# 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:** 982
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19622 "2015-02-27T23:34:48Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > This is a SRIOTD, but I don’t know if it angers me so much as depresses me. Long rant incoming, sorry > > It seems that a group of Texas lawmakers got together the other day to celebrate, yes _celebrate_ the 10 year anniversary of a law that passed. As unusual it might be to go back and celebrate old legislative victories, the cause of it was even weirder. They got together to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Texas passing a gay marriage ban. [With cake](http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/news/a37087/texas-lawmakers-celebrate-ten-years-gay-marriage-ban-cake/). > > You know, in this thread, I’ve been long desensitized to some cruel, evil things. But luckily, my reaction typically is one of anger or shaking-my-head disgust. And fortunately or unfortunately, those committing the SRIOTD are usually doing it from fear, anger, ignorance, or religion. The point is, we know where they come from and its eminently mockable. > > But for some reason, the casual cruelty of celebrating (_with cake!_) the denial of rights to a group of people struck me as nothing more than souless, monstrous, cartoonishly evil. The fact that they would equate stripping away the dignity and rights of people to a birthday or holiday seems to me that this form of hatred is so ingrained into their pea-brains that they are absolutely immune to seeing just how evil it is. I mean, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had acted like those people who protest every Roe v. Wade day in front of the SCOTUS, with righteous anger. These lawmakers could have stood on their state capital steps to reaffirm marriage and denounce the evils of gays. Or if it would have been a solemn, dignified affair, where they put out a statement praising Texas for holding back that line against encroaching gay marriage (but seriously, fuck you guys, it’s coming and there’s nothing you can do about it) and extolling the good of Texas morality, I would have understood that too > > But cake? > > Look how happy they are, they are literally cutting up a cake while saying “Fuck You!” to a group of American citizens denied their rights. No remorse, no “this was the only way”, just happy smiling faces. Am I out of line for thinking this way, that such ordinary, pervasive, and deeply-ingrained madness is just so out of place? To be honest, I don’t even know if any of those guys in the picture were actually around 10 years ago. If they weren’t, its even more sad, they are celebrating something that’s not even a personal accomplishment but they are making it personal. > > People like these lawmakers allow and encourage hate to spread. In another time, they’d be the ones taking their kids to watch lynchings, or tossing kindle on pyres to burn witches, or raping slaves. They have absolutely no concept that there is a thinking, feeling, human being on the other side actively being hurt by their decision. I mock a lot of conservatives, but I’m not happy about it, I’d rather they weren’t so stupid to mock, I’d rather get along with them. And when I’m happy about a legislative or court victory like gay marriage or healthcare, the happiness is usually for the people it will help. Are any of these people simply happy for all the souls they think they’ve saved? Are they going to go to a church right after this to hug all the “good Christians” who benefited from this law? Are they going to find a gay person and congratulate them for being able to make it to heaven? Or are they going to go home, take off their shoes, change into a comfortable shirt, watch some TV, play with their kids, and beat a gay person they have tied up in the basement? They have absolutely no empathy at all, I would not be surprised if any of these so-called people drowned puppies in their spare time or set fire to mosques. Fuck them all Not that this will make you feel better, but Texans quest for independence was a sign of things to come. They fought for independence to preserve slavery. The Mexican government OTOH, had outlawed it. We note the [results.](https://medium.com/war-is-boring/the-god-awful-military-record-of-the-texas-republic-b23bac554bc3) (Peter Grayson’s withdrawal from the campaign is definitely shows you the rough and tumble world of Texas politics). It’s always worth celebrating defeating you enemies–especially when they can’t fight back. But the reality is gay marriage is coming to Texas. They, the Texas GOP know this, and when it happens they’ll weep and gnash their teeth for a day, and then find some other innocent group to hate and exploit. So consider it a faux celebration for a law that will soon be no more. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19623 "2015-02-27T23:36:53Z")
Sen. Inhofe (R-Loonybin) says [a snowball](http://bobthegreenguy.com/senator-inhofe-says-since-cold-climate-change-hoax/) is proof there is no climate change (originally posted by **Yogosoth** ). Scroll down a bit to see the epic smackdown by Sen. Whitehouse (D-Saneville). ---
