# Who is the face of the Republican party? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 16, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622 "2009-08-16T14:29:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/61 "2009-09-24T21:50:53Z")
‘Fiscal Conservative’ means more than that. It also means “spend no more money than you have to”, or “be frugal with the people’s money”. Your definition allows a tax-and-spend politician to raise taxes wildly while blowing money on every harebrained scheme he can think of, then call himself a ‘fiscal conservative’. Hey, he’s paying for it, right? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/62 "2009-09-24T22:27:23Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > I guess you never understood the concept of the time value of money. What’s your next post going to be about: how stupid John D. Rockefeller was? Silly Dave, the point isn’t that I want to make the best use of MY resources, it’s that they are MY resources to make what use I want of in the first place. The state of Alaska has stolen that right from me. Or do you claim the theft doesn’t count because they’re doing better with MY oil than I could individually? The later sounds a lot like an argument in favor of a socialistic nanny state. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/63 "2009-09-24T23:06:59Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > ‘Fiscal Conservative’ means more than that. It also means “spend no more money than you have to”, or “be frugal with the people’s money”. > > Your definition allows a tax-and-spend politician to raise taxes wildly while blowing money on every harebrained scheme he can think of, then call himself a ‘fiscal conservative’. Hey, he’s paying for it, right? I was being somewhat facetious with BOTH parties engaging in spending sprees. Better I should have said, “If you believe this program, mandate, war, series of new regulations, etc.. is really essential to the security and well-being of the USA; raise the required money”. A fiscal conservative shouldn’t be afraid to spend money, or raise taxes; just have a justification for doing same. Balance the books; I have to and most states have to as well. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/64 "2009-09-24T23:19:26Z")
I nominate Rummy: [http://fallingsky.blogs.com/falling\_sky/\_eclecticism\_2004\_05\_graphics\_kung\_fu\_donald\_rumsfeld.jpg](http://fallingsky.blogs.com/falling_sky/_eclecticism_2004_05_graphics_kung_fu_donald_rumsfeld.jpg) or Dubya: [http://www.lilith-ezine.com/articles/politics/images/Bush-Monkey.jpg](http://www.lilith-ezine.com/articles/politics/images/Bush-Monkey.jpg) If there’s going to be a face for the repubs, why not a funny face. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/65 "2009-09-24T23:23:21Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Silly Dave, the point isn’t that I want to make the best use of MY resources, it’s that they are MY resources to make what use I want of in the first place. The state of Alaska has stolen that right from me. Or do you claim the theft doesn’t count because they’re doing better with MY oil than I could individually? The later sounds a lot like an argument in favor of a socialistic nanny state. Your oil resources are co-mingled with the rest of the Alaskans under the ground. Your argument fails in the real world. If you like, take your Permanent Fund Dividend Check and invest in oil futures for your kids. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/66 "2009-09-24T23:40:25Z")
Guys, I’m an Alaskan. And the state certainly does use the oil revenue to fund social programs. And of course, Alaska has the highest per capita rate of Federal spending in the country. And well over 90% of the state is public land of one kind or another–national parks, state parks, national forests, state forests, wildlife refuges, native lands, national monuments, military bases, and on and on. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/67 "2009-09-25T00:09:52Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > Your oil resources are co-mingled with the rest of the Alaskans under the ground. Your argument fails in the real world. So the real world _is_ socialist in this case. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/68 "2009-09-25T17:46:35Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Silly Dave, the point isn’t that I want to make the best use of MY resources, it’s that they are MY resources to make what use I want of in the first place. The state of Alaska has stolen that right from me. Or do you claim the theft doesn’t count because they’re doing better with MY oil than I could individually? The later sounds a lot like an argument in favor of a socialistic nanny state. Nice try of wiggling out of a dumb statement. If you only cared about the ability to make your own choices, then why did you say you wanted to sell 100 years from now when the oil would be worth much more? Seems clear that you thought that made some sort of economic sense to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/69 "2009-09-25T17:55:11Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > Nice try of wiggling out of a dumb statement. It’s called bait. You bit. ---
