Anyone watch Maher Friday?

[realmirage]

Last edited Sat Jun 11, 2016, 06:32 PM - Edit history (1)

A lot of Sanders supporters are mad because Maher went on a rant against the 2/3 of Sanders supporters that want free health care and college for only $1000 in extra taxes. He focuses on millennials specifically, insinuating that they know nothing about politics or life except that they are used to getting free stuff (music, porn, 1/3 living at home, parents paying their car insurance and phone). I agree with his point, but would add a footnote. The only part I disagree with, and I don't think he was making this point anyway, is that sometimes "free stuff" isn't about getting stuff free but about getting things we should be getting, like free health care (tax funded, not free). His point is that they don't know enough about government to know that you won't get those things for only $1000 in taxes. I think the main underlying implication here is that if all you know about government is that you want free shit, you're a terrible voter.

Another great moment - guitarist Tom Morello used the "lesser of two evils" phrase to say both parties are bad. Maher called bullshit saying that "in Florida there are hundreds of thousands of people that did not get Medicaid because the governor is a Republican. If the governor was a Democrat they'd be getting health care and not dying." The differences in the two candidates "make differences in actual people's lives, especially the ones who you purport to be most for - the poor people."

Another highlight - Maher said Hillary won fair and square and that Sanders voters can't say it's "fair when you win and rigged when you lose."

And one of my favorite moments - Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine said he was an anarchist and the whole system, including the Bernie movement is worthless and all of it should be burned down. No one agreed with him, including Maher who said "that's easy to say when you live a comfortable life." Today I saw some Sanders voters a bit freaked out by Morello. But what was interesting to me is that Morello sounded like GDP here at DU. What's the difference between an anarchist who wants to burn it all down and a non-voter or someone who votes for parties that can never win? Is there, effectively, a difference?

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. From the beginning, I've asked for an honest answer on the cost.

I have not heard one yet.

[realmirage]

10. A lot of people would say that's why Sanders lost. He didn't credibly explain how he'd accomplish

all his aims. Anyone can stand at a podium and say wonderful things. We need that followed up by "here's exactly how I'm going to do it" and then have that backed up by facts. It's as though he forgot that republicans exist and are in control of Congress. I also heard respected economists say there were real problems with his claims about how he'd be paying for all the stuff.

[Iliyah]

2. Don't watch him but thats good to hear!

[Native]

3. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUTZGjInaBg&feature=youtu.be

[BootinUp]

4. It was a good show.

Maher does a good job of highlighting the ridiculousness of things as many comedians do.

[realmirage]

11. I've tuned out for a while but I usually tune back in during general elections. He has his moments.

[Walk away]

5. And now you know why the world will change but DU won't.

[caquillo]

6. How do you mean?

[Walk away]

8. Extrapolate!

[realmirage]

12. It will change next week when the new rules are enforced.

[Walk away]

14. The rules will change!

[Surya Gayatri]

7. Cheered when Maher said this (see embed below):

The differences in the two candidates "make differences in actual people's lives, especially the ones who you purport to be most for - the poor people.

(at 43 min.)

Bill very pointedly put that self-satisfied, pretentious, entitled twit (Morello) back in his "anarchist" box.

Morello may be a good musician, but I wouldn't want him anywhere near my government.


https://vimeo.com/170333019

[applegrove]

9. Yup.

[realmirage]

13. Bill has his ups and downs but he was on fire last night. Morello is an idiot.

You can see that Morello hangs out with too many young people at his concerts. He hasn't evolved. He's still trapped in that immature "fuck everything" attitude that some 8th graders have.

[Maven]

22. Morello has made a fortune from privileged kids who think listening to shitty music

means they're fighting 'the machine' (a/k/a their parents)

It was delicious watching Maher basically call him out as the poseur he is

[BobbyDrake]

31. Morello enjoys what I call "celebrity privilege," not unlike the kind Sarandon uses to justify her

particular flavor of insanity when she goes on TV and says batshit crazy nonsense like, "Trump will bring the revolution" or whatever.