**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 27, 2015, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19624 "2015-02-27T23:52:40Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > In what ways will a DHS shutdown be bad for (most of) us? Except for the fact that all of the employees will stay on the job without pay, the Coast Guard would technically get shut down, the air traffic safety people would not do their jobs, the Secret Service would not do its job. FEMA would shut down, Customs, Immigration and Naturalization, Border Patrol would all shut down. ---
**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 28, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19625 "2015-02-28T00:35:25Z")
But putting all that stuff under a single huge agency was a _good_ idea, not a stupid one. ---
**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 28, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19626 "2015-02-28T01:03:41Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Yes, suicide is still a political career-killer in places like Missouri, among other Red states. But not death by other means, like when Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan won election to the Senate in 2000, 38 days after dying in a plane crash. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19627 "2015-02-28T01:05:23Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > But putting all that stuff under a single huge agency was a _good_ idea, not a stupid one. [GD-material point.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750442) ---
**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 28, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19628 "2015-02-28T02:48:29Z")
[Top GOP operative calls Scott Walker ‘kind of a dumba\*\*’](http://www.businessinsider.com/top-gop-operative-calls-scott-walker-kind-of-a-dumba--2015-2) > [@](#): > > On Thursday, Salter went on Facebook and posted an article criticizing a comment Walker made about the Islamic State jihadist group (also known as ISIS or ISIL) at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Salter added a colorful comment. > > “I want to like him but Scott Walker is kind of a dumb a\*\*,” Salter wrote. Salter was a key adviser to John McCain during the 2008 campaign. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2015, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19629 "2015-02-28T07:10:17Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [Top GOP operative calls Scott Walker ‘kind of a dumba\*\*’](http://www.businessinsider.com/top-gop-operative-calls-scott-walker-kind-of-a-dumba--2015-2) > > > [@](#): > > > > On Thursday, Salter went on Facebook and posted an article criticizing a comment Walker made about the Islamic State jihadist group (also known as ISIS or ISIL) at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Salter added a colorful comment. > > > > “I want to like him but Scott Walker is kind of a dumb a\*\*,” Salter wrote. > > Salter was a key adviser to John McCain during the 2008 campaign. It says something about you when a “key adviser” to one of the more inept campaigns since Dukakis — or perhaps McGovern — makes such a comment. Something reeeeeeeally unsettling (provided you have the political brains Og gave mayonnaise). ---
**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:** [February 28, 2015, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19630 "2015-02-28T09:45:20Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > [Rick Perry; Syria uses chemical weapons on its citizens because Obama won’t secure the border with Mexico.](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/02/27/3627942/rick-perry-weak-border-security-blame-assads-chemical-weapon-attacks/) > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I can’t decide if this is dumber than Scott Walker’s claim that ISIS would respect him because of the way he stood up to public employee unions earlier in his term as governor. Sheesh, it’s NOT A COMPETITION, PEOPLE! Oh, waitaminute; yeah, it is. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19631 "2015-02-28T10:00:12Z")
In a way, it’s a shame this thread exists. As tiresome as it would be, Republican malfeasance deserves the full blast of sunlight. Keep it all in one thread mutes the full scope of their awfulness. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2015, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19632 "2015-02-28T11:18:07Z")
**Johhny L.A.** [started a thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750445) about this but it also deserves a spot in this thread. [Uninsured Ex-Sheriff Who Fought O-care Struggles To Pay Medical Bills](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sheriff-mack-gofundme-medical-bills) > [@](#): > > "Since it appears that recovery will take a good deal of time with associated expenses, I struggle to not feel stress – both the stress of thinking about huge hospital and other medical bills as well as regular living expenses while I am unable to work – **and also the stress of not being able to accomplish what I am so passionate about doing for others,"** Mack wrote in a note on his GoFundMe page. “It is difficult and humbling to say that we need your help, but we do.” He still doesn’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19633 "2015-02-28T14:04:17Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > But not death by other means, like when Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan won election to the Senate in 2000, 38 days after dying in a plane crash. Well, he might have gotten better. