Stupid Republican Tricks

First a cheap plug for my blog Senate Guru.

Many of us worry that some Republicans in the Senate and the House don't have the public interest at heart - that they put special interests ahead of our common well-being. We worry that these Republicans are too influenced by greed or fear or hatred. However, some Republicans are just mind-numbingly stupid. Here are three such cases from the last 24-hours or so:

Louisiana: How amazingly stupid is Hookerlover David Vitter?

A Louisiana senator is stalling Florida emergency management director Craig Fugate's nomination as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Fugate had sailed through his nomination hearing and Monday cleared the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee by a unanimous voice vote. Republican Sen. David Vitter said, however, that he'd blocked Fugate because of concerns he has with FEMA.

"I have a hold on the FEMA nomination because I sent a list of hurricane recovery questions and projects to FEMA, many of which have not been adequately addressed," Vitter said in a statement. "I'm eager to get full responses and meet with the nominee immediately."

The hold -- which comes a month before the start of hurricane season -- was reported in CQ Today, a Capitol Hill newspaper, which noted that Vitter's home state "bore the brunt of the botched agency response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005."

At that time, FEMA was led by Michael Brown, who had little emergency management experience. Fugate, however, garnered widespread praise for deft handling of back-to-back hurricanes in Florida and won bipartisan support at his confirmation hearing and was expected to be confirmed swiftly.

Vitter, who represents Katrina-ravaged Louisiana, is delaying a qualified FEMA director one month before the start of hurricane season. And he's delaying the widely-acclaimed pick because he is awaiting answers from FEMA. Well, Hookerlover, maybe you'd get those answers more quickly if FEMA had a director who could respond to you, dolt.

North Carolina: Freshman Republican backbencher Richard "Bank Run" Burr really doesn't get it. Typically a guy who receives little to no press coverage for anything, he received a mountain of terrible press coverage when it spread that he told his wife to rush the ATMs when the fiscal crisis was brewing - behavior that would have crippled the economy had too many Americans done what "Bank Run" Burr did. And what did "Bank Run" Burr learn from the experience?

Burr's comments spread across the blogosphere and were slammed as irresponsible. Some suggested he was encouraging a bank run. Now, Burr says he has no regrets and would do the same thing again.

"Absolutely I'd do it [again]," Burr told WFAE, a public radio station in North Carolina. "The exact situation we were faced with was a freeze bank to bank. And as I stated, my attempt was to make sure my wife had enough cash at home to make it through the next week."

But Burr added that the bank in question was never in trouble, which raises questions about why he feared it would run out of cash.

"It was not an attempt to run a bank," Burr said. "Nor was it a bank that was even considered then or now to be in trouble."

So not only is "Bank Run" Burr too dense to get why people might have been disquieted by his behavior, but he also doesn't even realize his own lack of logic - if the bank wasn't in trouble, why did he need to rush the ATMs?! Keep on digging, "Bank Run" Burr.

Missouri: Yes, Republican Congresscritter Roy Blunt said the following:

"Just because we're in a situation now where we vote no doesn't mean we are the 'party of no' or have no ideas."

Dumbfounded? Awestruck? Contribute to Missouri Secretary of State and likely 2010 Democratic Senate nominee Robin Carnahan.

Comments

[Singnokie]

In addition to the common behavior of Repubs of attacking the facts. If they can't attack the facts, they attack the source of the facts. If they can't attack the source of the facts, they attack the person. My brother, a conservitive, in responce to me saying, " If you try to take away or deny a right to another American a right that you have that you should have a reason. He said, "That's the problem with you liberals. You always want a reason!" No dud.

[davism97]

No offense but stupidity spreads to the democrats too. There are no intelligence tests to hold public office.

[Gidster]

The ratio is very high on the Republican side,

Bush, Vitter, Coleman, Cornyn, Bachmann, Jihndal, Cantor, Boehner and RNC chair Steele, have all said really dumb, fly in the face of logic things on camera and on radio!

Republican pundits like Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck make their living saying outrageous fact and ethics challenged right wing propaganda.

I'm not saying all Dems are smart, Evan Bayh, and his Blue Dogs, and DINOs elected to help undo the Bush debacle, is caucusing with the Repubs to fight the Democratic agenda.... Kind of like Sh***ng where one eats.... Not smart at all.

[ladyvader]

If the GNOPers are not the party of NO, then where are the GOPs ideas?

[SteveDenver]

Roy Blunt said the following: "Just because we're in a situation now where we vote no doesn't mean we are the 'party of no' or have no ideas."

What does it mean? You're the party that votes NO, so that's your new identity. If the shoe fits... kick yourself with it.

[LeftRight]

It's not even that they are voting no, it's that they aren't presenting any ideas to counter the Democrats, other than simply saying no!

[Gidster]

To be fair, they did produce a 19 page marketing brochure and called it a budget.....

[Reighben Labilles]

Seeing the statements highlighted in the article is proof enough that there needs to be a thorough overhaul of the American Education system. Improve public schools, give poor students aid so that they can go to school, and establish quality controls to private learning institutions. Stop this home schooling nonsense that lets conservative parents teach lies to their children or these schools dedicated to propagating right wing ideology. These practices do not improve the level of literacy and intelligence, only continue ideological brain washing.

[SteveDenver]

A majority of home schooled kids are ill prepared for secondary education and lack social skills... and it appears as if many of them end up nuzzling pictures of Sarah Palin.

