# 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:** 686
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13701 "2014-03-25T21:07:56Z")
> [@Calatin](#): > > While not “politician based”, it is linked from the Drudge Report right under the main story and given the all-important “attention-demanding red text” treatment. > > [PEW: Next generation will be over 50% non-white…](http://washingtonexaminer.com/pew-next-generation-will-be-over-50-non-white/article/2546219) > > Ya know, when I try to tell people not to make generalizations about the Republican party, w/r/t racism, things like this _really_ don’t help matters. The corollary to that, of highest importance but for some reason seldom mentioned, is that “nonwhite” is not a race and, when whites are no longer a majority in the U.S., **no** “race” will be the majority here any more. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13702 "2014-03-25T22:19:26Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > … wish to go back to those fictional days that never actually happened. Summation of social conservatism. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13703 "2014-03-25T22:32:50Z")
How dare those uppity Yankees think they deserve a monument on the sacred ground of the Confederacy? > **[Florida Republican Freaking Out Over Proposed Memorial To Union Soldiers](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dennis-baxley-florida_n_5025393?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013)** > > Florida Republican Freaking Out Over Proposed Memorial To Union Soldiers ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13704 "2014-03-25T22:59:52Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > The corollary to that, of highest importance but for some reason seldom mentioned, is that “nonwhite” is not a race and, when whites are no longer a majority in the U.S., **no** “race” will be the majority here any more. This has been the case in California for a few years now; and somehow, the world seems to keep turning. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13705 "2014-03-25T23:00:18Z")
_“I’m fifth generation Florida Cracker,” Baxley told reporters this week, according to The Florida Current. “Isn’t there some little sliver of place in diversity for us descendant families that were here just to memorialize where we stood?”_ No, there isn’t. Y’all can just die and leave room for more advanced creatures, like slime mold. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13706 "2014-03-25T23:01:35Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > How dare those uppity Yankees think they deserve a monument on the sacred ground of the Confederacy? > > [Florida Republican Freaking Out Over Proposed Union Army Memorial | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/25/dennis-baxley-florida_n_5025393.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013) There were Civil War battles in Florida? Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13707 "2014-03-25T23:12:24Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > How dare those uppity Yankees think they deserve a monument on the sacred ground of the Confederacy? > > [Florida Republican Freaking Out Over Proposed Union Army Memorial | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/25/dennis-baxley-florida_n_5025393.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013) Hmmm . . . > [@](#): > > “There were twice as many Union casualties there as Confederate,” Union memorial supporter Charles Custer told The New York Times. “They fought. They bled. And they are really not recognized anywhere.” > > Among the Union casualties at Olustee were three black regiments, including the famed Massachusetts 54th. After the battle ended, some wounded black soldiers were shot and clubbed to death by Confederate soldiers. I sure hope they carve that on the monument. > [@](#): > > One attendee told the News Service of Florida that “putting a Union monument at Olustee would be like placing a memorial to Jane Fonda at the entrance to the Vietnam memorial.” :rolleyes: Sir, let me explain to you what the term “civil war” means and how it is unlike all other wars . . . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13708 "2014-03-25T23:15:39Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > There were Civil War battles in Florida? Who knew? [Oh, yeah.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_in_the_American_Civil_War#Final_Confederate_years) Mostly little ones, though. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13709 "2014-03-25T23:18:33Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > This has been the case in California for a few years now; and somehow, the world seems to keep turning. Surely you’re joking. The Democrats controlling the legislature managed to pass a budget with a surplus. And then the Democratic governor signed it. This is _horrible_ news.For Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13710 "2014-03-26T00:39:04Z")
Some of you may disagree, but I think that[forcing schools to take up valuable school time teaching cursive penmanship](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/10/tennessee-cursive-penmanship-bill-vote/6260613/) is a stupid republican idea. (I know the date on the article is a few days old, but I just heard an NPR report on it today on the radio, and this is the only online cite I could find) Keyboarding, printing, etc is way more useful than cursive. I haven’t written a lick of cursive since my school days, and I am almost never presented with legible cursive to read. Not being able to read or write in cursive would not affect me whatsoever. Here is the part where I would make some quip about republicans being all about limited government, but that stopped being ironic/funny a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13711 "2014-03-26T00:54:49Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Not being able to read or write in cursive would not affect me whatsoever. How do you write thank you notes? ---
**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 26, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13712 "2014-03-26T01:13:52Z")
Block letters are fine. To me the only reason to learn cursive is to be able to read calligraphy (which is what cursive is, fundamentally). ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13713 "2014-03-26T01:43:48Z")
It’s like having to learn to write in black-letter “fraktur” lettering. It’s nice if you want to take the time to learn it on your own, but a dead waste of time for most students, and mandatory study of it is absurd. It’s also nice to be able to know the Greek Alphabet, but, again, it shouldn’t be mandatory at the public-school (K-12) level. Printing is fine for the few remaining handwriting needs we have. As long as you can fill out a driver license application, you’re good. Being able to write an elegant “Miss Manners” note is most truly excellent, but, like memorizing Coleridge, isn’t for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13714 "2014-03-26T01:55:57Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > How do you write thank you notes? With bare knuckles, short knives, and drenchings and immersions in things expelled from human bodies. [consults Emily Post and Miss Manners] Yeah, that. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13715 "2014-03-26T03:17:31Z")
How do you sign your name? With a big X? ---
**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 26, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13716 "2014-03-26T03:19:31Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > How do you sign your name? With a big X? My signature isn’t cursive. It isn’t actually much of anything. It’s a bunch of loops that in no way represents letters. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13717 "2014-03-26T03:26:30Z")
Cursive is a fiendish plot by old(-ish) people to pass around secret messages in a form that their younger overlords will not be able to decipher until it is too late. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13718 "2014-03-26T08:56:12Z")
How much time did you guys take to learn cursive?? It can be learned in a single day, if you actually know how to write in block letters already. I understand it’s near useless, but there are far more useless things than cursive that get taught in K-12 education that won’t keep the student from being able to READ certain forms of the language when written down, which is a pretty big deal. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2014, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13719 "2014-03-26T09:23:12Z")
It’s been about fifteen years since I’ve had to write anything other than my own name in cursive, and most of the time when I sign things I just make the first letters of my first and last name with a squiggly bit after them that vaguely resembles the other letters. (I can sign my full name fancy-like if I want to, but I rarely ever do that anyway.) It’s pretty much a useless skill in this day and age, and I don’t think kids need to be learning it in school any more than they need to learn how to use a slide rule or a card catalog. For that matter, it was pretty much useless when they taught it to me twenty years ago, I hated writing in it because I was left-handed and it was faster just to write regular style anyway, and I was willing to take a penalty to my grades rather than waste my time with it. ---
**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 26, 2014, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/13720 "2014-03-26T09:55:12Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I hated writing in it because I was left-handed You’re not any more? Did you have an accident? I’m also left-handed and have pretty much given up on cursive. The effort to make it legible to others isn’t worth the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=685) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=687)