# 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:** 812
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16221 "2014-08-19T16:29:12Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > Why am I not surprised that this guy is named Pat Johnson? AND he opines that the level of public lewdness at the Columbus Gay Pride Parade surpasses all others. Based on his personal experience, one wonders? As an aside, I was on vaction with the kids in SF when they were early elementary-school age one year, eating in a diner at the window, when the gay pride parade went by. The “buttless leather chaps” on some of the guys made for quite an interesting table conversation! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16222 "2014-08-19T16:59:07Z")
Activists in Ferguson, MO (where the majority is black but the mayor is white and the city council almost all white) respond to the crisis with . . . a voter-registration drive. [Republicans blast them for “Injecting race into this conversation”.](http://www.salon.com/2014/08/19/gops_insane_ferguson_crusade_now_theyre_denouncing_voter_registration_drives/) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16223 "2014-08-19T18:28:03Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > You’re thinking of Laury Hagman, who was in _F-Troop Does Dallas_, She was the blonde getting some cable installed. I remember that movie! I was really disappointed that they never resolved that whole, “Fixing the cable,” subplot. You can’t introduce something like that, and then just leaving it hanging at the end. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16224 "2014-08-19T19:17:13Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [Obama is going to murder 25,000,000 Americans to make room in their houses for illegal aliens](http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barbwire-pundit-obama-will-kill-least-25-million-americans). I’m glad you called our attention to this incisive reporting by Sher Zieve, but it’s even worse than that: > [@](#): > > And the 25,000,000 pegged for “elimination?” The number targeted for termination is probably much higher today. I’m sure the liberals will make snide remarks about Miss Zieve (and RINOs will disavow her remarks), but [the Fair and Balanced version of Wikipedia](http://www.conservapedia.com/Sher_Zieve) says this about her: > [@](#): > > Sher Zieve is a conservative(\*) American journalist, blogger, and author. Zieve is an outspoken opponent of the Democratic Party, liberals, and illegal immigration. Her first book, The Liberal’s Guide to Conservatives, will be available soon. … Sher firmly believes that if leftists ran the country (and left to their own devices), it would be the end of the United States as a sovereign nation. > > (\*)A conservative is someone who rises above his personal self-interest and promotes moral and economic values beneficial to all. A conservative is willing to learn and advocate the insights of economics and the logic of the Bible for the benefit of all. > > … The liberal ideology has worsened over the years and degenerated into economically unsound views and intolerant ideology. Most liberals simply support, in knee-jerk fashion, the opposite of conservative principles, while lacking an actual ideology or values of their own. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16225 "2014-08-19T19:32:49Z")
I’m confused by the term leftist. I can get behind liberal and progressive and right-wing and left-wing are okay. Leftist seems a good deal more extreme than what I see from Democrats, liberals and progressives, who mostly strike me as conservative moderates with a dollop of progressive. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16226 "2014-08-19T20:28:46Z")
(\*)A conservative is someone who rises above his personal self-interest and promotes moral and economic values beneficial to all. A conservative is willing to learn and advocate the insights of economics and the logic of the Bible for the benefit of all. The magnitude of this balderdash is breath-taking when applied to the current crop calling themselves CONSERVATIVE. It’s basically bizarro except for the Bible thumping. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16227 "2014-08-19T21:12:08Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I’m confused by the term leftist. I can get behind liberal and progressive and right-wing and left-wing are okay. Leftist seems a good deal more extreme than what I see from Democrats, liberals and progressives, who mostly strike me as conservative moderates with a dollop of progressive. I think we can clarify this by mangling a bit of Bertrand Russell: those in the one camp are firmly convinced that martial action unambiguously establishes who is right, while those in the other camp observe that it accomplishes little more than determining who is left. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16228 "2014-08-19T21:56:25Z")
Wow…there’s more projection in that definition of “conservative” than an Imax Googleplex. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16229 "2014-08-19T22:54:20Z")
