# 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:** 683
**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:** [March 21, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13641 "2014-03-21T18:37:16Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > No, actually there’s this one guy in Senegal who is still laughing. That’s it. Wow, even that guy gets it and you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13642 "2014-03-21T18:39:38Z")
Perhaps he simply shares your delusion that you’re clever. Or he’s just being polite. Thing is, no amount of explaining (or hinting that there’s an explanation that has continued to elude us) is going to make your “joke” funny at this late date, so clinging to it is just pathetic. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13643 "2014-03-21T18:42:32Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Perhaps he simply shares your delusion that you’re clever. Or he’s just being polite. He actually golf claps after every post. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13644 "2014-03-21T18:43:00Z")
> [@cutman74](#): > > All these ass jokes and not one about susan@anus? Am I the only twelve year old boy in a forty-something body? I was once a twelve year-old boy in a forty-something body. She got arrested. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13645 "2014-03-21T18:50:16Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > It was funny - for those who understood it. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > So it was funny to you, then. You give him too much credit. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13646 "2014-03-21T18:58:53Z")
Guys, I tried to have an adult conversation with high standards of rationality, but you couldn’t handle it. You’re just spewing silly insults. That was fun for a while, but I’m done wasting time. I know that sounds really smug, but I don’t give a damn. Have fun. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13647 "2014-03-21T19:00:42Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Guys, I tried to have an adult conversation with high standards of rationality, but you couldn’t handle it. Or we just blinked and missed it. Damn you, eyes, and your need for moisture! > [@](#): > > I’m done wasting time. I’ll set up a betting pool to see how long this lasts. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13648 "2014-03-21T19:05:37Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I was once a twelve year-old boy in a forty-something body. > She got arrested. See! This is a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13649 "2014-03-21T19:47:52Z")
I can’t find the original joke that started all that. Oh, wait; it’s Darrell Issa. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13650 "2014-03-21T19:51:44Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Guys, I tried to have an adult conversation with high standards of rationality, but you couldn’t handle it. You’re just spewing silly insults. That was fun for a while, but I’m done wasting time. I know that sounds really smug, but I don’t give a damn. Have fun. Oh, for fuck’s sake, everybody, could we please knock off the _I’m-rubber-you’re-glue_ horseshit? We’ve got a perfectly viable Pit thread going on here, and you’re letting **lance** hijack it to Cuba… ---
**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:** [March 21, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13651 "2014-03-21T19:57:36Z")
Getting back on track, the party of small government that doesn’t interfere with your private lives would like to prevent your [having a dating or sexual relationship if you live with your children while going through a divorce.](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/03/21/3417400/massachusetts-judge-sex/) ---
**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:** [March 21, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13652 "2014-03-21T20:01:29Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Getting back on track, the party of small government that doesn’t interfere with your private lives would like to prevent your [having a dating or sexual relationship if you live with your children while going through a divorce.](Massachusetts State Sen. Richard J. Ross (R)) I couldn’t get your link to work, but I’m guessing it’s this: [http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/03/21/3417400/massachusetts-judge-sex/](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/03/21/3417400/massachusetts-judge-sex/) ---
**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:** [March 21, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13653 "2014-03-21T20:03:26Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I couldn’t get your link to work, but I’m guessing it’s this: [http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/03/21/3417400/massachusetts-judge-sex/](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/03/21/3417400/massachusetts-judge-sex/) That’d be it. How odd. Oh, shoot, I think I pasted the moralist’s name in instead of the URL. How embarrassing. And probably too late to fix, too. :o ETA: Reported to a mod to request a fix. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13654 "2014-03-21T20:05:27Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I couldn’t get your link to work, but I’m guessing it’s this: [http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/03/21/3417400/massachusetts-judge-sex/](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/03/21/3417400/massachusetts-judge-sex/) From the link: > [@](#): > > Ross’ staff told ThinkProgress that the senator is “not in support” of the bill. It was filed on behalf of a constituent, Robert LeClair, as a courtesy to him. This has got me wondering who Robert LeClair is, if he’s rich and has donated heavily to Ross’s campaigns, and how he feels about his ex-wife or -wives. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13655 "2014-03-21T20:06:55Z")
Ross has a defense, of sorts: > [@](#): > > Ross’ staff told ThinkProgress that the senator is “not in support” of the bill. It was filed on behalf of a constituent, Robert LeClair, as a courtesy to him. Massachusetts law allows legislators to put forth a citizen’s piece of legislation, as Ross did in this case, though there is no requirement that they do so. If you don’t have to put the bill forward, I think it’s hard to argue that you don’t want the bill put forward. But maybe not having it spring like Athena from his fevered brow is at least a bit of a comfort. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13656 "2014-03-21T20:44:15Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Ross has a defense, of sorts: > > If you don’t have to put the bill forward, I think it’s hard to argue that you don’t want the bill put forward. But maybe not having it spring like Athena from his fevered brow is at least a bit of a comfort. Provided that we think that it’s better for politicians to be panderers instead of holding wrong opinions. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13657 "2014-03-21T21:27:33Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > If you don’t have to put the bill forward, I think it’s hard to argue that you don’t want the bill put forward. But maybe not having it spring like Athena from his fevered brow is at least a bit of a comfort. I wonder if Zeus had to have a cranial probe. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13658 "2014-03-21T23:46:08Z")
[Alaska Republican says that birth control “is for people who don’t necessarily want to act responsibly.”](http://www.salon.com/2014/03/21/alaska_republican_says_that_birth_control_is_for_people_who_dont_necessarily_want_to_act_responsibly/) But he wants to put free pregnancy test kits in the restrooms of bars to discourage pregnant women from drinking. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13659 "2014-03-21T23:52:42Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > This has got me wondering who Robert LeClair is, if he’s rich and has donated heavily to Ross’s campaigns, and how he feels about his ex-wife or -wives. I wondered the same, and found [this article,](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/18/mass-bill-would-require-divorcing-parents-to-obtain-judges-approval-for-sex/) which describes “Wrentham Selectman Robert Leclair” as the “former president of Fathers United for Equal Justice, has reportedly gone through a bitter divorce.” Weirdly, that article is from **2011** , so apparently Ross has submitted the same bill on behalf of LeClair at least two separate times. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13660 "2014-03-21T23:56:57Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > I wonder if Zeus had to have a cranial probe. [Kindasorta.](http://www.theoi.com/Gallery/K7.9.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=682) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=684)