# 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:** 761
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15201 "2014-06-12T21:57:20Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Subverting democracy is a shitty thing to do, full stop. > > There are plenty of rational, coherent reasons to vote in a primary of a party you do not support–reasons that are in accord with the underpinnings of the democratic process. > > Voting for someone in a primary because you think it will fuck that party and make it easier for your party’s nominee is not one of them. > > There are plenty of rational, coherent reasons to impose some sort of voter identification schemes. > > Designing and passing a voter identification scheme with the intent to disenfranchise a statistically significant number of the opposite party’s voters is not one of them. > > The status of the law is irrelevant to whether or not something should be universally condemned: \*\*Subverting democracy is a shitty thing to do, full stop. \*\* Well, actually, I vote in Republican primaries pretty regularly. I live in the Atlanta suburbs, who elect NOTHING but Republicans. Most Democrats do not have an ice cube’s chance in hell of being elected. So the only way I have of expressing my electoral will is voting for Republicans, which in Georgia often means making a choice between the political equivalent of Attila the Hun or Genghis Khan. If I thought voting for a particular looney Republican would create a chance of getting an actual Democrat elected, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Why should I not want to be able to help elect officials that actually represents my values, instead of the pea-brained bigots and con men that are the usual Republican selection? ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15202 "2014-06-12T22:05:56Z")
This post is going to be on the edge of the topic; please forgive me. I personally don’t approve of primaries at all. I’m a Democrat for lack of a better option, but I don’t care all that much for parties as a concept. However, we’ve got them. But if they need to public’s input on who to run on their ticket, they should handle the election themselves. I don’t see why the taxpayers should fund party processes. I actually wish we could start using a preferential system, like Condorcet or Instant Runoff, so that primaries would be completley unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15203 "2014-06-12T22:27:49Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Joni Ernst, Republican nominee for the Senate from Iowa (she isn’t just running, she won the primary): “[The UN wants to take away American’s property rights and force everybody to live in cities](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/06/12/iowa-republican-vows-to-overturn-phony-un-agenda-21-plot-to-take-away-private-property/).” 😕 [clicks] > [@](#): > > The United Nations has imposed this upon us, and as a U.S. Senator, I would say no more,” said state Sen. Joni Ernst. “No more Agenda 21.” > > \ > > She warned the measure was part of a United Nations plot to eliminate rural and suburban living. > > “One of the implications to Americans, again, going back to what did it do to the individual family here in the state of Iowa, and what I’ve seen, the implications that it has here is moving people off of their agricultural land and consolidating them into city sectors and then telling them, ‘You don’t have property rights anymore,’” Ernst said. “These are all things that the UN is behind, and it’s bad for the United States, it’s bad for families here in the state of Iowa.” :rolleyes: Oh, of course. [Agenda 21](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Agenda_21). > [@](#): > > The flaw with any vigorous opposition to Agenda 21 is that “the U.S. government and no state or local government is legally bound by the United Nations Agenda 21 treaty”, as the RNC accurately asserts in their resolution.[4] Accordingly, it makes no sense to demand that it be repudiated: you can argue with it on the merits of what it recommends, but it’s silly to savage a set of recommendations for merely daring to exist. It’s tantamount to mounting a bombastic attack on the Food and Leisure section of your local paper just because you disagreed with a food critic’s opinion of a restaurant: you might want a different columnist or different recommendations or even a different section editor, but attacking the section for its audacity in existing makes you seem like a raving lunatic. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15204 "2014-06-12T22:30:45Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > (I’ll make an exception for vice squad cops, who, since they police mostly victimless crimes (drugs, prostitution) spend most of their time shaking down (and raping) prostitutes and shaking down drug users – vice squad cops are a truly useless group of human beings. If these two cops had been targeted as vice squad cops, I would have trouble shedding a tear for them. Not that random killings would have helped put vice squads out of business.) 😕 What are you talking about?! That’s not what vice squads do! I’ve seen _Miami Vice_ – Crockett and Tubbs **never** bust **hookers!** Overdressed drug lords are their thing! ---
**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:** [June 13, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15205 "2014-06-13T01:39:25Z")
My state actually had a court case that invalidated the open primary system: something to do with a freedom-of-association clause somewhere. But the voters were not keen on the idea of closed primaries, so the birdie got swatted around for several years. The ultimate result became a flat primary, in which all the candidates are on one ballot, with “prefers \” next to their name! and the top two go to November. Seems like the least subversive approach to me. Parties can go fuck themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15206 "2014-06-13T01:46:01Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Parties can go fuck themselves. Amen! ---