> [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](#): > > And as we sail past the 40th anniversary of Nixon’s resignation, [liberal hack George Will reminds us](http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/george-f-will-nixons-long-shadow/2014/08/06/fad8c00c-1ccb-11e4-ae54-0cfe1f974f8a_story.html) that Nixon worked to undermine Johnson’s 1968 peace negotiations between North and South Vietnam, possibly contributing to another 4 years of war and another 20,000 American dead (and God knows how many Vietnamese dead). Perhaps the GOP should change their slogan to “The GOP–killing Americans for political gain for over 40 years!” Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, though. And Reagan sabotaged the 1980 Iran hostage negotiations. Seems to be a regular GOP thing. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16230 "2014-08-19T23:20:51Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I remember that movie! I was really disappointed that they never resolved that whole, “Fixing the cable,” subplot. You can’t introduce something like that, and then just leaving it hanging at the end. I see what you did there. And a wonderful illustration of Chekov’s “rifle.” ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16231 "2014-08-20T01:45:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I remember that movie! I was really disappointed that they never resolved that whole, “Fixing the cable,” subplot. You can’t introduce something like that, and then just leaving it hanging at the end. > [@Superdude](#): > > I see what you did there. And a wonderful illustration of Chekov’s “rifle.” What was no rifle. That was his gun. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16232 "2014-08-20T02:09:59Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I’m confused by the term leftist. I can get behind liberal and progressive and right-wing and left-wing are okay. Leftist seems a good deal more extreme than what I see from Democrats, liberals and progressives, who mostly strike me as conservative moderates with a dollop of progressive. I see leftist mostly used as a catch all term. Anyone to the left of Genghis Khan. Is there really a difference between a modern progressive and a liberal? To me “progressive” is what liberals started calling themselves a couple years ago after the right made lib a dirty word. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16233 "2014-08-20T02:40:54Z")
“Progressive” has the advantage of being genuinely unambiguous. From time to time, we run across ome of those von-Misene/Randian types who are determined to “take back the ‘liberal’ label” for the “classical liberals” (glibertarians). And in some parts of the world, that is in fact exactly how “liberal” is used. By contrast, I was in HS in '76 and had the opportunity to attend the mock Democratic presidential convention. Seems to me it was held in late March, when the nominee was still in doubt. As I recall, the delegate I was acting as was pledged to Fred Harris, and on the second ballot, we would be cast over to Carter. I strongly objected to voting for Carter because he was just _too damn conservative_. So, maybe that is what we should strive for: true conservatism, in the mold of Carter, Nixon, (Oregon governor Tom) McCall, Eisenhower, Truman – fuck these RWAHs who call themselves “conservative”, they have no idea what the term actually means. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16234 "2014-08-20T04:11:51Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > And Reagan sabotaged the 1980 Iran hostage negotiations. Seems to be a regular GOP thing. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard any credible allegation that Reagan actively did anything to hamper the negotiations or prolong the hostage situation. It was enough of a millstone around Carter’s neck without him having to do anything to make it worse. He seemed content to just sit back and let it follow its natural course. However, I do take great exception to the revisionist Republican narrative that Reagan was responsible for getting the hostages released, and I’ve said so in at least one other thread. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16235 "2014-08-20T04:15:35Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > I see leftist mostly used as a catch all term. Anyone to the left of Genghis Khan. > > Is there really a difference between a modern progressive and a liberal? To me “progressive” is what liberals started calling themselves a couple years ago after the right made lib a dirty word. I think “dirty damn pot-smoking liberal” has been around since the 60’s peace movement. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16236 "2014-08-20T04:22:54Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > …the logic of the Bible… Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16237 "2014-08-20T04:29:28Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > . . . So, maybe that is what we should strive for: true conservatism, in the mold of Carter, Nixon, (Oregon governor Tom) McCall, Eisenhower, Truman – fuck these RWAHs who call themselves “conservative”, they have no idea what the term actually means. God, yes, please! I would still vote against them, but it would be wonderful to have a “loyal opposition” who believe in what’s good for the country, who understand compromise, and who would be willing to work within the system to produce legislation that could conceivably be enacted. These fucking anarchists we have now are just too damned evil to be tolerated. The American Taliban. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16238 "2014-08-20T04:51:13Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > I see leftist mostly used as a catch all term. Anyone to the left of Genghis Khan. I’d go with left_ish_. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16239 "2014-08-20T13:31:22Z")
> [@Mr.Greenjeans](#): > > Huh? "All men are mortal. “Jesus is a man, but . . .” ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/16240 "2014-08-20T14:27:35Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > AND he opines that the level of public lewdness at the Columbus Gay Pride Parade surpasses all others. Based on his personal experience, one wonders? > > As an aside, I was on vaction with the kids in SF when they were early elementary-school age one year, eating in a diner at the window, when the gay pride parade went by. The “buttless leather chaps” on some of the guys made for quite an interesting table conversation! _Fashion note:_ Chaps are _always_ buttless. In the Old West, they were worn over trousers, to protect them from the high chaparral. In the New West, the trouserless look has a certain popularity… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=811) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=813)