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Bill Maher: Republicans Have Horrible Society Killing Ideas For America
more from Hrafnkell Haraldsson
Anderson Cooper interviewed Bill Maher Tuesday night about the Republican debate. When asked if what he saw had caused him to change his mind, Maher answered,
“No, of course it got even worse. It’s tough sledding there as a progressive, as a sane person just to watch that, to see that Republicanism has really become a religion. And when I say religion I mean they just have a series of baseless assertions that they cleave to, you know. And it’s like if there was just one sane person in that room to give perspective, but there wasn’t. So you have seven people up there who are all claiming things that we know don’t work like reducing taxes will somehow magically increase revenue and somehow by keeping the profit motive in the healthcare system that’s going to solve that problem.”
Maher told Cooper that the Republicans have “society killing ideas about America, and either don’t know what’s real or don’t care.” He went on to say, “They all act like God created the world in January 2009, and Barack Obama screwed it up.”I think the record of Republican legislation since 2010 proves Maher’s point.
When asked to clarify he answered, “this idea of continually reducing taxes when on the one hadn’t they’re screaming about how we’re in debt and on the other hand the answer is somehow to decrease revenues.”
Maher nailed that one. It didn’t work for Bush and it’s difficult to believe anyone would think it would work now.
“They all act like god created the world in January of 2009 and then Obama completely screwed it up.”
Asked if he thought Bachmann did well, Maher said, “Of course not. She did well by what standard? Because she’s able to speak in complete sentences?” As he pointed out, “The standards are so low. Let’s be honest. We’re judging her against Sarah Palin.”
Needless to say, Maher is neither a Bachmann nor a Palin fan. But as he pointed out, Palin is not a worker where Bachmann “actually works.” He thought if anyone won it was Mitt Romney. As for Newt Gingrich, “he’s a nut and I think people are finally coming around to this.”
Maher is speaking as “that sane person” in the media that we need. Sad to say that we depend upon comedians and satirists like Maher, Stewart and Colbert to keep it real.
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30 Responses to Bill Maher: Republicans Have Horrible Society Killing Ideas For America
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Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Absolutely. How can you get out of debt by lowering taxes? We got this way by lowering taxes for gods sake. The problem is, the republicans scream we are in debt and the perception is that people scream we wont pay more. I think they would if everyone paid more. Including the corporations who are using the tax breaks to go overseas with. Screw em.
The republicans are trying to put the people over a barrel with lies and torture here on our own soil. They will torture seniors and the poor like pulling the wings off flys. They must be stopped and people must be vocal
James
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 4:35 am
Reducing taxes leaves more money in the hands of individuals and businesses, they spend that money in the private sector which in turn increases demand for the production of goods and services which leads to job creation which in turn leads to fewer people relying on government handouts.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 7:46 am
Taxes are at an all time low right now and have been for several years. That theory doesnt fly
Stevan
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 8:53 am
The theory makes sense. But, as we’ve found out it’s not reality. We’ve done this for 30 years and the trickle down theory does not work! How long must wet try to live by failed theories?
Chris
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 9:10 am
Ah yes, the ‘trickle-down’ theory. It looks good and sensible on paper, but in practice? Not so much. It doesn’t take into effect the human factor. Greed, to be more precise. Sure, private spending will increase demand for production of goods. But with increased demand, the price goes up. Especially if one doesn’t increase production. In turn, this keeps the job count at a controlled plateau. Supply and demand, or rather supply vs. demand.
