# 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:** 790
**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 20, 2014, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15781 "2014-07-20T06:35:58Z")
Okay, this is not Repulican _per se_, but it has the Republican reek about it, and it is pretty goddam asinine – and I was loath to start a new thread, so I am dropping it here > [@"\[Pro-Lifer](#): > > ([http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/19/pro-lifer-sues-health-clinic-for-not-hiring-her-after-she-wouldnt-do-job-she-applied-for/](http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/19/pro-lifer-sues-health-clinic-for-not-hiring-her-after-she-wouldnt-do-job-she-applied-for/))"]Sara Hellwege was turned down for a nursing job at (a) clinic after she admitted to her prospective employer that she was morally opposed to doing any part of the job which required her to administer or assign birth control to women who came in. This posed a pretty serious problem with regards to her capacity to do the job given the fact that this was a clinic which primarily served as a resource for men and women looking for contraceptives and birth control. > > … Chad Lindsey, the human resources director of Tampa Family Health Centers … notices that on her resume, Hellwege listed her membership in the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He asked if her pro-life beliefs would affect her ability to work at the clinic … > > Hellwege’s response: > _Thanks for such a timely response. Yes, I am a member of AAPLOG. Due to religious guidelines, I am able to counsel women regarding all forms of contraception, however, cannot [prescribe] it unless pathology exists – however have no issue with barrier methods & sterilization._ > > Lindsey politely … explains that given the clinic’s focus, there didn’t seem to be a way to feasibly hire her considering her moral objections. > > Rather than move on to other applications, Hellwege decided to wage war against the unfair treatment she thinks she received from the clinic. According to her reasoning, anything less than hiring her and working around her moral objections to the job was tantamount to religious persecution. Hellwege lawyered up and filed a lawsuit against the clinic for religious discrimination. though admittedly maybe not literally “stupid”, as such – instead of bombing clinics with bombs, they appear to be trying the litigate-them-to-death approach. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15782 "2014-07-21T02:21:32Z")
> [@CannyDan](#): > > > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > > No, never heard of that before, actually. The only invasive species in Florida that I’m familiar with are kudzu, hydrilla, Brazilian pepper trees, coyotes, armadillos, fire ants, and some apes living in the Everglades. > > Surprise is mine! Well, don’t go outside after dark and look under the hedges or near any water puddles. The toads might drag you off. > > (Actually, Flori-duhh has more than a dozen established non-native mammal species, at least 57 bird species, more than 38 reptile species, and a handful of amphibians in addition to the cane toad. That’s not to mention fish, molluscs, insects, or plants.) > _Pythons_ in the Everglades, iguanas everywhere south of the frost line. Don’t forget Nile monitors in several places! [They’ve got house-eating snails, too](http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-02-03/news/fl-giant-african-snail-20140203_1_giant-african-land-snail-south-florida-ifa-orisha), although it looks as if they may be well on the way to eradicating those. They warn people not to touch the snails with their hands, but frankly, if **I** see an 8-inch by 4-inch gastropod, the \*last \*thing I’m thinking about is \*touching \*it. Where’s that puking smiley when you need it? ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15783 "2014-07-21T02:48:21Z")
This isn’t the first time. I started working for Florida’s Dept of Agri shortly after the conclusion of the Giant African Snail Program in the 1970’s. It was what the bureaucracy called a “special program” meaning it was created for a single purpose (elimination of these snails) and was dismantled afterward. Us “regulars” inherited all sorts of equipment bearing the brightly colored logo **GASP**. We had no end of embarrassment and annoyance explaining this unfortunate acronym to members of the public who saw it on everything from clipboards to vehicles. And yes, those damned snails would eat the stucco off a building! I saw the places it happened. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15784 "2014-07-21T13:50:11Z")
Diane Black (R-Tenn): [Abortion leads to breast cancer, and is not actually health care.](http://www.salon.com/2014/07/20/the_senate_flunks_basic_biology_inside_a_disgraceful_hearing_partner/) ---
**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 21, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15785 "2014-07-21T19:40:20Z")
[Texas Gov. Rick Perry is sending troops to the border](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/lawmaker-texas-send-1000-guardsmen-border). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15786 "2014-07-21T20:17:32Z")
To do _what_?!?! Fuckin’ Aggies! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15787 "2014-07-21T20:32:49Z")
To look like he’s still tough, even with those weenie glasses and normal shoes. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15788 "2014-07-21T20:52:23Z")
One of those Central American immigrant kids goes on Jose Diaz-Balart’s MSNBC show; [Ann Coulter awards her an Oscar](http://www.mediaite.com/tv/coulter-bashes-new-msnbc-host-for-interview-with-weeping-illegal-immigrant/). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15789 "2014-07-21T20:55:39Z")
