# 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:** 935
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18682 "2015-01-24T14:33:38Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s a moral judgment, plus it’s a stupid idea, since free markets have done more to improve the human condition than the social programs that feed off the fruits of the free market. > > One billion people lifted out of poverty worldwide. Didn’t happen because of social programs. Happened because of markets. If liberals weren’t such moralizing pricks, they’d want more of this, not less. Literally none of that is true! This is the key, the linchpin, the Mother Stupid Idea, the Stupid (Classical Liberal) Idea of the Last Quarter-Millennium! Wealth derives from natural resources and technological development of those resources. Capitalism, democracy, social democracy, liberalism, for the most part, have somewhere between “not bloody much” and “diddly” to do with it. The great powers have gained wealth largely through military coercion and territory grabs, full stop. They could call themselves whatever they wanted, but controlling the land and developing the technology has been key. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18683 "2015-01-24T14:53:47Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > You’re projecting again. How often have liberals continued to support programs that don’t work, or create a very small value for a huge amount of money? Um, never? I’m going to pretend for a moment that you’re talking about something in real human history, although I can tell that’s giving you a hundred times more credit than you deserve. The recessions of the post-Great Society era have had nothing to do with the welfare state. They mostly have been a function of natural resource costs. The Long Boom of the postwar period relied on cheap fossil fuels. At some point the old-fashioned wells pumping domestic petroleum couldn’t support any more increased consumption, and the economy had to correct. Booms don’t last forever; at some point growth has to stop, in a world of limited resources. The 1970’s had some pretty bad price shocks, as the USA became a net oil importer (entirely because we were using so \*incredibly much \*petroleum that our demand went beyond the ability of our own \*unusually vast \*reserves to supply) and we had a drought year or two early in the decade. None of this is really LBJ’s fault. Droughts were a problem for central North America already. With increased atmospheric CO[sub]2[/sub] and the greenhouse effect, they’ve become more common. And this is again due to massive fossil fuel consumption. Absent a massive switch to renewable energy, starting ten years ago, our economy has to–rather, had to–collapse. It’s already going down. It will probably go down further. And the only hope on earth pro-growth capitalists have is new, more sustainable energy technology. And the jerks in power, who are gerrymandered in, probably until the mid-2020’s, keep getting in the way of that for some reason. The GOP has made the bed for all mankind, and shat in it. Now they’re rolling around in the dungpile, and cursing anyone who says it needs cleaned up. If we don’t _both_ kick them out and clean up their mess, we are really screwed. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18684 "2015-01-24T14:53:50Z")
> [@Mann\_Slaughter](#): > > [Kentucky Republican says 1891 law lets him drive drunk while he’s in office](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/kentucky-republican-says-1891-law-lets-him-drive-drunk-while-hes-in-office/) > > Technically, he’s arguing that a nearly 125-year old law (which was written before automobiles became all the rage) allows him to drive drunk and speed if he’s going to or returning from a House session. > > Let’s hope the judge isn’t buying what this guy’s selling. That a senator doesn’t understand, or who purposely ignores, the concept of supersedence, is pretty frightening. Even more so that his lawyer does the same. Then there’s the fundamental flaw of believing you have such privilege that you can engage in dangerous activity without accountability. Even if he somehow won this case, there is no way he sees another term. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18685 "2015-01-24T14:56:38Z")
Adaher, feel free to take this to GD, instead of trying to run your Gish Gallop through this thread, where it doesn’t really belong. But when you come back, bring data, not empty and vague myths. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18686 "2015-01-24T15:06:04Z")
Empty and vague myths are all **adaher** ’s got. Well, that and less than a full deck. He’s definitely missing the 4s, 5s, and 9s. Plus a few face cards. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18687 "2015-01-24T16:18:23Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Empty and vague myths are all **adaher** ’s got. Well, that and less than a full deck. He’s definitely missing the 4s, 5s, and 9s. Plus a few face cards. Something I’ve wondered more than once: has anyone ever seen **adaher** and [ELIZA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELIZA) together? Both seem to be entities that select from a short list of canned responses when presented with a stimulus. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18688 "2015-01-24T16:45:57Z")