sherriww
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
@james:Taxes are lower now than they were SIXTY YEARS AGO. This country has grown many tmes over,and has many more needs than 60yrs ago.If that nonsense about less taxes worked,it would have worked the PAST 12 Years and we would not be in this mess!We need to RAISE taxes and INVEST in Jobs and Infrstructure NOW,and Education.This will GROW our tax base again,and the deficit will go lower as a result,if nothing else was done! We also must keep social prgrams and citizens safe.We all pay into SS and Medicare and have a right to it when we no longer can work,and also, nearly EVERYONE,except the very rich,have to have mediCAID pay for part of their Nursing Home costs later on,no matter their asests to start with.At over $50,000 For the cheapest nursing home, per yr,no one would have care without the federal govt.helping.IT is also cheaper if we keep programs,pd for by mediCAID,in place,to help care for folks in their own homes.And,most people do not understand that even unemployment benefits pay for themselves!For every dollar given out in unemployment money,it generates $1.64 in money, to the economy by keeping OTHER folks working,at walmart,groceries,gas stations,where ALL that unemployment money is sent right back into the ecomomy.Republicans dont WANT people to understand that,or that Single payer Healthcare,like Medicare,for EVERYONE,would CUT COSTS,and save us ALL money,by not having to pay for the uninsureds doctor&hospital visits.Also,by ending the single biggest reason folks go bankrupt-medical bills-which we all pay for THOSE bills too,that people cant pay,in higher prices on everything.
Joe
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
It is true that reducing taxes leaves more money in the hands of individuals but there’s more to the story. You’re assuming that the money will be spent, and it is not being spent, because it is being left in the hands of people with too much money to begin with. If you make 200k a year and you get a bit of a tax break, are you going to run out and buy something? Of course not. Are you going to hire someone new at your business? Not likely, because the money in your pocket hasn’t affected your sales. The whole picture shows that America is VERY VERY wealthy, but all that wealth is sitting in bonds, stocks, banks, property, and pockets of wealthy Americans who don’t really want much in life. It’s hard to convince me that giving a rich person more money means they’ll buy yet another automobile. I am more likely to believe that the lower class American making a standard salary will spend money given to them on a new car.
And the real issue here isn’t boosting the economy, it’s that the republicans spend spend spend while they cut cut cut. You also won’t convince me that it is fiscally sound to fund a war while cutting taxes. You have to pay for a war, and since the rich voted Bush let them pay for it. The war is a handout to Halliburton.
Government spending affects the aggregate demand as well. When private spending is down government spending must increase, and they need money to spend. This keeps the GDP high and keeps people employed, and then when things get back on track we can flip it more the other way and let private firms do the spending while government cuts back. Government taxes the rich, spends the money which goes down the line to workers, who then spend the money and stimulate the economy. A million factory workers buying cars, houses, food, furniture, entertainment, etc, is going to bolster an economy a lot more then a handful of millionaires with an extra 100k in the bank.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Well said
Rachel
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 8:05 pm
Ditto the ‘well said’.
english saddle
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
So glad someone on CNN was allowed to speak about facts
jlt
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
DUH….But as long as they can talk that ‘God Talk’ they can lie about everything else and do!
Reynardine
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
At this point, the above-named political satire shows, which I don’t get because I’m not on cable, are probably the only place where most people will hear the unvarnished truth about the political Right.
len charette
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
The only way out of our current mess with the deficit and unemployment is to increase personal income tax on the wealthy and big tax breaks for working people. The wealthy only hoard their tax breaks while working folks spend tax breaks on goods and services. Increased sales of goods and services forces employers to hire more workers who then go off unemployment and pay taxes themselves and purchase more goods and services. Trickle down never worked and never will.
boil
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
we’ll see just how the GOP likes it, when next year we see people on the streets like in greece…. i’m old enough to remember 68. i knew jerry rubin, before he sold out. this time it wont be over the draft and the war, it will be about the destruction of the middle class by the ruling class. the USA will never be a caste system, no matter how much the kock bros want it……… and people like this website will never allow this country to be a secular christian government….
english saddle
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
Thank God for thus site (sorry 4 pun). They’ve been talking about religion and politics while too many slept! Ty politicusa
Sally
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 6:02 pm
And now Perry is joining Sarah claiming that he’s a ‘prophet.’ Just what we need…a bunch of faux Christians gutting programs for the poor, women, teachers, and anyone else except themselves and their rich white friends. Keep talking, Bill!
