various missions. > Dogfighting first occurred during the Mexican Revolution in 1913... ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11764 "2013-11-17T02:22:52Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > They actually used to do that, you know. Before airplanes had the capacity to lift anything much more than the pilot, pilots would care bricks, hoping to get above the other guy and drop it on his head. Then they carried pistols. I don’t think history actually records the pilots who were unlucky enough to get shot by a pistol in midair. > > Nearly the ultimate in the _shlemiel/shlmozzle_ duality. The \*shlemiel \*was the guy who carries a pistol for air combat, the \*shlmozzle \*was the guy actually got shot. isn’t that the beginnig of thrvLaverne and Shirley theme? _shlemiel, shlmozzele, hassenphepfer incorporated…_ or something like that. Any relation? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11765 "2013-11-17T02:40:10Z")
It is an ancient duality, as identified by Yiddish tradition. Like _yin_ and _yan_ in the Eastern tradition, they are the human equivalent of two halves of a unity, the active and the passive, the one who spills the hot soup (schlemiel), and the one he spills it upon (schlemazel). Their meeting is fated, unavoidable, like the heat death of the Universe and the baby urping on your last clean shirt. Traditionally, they meet, the disaster befalls, and they name each other according to their respective fate. “Schlemiel!” accuses one, “Schlemazel” affirms the other. And so It goes… ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11766 "2013-11-17T14:17:00Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > It is an ancient duality, as identified by Yiddish tradition. Like _yin_ and _yan_ in the Eastern tradition, they are the human equivalent of two halves of a unity, the active and the passive, the one who spills the hot soup (schlemiel), and the one he spills it upon (schlemazel). > > Their meeting is fated, unavoidable, like the heat death of the Universe and the baby urping on your last clean shirt. Traditionally, they meet, the disaster befalls, and they name each other according to their respective fate. “Schlemiel!” accuses one, “Schlemazel” affirms the other. > > And so It goes… Thank you for the information. This explains so very much. Except the eternal quandary of Lenny and Squiggy. Were they both dropped on their heads as infants? What is the probability of that happening? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11767 "2013-11-17T15:44:22Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Thank you for the information. > This explains so very much. > > Except the eternal quandary of Lenny and Squiggy. > Were they both dropped on their heads as infants? > What is the probability of that happening? They were conjoined twins, dropped on their heads, separated and sent to different families to be raised with no knowledge of the other. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11768 "2013-11-17T17:12:03Z")
That certainly explains why they look so much alike! ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11769 "2013-11-19T02:01:46Z")
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-darrell-issas-obamacare-kangaroo-court/2013/11/13/ca1cfd98-4cb0-11e3-ac54-aa84301ced81\_story.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-darrell-issas-obamacare-kangaroo-court/2013/11/13/ca1cfd98-4cb0-11e3-ac54-aa84301ced81_story.html) **Darrell Issa’s Obamacare kangaroo court** By Dana Milbank > [@](#): > > In testimony Wednesday, however, an administration IT expert said he ordered the “shopper” function disabled until defects could be repaired and that there had been no political interference. > > “So when Chairman Issa stated on national television that the White House ordered you … to disable the shopper function in September for political reasons, to avoid consumer sticker shock, that’s not true, is it?” asked Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass. > > “I object,” Issa howled. “The gentleman is repeatedly disparaging and mischaracterizing what I’ve said.” Tierney then proceeded to read Issa’s quotes, verbatim. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11770 "2013-11-19T02:58:31Z")
[Conservatives to Hold Mock Immigration Sting at UT](http://www.texastribune.org/2013/11/18/conservative-group-hold-mock-immigration-sting-ut/) > [@](#): > > On Wednesday, the campus chapter of Young Conservatives of Texas will offer students $25 gift cards if they can “catch” an undocumented immigrant — a group of volunteers wearing “illegal immigrant” labels. At least the reaction from anyone living within 50ft of the surface of Planet Texas is to be universally repulsed. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11771 "2013-11-19T03:06:00Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > [Conservatives to Hold Mock Immigration Sting at UT](http://www.texastribune.org/2013/11/18/conservative-group-hold-mock-immigration-sting-ut/) The kicker is that the organizer of this event is named Lorenzo Garcia. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11772 "2013-11-19T03:23:42Z")