And then Clippy pops up and says “I see you are trying to understand the thought processes of a constipated conservative moron-bot. Would you like some help with that?” ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18689 "2015-01-24T17:50:15Z")
Otter pops? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18690 "2015-01-24T17:58:48Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Otter pops? 😕 [Otter Pops.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otter_Pops) ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18691 "2015-01-24T18:16:31Z")
Made from real otters! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18692 "2015-01-24T20:31:43Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Education is a liberal, un-American ploy. No, it’s un-Atlantean! “Numbers: Nothingarian Squid-Trap in Our Schools?!” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18693 "2015-01-25T01:36:52Z")
[Boehner invites Netanyahu to address Congress.](http://www.vox.com/2015/1/24/7884311/netanyahu-boehner-fox-news) Doesn’t inform the White House or State Department of the visit. Fox News takes Obama’s side! (Video at link) > [@](#): > > Fox News is not exactly known as an ally of the Obama administration, especially when it comes to disputes between Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, or disputes between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. > > Yet two prominent Fox News hosts, Chris Wallace and Shepherd Smith, harshly criticized Boehner and Netanyahu on Friday for secretly arranging a Netanyahu speech to Congress that is transparently aimed at undermining President Obama, and set up without the White House’s knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18694 "2015-01-25T01:41:00Z")
I think Shepherd Smith has pictures of Roger Ailes blowing a rhino or something. He’s the only anchor over there who occasionally seems sane. ---
**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:** [January 25, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18695 "2015-01-25T02:15:41Z")
why are people bothering to even address adaher? Just ignore him. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18696 "2015-01-25T02:17:21Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I think Shepherd Smith has pictures of Roger Ailes blowing a rhino or something. He’s the only anchor over there who occasionally seems sane. If you had said RINO that would be completely plausible. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18697 "2015-01-25T02:23:08Z")
NPR interviewed Huckabee this afternoon. They totally soft balled him on the whole Beyonce thing. No mention of Huck jammin’ with Nuge and Ted’s ephebophile lyrics at all. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18698 "2015-01-25T04:19:57Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > [Senator Wants DUI Charges Dismissed Citing that Lawmakers are “Privileged from Arrest”](http://thefreethoughtproject.com/senator-dui-charges-dismissed-citing-lawmakers-privileged-arrest/) This is the same State Senator who [appeared in this thread back in July](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17518476&postcount=15542) when he said that Earth and Mars are the same temperature. He’s an acquaintance, and a decent enough guy in person, but he refuses to stop digging once he’s in a hole. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18699 "2015-01-25T13:44:16Z")
Sandy Rios, a Fox News contributor and member of The American Family Association, claimed on her radio show that Obama used subliminal Islamic messages in his State Of The Union address: > [@](#): > > Obama was spreading Muslim messages in his speech when he used the word “pillar” to describe the foundations of American leadership in the world: “The other thing he said that I caught, he has done this before, you know there are five pillars of Islam, and he used the term ‘pillars’ again in his speech last night.” > > “It is just really interesting, language can actually give us some insight, choices of words,” she said. > > [Right Wing Watch](http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-obama-used-islamic-subliminal-messages-state-union) ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18700 "2015-01-25T14:24:33Z")
> [@](#): > > “It is just really interesting, language can actually give us some insight, choices of words,” She’s absolutely correct. Her choice of words gives us the insight that she’s batshit crazy. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/18701 "2015-01-25T14:33:02Z")
I’m completely convinced that half these people don’t believe for one second the BS they’re selling. It’s pandering for votes and dollars to morons who buy into this shit. I’m seriously considering starting a website to feed these assholes their daily hate and I’ll never have to work again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=934) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=936)