# The 2016 Republican candidates **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 9, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444 "2015-01-09T22:38:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 98
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1942 "2015-09-06T22:57:35Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Mocking him for representing pretty close to half the population doesn’t seem to productive to me. When the goal is to mock and jape and bring about joy and laughter among Dopers, then it’s pretty productive, wouldn’t you say? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1943 "2015-09-06T23:31:36Z")
All part of the GDP, the Gross Doper Product. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1944 "2015-09-06T23:36:17Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Mocking him for representing pretty close to half the population doesn’t seem to productive to me. We mock _stupidity_ here. The fact that so many people adhere to stupid ideas does not make them less stupid. > [@](#): > > So Huck is losing out among his own base to Donald Trump, a godless heathen who believes in evolution and gay rights. It’s all the same base, people who have been demagogued from worry to fear to anger to votes. Always tawdry and destructive, but always effective. ---
**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:** [September 6, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1945 "2015-09-06T23:40:16Z")
Speaking of Huckabee, he said today you only have to obey the law [“if it is right”](http://huff.to/1QitIJo). So much for Obama as a lawless president. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1946 "2015-09-07T02:41:56Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Because you’d lose an awful lot of Democrats, 38% to be precise.🙂 No. Because limiting suffrage based on one’s interpretations of another’s beliefs is stupid and wrong. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1947 "2015-09-07T11:26:23Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Marxist! No question about that! He’s a Marxist not just because he’s a Marx, but because he [hangs out with commies!](http://chrisisloopy.tripod.com/harpo/exappstr.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1948 "2015-09-07T11:34:14Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > “So what if he is mediocre? There are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren’t they? We can’t have all Brandeises, Cardozos, and Frankfurters and stuff like that there.” > > - Roman L. Hruska, (R, Wheat) Very apropos - and thanks for the trip down memory lane! Poor G. Harrold Carswell: if Nixon hadn’t nominated him, he could have eventually retired from a career as a moderately respected Circuit Court judge; instead, he became nationally famous as the poster boy for mediocrity. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1949 "2015-09-07T11:51:06Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The breadth of belief in dumb things in no way gives them, or their believers, legitimacy. This. Just because the ‘Christian’ right doesn’t believe in ‘evilution’ didn’t mean a metric ton of GOP candidates over the decades had to pander to them by, at a minimum, advocating ‘teaching the controversy,’ thereby boosting the seeming legitimacy of anti-evolution beliefs. The GOP may not have created this Frankenstein of stupid, but it’s definitely helped grow a baby Frankenstein into a pretty gigantic monster. It’s disingenuous at this point for Republicans to say they deserve someone to represent them because of their numbers, when the GOP has worked hard to grow those numbers. And it’s fun to watch so many Republicans wringing their hands as Trump hijacks their stupid base and takes it in his own direction. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1950 "2015-09-09T17:57:00Z")
Hey, Kasich just said something sensible and reasonable! Is that allowed? :eek: No, seriously, credit where credit is due: [QUOTE=John Kasich] Well, what does that mean? I don’t know what that means. You’re going to rip it up and then what? Then what are you going to do when you rip it up? [/QUOTE] The question is presumably directed at his rivals who’ve said that if they won, they’d rip up the Iran deal as soon as they were inaugurated. I’d love to see him get a bump in the polls - upward, not downward - as a result of this. Can’t say I’m incredibly optimistic, though. At this point, not opposing the deal is practically apostasy in the GOP camp. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1951 "2015-09-09T18:00:40Z")
Actually, most of the candidates now say they won’t abrogate it. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1952 "2015-09-09T18:04:15Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Actually, most of the candidates now say they won’t abrogate it. Can you provide any cites? I haven’t heard a one of them say so. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1953 "2015-09-09T18:04:58Z")
If you can back that up, it might be a cite for sore eyes. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1954 "2015-09-09T18:19:13Z")
