# 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:** 970
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19382 "2015-02-20T00:37:22Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > [**J** ohn **E** llis **B** ush](http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/jeb-bush-flubs-his-speech/2015/02/18/ff9ba502-b7ba-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html) > > Not much more need be said. That is one desperately fuck-ed-up family that does not realize that they cannot understand words. I’m actually disappointed. I thought this was supposed to be the **smart** brother. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19383 "2015-02-20T00:49:27Z")
> [@](#): > > A top priority, he explained, is “reforming a broken immigration system and turning it into an economic — a catalytic converter for sustained economic growth.” An immigration system that reduces emissions? Well, I guess we could reduce CO2 by Republican not talking about it any longer. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19384 "2015-02-20T02:16:25Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’m actually disappointed. I thought this was supposed to be the **smart** brother. No, that would be Neil. If by smart you mean sleaziest. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19385 "2015-02-20T03:39:45Z")
SD state rep Isaac Latterell: “[Planned Parenthood is worse than ISIS](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/19/1365555/-South-Dakota-Republican-Planned-Parenthood-is-worse-than-ISIS?detail=facebook).” ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19386 "2015-02-20T04:02:40Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Given the historical record of sports-welfare-queens, accepting this figure without multiplying by a factor of at least two is on a par with Charlie Brown thinking he’ll actually get to kick the football this time. > > A meaningless distinction, given that money is fungible. In this case the state will borrow $200 million for the arena, not shift tax revenues out of the university. As I said, the $300 million probably will be used to fund highway construction (One of Walker’s favorite types of expenditures) or reduce the tax load on the wealthy, if it isn’t already zero. One irony (if one can believe the funds are totally fungible.) The UW president has asked the UW athletic department to up its contribution to the University operating budget by some $3.5 million. (I believe that would put the total somewhere around $8 million per year, up from zero in 2002.) So, in this case, amateur athletics will be subsidizing a pro franchise. [Poe’s law question](http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/republican-voters-responding-walkers-opposition-knowledge). Satire or real reportage: > [@](#): > > Moments like that, the aide said, show why Walker will win the White House in 2016. “The American people are sick and tired of a President who knows things,” he said. “They’re ready for Scott.” ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19387 "2015-02-20T04:11:16Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [Oklahoma Lawmakers Vote Overwhelmingly To Ban Advanced Placement U.S. History](http://thinkprogress.org/education/2015/02/17/3623683/oklahoma-lawmakers-vote-overwhleming-ban-advanced-placement-history-class/) > > Fifteen years ago my kids were busy taking AP courses. One managed nine and got into Chicago and was able to graduate from there in three years, saving me a cartload of money. > > I suspect more savvy parents in Oklahoma (if they haven’t all fled due to the spike in earthquakes in the state) will be contacting their legislators and telling them why banning AP courses is a bad idea. > > (Probably a good idea for the GOP since education is bad for them.) As I predicted, [parents are up in arms](http://www.forwardprogressives.com/backlash-parents-students-oklahoma-ap-history/)over this one. > [@](#): > > According to News9 in Oklahoma, in a poll conducted of 6,627 parents and students at a meeting in Norman: > 96 percent indicated that the Legislature should not make any AP courses illegal > 99 percent indicated they understood that AP courses were a choice/elective that often results in college credit but which are not required of any student > 95 percent indicated they would be “angry/disappointed” if the Legislature proceeds in making any AP courses illegal AP courses are a great way to save college tuition money. Taking them away would hurt a lot of parents right in the pocketbook. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19388 "2015-02-20T05:07:37Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [Poe’s law question](http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/republican-voters-responding-walkers-opposition-knowledge). Satire or real reportage: Andy Borowitz? The guy who has a column in every edition of _Comic News_? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19389 "2015-02-20T06:25:32Z")
Well might one suspect satirical chicanery and flirting with Poe’s Law when one reads something like that. Walker deleting the phrase “the search for truth” from the values outlined in the university’s mission statement. However, if you google the phrase you will get back a bunch of references reporting that. So, he probably isn’t making that up. If I were to guess, I would guess it springs from the Republican’s Calvinistic streak that finds no value in education that has no direct application to acquisition. The truth is a settled issue, what is there to search for? And history? Seeing how often college level American history courses…_disturb_ young minds, send them spinning off into unhygienic modes of thought and inappropriate political notions. And really, what use does a young MBA candidate have for the dreary wasteland of History? “Mistakes were made”, the rest is details… ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19390 "2015-02-20T06:46:52Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > In this case the state will borrow $200 million for the arena, not shift tax revenues out of the university. It was my understanding that what Walker meant by “borrow” was to front the money and pay it back with taxes from the players going forward that would otherwise go into the general fund. So it would be paid for from taxpayer money just in a roundabout way that he hopes the regular voter won’t notice. ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19391 "2015-02-20T11:16:30Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > [Giuliani blows the dog whistle](http://wonkette.com/576816/rudy-giuliani-hey-did-you-ever-notice-obamas-not-one-of-us-if-you-know-what-i-mean) a little too loudly:“If you know what I mean, and I think you do.” The dog whistle for racists or for capitalists? Because it sounded from his words that he’s playing up the Obama-is-a-godless-socialist angle. Giuliani sounds like an asshole. _“He’s a patriot, I’m sure,” Giuliani said. “What I’m saying is, in his rhetoric, I very rarely hear him say the things that I used to hear Ronald Reagan say, the things that I used to hear Bill Clinton say about how much he loves America.”_ Ronald Reagan was either doing business with our enemy, Iran, or pardoned a subordinate who was doing business with our enemy. But yeah, at least Reagan made some good speeches. They’re focused on superficiality. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Ted Yoho: U.S. will lose to ISIS if we keep “taking God out of this country”.](http://www.salon.com/2015/02/19/gop_congressman_u_s_will_lose_to_isis_unless_if_we_keep_taking_god_out_of_this_country/) That’s crazy talk. I know he’s talking to a very small number of people but still, to make it a my God vs your God is playing into the terrorists hands. They want to paint this as a war between the Christian crusaders and the devout followers of Allah. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19392 "2015-02-20T13:50:50Z")
Well, making it a god on god fight… can you imagine the pay-per-view profits ?! ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19393 "2015-02-20T15:14:30Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > [Great idea, Walker](http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-02-18/wisconsin-to-skip-debt-payments-to-make-up-for-walker-s-tax-cuts?cmpid=yhoo) (\*for the ghost who walks): I thought Republicans were all about fiscal responsibility and paying your debts no matter wha … oh, right. That’s just for poor people and the middle class. Being a deadbeat is no big deal when you’re rich, in fact, it’s how you make money! Ask Donald Trump, he’ll tell you. And now … ask Deadbeat Scott Walker. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19394 "2015-02-20T15:20:19Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Well, making it a god on god fight… can you imagine the pay-per-view profits ?! [It’s been done.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBynXo3UQN0)😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19395 "2015-02-20T15:40:54Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > The dog whistle for racists or for capitalists? Because it sounded from his words that he’s playing up the Obama-is-a-godless-socialist angle. [Based on his history, it’s a dog whistle for racists.](http://www.salon.com/2015/02/20/rudy_giuliani_same_as_he_ever_was_why_his_deranged_obama_comments_are_perfectly_in_character/) Not that there’s any need to choose. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19396 "2015-02-20T15:45:00Z")
Hm. [It now appears Bill O’Reilly](http://www.salon.com/2015/02/19/bill_oreillys_war_lies_exposed_how_the_cable_news_bloviator_exaggerated_his_war_zone_experience/) [has a similar problem to Brian Williams](http://www.salon.com/2015/02/20/bill_o%e2%80%99reillys_humiliating_bust_does_fox_news_have_guts_to_suspend_its_own_serial_exaggerator/). Only he won’t get fired or suspended for it, because, you know, Fox. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19397 "2015-02-20T15:50:10Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder is asking the Legislature for a per diem allowance, saying he has experienced “gradual impoverishment” during his time in office. > > [Cite](http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/missouri-s-no-pol-says-he-s-had-gradual-impoverishment/article_b069d8ba-a250-54da-8ac0-ee6ecbb61c57.html). My bold. > > The median household income in Missouri was a little less than $59K in 2013, the last year available on [census.gov](http://census.gov). So, the Lt. Governor is doing a bit better than most MO families. > > To be fair, I have not yet found the full quote that the “gradual impoverishment” claim came from. So, maybe it sounds better in context. I doubt it, but maybe. What, he doesn’t know how to convert PAC money to personal funds? J[ohn Stewart and Stephen Colbert explained it very clearly on The Daily Show.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cet3NcNNSc4) ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19398 "2015-02-20T18:40:45Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [It’s been done.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBynXo3UQN0)😉 Should not pass without a ripple of applause. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19399 "2015-02-20T18:51:14Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’m actually disappointed. I thought this was supposed to be the **smart** brother. They grade on a curve in that family ---
**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:** [February 20, 2015, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19400 "2015-02-20T20:04:22Z")
Ron Paul: [Good news! The country is going to fall apart!](http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/02/19/supreme-tiny-government-moron-ron-paul-says-secession-is-imminent-and-good-news/) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19401 "2015-02-20T21:54:24Z")
[Tea Party News Network website staff quits _en masse._](http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/02/19/tea-party-website-staff-quits-en-masse.html) From the resignation letter: > [@](#): > > “The audience is regarded as unsophisticated simpletons,” read the resignation letter to the site’s owner, Todd Cefaratti. “The activism that built all of the infrastructure is considered ‘a pain in the ass,’ not as an opportunity to save the country. As a group we can no longer tolerate being associated with these despicable practices.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=969) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=971)