Well, you know the story about the Spanish Armada and the Black Irish. His family probably hails from County Mayo. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11773 "2013-11-19T05:52:48Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > [Conservatives to Hold Mock Immigration Sting at UT](http://www.texastribune.org/2013/11/18/conservative-group-hold-mock-immigration-sting-ut/) > > At least the reaction from anyone living within 50ft of the surface of Planet Texas is to be universally repulsed. Perhaps these ‘labels’ could be yellow, six-pointer stars? Breathtakingly inappropriate, yes, but I’m hoping they’ll be that stupid… ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11774 "2013-11-19T07:34:48Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > [Conservatives to Hold Mock Immigration Sting at UT](http://www.texastribune.org/2013/11/18/conservative-group-hold-mock-immigration-sting-ut/) . . . At least the victims are volunteers and part of the role-playing exercise: when I first read it, I thought it was an actual challenge to find people who really were undocumented or illegal. Jesus, what a mess that would be! If it’s just a big game of Logan’s Run, I’m less concerned. Tacky and tawdry and tasteless, but, hell, that’s Texas at the best of times. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11775 "2013-11-19T10:24:40Z")
Currently making the rounds of the left-wing blogosphere: FoxHead Elisabeth Hasselbeck claims that pregnant women are losing their doctors because of Obamacare, and [“most of them are elderly”](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/18/fox-news-hasselbeck-obamacare-is-hurting-many-elderly-pregnant-women/). The women, not the doctors. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11776 "2013-11-19T13:25:06Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Currently making the rounds of the left-wing blogosphere: > > FoxHead Elisabeth Hasselbeck claims that pregnant women are losing their doctors because of Obamacare, and [“most of them are elderly”](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/18/fox-news-hasselbeck-obamacare-is-hurting-many-elderly-pregnant-women/). > > The women, not the doctors. OK, I do not, in general, like Fox or Hasselbeck, but I think that, if the story reported the exchange accurately, then its interpretation is way off. Biased, even. Hasselbeck was talking about pregnant women losing their doctors, and Varney was responding that most of the people losing doctors were elderly. Two different sets, not intersecting. I realize that these people are usually poster children for idiocy, but in this case I think the idiot is the person who wrote the story. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11777 "2013-11-19T13:30:29Z")
Okay, fair enough. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11778 "2013-11-19T13:31:58Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-darrell-issas-obamacare-kangaroo-court/2013/11/13/ca1cfd98-4cb0-11e3-ac54-aa84301ced81\_story.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-darrell-issas-obamacare-kangaroo-court/2013/11/13/ca1cfd98-4cb0-11e3-ac54-aa84301ced81_story.html) > > **Darrell Issa’s Obamacare kangaroo court** > By Dana Milbank > > > [@](#): > > > > In testimony Wednesday, however, an administration IT expert said he ordered the “shopper” function disabled until defects could be repaired and that there had been no political interference. > > > > “So when Chairman Issa stated on national television that the White House ordered you … to disable the shopper function in September for political reasons, to avoid consumer sticker shock, that’s not true, is it?” asked Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass. > > > > “I object,” Issa howled. “The gentleman is repeatedly disparaging and mischaracterizing what I’ve said.” Tierney then proceeded to read Issa’s quotes, verbatim. Where would this thread be without Darrell Issa, or as his friends call him, Firebug McGee. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11779 "2013-11-19T14:47:06Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > OK, I do not, in general, like Fox or Hasselbeck, but I think that, if the story reported the exchange accurately, then its interpretation is way off. Biased, even. > > Hasselbeck was talking about pregnant women losing their doctors, and Varney was responding that most of the people losing doctors were elderly. Two different sets, not intersecting. > > I realize that these people are usually poster children for idiocy, but in this case I think the idiot is the person who wrote the story. Assuming the story has the stuff the right way around (I can’t watch the video at work) Varney was talking about people on UHC’s Medicare Advantage plans, and Hasselbeck jumping in with “and some of them are expecting babies.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/11780 "2013-11-19T14:57:43Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-darrell-issas-obamacare-kangaroo-court/2013/11/13/ca1cfd98-4cb0-11e3-ac54-aa84301ced81\_story.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-darrell-issas-obamacare-kangaroo-court/2013/11/13/ca1cfd98-4cb0-11e3-ac54-aa84301ced81_story.html) > > **Darrell Issa’s Obamacare kangaroo court** > By Dana Milbank First useful thing Tierney, my very own Congresscrook, has ever said or done in DC. Maybe there’s hope for him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=588) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=590)