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19634 "2015-02-28T18:47:01Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Into Montana? That will be fun to watch. Yep, ridin’ into the dawn of Montana. We can point and laugh when they get tangled up in all the dental floss. Yippy-Ty-O-Ty-Ay! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19635 "2015-02-28T19:43:06Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [Top GOP operative calls Scott Walker ‘kind of a dumba\*\*’](http://www.businessinsider.com/top-gop-operative-calls-scott-walker-kind-of-a-dumba--2015-2) > > Salter was a key adviser to John McCain during the 2008 campaign. Mark Halperin is, according to his [Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Halperin), "the senior political analyst for Time magazine, [Time.com](http://Time.com), and MSNBC and serves as a board member on the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. " Halperin has produced [a piece for Bloomberg](http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-02-26/mark-halperin-s-cpac-report-cards?hootPostID=a152a3c25bb9a4260032e553a355ba58), in which he grades the main speakers at CPAC 2015. He assigns each speaker a grade for Style, a grade for Substance, and an Overall grade. His system demonstrates not only a complete lack of familiarity with basic mathematical concepts, but also a rather illuminating window into what people like Halperin consider to be important in evaluating a candidate. Here are some of his grades. See if you can spot any problems here. Scott Walker [INDENT]Style: A- Substance: C+ **Overall: A** Jeb Bush Style: A- Substance: B **Overall: A-** Rand Paul Style: B Substance: B **Overall: A-** Carly Fiorina Style: A- Substance: C- **Overall: A-** Ted Cruz Style: B+ Substance: C **Overall: B+** [/INDENT] Many of my students would love to be Scott Walker. Get an A- on one exam, and a C+ on the other, and end up with an overall grade of A for the course. Same for all the other folks listed here. As Halperin gets further down the list, to speakers like Rick Perry, Ben Carson, John Bolton, and Sarah Palin, the math begins to improve. The fact that the overall grade tracks so much more closely with Style than with Substance is also rather telling. Maybe when you grade Republicans, you have to do it on a generous curve. 🙂 ---
**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 28, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19636 "2015-02-28T19:57:50Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > All they need to do is to carry a gun with them at all times. And what’s the best garment in the world for hiding assault weapons? A burqah! ---
**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 28, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19637 "2015-02-28T20:05:20Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Sheesh, it’s NOT A COMPETITION, PEOPLE! > > Oh, waitaminute; yeah, it is. I see it as the American equivalent of[this competition.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDPTC-yAmgo) ---
**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 28, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19638 "2015-02-28T20:05:45Z")
[AP story on the Walker thing](http://college.usatoday.com/2015/02/27/u-of-wisconsin-asks-walker-to-remove-redundant-sexual-assault-report-requirement/) says that the UW _asked_ him to change the sexual assault reporting policy. Is this a poorly written piece? Why has the university system not been asking for this for years, or decades? ---
**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 28, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19639 "2015-02-28T20:44:34Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Halperin has produced [a piece for Bloomberg](http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-02-26/mark-halperin-s-cpac-report-cards?hootPostID=a152a3c25bb9a4260032e553a355ba58), in which he grades the main speakers at CPAC 2015. He assigns each speaker a grade for Style, a grade for Substance, and an Overall grade. His system demonstrates not only a complete lack of familiarity with basic mathematical concepts, but also a rather illuminating window into what people like Halperin consider to be important in evaluating a candidate. > > Here are some of his grades. See if you can spot any problems here. > Scott Walker > [INDENT]Style: A- > Substance: C+ > **Overall: A** Jeb Bush > Style: A- > Substance: B > \*\*Overall: A-\*\*Rand Paul > Style: B > Substance: B > \*\*Overall: A-\*\*Carly Fiorina > Style: A- > Substance: C- > \*\*Overall: A-\*\*Ted Cruz > Style: B+ > Substance: C > **Overall: B+** [/INDENT] How does B and B equals an overall of A- ? There’s some unskewing going on ! ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19640 "2015-02-28T20:46:10Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > [/INDENT][/INDENT] > How does B and B equals an overall of A- ? There’s some unskewing going on ! He’s\* Rand Paul\*. The total package is worth more than the sum of the parts. ---
**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 28, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/19641 "2015-02-28T20:53:10Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > How does B and B equals an overall of A- ? intangibles [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=981) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=983)