Maher exposes the difference between Dems & Repubs

Democrats view America without democracy as unthinkable.

Republicans? Thinkable

Maher pointed to a few examples of Republicans saying 'America is not a democracy, it is a republic'.

In fact, on this forum and another one that is popular I've observed similar expressions by republicans, that 'America is not a democracy, it is a republic', as if one is the opposite of the other, and for some reason, they fail to understand that they are not mutually exclusive terms, and Maher went on to detail why and pointed out the flaw in that line of thinking, from a historical perspective. Personally, I think the reason that line of thinking is becoming popular with republicans is that they tend to lose the popular election for president a lot, and with this type of thinking, they can feel better about themselves. Just sayin'.

I think every republican should watch this video. It's the popular 'New Rules' end segment on Maher's 'Real Time' show. It's one of his best. Most of you won't watch it, but some of you will, and I thank you for it.

Maher basically makes a singular point, and I'd like to debate it. That point is offered, above and detailed in the video.

 

I've long ago lost track of how many times I've pointed out how conservative posters make false equivalences between Dems and Repubs. Mostly by repeating the mealy mouthed pronouncement, "they're all the same." Almost always as way out of defending something some Repub has done.
I take Maher's larger point to be there has been a slide towards favoring autocracy in the POT for some time now. Conservatives have a natural predisposition towards it. Trump gave it momentum.

U.S. Conservatives Are Uniquely Inclined Toward Right-Wing Authoritarianism Compared to Western Peers
https://morningconsult.com/2021/06/28/global-right-wing-authoritarian-test/

That predisposition begins to manifest itself in a more pronounced way under certain conditions. Conditions like economic stress and frustration over a lack of upward mobility. The kinds of things populist strongmen who claim to uniquely hold all the answers (which often amounts to oppressing immigrants) take advantage of.

 

What a useless piece of crap.

 

Liberals should listen very carefully to Bill Maher.

“Liberals – if what you’re doing sounds like an Onion headline, stop.”
https://twitter.com/realtimers/status/1432482188965019651?lang=en

 

Seems someone was triggered by Maher’s comments.

 

Well, he's got all the talking points down at least. Not surprising. Just how reliable is his talking points? Well....typical. One example is of him talking about the CPAC conference in Hungary. The conference wasn't for CPAC. It was a gathering of conservative leaders and speakers from Europe, Latin America and the US. Its keynote speaker was Prime Minister Viktor Orban who's seeking re-election in Hungary.

Basically he did great at taking things out of context. Including the reason why Republican's talk about the US being a Republic and not a Democracy.

 

You do know he's a comedian, not a professor of political science, right? His goal is to make you laugh, not make you smarter. I hope you laughed.

 

You do know that a comedian's bread and butter is social commentary wrapped in humor, right? I hope that you thought while you laughed...

 

Democracy??

Nobody wants Joe Biden, but look what we have, Joe Biden.

 

And your attitude is precisely why this thread is a useless piece of crap.

 

BECAUSE HE WON THE ELECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trump received 74,223,030 popular votes that translated into 214 Electoral College votes (it takes 270 EC votes minimum)
Biden received 84,282,903 popular votes that translated into 273 Electoral College votes (that's plenty by 3 more than necessary and 59 more than tRump)

SO, plenty of people wanted and still prefer President Biden over Donald Judas tRump.

 

Actually, a comedian's bread and butter is being funny. Maher's comments in this clip are all that funny - too much "commentary" and too little funny.

 

Very, very TRUE!

It's a direct byproduct of the propaganda they consume. They watch it, then come here to regurgitate it, and then they think they're being "smart". It's self-deception on a scale I have never seen in my lifetime.

 

That is my opinion of this thread, not what I would have said in grade school However, acting like I was talking about something other than is this thread is what we did in grade school. I would have thought you would have figured it out..

 

And you form your opinions only by diligent study, comparing all factors and angles of every topic, concluding in deep and serious reflection? right?

 

Yep.

You should try it, Bulls.

 

And WHY would they want to listen to Orban if they did not favor authoritarianism?

 

Nonsense. Only if you swallow the nonsense your cat herder tell you.

 

I've done it for the past fifty years. The reason I went from a hard lefty to a conservatorian

 

You can claim whatever you want, the proof is in the posts.

 

Why not? What's the problem with listening to people? Listen =/= agreeing with.

In any case, I know nothing of Orban. And I seriously doubt you do either. The point of my post though, which you seem to have ignored, is that CPAC was not held in Hungary like Maher claimed. Some people from CPAC went. But it was not a CPAC event.

 

You sure claim to know a lot while claiming you don't. Make up your mind!

 

Um, if you willingly go to listen to a person speak you are at least interested in what that person has to say.

 

I do know a lot. :shrug: I also don't know a lot. :shrug: I'm a human being.

 

Being interested in what someone has to say doesn't =/= agreement either. Example: Historians are notorious for being interested in what was said in history. Doesn't mean that they agree with what was said. Another ex: A ton of Democrats listen to Tucker Carlson because they are interested in what he says. Doesn't mean that they agree with him.

Should I provide more examples?

That's the problem with so many on the left. They think that just because someone is interested in what someone says then they MUST also agree with what is said. They also make the mistake that agreement with part = agreement with all.