Has this already been covered? In the eating-their-own department: Glenn Beck’s announced plans to send food, water and toys to those detained immigrant kids [draws him RW hate-emails and death threats](http://www.mediaite.com/tv/glenn-beck-getting-violent-emails-because-of-his-plans-to-aid-migrant-kids/). ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15790 "2014-07-21T21:23:23Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > One of those Central American immigrant kids goes on Jose Diaz-Balart’s MSNBC show; [Ann Coulter awards her an Oscar](http://www.mediaite.com/tv/coulter-bashes-new-msnbc-host-for-interview-with-weeping-illegal-immigrant/). > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Has this already been covered? In the eating-their-own department: Glenn Beck’s announced plans to send food, water and toys to those detained immigrant kids [draws him RW hate-emails and death threats](http://www.mediaite.com/tv/glenn-beck-getting-violent-emails-because-of-his-plans-to-aid-migrant-kids/). There are people in the world who actively draw attention to themselves. Some are better than others; some are genius-level. These elite few who have perfected the craft of attention whoring appear in many circles, from pop music to fake political discourse. In my view, people who say outrageous things just so people will point their finger at them in outrage dilute the SRIotD thread. Of _course_ they have a stupid idea, that’s what they’re paid to do. DNFTT. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15791 "2014-07-21T21:28:36Z")
> **[Kentucky tea partiers angry at McConnell for supporting Cochran](https://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/21/1315562/-Kentucky-tea-partiers-angry-at-McConnell-for-supporting-Cochran?detail=hide)** > > Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell won his primary campaign against tea partier Matt Bevin in May, but even though there wasn't any drama on election day about who would win, Bevin still did ... By way of our good friends at _Daily Kos_. (Liberal cootie warning. Big time) Gist of it is, McConnel stepped into that Mississippi mud with the Tea Party candidate getting just barely beat by the standard Republican candidate in the primary. > [@](#): > > …After serving on the Daviess County Republican Party’s leadership team for almost three years, Owensboro native Barbara Knott had enough. > > She resigned on July 10 and the reason was simple; Knott cannot support Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell this fall. > > “I have resigned from the executive committee of the Republican Party because I will not support Mitch McConnell,” Knott, chair of the Owensboro Tea Party, said in a telephone interview. “I have a big 4x8 sign in my front yard that says ‘Retire Mitch.’ It’s going to stay there through the election. I will not vote for that man.”… Furthermore: > [@](#): > > …“Probably more than half of the executive committee feels like Barbara Knott does. It’s about 50-50, so my job as chair is to try to bring both together. I’m not sure if Daviess County will go for McConnell or not.”… > [@](#): > > …“We’re going to see a lot of our folks either not vote for senator, they’ll vote for the down ticket races. They may go for the libertarian, but I don’t see them voting for McConnell or for Grimes.”… Hey, we lefties have a long experience of picking fights with your allies because they aren’t pure enough. Works _great_! Go for it! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15792 "2014-07-21T21:41:57Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > There are people in the world who actively draw attention to themselves. Some are better than others; some are genius-level. These elite few who have perfected the craft of attention whoring appear in many circles, from pop music to fake political discourse. In my view, people who say outrageous things just so people will point their finger at them in outrage dilute the SRIotD thread. Of _course_ they have a stupid idea, that’s what they’re paid to do. DNFTT. 😕 I don’t think you’re referring to Beck here, and the hate mail he got appears to have been mostly anonymous, as such usually is. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15793 "2014-07-21T22:25:38Z")
Ron Paul: “[Russia hasn’t hurt anybody in Ukraine and they have no reason to have shot down the Malaysian airliner](http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ron-paul-defends-russia-malaysian-151731466.html)”. I’d love to hear Rand’s response. I guess you can’t really tar Ken Ham as a Republican, but he’s a wingnut, so it probably fits here: “[Stop exploring space, even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/21/creationist-ken-ham-calls-to-end-space-program-because-aliens-are-going-to-hell-anyway/).” ---
**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 21, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15794 "2014-07-21T22:53:26Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I guess you can’t really tar Ken Ham as a Republican, but he’s a wingnut, so it probably fits here: “[Stop exploring space, even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/21/creationist-ken-ham-calls-to-end-space-program-because-aliens-are-going-to-hell-anyway/).” “_Adam’s sin affected the whole universe_” Does he mean Adam Baldwin (Jayne, on _Firefly/Serenity_)? ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15795 "2014-07-22T02:34:36Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Ron Paul: “[Russia hasn’t hurt anybody in Ukraine and they have no reason to have shot down the Malaysian airliner](http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ron-paul-defends-russia-malaysian-151731466.html)”. > > I’d love to hear Rand’s response. I think the only thing Ron Paul said in that writeup that made sense was that you have to be careful about propaganda. I’m sure both Russia and Ukraine are propagandizing up the wazoo about the plane shootdown ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15796 "2014-07-22T02:36:35Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I guess you can’t really tar Ken Ham as a Republican, but he’s a wingnut, so it probably fits here: “[Stop exploring space, even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/21/creationist-ken-ham-calls-to-end-space-program-because-aliens-are-going-to-hell-anyway/).” I knew Ham was the ultimate creationist, but that crazier than I would have expected of him ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15797 "2014-07-22T05:55:05Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I guess you can’t really tar Ken Ham as a Republican, but he’s a wingnut, so it probably fits here: “[Stop exploring space, even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/21/creationist-ken-ham-calls-to-end-space-program-because-aliens-are-going-to-hell-anyway/).” This topic has its own thread where **Freddy the Pig** points out that Ham’s point was rather the opposite: God wouldn’t create naturally damned creatures; therefore intelligent aliens cannot exist. The paraphrase (“aliens are going to hell”) is similar to taking the start of a _reductio ad absurdem_ proof (“assume pi is algebraic”) to produce a slander (“Lindemann claims pi is algebraic”). Yet if I Google to find Ham’s actual views, I see “even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway” “even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway” “even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway” “even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway” “even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway” “even if we find aliens they’re going to hell anyway” … I am not a creationist and indeed think Ham’s intelligent point can be turned against his cause. But why invent strawmen and caricatures? ---
**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:** [July 22, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15798 "2014-07-22T06:22:45Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > [Kentucky tea partiers angry at McConnell for supporting Cochran](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/21/1315562/-Kentucky-tea-partiers-angry-at-McConnell-for-supporting-Cochran?detail=hide) > > By way of our good friends at _Daily Kos_. (Liberal cootie warning. Big time) > Gist of it is, McConnel stepped into that Mississippi mud with the Tea Party candidate getting just barely beat by the standard Republican candidate in the primary. > > > [@](#): > > > > …After serving on the Daviess County Republican Party’s leadership team for almost three years, Owensboro native Barbara Knott had enough. > > > > She resigned on July 10 and the reason was simple; Knott cannot support Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell this fall. > > > > “I have resigned from the executive committee of the Republican Party because I will not support Mitch McConnell,” Knott, chair of the Owensboro Tea Party, said in a telephone interview. “I have a big 4x8 sign in my front yard that says ‘Retire Mitch.’ It’s going to stay there through the election. I will not vote for that man.”… > > Furthermore: > > > [@](#): > > > > …“Probably more than half of the executive committee feels like Barbara Knott does. It’s about 50-50, so my job as chair is to try to bring both together. I’m not sure if Daviess County will go for McConnell or not.”… > > > [@](#): > > > > …“We’re going to see a lot of our folks either not vote for senator, they’ll vote for the down ticket races. They may go for the libertarian, but I don’t see them voting for McConnell or for Grimes.”… > > Hey, we lefties have a long experience of picking fights with your allies because they aren’t pure enough. Works _great_! Go for it! Ya think maybe that was a slow-acting poison pill that came along with the Southern Strategy? We might have to erect a statue to Nixon, after all. Equipped with a dedicated flock of specially-trained pigeons, of course, just so nobody misses the larger implications of his legacy… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15799 "2014-07-22T14:21:19Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > God wouldn’t create naturally damned creatures; therefore intelligent aliens cannot exist. Of course they can, they just wouldn’t have souls. You know, like the Japanese. ---
**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:** [July 23, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15800 "2014-07-23T22:12:43Z")
[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/cruz-suggests-flight-ban-boycott-israel-24684849](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/cruz-suggests-flight-ban-boycott-israel-24684849) Ted Cruz (wing-nut-Tx) switches Republican tactics and uses “facts” to blame Obama for the FAA shutdown of flights to Israel. Of course, had an aircraft/passengers been hit/killed/injured - “facts” would have blamed President Obama for failure to order a Federal agency at his beck and call to cancel flights. Just sayin’.:rolleyes: “The facts suggest that President Obama has just used a federal regulatory agency to launch an economic boycott on Israel, in order to try to force our ally to comply with his foreign-policy demands,” Cruz said in a statement in which he posed five questions about the agency’s actions, including whether it was politically motivated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=789) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=791)