**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:** [June 13, 2014, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15207 "2014-06-13T03:15:35Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Then change the law. > > John Boehner: “[Cantor’s defeat is Obama’s fault](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/12/1306446/-Boehner-on-Cantor-defeat-It-s-Obama-s-fault?).” My god. Obama is a fucking GENIUS. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15208 "2014-06-13T03:22:27Z")
If only he could have gotten us a public option… ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15209 "2014-06-13T04:32:39Z")
[Oklahoma Tea Party Candidate Supports Stoning Gay People to Death](http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/06/11/oklahoma_tea_party_candidate_scott_esk_supports_stoning_gay_people_to_death.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15210 "2014-06-13T05:15:49Z")
[GOP Senator Jeff Sessions thinks providing healthcare to veterans is an “entitlement” we cannot afford](http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/06/gop-senator-jeff-session-thinks-providing-healthcare-to-veterans-is-an-entitlement-we-cannot-afford.html). Sessions is a contemptible creep. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15211 "2014-06-13T06:50:39Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > [Oklahoma Tea Party Candidate Supports Stoning Gay People to Death](http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/06/11/oklahoma_tea_party_candidate_scott_esk_supports_stoning_gay_people_to_death.html) Easy girl, see post 15151.😉 And thanks to all for my new self-descriptive political label. _Now I’m a Bull Moose, liberal Republican, Democrat, most sane, wholly-owned subsidiary of Wall Steet._ ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15212 "2014-06-13T16:35:12Z")
[Thad Cochran feels the freedom to be honest](http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/06/12/Thad-Cochran-I-Grew-Up-Doing-All-Kinds-Of-Indecent-Things-With-Animals), now that he’s about to be a private citizen instead of a Senator: > [@](#): > > [We’d] get back [to the Pine Belt-Hattiesburg area of Mississippi] as often as we could because it was fun—it was an adventure to be out there in the country and see what goes on. Picking up pecans, from that to **all kind of indecent things with animals**. I know some of you know what that is. The whole point of the story is not just coming here to visit cousins and get to know aunts and uncles better, **you absorb the culture and you know what’s important to people here**. I feel very comfortable here and have an identity with this area of the state that’s different than any other. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15213 "2014-06-13T18:40:29Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Easy girl, see post 15151.😉 Oops! Hard to keep track when there are more than 15,000 :eek: posts. Mea culpa. 😛 > [@smithsb](#): > > And thanks to all for my new self-descriptive political label. > > _Now I’m a Bull Moose, liberal Republican, Democrat, most sane, wholly-owned subsidiary of Wall Steet._ BMLRDMSWOSOWS is kind of a tough acronym. Truth is, you’re probably a Progressive akin to Teddy Roosevelt (who was considered a Republican in his day). No matter what you call yourself, welcome to the fold, it’s a pleasure to have you. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > [Thad Cochran feels the freedom to be honest](http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/06/12/Thad-Cochran-I-Grew-Up-Doing-All-Kinds-Of-Indecent-Things-With-Animals), now that he’s about to be a private citizen instead of a Senator: That’s just nasty. ::shudder:: What the hell’s the matter with these people? ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15214 "2014-06-13T18:44:19Z")
But … but … he picked up pecans, too! That washes away a multitude of sins! ---
**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:** [June 13, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15215 "2014-06-13T19:37:40Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > But … but … he picked up pecans, too! That washes away a multitude of sins! Sounds like scrumping, to me. > [@Shayna](#): > > That’s just nasty. ::shudder:: What the hell’s the matter with these people? [Shortage of Duct Tape](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/10/lawmaker-suggests-duct-tape-strategy-for-gop-pols-shut-up-until-november-elections/), it would seem. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15216 "2014-06-13T21:15:43Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Then change the law. > > John Boehner: “[Cantor’s defeat is Obama’s fault](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/12/1306446/-Boehner-on-Cantor-defeat-It-s-Obama-s-fault?).” These people are so inefficient. President Obama has been in office what, six years now ? You’d \*think \*they could have streamlined that shit, e.g. with a single general memo stating “Everything is all Obama’s fault, all the time forever”. Perhaps a trimestrial update, “Everything still Obama’s fault, protest, rage, kthxbye” ? I dunno. I just think this artisanal, individual home-cooked bullshit is no way to go in 2014. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15217 "2014-06-13T21:26:39Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > John Boehner: “[Cantor’s defeat is Obama’s fault](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/12/1306446/-Boehner-on-Cantor-defeat-It-s-Obama-s-fault?).” This makes me happier than ever that I voted for Obama. If it were true. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15218 "2014-06-13T23:09:14Z")
[Wall Street Journal thinks that the US sending a few paratroopers and bombers to Iraq will take care of all of the problems there](http://www.salon.com/2014/06/13/neocon_lunatics_are_back_right_wing_wall_street_journal_calls_for_re_invading_iraq/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow). ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15219 "2014-06-14T00:30:24Z")
Oh sure, it’ll be a cake walk. Just like last time! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15220 "2014-06-14T00:37:44Z")
[Ohio Gov. John Kasich signs bill to freeze Ohio’s renewable energy mandate for the next two years.](http://www.salon.com/2014/06/13/ohio_just_signed_its_terrible_anti_renewable_energy_bill_into_law/) Why? Apparently because Americans for Prosperity doesn’t like it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=760) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=762)