And I would say to Morello, "What exactly has your purity of conscience accomplished? Because those "corporatists Democrats" passed healthcare reform. And financial reform, if limited for now. Democrats in Congress are the ones fighting to achieve genuine results, while doped-up purists from the sidelines throw trash and jeer despite having no record of their own to cite.

I'm tired of the fringe elements of this system pretending like things would be perfect if they would just be put in charge. That's not how democracy works, and the fact that voters continually reject the fringes makes me happy. You do not use democracy to impose your will on someone who disagrees with you, whether you're conservative OR progressive.

[Night Watchman]

15. Sanders Supporters Freaked Out?

Nawwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

[Tarheel_Dem]

16. I haven't watched Maher since he "felt the bern", but I may have to actually watch this one.

[realmirage]

19. you'll enjoy it. he was very balanced

[Her Sister]

17. Yes I watched the show. Very good how he countered the Morello.

He told him something like: "It's easy for you when you have a comfortable life"

You wrote:

Today I saw some Sanders voters a bit freaked out by Morello.

Sounds good! Can you say more/explain!?

[realmirage]

18. Online I saw some Sanders voters saying they strongly disagreed with Morello

They were probably liking what he was saying about corporatists until he threw Sanders and the whole system under the bus and basically said burn them all. It's ironic that some Sanders supporters are totally understanding of fellow Berners who just can't bring themselves to vote for Hillary, and then see a guy on television basically doing the same thing to them by saying they're not pure enough and need to be destroyed.

[SCantiGOP]

20. There is a post in the Bernie forum

from someone about this. With no sense of irony they say that they now "have" to add him to their "do not watch" list along with Maddow and Marthews.

[eastwestdem]

24. So, what are they left with? Reading Karl Marx for entertainment? nt

[BobbyDrake]

29. Cenk Uygur has a shit-ton of books to sell them, I know that much. #progressiveentertainmentcomplex

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

21. Absolute brilliance, my friend, especially on the final point about Morello's luxury of

living in comfort. It's so easy for those who don't have to worry about the consequences of their actions or non-actions when said behavior won't have an adverse impact on their own lives. It's the height of self-importance, self-righteous, narcissistic assholerly that fucking drives me up the wall. And yes, there's little difference between those who vote for the wrong people vs. not voting in order "to punish the party". Self-entitled privilege at its best! I have ZERO respect for those people.

[Surya Gayatri]

25. So spot on!

Self-entitled privilege at its best! I have ZERO respect for those people.

You and me both!

[Cha]

23. Wow, Good on Maher!

Another great moment - guitarist Tom Morello used the "lesser of two evils" phrase to say both parties are bad. Maher called bullshit saying that "in Florida there are hundreds of thousands of people that did not get Medicaid because the governor is a Republican. If the governor was a Democrat they'd be getting health care and not dying." The differences in the two candidates "make differences in actual people's lives, especially the ones who you purport to be most for - the poor people."

Another highlight - Maher said Hillary won fair and square and that Sanders voters can't say it's "fair when you win and rigged when you lose."

Thank you, realmirage

Sounds like this Tom Morello is just full of the ol soundbytes and has no real clue.. exactly.. "comfortable life".

[realmirage]

27. Morello is insulated with

his money and fame. He's stuck in his adolescence and doesn't seem to understand how the real world works at all. Anarchism is very 8th grade.

Dude needs a little education

[MFM008]

26. thats shocking

only because BM usually supports anyone for legalization.

[BobbyDrake]

28. Calling anything the government provides "free" is immediately a mistake, and not exactly smart.

The same people who call Bernie "the most honest candidate" still turn around and lap it up when he says stuff like "free college." Free to whom exactly, Bernie? Not taxpayers, according to his scheme. So right away, he's a liar, people can see he's a liar, and only his supporters aren't bright enough to know the difference. (Mostly because they're still in college and don't know any better.)

Promising anything for free, especially government benefits that need to be funded by taxpayers as a whole, is just bad politics. No wonder Sanders lost; there just aren't enough educated Democrats who believe, like his supporters, that anything can be provided for "free."

[Hoyt]

30. And Maher endorsed Sanders early, had him on the show a couple of times, said

good things about him. But, Berners apparently irritated him.