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
OMG I tweeted that article about how he says he is a prophet. If that doesnt prove he needs to be in a home nothing will
VlogHog
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
First off, liberals claim they are open minded but continue to stereotype the rich.
The rich are people like Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, LeBron James, et al who donate millions
(or billions in the case of Gates) to charity, create jobs, create wealth and pay high taxes that go to the goods and services of local, state and federal government.
The way to get out of this crisis is to create more rich people. Why this is a mystery to liberals confounds me. Do you really thinkg there is some pie that only certain people get a piece of and other don’t?
You can tax the rich back to the Stone Age but with their resources they can and will move their assets to other countries or stop producing. Then what?
All taxes should be lowered and all local, state and fedearal spending must be cut.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 8:32 pm
2% of the rich create jobs. With the Bush tax cuts that hasnt been working has it.
The tax on the “rich used to be over 50% and they were successful then. Now they pay very little and we are not successful. The riuch are so far from being taxed back to the stone age that its not even worth mentioning.
Create rich people? OMG And how do you do that? With Jobs and education. The republicans are taking away education in favor of religious charter schools, and not working on jobs for a second.
Or wait, do the conservatives just wave a wand and more rich people show up?
Stop being rediculous
Ingarose
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
You must be kidding. Did you not realize what happened the past 10 years? You said:”The way to get out of crisis is to create more rich people.” Actually, we have created more super rich people than ever, which by the way brought on the crisis. Greed knows no boundary, it will go on and on until it eats itself. I could make a nasty remark but I won’t.
Jordan
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 7:16 am
We raise taxes on huge corporations, they move assets and stop producing, we buy things we need from other companies that have risen to meet the demand of a constantly consuming society. And please explain to us all how you create more rich people, being that we dont seem to understand. Whats wrong with having most people employed enough to support their livelihood. we can do without giant corporations beating us down into our dirt houses.
Flabio
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 10:05 am
You’re absolutely right on one point– we need more rich people. Well, not necessarily rich, but middle class. The problem is that the wealth is concentrating with the top 2% and everyone else is actually worse off.
Since you’re only partially right on that point and wrong about everything else I rate your posting as a D-. Remedial internets for you.
Ex-republican
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 10:27 am
Funny you mention Bill gates, the richest person on that list. Bill supports raising taxes on the rich.
Edward
Jun. 15th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
You want to get out of this recession have to raise taxes and spend money on the infrastructure. that is how we defend our economy.
Jojo
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 3:45 am
If we want to get out of this recession and survive as an intact country we must eliminate the empire and keep taxes low as an incentive for business to come to our shores, or to spring up from our shores. If we do not deal with the empire and the FED (which in reality–where Maher does not live–has already destroyed this nation with calculated inflation) America will never return to prosperity, she will be imprisoned by her citizens that are guided by mainstream propaganda media like this.
Here’s a simple rule to follow, if the mainstream propaganda media tells you something is a good idea, it isn’t, in fact, any time you watch or read it, consider it ‘opposite day’ on their end and you’ll have a better understanding of reality. So as the logic follows for this particular piece you should be looking for the candidate that is not discussed, you should look for the candidate that is being purposefully ignored, you should look for the candidates they claim without investigation or reasonable argument to be unelectable. That is the candidate you should research, that is the candidate that is sincere. Everyone in that debate is loved and discussed by the media except for one that’s consistently neglected. I trust you are intelligent enough to figure it out yourself, if you can’t, kiss your country and your freedoms good-bye and continue to blame it on the left or the right, anyone but yourself.
Anne
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 10:36 am
So, how come all those tax cuts haven’t translated into jobs for Americans? It’s been tried and found completely lacking. Edward is 100% right.
shel3364
Jun. 16th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
How timely! My conservative but rational coworker just got an e-mail from another conservative but irrational coworker explaing how Obama singlehandedly destroyed the universe.
After reading that e-mail, rational man asked me “how can some people believe that one person has control over the entire world”?
My response then was “I don’t know”.
My response now is “They all act like God created the world in January of 2009 and then Obama completely screwed it up.”
Thank you Bill Maher…