**Author:** ![Never\_Say\_Dice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee59a6/32.png) [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/70 "2009-09-25T18:17:47Z")
“Who is the face of the Republican party?” Joe the Plumber. Dumb guys suckered into shouting nonsense against their own best interests because lobbyists bought and paid for their representatives. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/71 "2009-09-25T18:58:17Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > It’s called bait. You bit. Sure. Why don’t you tell what exactly I bit on since all I did was point out an incorrect statement that you made. Better yet, you could just admit that you were wrong and move on. ---
**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 25, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/72 "2009-09-25T22:49:12Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > …Did the Democrats have a face during most of the George W. administration? … Harry Reid, but you could never see his face because he was always ducking for cover and hiding under his desk. Pretty much the same as he’s still doing. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/73 "2009-09-28T16:16:16Z")
Well, this should come as [no surprise](http://rightwingnews.com/mt331/2009/08/rightofcenter_bloggers_select_12.php). > [@](#): > > Right Wing News emailed more than 260 right-of-center bloggers and asked them to send us a list of people they considered to be the most influential on the right…All bloggers were allowed to make anywhere from 1-10 unranked selections and were allowed to choose anybody on the Right or generally perceived to be on the Right that they liked: Republican, conservative, Libertarian, politician, preacher, blogger, columnist, radio host, you name it! Their Top 15? 1. Rush Limbaugh 2. Sarah Palin 3. Thomas Sowell 4. Michelle Malkin 5. Mark Steyn 6. Charles Krauthammer 7. Glenn Beck & Mark Levin (tie) 8. Jim DeMint 9 9. Newt Gingrich & Jonah Goldberg (tie) 10. Ann Coulter & Ed Morrissey (tie) 11. Dick Cheney & Victor Davis Hanson (tie) ---
**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 28, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/74 "2009-09-28T16:27:19Z")
It is telling that of the 18 names on that list, only one is currently holding elective office. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/75 "2009-09-28T16:43:58Z")
Is is also telling that so many are nothing but clowns: Limbaugh, Palin, Coulter, Malkin, Levin and Beck. No Hannity? Another clown as well. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/76 "2009-09-28T16:45:28Z")
Nos. 5 and 6 (Steyn and Krauthammer) are even Canadians. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/77 "2009-09-28T16:57:12Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > The key difference here is that socialism is _redistributive_. If money is taxed from one person and given to another, it’s a redistribution of wealth. > > Consider natural resources to be like a big savings bank. If you’re a citizen of Alaska, and your state is sitting on a hundred billion dollars in oil wealth, then you’ve got about $145,000 in wealth tied up in the state’s oil fields. Now the citizens vote to sell off 10% of it. As an equal owner, you should get a cheque for $14,500 from the government. It’s YOUR money and always was. You’re just moving it from one form to another. The state is acting as your agent. > > Now, if the state sold off all that oil, and used it to fund social programs, then that’s an implicit tax on you, since the state took your mineral wealth, sold it off, and spent it on behalf of other people. The key here is that the republican policies were redistributive. Tax breaks and tax loopholes to the rich resulted in the redistribution of the general wealth to a concentration at the top . It just goes up instead of across the board. The republican policies of Bush accomplished a huge concentration of wealth to the top. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/78 "2009-09-28T17:11:07Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Wow, what a brilliant observation. > > And you obviously haven’t seen Hillary in a pantsuit lately. Hey, that’s pretty brilliant yourself. And I’d rather look at Hillary Clinton’s ass, despite her being on the north side of 60, than have to look at Rush Limbaugh from _any_ angle. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/79 "2009-09-28T17:34:41Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > No Hannity? Another clown as well. Sean was tied w/Scalia, W. & Bobby Jindal (among others) for 16th place. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622/80 "2009-09-28T18:22:30Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Well, this should come as [no surprise](http://rightwingnews.com/mt331/2009/08/rightofcenter_bloggers_select_12.php).Their Top 15? > > 1. Rush Limbaugh > 2. Sarah Palin > 3. Thomas Sowell > 4. Michelle Malkin > 5. Mark Steyn > 6. Charles Krauthammer > 7. Glenn Beck & Mark Levin (tie) > 8. Jim DeMint 9 > 9. Newt Gingrich & Jonah Goldberg (tie) > 10. Ann Coulter & Ed Morrissey (tie) > 11. Dick Cheney & Victor Davis Hanson (tie) Strange that none of these people are involved in the Republican platform, goals and policies. They are just noisemakers. The real power is Cheney, Kristol, Pearle, Wolfowitz and other neocons who draft the policies in the background. Add Rupert Murdoch and a few in control of TV and radio and you have those who are the party. They hire the people on that list. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622.md?page=3)