trump, Bush, and Kasich are on record as not tearing up the Iran deal: > **[Two Republican 2016 candidates who won't tear up the Iran deal | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2015/09/04/politics/iran-deal-jeb-bush-donald-trump/index.html)** > > As Republican presidential candidates vow to tear up the Iran deal -- at least five of them say they'll do it on their first day in office -- Republican rivals Donald Trump and Jeb Bush have been using more nuanced rhetoric. The article notes that five have said they would. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1955 "2015-09-09T18:24:54Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Actually, most of the candidates now say they won’t abrogate it. The [link](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/john-kasich-iran-deal-rip-up) said Rubio and Walker both would tear it up. And [the Jerusalem Post said this](http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Iran/WATCH-LIVE-Republicans-Trump-and-Cruz-address-Washington-rally-against-Iran-deal-415759): > [@](#): > > Not a single Republican presidential contender has said he would work to uphold the agreement. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1956 "2015-09-09T18:32:42Z")
[Trump would make it work.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-iran-deal_55d0a844e4b0ab468d9d907e) > [@](#): > > “You know, I’ve taken over some bad contracts. I buy contracts where people screwed up and they have bad contracts,” he said. “But I’m really good at looking at a contract and finding things within a contract that, even if they’re bad, I would police that contract so tough that they don’t have a chance. As bad as the contract is, I will be so tough on that contract.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1957 "2015-09-09T18:36:06Z")
Most of these cites are from the last few days, but a few are back from July and August. They were the most recent comments I could find. [Trump & Cruz - against](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/trump-cruz-cozy-relationship-display-ahead-iran-rally-33620417) [Walker, Fiorina, Rubio, Perry - against](http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/02/politics/iran-nuclear-deal-2016-day-one-promises/) [Christie and Jindal - against](http://jpupdates.com/2015/09/03/iran-deal-blame-game-christie-puts-responsibility-on-dems-jindal-on-senate-gop/) [Huckabee - against](http://www.factcheck.org/2015/08/huckabees-spin-on-iran/) [Ben Carson - against](http://www.nbcnews.com/video/iran-deal-a-violation-of-negotiation-101-says-carson-521208899978) [Rand Paul - against](https://www.google.com/search?as_q=republican+candidates+iran+deal&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=#safe=active&as_qdr=all&q=iran+rand+paul) [Lindsey Graham - against](http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/08/politics/lindsey-graham-iranians-nazis/) [Jeb! - against, but won’t immediately tear it up.](http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/02/politics/iran-nuclear-deal-2016-day-one-promises/) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1958 "2015-09-09T18:38:44Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > trump, Bush, and Kasich are on record as not tearing up the Iran deal: > > [http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/04/politics/iran-deal-jeb-bush-donald-trump/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/04/politics/iran-deal-jeb-bush-donald-trump/index.html) > > The article notes that five have said they would. Trump and Cruz just held a joint rally to oppose the deal. Kasich insists that Ohio will retain its own sanction regardless, which could conceivably scuttle the deal in any case. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1959 "2015-09-09T18:38:56Z")
They are all against, but abrogating a signed deal that’s working when you take office is just a nonsense policy, and any Republican who makes that promise is either stupid or lying. Either way, it’s pretty close to disqualifying, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1960 "2015-09-09T18:39:57Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Trump and Cruz just held a joint rally to oppose the deal. > Kasich insists that Ohio will retain its own sanction regardless, which could conceivably scuttle the deal in any case. If so, that’s on Iran. The President can only deliver what he has authority over. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1961 "2015-09-09T18:42:29Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > trump, Bush, and Kasich are on record as not tearing up the Iran deal: > > [http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/04/politics/iran-deal-jeb-bush-donald-trump/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/04/politics/iran-deal-jeb-bush-donald-trump/index.html) > > The article notes that five have said they would. Since when do 3 candidates constitute “most” Republican candidates? Do you EVER do even minimal fact checking on your claims? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444.md?page=97) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444.md?page=99)