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Cruiser's avatar

What won't the Republicans do to control congress?

Asked by Cruiser (40454points) March 8th, 2011

A group of Democrats complain Styrofoam cups in the House cafeteria could contain carcinogens. The Democrats are upset with the switch to Styrofoam from recyclable materials put into place when Democrats ran the House.”

“The letter asks Boehner to reconsider the switch away from recyclable to polystyrene-based foam containers, and warns that the health of visitors to the Capitol could be compromised. ”

These Democrats are crying foul over poisonous coffee cups, the same cancer causing Styrofoam cups the then Democratically controlled FDA approved as safe! Maybe they are really trying to kill all of us off so they can just have the whole country to themselves?

What should we do? Just sit back and take this lying down or send all our Styrofoam to John Boehners office?

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16 Answers

josie's avatar

I’d say it’s a decent tit for tat.
Most of those bozos have already caused cancer of my checkbook.
In exchange for my inconvenience, they can drink out styrofoam and maybe shut the fuck up.

janbb's avatar

(I suggest you two talk amongst yourselves.)

YoBob's avatar

Oh for cripes sake! Is there nothing that Democrats won’t blame on an evil Republican conspiracy.

Last I checked, polystyrene is recyclable, does not contribute to deforestation as do paper based alternatives, and as far as I know the FDA has not declared polystyrene cups to be a hazardous material.

Get a grip!

coffeenut's avatar

wait till they find out what they did to the coffee…

Cruiser's avatar

@coffeenut That made me laugh out loud! XD

YoBob's avatar

If they are really worried about carcinogens and/or the environment they could always bring their own re-usable coffee cups, Of course, that would require taking personal responsibility for a solution rather than just whining about how the Republicans are the root of all evil and suggesting that our government institutionalize a response that they agree with.

RocketGuy's avatar

It’s all political. If styrofoam cups had been banned by Republicans, Boehner would not have repealed it.

Dr_Lawrence's avatar

I believe there are greater concerns being overlooked by representatives in Congress.

Dr_Dredd's avatar

@coffeenut and @Cruiser “We’re here at the Capitol cafeteria, where we’ve secretly replaced their regular coffee with toxic sludge. Let’s see if anyone can tell the difference!”

Russell_D_SpacePoet's avatar

I think they ALL have way bigger problems than what damn cup is being used. Like a coming 14 trillion dollar deficit. Let them all bring their own cup from home made of the material that they are comfortable with. Ridiculous.

WasCy's avatar

And just think… we’re paying them to have this little food fight in the first place. You don’t think they’re talking about this on their own time, do you?

Cruiser's avatar

@WasCy Not only are we paying for their time some re-cycled paper cup lobbyist has been shoving stuffed brown envelopes into the briefcases of the hand waving Democrats while DuPont and Bayer are doing the same with the Republicans.

WasCy's avatar

Absolutely. And they could be drinking out of porcelain mugs that are hand washed at a living wage, of course by unionized cup washers, carried from the tables by unionized bus people. Not just ‘boys’ any more.

Of course, our taxes would have to rise to pay the salaries since they’d be unwilling to pay for that service themselves, and a study would show that the kitchen help are all spies for foreign governments and lobbyists, after the one that showed it would be cheaper to put them on relief in the first place.

But it wouldn’t matter, as long as everyone had ‘good intentions.’

tedd's avatar

I’d rather they use the recyclable ones, even if only to set a good example… But pulling the “they cause cancer” card…. was a very stupid move.

DrBill's avatar

the stench of troll is too strong for me to stand

ETpro's avatar

The real issue with Styrofoam™ is it has a half life in landfills about like nuclear wastes, and after a landfill is covered over, the crap leeches into the ground water and pollutes the rivers for the next 30,000 years. So yeah, going back to Styrofoam in place of biodegradable materials is just another in a growing list of Boehners.

Now that all the spin of the question’s details is out of the way, let’s take up the actual question, “What won’t the Republicans do to control congress?” I don’t think we’ve seen the worst yet, but there is a very determined and very well funded drive underway to rig the landscape so that Republicans will soon be able to achieve their long sought single party rule.But here are some of the things they have already tried.

In New Hampshire, they are pushing a move to prohibit college students from voting in their college town. They would have to travel back to their permanent home to vote. The State Speaker of the House said those kids just “lack experience” and “vote their feelings.” Translation, they overwhelmingly vote for Democrats. So vote suppression is on the table.

Then there is Union Busting. That’s going on in Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan. And while every governor says it’s about the budget shortfall, in each case their own tax giveaways to corporations and the rich created the shortfall they have to close with union concessions. Far-right blogger Andrew Breitbart actually boasts that it is designed for electioneering.

In Wisconsin, Scott Walker gave businesses $1.4 million in tax breaks, then said he needed $1.37 million in concessions on wages and benefits from state workers to pay for it. Not only that, they had to give up virtually all collective bargaining rights, something that has zero impact on this year’s budget. The same story is playing in Ohio and Michigan with new Republican governors fabricating budget shortfall crises

If Unions can be stripped of their membership and money, Republican election dominance will take a giant leap forward. That would leave just one Democratic leaning funding source in the top 10 political Donor Organizations. The other 9 would all be huge Global Corporations or front groups for them. So using fabricated crises as a pretext to shape the election landscape is on the table. Union busting is on the table.

But wait, there’s more. In Michigan, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder is resorting to moves that border of fascism in its rise. Gov. Snyder wants the right to declare that a school district or town is in financial crisis, and that would give him the right to:
1—Install his own administrator (from his government or a corporation he outsource it to)
2—Abrogate any union contracts.
3—Overrule and suspend elected officials, replacing them with his choice, or the selections of his appointed administrator or his subcontractor’s choice.
4—Disincorporate a city, town or school district or merge it with other entities.

Simply declaring fiscal emergencies at the sole decision of one man, and using that pretext to rule by fiat and to throw out elected officials if they happen to be for the “wrong” party. This is Shock Doctrine.

Oh and then there are all the old tricks such as gerrymandering and having insiders owning the company that makes most of the nation’s voting machines. Those electioneering methods are all on the table. Oh, and the Supreme Court’s judicial legislation in the Citizens United decision.

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