# 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:** 779
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15561 "2014-07-06T05:34:04Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > As for positive news, the death pool thread has noted [the passing of a premium Dick](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/05/us/richard-mellon-scaife-influential-us-conservative-dies-at-82.html). Kicked the bucket on the Fourth of July! Wot a patriot! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15562 "2014-07-06T17:13:11Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Kicked the bucket on the Fourth of July! Wot a patriot! A real live bastard of his Uncle Sam! ---
**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:** [July 7, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15563 "2014-07-07T03:04:15Z")
This is pretty interesting. You have to read a ways down the _This Week_ transcript to find the part where [GoodHair comes within a hairsbreadth of accusing the administration of conspiring to bring undocumented aliens into America](http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/week-transcript-gov-rick-perry/story?id=24415764). (Scroll quickly at first, to get past that insipid face.) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15564 "2014-07-07T04:23:56Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > This is pretty interesting. You have to read a ways down the _This Week_ transcript to find the part where [GoodHair comes within a hairsbreadth of accusing the administration of conspiring to bring undocumented aliens into America](http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/week-transcript-gov-rick-perry/story?id=24415764). (Scroll quickly at first, to get past that insipid face.) Gov. Perry is right in on that too. [Here, he stands his ground](http://news.yahoo.com/rick-perry-stands-by-obama-immigration-conspiracy-theory-221953017.html) (bold added by me): > [@Eric Pfeiffer of Yahoo News](#): > > Texas Gov. Rick Perry repeated an accusation that undocumented children coming to the U.S. from Latin American countries might be a result of “ulterior motives” from President Obama. > > “I have to believe that when you don’t respond in any way that you are either inept or you have some ulterior motive **of which you are functioning from** ,” Perry said during an interview Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” All’s I can say is, the Man can sling some mean prepositions! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15565 "2014-07-07T04:40:02Z")
And the horse upon in which you rode, sir! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15566 "2014-07-07T15:10:18Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > This is pretty interesting. You have to read a ways down the _This Week_ transcript to find the part where [GoodHair comes within a hairsbreadth of accusing the administration of conspiring to bring undocumented aliens into America](http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/week-transcript-gov-rick-perry/story?id=24415764). (Scroll quickly at first, to get past that insipid face.) Obama is bringing in illegal aliens to vote for Democrats!.. and to live on welfare!.. and… and… oops. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15567 "2014-07-07T15:29:39Z")
Can we post the Classic Hits we remember most fondly, too? [Here’s Rep. Joe Barton](http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_09/020014.php)(R-TX, obviously) from 2009, on renewable energy and the laws of thermodynamics: > [@](#): > > Wind is God’s way of balancing heat. Wind is the way you shift heat from areas where it’s hotter to areas where it’s cooler. That’s what wind is. Wouldn’t it be ironic if in the interest of global warming we mandated massive switches to energy, which is a finite resource, which slows the winds down, which causes the temperature to go up? Now, I’m not saying that’s going to happen, Mr. Chairman, but that is definitely something on the massive scale. I mean, it does make some sense. You stop something, you can’t transfer that heat, and the heat goes up. It’s just something to think about. [But none of this is a problem](http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017456.php), because we can just find shade somewhere: > [@](#): > > I believe that Earth’s climate is changing, but I think it’s changing for natural variation reasons. And I think man-kind has been adopting, or adapting, to climate as long as man has walked the Earth. When it rains we find shelter. When it’s hot, we get shade. When it’s cold, we find a warm place to stay. Adaptation is the practical, affordable, utterly natural reflex response to nature when the planet is heating or cooling, as it always is. The Republicans once made him the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15568 "2014-07-07T16:14:49Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > (Scroll quickly at first, to get past that insipid face.) By the way, how long has Perry been wearing those poindexter style glasses? I assume he’s wearing them at the suggestion of his handlers who may have noticed that he comes across as a little, shall we say, slow. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15569 "2014-07-07T16:28:05Z")
It was before [he gave up wearing cowboy boots](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/03/us/rick-perry-gives-up-his-cowboy-boots.html?_r=0), claiming they gave him back pain. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15570 "2014-07-07T16:58:29Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > By the way, how long has Perry been wearing those poindexter style glasses? I figures they were like Fearless Fly’s glasses, providing millions of mega-tons of energy through the sensitive muscles in his head. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15571 "2014-07-07T17:23:51Z")
Well, I heard they are actually miniature teleprompter screens. _(no, I did not actually hear that, but, hey, rumors got to start somewheres)_ ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15572 "2014-07-07T17:53:24Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Well, I heard they are actually miniature teleprompter screens. > > _(no, I did not actually hear that, but, hey, rumors got to start somewheres)_ It’s true! It is! I read it! _On the internet!_ It must be true! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15573 "2014-07-07T17:59:51Z")
Nah. His lips would move. Dead giveaway. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15574 "2014-07-07T19:28:53Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Well, I heard they are actually miniature teleprompter screens. I just can’t \*wait \*to find out who’s gonna be the first candidate to use a Google Glass in a debate. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15575 "2014-07-07T19:47:32Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > It’s true! It is! I read it! _On the internet!_ It must be true! Fox News story lead-in: There are claims that a Texas governor is using hidden teleprompters to avoid another embarassing gaffe. Governor, are you area that it’s a common belief that you sneak visual aids into your glasses? Would you comment on the many stories being published on websites across the country? Can you _finally_ respond to the general consensus that you’ve been relying on… Oh, wait, Perry is a FoxFavourite, nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15576 "2014-07-07T22:11:54Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Fox News story lead-in: > > There are claims that a Texas governor is using hidden teleprompters to avoid another embarassing gaffe. Governor, are you area that it’s a common belief that you sneak visual aids into your glasses? Would you comment on the many stories being published on websites across the country? Can you _finally_ respond to the general consensus that you’ve been relying on… 😃 Aye, that’s about how I saw it happening in my head as I typed that post. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15577 "2014-07-07T22:33:35Z")
He’s an Aggie. 'nuf sed. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15578 "2014-07-08T02:20:44Z")
sniffed around a little upthread, did not notice this story from a couple months ago – perhaps the subject is not _technically_ a Republican. [Uncle Thomas believes the First Amendment only prohibits _federal_ establishment of an official religion](http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2014/05/constitutional-horror-clarence-thomas-argues-states-can-establish-official-religion/), but states are not restricted from becoming theocratic. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15579 "2014-07-08T04:17:45Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > [Uncle Thomas believes the First Amendment only prohibits _federal_ establishment of an official religion](http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2014/05/constitutional-horror-clarence-thomas-argues-states-can-establish-official-religion/), but states are not restricted from becoming theocratic. Perhaps someone should explain [Incorporation of the Bill of Rights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporation_of_the_Bill_of_Rights%22) to him. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15580 "2014-07-08T14:40:56Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Perhaps someone should explain [Incorporation of the Bill of Rights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporation_of_the_Bill_of_Rights%22) to him. It is true, however, that several states had official churches into the early 19th Century, and that would have survived a 1st Amendment challenge at the time. And there is a certain segment of the RW that still does not accept the legitimacy of the Civil War Amendments, so . . . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=778) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=780)