To prove your wingnut bona fides, bring up pirates

[jmowreader]

Today I have the sad duty to report some seriously whacked-out shit. This was reported in the Columbia Basin Herald, but it's not on their website.

Washington's 4th CD is currently represented by Doc Hastings, who's retiring. Vying for his seat are two Republicans: Dan Newhouse, conservative and tree fruit farmer, is challenging Clint Didier, teabagger, potato farmer and retired Super Bowl-winning NFL tight end.

There was a debate between these two on Monday in Othello. They started talking about how best to deal with ISIL, and Mr. Didier said all these words:

"In the Constitution they said if there is no country to declare a war against, as we had that problem back in the day with the Barbary pirates, let us marque and reprisal. 'And therefore we put forth letters of marque and reprisal.' We mark the guys that need to be taken out. We have the special forces to do it."

Let me see...
1) A "letter of marque and reprisal" is a pirate hunting license, not a way to "mark" the guys you want to kill.
2) It's issued to private vessels, not to government forces.
3) The United States hasn't issued one since 1810.
4) There's been an international treaty banning the issue of these letters since 1859.

There's a reason the Washington Potato Commission is NOT endorsing the potato farmer for Congress.

[hobbit709]

1. He obviously had at least one too many whacks on the head while playing football.

[madokie]

4. or his head slid in and out of his ass a few to many times

Its amazing to me that we have such ignorant jackasses running for office

[The Magistrate]

2. He Gets It Wrong On All Levels, Sir

Letters of Marque summoned into being a private, for profit navy, during the War of 1812, with ships and crews licensed specifically to raid England's commerce. They did a very good job of it, too. The thing had very little to do with hunting pirates or stateless actors of any sort. Even the 'Barbary Pirates' were states in the usage of the time, and in that, privateers did not play much of a role; there was no profit likely to be had.

An interesting site for more details:

http://www.1812privateers.org/United%20States/USgov.html

[CaptainTruth]

5. I enjoy your posts, sir.

Always informative & intelligent. Thank you for your contributions!

[jmowreader]

7. You want to know how seriously wrong he really was?

When I got the file for the page, it said "barbering pirates." Seriously. Barbering. As in "cutting hair." And it wasn't a misquote - I talked to the person who wrote the article, and he actually said "barbering." We decided it would be best to change that so he didn't come back and demand a correction. I'd like the bastard to call me personally and ask why we changed his quote.

I don't think he's going to win. His opponent Dan Newhouse is a pretty decent guy. Most of the voters are conservative but not as conservative as Clint Didier. And a candidate who thinks the government isn't good for anything is completely out of sync with the reality of the Columbia Basin, where cheap government-pumped irrigation water and cheap government-churned hydroelectric power have turned the region from barren desert to engine of prosperity.

[The Magistrate]

8. Damn, Sir: That Really takes the Cake....

Puts 'shave and a hair-cut, two bits' into a whole new light....

[LeftyMom]

3. When a wingnut says something crazy about history, he's probably mimicing David Barton.

So I googled "David Barton, pirates" and yep, that's where he gets this shit from.

These people are nothing if not predictable.

[Javaman]

6. Mr. Potato Head. ht

[Marrah_G]

9. LMAO

[rustydog]

10. It's replacements for Do nothing Hastings

He was Gop head when Newtered got the boot. Hastings sat on several GOP scandals refusing to investigate a single one.
Didier is a Hastings wannabe...