It is proven that smaller class size, neighborhood schools, greater teacher/st­udent/pare­nt participation, and better basic nutrition and exercise produce smarter kids. Can we please start with those goals? Putting kids in classrooms where they drop out while sitting in a desk chair is criminal.

Also proven: There are more high school dropouts in prison today by a ration of 75%. I guess the lesson is that we invest in schools now or build more jails and prisons later.

[Gidster]

The GOP has stated that throwing money at the schools don't help, and that teacher's unions are the problem!

Yet they are very quick to invest in the newest growth industry, private for profit prisons!

[Dbos]

Home schooled by hillbillys

[BBinMT]

Then the hillbillies become bumpkin conservatives, and join the republican party, and if they are lucky, don't get properly vetted for vice president.

[Citizen54]

At the top of this list should be the people who voted for these clowns, and the people who did not vote at all. We get the government that Big Business pays for.

[kanyingi]

How could you forget Michele Bachmann??!!! She should be first on your list.

[research]

Let's teach the GOP another lesson in 2010.

[noaxe397]

Vitter's actions on putting a hold on the FEMA director a month before hurricane season reminds me of Jindal's mocking of stimulus money for volcano monitoring in Alaska a few weeks before that state;s largest volcano blew its top. Remember that after the Vitter press conference, when he stood next to one of the hookers and admitted his indescretions (no, wait, I think the chick in leopard print dress was his wife, sorry,) he returned to the Senate and was given a standing ovation by the Republican caucus.
This article left out the two dumbest senators to date, Inhoffe of OK., and Kyl of Az.
One tactic Republican­s/conserva­tives have learned (and books are written for them on this,) is that when they are defeated by facts (which is always,) question the source of the facts. When a Rep/con asks me where I got my facts and I say "the NYT," well, that's a liberal rag, so of course the facts aren't true. So, now I get facts from the WSJ. From Fox, not CNN
When the facts don't fit the theory, the Democrat throws out the theory.
When the facts don't fit the theory, the Republican throws out the facts.

[ThermoChemist]

I can personally attest to the latter half of your comment (ie. Repubs/Conservs and refusal of facts).

When speaking with Conservative colleagues, whenever I mentioned something negative about the Dubya Admin (or Repubs; in general), they'd ALWAYS give one excuse after another to NOT accept information that did not conform to their pre-conceived notions.

I'd point out an article detailing something ridiculous stated by Dubya (or the Repubs).
They'd say "That's second hand info. That's not exactly what he/they said".

I'd then provide the actual quote (with multiple sources); attributed to the actual speaker.
They'd then say "That's taken out of context. Let's see the whole quote".

I'd then provide the "entire" actual quote (with multiple sources).
They'd then say "That's from a Liberal source; there's a vast Liberal Media conspiracy in the US".

I'd then provide the same (or similar) information from overseas sources.
They then CHANGE THE SUBJECT or CHANGE THE CONTEXT of the original topic/discussion..!

[Dbos]

Get new friends .

[Gidster]

It is like arguing with the insane.....Reality just is not in their best interests!

I agree with Dbos, friends and colleagues that cannot accept the truth becaus it interferes with their ideology are not people you want to hang out with....

[SteveDenver]

Very sharp. I'm headed to a barbecue with very politically aware types. This will be a great conversation starter. Thanks.

[meede]

The GOP's attempt to rebrand themselves by doing town halls confirms they believe the citizens of America stunned. You can't be the party of NO, exclude moderates yet think we will believe they wants blacks, gays, etc. in their party. Who are the stunned ones --Not us!!

Vitter -- remember too he was the only no vote for Hillary for Secretary of State.

[DustyMills]

The republican image problem can be traced right back to their policies. It was their decision to include religion in their political ideas and brand, and it was this decision that has backfired and driven some to far-right fanaticialism. When you listen to those like Bachman, Beck, Limbaugh or even that former V.P. choice, Palin, you get the idea that these people are so far out of touch that all that's left of the party are these "extremists". Until the republicans figure out that this country was founded on "separation of church and state" for a damn good reason, then they will fade away like all those other groups whose message only applied to the few and the delusional.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

"Many of us worry that some Republicans in the Senate and the House don't have the public interest at heart "

SOME?

Why aren't you concerned about ALL the Republicans who don't have the public interest at heart?

[LeftRight]

Because there's still one or two in the House that seem to actually care about doing their job more than once a decade....

[Gidster]

And the GOP is threatening to squeeze them out....

[newsmctado]

How can you even have this article without going through the littany of utterly ridiculous and stupid things that Michelle Bachman has said?

[CatladyLinda]

Yes, that was the reason I clicked on the article. I was sure it would include her stupid greatest hits.

[yukoner1]

Chris Rodda has that wingnut well covered in another post on this page.

[beckpod1]

We need to boost our educational system...we got stupid people voting for stupid people! These days you get elected because you know how to run a campaign....not because you have any morals or ideas to correct what's wrong!
We have stupid media re-enforceing these people...instead of media asking the real questions...which they rarely do(we need comedians to carry that load)......
Politicians don't have to like the public....but they need to learn to respect the public! After asking for votes...they pretty much enjoy their world and F**k the public!

[grave-robber]

Absolutely!

They need to respect the wishes of the people that put them into office, and understand we can take them out.

[Gidster]

Again to be fair, it is the un-informed, the mis-informed and low information voters that vote for stupid people....

[MajorKong]

I really don't think all Republicans are stupid. Just the ones they elect to public office.

[BCubedReg]

Many are stupid or else they would not elect stupid people.

[SteveDenver]

They're so scared gays will get married, they're willing to vote for anything.