# Tennessee Republican Campaigns on Eugenics Platform **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 4, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339 "2004-08-04T20:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/41 "2004-08-07T03:01:19Z")
**Grant** , I also grew up in the 8th District – about in the middle. Run for your life! 😉 > [@](#): > > **MrManfrengenfrensen** : Now, if he wins the nom and goes on to win the election, we’ll have to kick Tenessee out of the country. Fortunately, West Tennessee _usually_ is much more Democratic than East Tennessee (which can be blamed for the Scopes trial). It tends to be loyal to Democratic incumbents. Although this clown won the primary, there is little chance that he will win the election. But please make you your mind if you want us or not. We tried to leave once and you wouldn’t let us. No more flip-flopping on the issues! > [@](#): > > I wonder if he has opposable thumbs? No, he is from Dresden which is near The Kingdom of Skullbonia: [http://www.rootsweb.com/~tngibson/towns/Skullbone/skullbonia.htm](http://www.rootsweb.com/~tngibson/towns/Skullbone/skullbonia.htm) ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/42 "2004-08-07T04:44:39Z")
> [@Muad'Dib](#): > > They did not vote for the crakepot, they probably just voted a straight-line Republican ticket, not realizing who the guy was. 1. This would make the people who voted for him look better how? 2. This was a PRIMARY. How the hell do you vote a straight republican ticket on a PRIMARY ballot? You’re only running against other republicans! ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/43 "2004-08-07T04:54:48Z")
> [@LordVor](#): > > 1. This would make the people who voted for him look better how? > 2. This was a PRIMARY. How the hell do you vote a straight republican ticket on a PRIMARY ballot? You’re only running against other republicans! 1. You generally trust that your party will not allow stupid fuck-ups like this to happen. 2. They made a choice for the other ones and just checked yes next to that guys name, seeing as he was the only one, not thinking that it really meant any thing or would hurt anything. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/44 "2004-08-07T14:52:25Z")
Right. Remember that the opposing candidate was a write-in. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/45 "2004-08-07T15:04:38Z")
I’m just wondering who the conservative wing here would offer us as the current Democratic versions of James Hart and David Duke. Actually, I’d be happy with an honest explanation from them of why the GOP seems to be attractive to these characters. Any takers? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/46 "2004-08-07T19:14:07Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I’m just wondering who the conservative wing here would offer us as the current Democratic versions of James Hart and David Duke. Actually, I’d be happy with an honest explanation from them of why the GOP seems to be attractive to these characters. Any takers? Come _on_ **Elvis** , you don’t need the right wing to tell you how dumb this argument is. All one need do is say [“Al Sharpton”](http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/11/09/the_race_baiter_in_the_campaign). I don’t think the GOP has invited anyone in Al’s league to address their convention. At least not recently. And if you want to cite Democrats widely hailed as batshit crazy _and_ criminal, you can start with (former)\* Congressman James Traficant. Let’s face it, all sorts of loonies and racists have been attracted to both parties. There was even the head of some Klan kleagle-bin who ran for Democratic office awhile back (not Robert Byrd - someone will have to help me out here). \*At least for now…I hear he’s been stockpiling campaign signs and literature in his cell. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/47 "2004-08-07T19:20:53Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I’m just wondering who the conservative wing here would offer us as the current Democratic versions of James Hart and David Duke. Actually, I’d be happy with an honest explanation from them of why the GOP seems to be attractive to these characters. Any takers? You’re forgetting [Lyndon LaRouche](http://larouchein2004.net/) as mentioned by **Mr. Moto** earlier in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/48 "2004-08-07T21:10:51Z")
Larouche is crazy and inaccountable, we can all agree. Sharpton is still an asshole, but even if he’s toned his act down, he still has no measurable following. Neither is an ideological racist and hatemonger comparable to Duke and Hart, and neither has ever won an election or even been out of the statistical noise. Duke and now Hart _have_ been the top choice of the Republican voters when they’ve run. Traficant consistently voted with the _Republicans_. He belongs on \*their \* list. He was more a fool than crazy, and certainly a criminal. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/49 "2004-08-08T03:05:43Z")
If Sharpton had no measurable following, it would have been no sweat to disinvite him to speak at the convention. Too bad no Democrat had the necessary organs to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/50 "2004-08-08T03:15:18Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > If Sharpton had no measurable following, it would have been no sweat to disinvite him to speak at the convention. > > Too bad no Democrat had the necessary organs to do that. The way the polls are going, the same can be said about George Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/51 "2004-08-08T04:11:07Z")
This just in: [Republicans Nominate Chronic Jailbird for Washington State Office](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&e=1&u=/ap/candidate_criminal_record) > [@](#): > > Republican leaders in Washington state were happy to have a contender for state auditor when they accepted Will Baker’s last-minute offer to challenge a popular Democrat. > > They didn’t worry too much about who he was or how he spent his time — until they realized a considerable amount of his time was spent in jail. I think I am beginning to see a pattern here. But is it sapient political acumen, or just incompetence? ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/52 "2004-08-08T04:27:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Baker, a 41-year-old roadside flower salesman and self-styled political activist, has been arrested at least 19 times since 1992, mostly for refusing to stop speaking at Tacoma City Council and Pierce County Council meetings. He was last released from jail less than two months ago. Certainly a nutjob, but unless he also has an arrest for killing a hobo or something, he doesn’t seem too dangerous to me. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/53 "2004-08-08T04:31:27Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > Certainly a nutjob, but unless he also has an arrest for killing a hobo or something, he doesn’t seem too dangerous to me. I never said he was dangerous, but if you approve of this nomination, hey, it’s fine by me too. Nice to see the Party of Lincoln setting the bar so high. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/54 "2004-08-08T04:35:40Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > I never said he was dangerous, but if you approve of this nomination, hey, it’s fine by me too. Nice to see the Party of Lincoln setting the bar so high. 😃 Come on, let’s not play this. I believe the Democrats have a ‘colorful’ character or two in office around the country… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/55 "2004-08-08T04:36:42Z")
Allow me to dredge up the story of _another_ nutty TN politician: [Byron “Low Tax” Looper.](http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/byron_looper/) Looper, a Republican, murdered his opponent in the race for state assembly. Lest you think that Looper’s opponent was completely of sound mind, I’ll quote the kinds of things his opponent did > [@](#): > > he was a staunch opponent of evolution science, and twice introduced legislation to restrict the teaching of evolution and to protect teachers who taught creationism in their classrooms. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/56 "2004-08-08T09:41:57Z")
Bizarre political stunt in San Francisco. [I’ve always believed politicians were dead from the neck up.](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,128314,00.html) This idiot decided to prove it. > [@](#): > > An aspiring politician and video game designer who faked his own beheading by Iraqi militants awoke Saturday to learn that television stations around the world were showing his homemade video of the gruesome hoax. Why did he do it? > [@](#): > > Vanderford said he originally made the video as a way to draw attention to his campaign for a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He filmed the footage at a friend’s house, using fake blood. > > When his political aspirations waned, he decided to distribute the footage on Kazaa, which is used to trade millions of audio, video and software files daily, “to just make a statement on these type of videos and how easily they can be faked.” He’s already been interviewed by the FBI about this, and they’re considering filing charges against him. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/57 "2004-08-08T16:24:34Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > Come on, let’s not play this. I believe the Democrats have a ‘colorful’ character or two in office around the country. How about listing your favorite examples, then? Remember, the topic is who the Dems have who compares to Duke and Hart. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/58 "2004-08-08T19:03:11Z")
Again, Hart didn’t falsely accuse a man of rape, and smear his name for years. After being found guilty of defamation, Hart didn’t pointedly refuse to pay that man damages. Hart didn’t cause a race riot with heated speeches, in which people died. All of which, by the way, Al Sharpton did indeed do. Yet he was invited to speek to the Democratic National Convention after doing these things. Hart won’t be addressing any kind of Republican convention at any time, I can guarantee that. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339/59 "2004-08-08T23:13:44Z")
Yes, Sharpton’s an ass. Hart _won the GOP nomination_ for that office. The GOP \*nominated \* Duke as well. Sharpton has never come within dreaming distance of winning jack shit. I’ll swap you Sharpton’s convention speech for Pat Buchanan’s - how about that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-republican-campaigns-on-eugenics-platform/258339.md?page=2)